President
anna.chittum@nwnatural.com

Ms. Chittum has more than 18 years of experience in onsite energy generation and low-carbon energy resources. She was previously Director of Renewable Resources at sister company NW Natural, where she led the development of renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen projects for the gas utility serving western Oregon and SW Washington. Prior to joining NW Natural, she consulted for clients on district energy, microgrids, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Ms. Chittum also led research on national and state-level energy efficiency policies and programs for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). As a Fulbright Fellow in Denmark, Ms. Chittum published research on district heat planning and using CHP to balance variable wind generation. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Gonzaga University and a Master of Science in Urban Planning from Columbia University. Ms. Chittum is currently co-chair of the RNG Coalition’s Advocacy LAB.

Vice President, Business Development
rich.cooper@nwnatural.com

Mr. Cooper has over 25 years’ experience in project development and finance, with a focus on RNG over the last decade.  He has a successful track record of developing projects in both the landfill and dairy RNG sectors. Prior to joining NWNR, he worked for DTE Vantage where he was involved in a variety of project development and finance activities, including raising over $3 billion in tax equity financing from institutional investors.  Mr. Cooper began his career working for Bechtel Enterprises in Singapore, developing and financing private infrastructure projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Civil) and a Master of Science in Engineering (Environmental) from Stanford University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Mr. Cooper currently serves on the board of the American Biogas Council as an elected Director.

Senior Director, Engineering and Project Management
adam.larky@nwnatural.com

Mr. Larky brings over 30 years of experience in the solid waste and renewable energy industries. He spent 25 years in the consulting engineering space including helping found Cornerstone Environmental Group, LLC which ultimately became part of Tetra Tech where he was a Regional Vice President. During his tenure, Mr. Larky was involved in numerous solid waste and biogas-to-energy projects including 12 RNG plants. Before NWNR, he worked for EDL as Manager of Project Delivery, operating from EDL’s North American headquarters in Michigan. Mr. Larky delivered five RNG plants, two of which are the largest in the world. Mr. Larky leads the technical development of NWNR’s projects including project conception, permitting, design and construction.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Civil) and a Master of Science in Engineering (Environmental) from the University of Michigan.  Mr. Larky is active in several industry associations, including as Co-Chair of the American Biogas Council RNG Committee, Chair of the Engineering Society of Detroit Solid Waste Committee, and a member of the RNG Coalition’s Development LAB.

Commercial Manager
niel.curley@nwnatural.com

Mr. Curley has experience working in local government to create circular economies through waste to energy and resource recovery projects. Prior to joining NWNR, he worked for the City of Portland and the City of Mesa to beneficially utilize biogas from municipally owned wastewater treatment plants. He has expertise with renewable energy policies, environmental attribute generation, and RNG off-takes. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Arizona and a Masters of Public Administration from Arizona State University where he was selected as a Marvin Andrews Fellow.  Mr. Curley serves on the American Biogas Council Policy Committee.

Senior Financial Manager
jessie.yoon@nwnatural.com

Jessie Yoon is a finance professional with over 20 years of experience in financial strategy and analysis, including more than seven years focused on renewable energy investments. As a Senior Finance Manager at NWNR, she conducts the financial evaluation of RNG projects, ensuring their economic viability and supporting long-term success. 

Jessie began her career with finance roles at Woori Bank and a private equity firm in South Korea. In the U.S., she provided business valuation services at Willamette Management Associates, conducted power cost forecasting and renewable resource planning at Portland General Electric (PGE), and later conducted capital planning and stress testing at BECU. 

She holds both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designations. Jessie earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and English from Ewha Womans University, an MBA with a focus on Green Finance from KAIST, and an M.S. in Computational Finance and Risk Management from the University of Washington.

General Counsel
darren.nakata@nwnatural.com

Mr. Nakata has 20 years of experience leading legal affairs for sophisticated businesses. He has extensive experience in project development and operations, including finance, governance, tax equity, deal origination, deal structuring and deal execution matters. His experience also includes roles at NW Natural, including Chief Legal Counsel and Chief M&A Counsel, and at NW Natural Water, including General Counsel. Mr. Nakata previously worked for global wind energy leader Vestas as Corporate Secretary, as well as senior roles in M&A and wind farm development. He also worked for many years at leading global law firms, including Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Prior to law, Mr. Nakata worked as a technical consultant at global engineering consulting firm CH2M Hill. He earned his B.S. and M.S. from Stanford University, and J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.