Jana Adams named to top business slot at American Wind Energy Association

Jana Adams, an experienced association marketing executive, has been hired as the new Senior Vice President for Conference, Membership and Business Development at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). She starts this week in AWEA’s Washington, D.C. office.

“Jana Adams has worked for over 20 years in association leadership positions, managing membership, marketing and communications departments. She brings a wealth of experience, including in the energy industry with the American Public Power Association (APPA), and we welcome her to AWEA’s staff,” said AWEA’s CEO, Tom Kiernan.

Jana previously served as the Executive Vice President for Marketing & Member Services at the Personal Care Products Council, and has been their Senior Vice President for Business Development & Marketing. She was previously Senior Director for Marketing Communications at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Director of Membership and Marketing at APPA, among other association positions. She holds an undergraduate degree from Clemson in International Marketing and a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. She replaces Stephen Miner.

In other moves at AWEA, Chris Chwastyk, Vice President of Federal Legislative Affairs, has resigned to pursue other opportunities, effective at the end of January. “Chris has been an invaluable part of AWEA for the past four-and-a-half years, and he’ll be missed,” said Rob Gramlich, Senior Vice President for Public Policy. “Tens of gigawatts of electric generating capacity have been driven by the policy campaigns he led. We will miss his well-honed political instincts and sage advice.”

Gramlich announced that Aaron Severn, recently AWEA’s Director of Grassroots and Legislative Affairs, will take over as Interim Vice President of Federal Legislative Affairs. Severn has worked in AWEA’s Federal Legislative Affairs department for seven years. Previously he worked as a Legislative Assistant for U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) on energy, energy tax and environmental issues. Gramlich said AWEA will move quickly to find Chwastyk’s permanent replacement.

AWEA also announced the promotions of Elizabeth Salerno to Vice President of Industry Data and Statistics, Susan Williams Sloan to Vice President of State Policy, and Tom Vinson to Vice President of Federal Regulatory Affairs.