Paul serves as Rye’s CEO. Paul brings more than 30 years of executive experience to Rye’s team, stemming from previous roles in the energy sector. While at Rye’s predecessor, Free Flow Power, Paul helped the company pivot to conventional hydropower, with responsibility on projects and corporate development focusing on governmental and stakeholder outreach. He spent 10 years at Edison Mission Energy Group, as president of marketing and trading, managing an $8 billion portfolio of wind, coal and natural gas-fired generation. Prior to Edison, Paul built Citizens Energy Company’s energy management and marketing venture and defined its electricity marketplace platform. Paul holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Erik brings more than 20 years of experience in new hydropower development in the U.S., and experience managing due diligence investigations in the U.S., Canada and South America. He is responsible at Rye for all project development activities. Prior to joining Rye, Erik managed the largest portfolio of IPP FERC licenses on federal dams in the U.S. He has a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Southern Oregon University.

Malcolm brings a robust track record of managing diverse teams and organizations, delivering exceptional results in development, acquisition, sales and engineering. “I have come to appreciate the art of untangling big knots,” says the executive leader, who is also a fly fisherman. Malcolm is both curious and determined, thriving in situations where he must navigate complex problems and develop strategic solutions. He is a consensus-driven and collaborative decision-maker, fostering an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued.

Ushakar has been a critical part of the conceptual design engineering, including cost estimation and generation modeling, of FFP New Hydro’s projects since 2011. Prior to joining Free Flow Power, Rye’s predecessor firm, Ushakar had more than eight years of hydropower-specific engineering and construction experience on a wide range of hydropower projects from five MW to 500 MW at SNC-Lavalin, where he managed a team working on civil design, structural design, hydraulic design and due diligence, including the preparation of construction schedules. Ushakar has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Hydraulic Engineering, and an MBA from the Hult International Business School.

With more than a decade of experience in the finance sector, Eamon plays a pivotal role in project valuation and driving the financial strategy at Rye. He holds an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, where he graduated with a concentration in energy finance. Prior to joining Rye, Eamon held key positions at NextEra Energy, Inc., where he managed complex financial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, minority equity investments, and venture capital investments—all centered around growth in the renewable energy and utility sectors. Eamon’s ability to align financial goals with Rye’s mission to improve grid reliability and address climate change through pumped storage has made him an integral part of the executive team.

Michael brings a successful track record of stakeholder engagement, public policy analysis and project management to the Rye team. Previously, Michael spent 10 years in the nonprofit and higher education sectors, focusing on issues ranging from international development to environmental education. Most recently, Michael managed a diverse grant-making portfolio for a large family foundation, which included leading the foundation’s energy and environment investments. Michael holds a BA from Allegheny College and a Master of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

As Vice President of Origination, Dan spearheads Rye’s efforts to identify and develop new pumped storage opportunities, driving our growth in the clean energy sector. His passion for building strong relationships, combined with his expertise in market analysis, credit risk management, deal structuring, and partnership development, is instrumental in expanding Rye’s portfolio of long-duration energy storage projects. Dan has held key roles at major U.S. energy companies, including NextEra Energy, PG&E National Energy Group and Arizona Public Service, where he successfully led strategic transactions across diverse energy initiatives. His extensive experience, strategic vision, and commitment to advancing pumped storage hydropower in the U.S. make him a key contributor to Rye’s mission and success.

Sandy has 18+ years of experience in environmental science consulting in hydropower licensing and compliance – including relicensing, ACOE Dam retrofits and new development. At Rye, she leads environmental permitting, compliance and agency coordination. She has a B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Ecology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

With a rich background in civil engineering and project management, Bree has spent much of her career working in leadership roles within the hydropower industry. Her experience spans significant positions at the US Army Corps of Engineers Hydroelectric Design Center, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Port of Vancouver, and HDR, focusing on a wide range of conventional hydropower projects. Bree is a forward-thinking leader driven by the urgent need to add energy storage to the grid to meet the increasing demand for renewable energy. Her intuitive leadership style and diverse experience in both the public and private sectors uniquely position her to effectively communicate the value of pumped storage to a broad audience and develop sound projects that bring multiple benefits to communities.

Joe brings over 9 years of experience to Rye, most recently from Fidelity Investments, where he held various roles in accounting and finance. At Rye, Joe manages and oversees all aspects of financial operations and plays a key role to ensure financial processes are efficient, accurate and compliant, contributing to the organization's success and growth. Joe started his career at KPMG after receiving a B.S. in Accounting from Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Dylan advances projects that adhere to the highest standards of environmental stewardship. With more than 15 years of experience as an environmental consultant, he expertly navigates the complex regulatory landscape and enjoys collaborating to move projects forward. He is an environmental engineer with a strong emphasis on remediation and extensive experience in the hydropower industry. At Rye, Dylan is key to helping us transform industrial sites into clean energy resources.

With over 20 years of legal experience and an MBA, Cynthia plays a key role in ensuring Rye’s projects meet governance requirements. She is especially focused on building systems that help the team track and efficiently fulfill regulatory obligations. Before joining Rye, Cynthia was a Senior Paralegal in the corporate governance division at NextEra Energy Resources, where she ensured governance and process compliance across more than 2,800 subsidiaries. She began her legal career at the Florida State Attorney’s Office, where her work with victims of crime provided a firm foundation in both legal process and public service. Cynthia is passionate about using her legal expertise, governance leadership, and compliance experience to support Rye’s mission of delivering the world’s most dependable energy storage solutions.