Team

Eric Youngren

International Operations/Business Development

Eric Youngren is a solar energy expert and entrepreneur bringing clean power solutions to people around the world for over twenty years. He worked on his first off-grid solar power system in the desert of Baja California, Mexico in 1993 and has been passionate about appropriate technology and renewable energy ever since. Eric has a degree in Anthropology from Pomona College. He spent his 20’s leading wilderness expeditions and teaching leadership and technical skills in remote regions of Chile, Mexico, Alaska, Washington and British Columbia.

Eric became a solar professional in 2001 when he started working at Rainshadow Solar, Inc, a system integrator and installation contractor in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. Beginning as a system installer, he was later promoted to the position of General Manager and oversaw all operational aspects of the company for five years. Eric founded Island Energy Systems LLC in 2008 to take the best of the US off-grid solar industry to international markets. He developed the SolarNexus off-grid system integration appliance to help people more easily install higher quality and reliable off-grid power systems. SolarNexus systems are now powering lights and computers in over 1,200 schools and clinics in rural villages in Tanzania and Kenya. In recent years Eric has been assisting renewable energy development projects in Southeast Asia. From 2015 to 2017 he led the technical design and configuration of the first pay-as-you-go solar mini-grids in Myanmar as the solar PV specialist consultant to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Off-Grid Renewable Energy Demonstration Program.  Currently he is the PV technical expert consultant on the Inspection and Verification Agent (IVA) team for the World Bank supported off-grid solar PV elements of the Myanmar National Electrification Project (NEP).

Michele Nesbit

Engineering

Born and raised in Nevada County, Michele Nesbit returned home six years ago to play a part in the local off-grid solar industry, serving as Operations and Supply chain manager at PlanIt and Sierra Solar. She graduated in 2010 with honors from UC Berkeley with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science. Michele contributes her extensive experience designing off-grid energy systems and managing solar inventory to the BoxPower engineering team. In her spare time, Michele is an active member of many local theatre groups, a volunteer math tutor, and overall creative person.

Trevor Woessner

Electrical Systems

Trevor Woessner joined BoxPower as Electrical Operations Manager in February of 2018. Trevor moved to Chicago Park from Denver, Colorado in 2014 where he graduated with honors from Red Rocks Community College in Renewable Energy Technology majoring in Photovoltaics and Solar Thermal Energy. Trevor has worked in the solar and electrical field for 8 years both locally and in Colorado where he apprenticed under a Master Electrician. Prior to his renewable energy career Trevor worked for a prestigious company building upscale homes in Boulder, Colorado. Trevor’s extensive knowledge in building and renewable energy technology is an asset to BoxPower’s operations team.

Since moving from the big city of Denver Trevor and his wife have had two daughters, acquired land, and quite a few animals. He is an avid skier, hockey player, and disc golfer. When not having tea parties with his two-year-old Trevor is either building something or playing a round of disc on his custom built home course. Trevor is truly devoted to saving the world one solar system at a time. He is excited to help bring BoxPower into the off-grid world!

Will Heegaard

Disaster Response

Will Heegaard sees every disaster as an opportunity to build back better. Will received his BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from UC Berkeley before training to become a registered Paramedic. Will responded with International Medical Corps to Typhoon Haiyan, then trained clinicians as a Program Manager in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak. Domestically, Will’s been on the ground with Team Rubicon after disasters in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Puerto Rico, and recently deployed a solar micro-grid to offset diesel use at Black Rock City’s Rampart Medical Clinic. Fascinated by the connection between public health, environmental science and humanitarian crisis, Will works on projects that sit at the nexus of emergency response and sustainable development. When he’s not on an ambulance or in the field, he likes to cook, write, travel and tinker on his off-grid tiny house.

Gary Campus

Production

Gary Campus has created homes and energy efficient structures as a licensed contractor in Nevada County, CA for over 30 years. He also created Angelo! Yup, BoxPower is part father-son venture. Gary uses his extensive background in building and remodeling energy efficient homes to work alongside his son as Production Manager at BoxPower. As part owner of Sustainable Energy Group Inc. for many years, Gary has shown commitment to building creative and high quality solar systems, always with the determination to deliver the best products available to his customers. Besides drumming in his rock-n-roll band Achilles Wheel, helping Angelo bring innovative, effective sustainable energy solutions to people all over the world is the most satisfying job he could hope for.

Jim Crawford

Production

Jim joined BoxPower in 2017 from a successful background in energy and med-tech start-ups, as well as high-end home construction. His past work includes production engineer and quality control at NES Dynacon (Nuclear Energy Services), Kevex, and Toshiba America MRI. As a building contractor, his specialties included solar hydronic heating systems, and photovoltaics. At BoxPower, Jim manages all metal fabrication and customization, as well as the machine shop operations. When he isnt at work, you’ll find Jim enjoying a cold beer in an alpine meadow or fishing in a glacial lake.

Randy Hart

Business Development Manager

Randy is a northern California native that has spent time working and studying across most of the western states. Growing up in a geodesic dome with solar hot water and wood heat, sustainable living is at his core. After studying Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle, Randy took a turn toward business. His experience at United Rentals and Planetary Power offer great insight for developing customer relationships across many industries and a chunk of the world. His passion for helping customers find solutions is second only to his passion for motorcycles.