Sanford School Dean, Enduring Hydro CEO Join Board of Advisors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014

CONTACT: Erin McKenzie
(919) 613-3652
erin.mckenzie@duke.edu

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions welcomes two new members to its Board of Advisors: Kristina Johnson and Kelly Brownell.

Johnson, CEO of Enduring Hydro, a company focused on investing, developing and modernizing hydroelectric facilities, will serve a three-year term on the Nicholas Institute’s board.

A leader in technology transfer and entrepreneurship, Johnson holds many awards, including the John Fritz Medal, previous recipients of which include engineering luminaries Alexander Graham Bell, Orville Wright and Thomas Edison. Prior to her work with Enduring Hydro, Johnson served as undersecretary at the Department of Energy, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University and dean of Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering. She founded SouthEast Techinventures and ColorLink and is responsible for the 3D effects in movies such as Avatar, Chicken Little, Hannah Montana and Monster House.

Brownell, dean of Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy will serve as an ex officio board member. Before joining the faculty at Duke, Brownell served eight years as founding director of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. While at Yale, Brown served in a number of leadership roles, including Master of Silliman College.

One of the world’s foremost experts on the obesity epidemic, Brownell revolutionized obesity and food policy by bringing a public health perspective into focus. In 2006, Time magazine listed him among “The World’s 100 Most Influential People” in its special Time 100 issue featuring those “... whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world.”

Johnson and Brownell join 17 other members of the Nicholas Institute Board of Advisors, chaired by William K. Reilly, former administrator of the EPA.

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