A new executive director has been named to take the helm of both the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA) and the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF). Stephanie Osborne has been appointed to be the executive director.
Before joining AAEA, Osborne served as the executive director for the Arkansas Society of Association Executives for approximately two years. She previously served in various governmental affairs position, including at the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Department of Defense, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“Stephanie brings a strong range of experiences that make her perfectly suited to our team,” AAEA Chairman Gary McChesney and AAEF Chairman Douglas Hutchings said in a statement. “She is a proven strong leader who understands the complexities of association management, but also brings expertise in navigating important policy issues and advocating for members. This is an exciting day for AAEA.”
Osborne succeeds Katie Lanning Niebaum as the executive director. Neibaum, who had headed AAEA and AAEF since 2016, recently stepped down from the executive director position at the end of June 2020 for family reasons.
“AAEA and AAEF have done an excellent job of establishing themselves as the leading advocates for advanced energy opportunities and policy in Arkansas,” Osborne said. “I am excited about the opportunity to build on their success, to lead this dynamic organization and to help Arkansas lead the way in advanced energy. There is a lot more work to do advocating for strong policies that encourage job growth in all our advanced energy sectors. We must protect and promote established policies while working collaboratively to expand opportunities for all advanced energy companies throughout the state.”
Osborne holds bachelor’s degrees in history and international affairs from Texas A&M University, as well as a master’s degree in international affairs from the George Washington University.
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