Leadership Team
Jeffrey Seay, Ph.D., PE
President and Founder
Dr. Jeffrey Seay is the President and Founder of Empowered Solutions for Environmental Sustainability. He also holds appointments as the PJC Board of Trustees Engineering Professor and Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering Paducah Extended Campus Program and Visiting Professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
Dr. Seay joined the University of Kentucky in 2008 after a 12-year career as a process engineer in the chemical industry. His research interests include process simulation and modeling, waste-to-energy processes, appropriate technology, and sustainable development. Dr. Seay has served as Chair and Co-Chair of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Sustainable Engineering Forum (SEF); Vice Chair of the AIChE International Committee; Programming Chair for the AIChE Environmental Division. He is a member of the Managing Board for the AIChE Institute for Sustainability
Shelby Browning
Vice President and Co-founder
Shelby Browning holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MA in Applied Environmental and Sustainability Studies from the University of Kentucky. Shelby has been with ESES since the beginning, having served as Project Director and Webmaster for ESES. She currently serves as Vice President on our Board of Directors. Shelby’s extensive research in East Africa, focused on plastic waste management and circular solutions in developing communities, reflects her commitment to global sustainable development. She values hands-on engagement with community members and the implementation of tailored technical solutions to drive impactful, sustainable progress.
Sarah Cranor
Secretary/Treasurer
Sarah Cranor received her bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. She serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for Empowered Solutions for Environmental Sustainability. Sarah has been working with waste plastic in underdeveloped regions of the globe since 2015. She has traveled to Cameroon, Uganda, and India to implement this research while a student at the University of Kentucky. She currently works as a production engineer in the specialty chemical industry.
Dimitrios Karadimas
Project Director
Dimitri, a Chemical Engineering graduate from the University of Kentucky, is currently pursuing his Master’s at ASU’s Thunderbird School of Global Management. With a strong dedication to tackling environmental challenges, he brings a wealth of engineering and project management experience to his work. Dimitri leverages his engineering background to devise innovative solutions for environmental protection and preservation. His collaborative efforts with like-minded professionals, combined with his technical expertise and global outlook, drive his commitment to fostering a more sustainable future.
Joshua Nelson
Global Outreach Director
Josh is a graduate of the University of Kentucky (UK), where he received his BS in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently pursuing his MS in Diplomacy and International Commerce through UK. Josh has traveled to several countries to implement ESES research. His skillsets are in sustainability and engineering, but also enjoys collaborative work with diverse people. His inspiration comes from working and communicating with people around the globe to make our world more sustainable. This drive motivates him to forge new alliances with anyone committed to combating the plastic epidemic and preserving our planet.
Board of Directors
Betsy Beymer-Farris, Ph.D.
Board Member
Betsy Beymer-Farris is the Director of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program at the University of Kentucky. She holds a PhD degree in Geography from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has over 20 years of experience working in Tanzania where she conducts research on gender, climate change, marine and coastal resource conservation, and human rights.
Email me: bbeymer-farris@uky.edu
Dr. Quinta Warren, P.E., P.M.P
Board Member
Dr. Quinta Warren, PE, PMP is a chemical engineer and an energy professional. She is the Founder and CEO of Energy Research Consulting (EngrRC.com) which provides energy and water expertise for clients in Africa. The company focuses on solutions that are sustainable, fit-for-purpose, and tailored for cultural context.
Dr. Warren previously worked for ConocoPhillips on CO2 capture research, and as a reservoir engineer for heavy oil and tight gas assets. She was a AAAS Fellow with the US Department of Energy and also with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). At MCC, she provided technical energy expertise and contributed to the development of electricity projects in emerging economies in Asia and Africa.
Dr. Warren holds a PhD in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from Georgia Tech, and a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University.
Mary Ellen Ternes, Esq.
Board Member
Mary Ellen Ternes is an environmental attorney and partner in the Oklahoma City office of D.C.-based Earth & Water Law, LLC. For over 25 years, Ms. Ternes has represented energy, manufacturing, and other industrial and municipal clients, relying on in-depth experience in environmental programs, regulation and remediation including air, hazardous waste, wastewater, drinking water program permitting, compliance, with particular emphasis in developing efficient regulatory strategies for technically and legally complex projects, from permitting and rulemaking, to litigation, administrative proceedings, transactions and remediation.
Ternes began her career in 1985 as a chemical engineer for the U.S. EPA Region 6 in Superfund emergency response and RCRA hazardous waste incinerator permitting, then left EPA to join industry, managing environmental compliance for a commercial hazardous waste incineration company, negotiating air, hazardous waste, and toxic substances treatment and disposal permits, demonstrating compliance, conducting audits and completing permit equivalency demonstrations for on-site CERCLA incineration projects.
Mary Ellen is the Immediate Past President of the American College of Environmental Lawyers, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Kenneth Wheeler
Board Member
Mr. Wheeler is a retired engineer with 45 years of experience in a wide range of activities, all associated with various elements of the maritime industry. His experience includes construction and operation of nuclear submarines, as well as management of inland marine shipyards, towing companies and affiliated facilities. He has served in many roles representing various maritime organizations, including that of President of the International Propeller Club of the United States .
William Murphy, Ph.D., PE
Board Member
Dr. William Murphy is Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He retired from UK after 35 years in academia, at Texas A&M University, the UK Lexington campus, and his final 17 years establishing the UK Engineering Extended Campus in Paducah.
His research specialization is in HVAC&R with his more recent activity in ground source heat pump system design and applications. He was most active with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). He chaired and served on many ASHRAE standing committees, as well as on the ASHRAE Board of Directors, while also serving on the ABET Board of Directors and the ABET Engineering Accrediting Commission. He currently serves on the board of the ABET Foundation and the ASHRAE Research Activities Committee that oversees a $3 million annual research program. Dr. Murphy continues to serve as a research proposal reviewer for Department of Energy programs related to HVAC&R and building energy use.