Although trained in journalism
and English literature,
Rebecca Wagner deals every
day in electrical engineering
concepts, complex power
plant regulations, land leases
and even the inner governmental
workings of an Indian
tribe.
Wagner is a tribute to
what the power of learning
and determination can do.
She is director of regulatory
and public affairs for
Advanced Thermal Systems
in Reno, an energy technology
company that develops
geothermal power plants.
Wagner's duties span a wide
spectrum. She oversees the
permitting and regulatory
aspects of developing power
plants, monitors legislation,
writes grants, deals with the
media and oversees land
acquisition and leasing. She
also coordinates projects, such
as the company's deal with
the University of Nevada,
Reno, to heat and cool its
new Redfield campus, and its
joint venture with the
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe to
develop geothermal resources
on the tribe's reservation.
Wagner admits she was a
little intimidated at first conversing
with engineers about
the finer points of things such
as binary cycle technology.
But she's passionate about the
industry, likes to learn, and
enjoys juggling lots of projects
at once.
"I really believe in what we
do."
Geothermal energy occurs
wherever there is hot water
underground. Geothermal
power plants tap into the heat
to drive electricity-producing
turbine generators. It's a clean
and renewable energy source,
and it's plentiful in northern
Nevada. Opportunity is ripe
because state law here and in
California requires power
companies to purchase a certain
percentage of power from
renewable energy sources.
But the geothermal industry
is relatively new and faces
challenges. Geothermal is still
perceived as expensive, and
there are no transmission
lines to get the power from
the north to the south part of
the state or across the boundary
to California. Creating a
transmission system would
involve traversing a patchwork
of private and Bureau of
Land Management property.
Wagner is part of the effort to
bring companies together as
an industry to clear the hurdles.
Although she didn't set out
to work in the energy industry,
Wagner has always had
strong beliefs and a passion to
follow them. At 12, she
dreamed of becoming a political
journalist, and at 18, she
attended the National
Republican Convention. After
college she worked for political
consultants and candidates,
including Republican
Jim Gibbons' congressional
campaign
A Nevada native, she even
ran for office herself. At 28,
she was one of the youngest
candidates to make a bid for
state assembly.
She lost the election. The
day after, she says, she was
disappointed, but also a little
relieved. She describes herself
as honest to the point of
being blunt, and in retrospect,
she says, she's not sure how
well that would have played
under the constant glow of
the political spotlight.
Meanwhile, in working as a
private contractor, handling
public and media relations for
companies,Wagner ran across
the leaders of Advanced
Thermal Systems. They asked
her to come on board six
years ago.
"She knows a lot of people
in the city and state government,
which is an important
aspect of our business," says
Advanced Thermal Systems
president Shuman Moore.
"She has a good sense of politics,
not just by the strict definition,
but overall in the
business climate."
Moore says Wagner is able
to don a lot of hats and
absorb technical information
with relative ease.
Wagner says she enjoys the
diversity of her job, learning
new things and building relationships.
The biggest
rewards come from watching
the industry evolve and seeing
projects, such as the deal to
heat and cool UNR's Redfield
campus come to fruition.
"My heart and soul is in that
project."
She says she hopes the
joint venture with the
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe to
develop geothermal resources
on its reservation will become
a model for similar ventures.
That project involved learning
how tribal government
and law worked and establishing
rapport with tribal
leaders. An extra challenge
was that tribal government
changes every two years,
which meant getting to know
new players and rebuilding
the relationship with the tribe
every other year
Outside of work,Wagner
enjoys outdoor sports, such as
golf, hiking and skiing, and
strives to maintain a balance
of work and play.
She says a key to success is
working at a job that inspires
passion. "It has to be about
more than just collecting a
paycheck."
