Ross Macfarlane

Ross smiling wearing red hat with dog on his back

Company

Director and Vice President for Conservation

Board Member Since

Biography

Ross is a climate and clean energy advocate who is Director and Vice President for Conservation with the Sierra Club (National Board) and Vice President and Secretary for the Clean Energy Transition Institute.  He is a founding member of the Advisory Board and was an Instructor for the Institute for Energy Studies at Western Washington University.  Ross was a Senior Advisor at Climate Solutions, where he managed the Business Partnership Program, advocated for strong climate and energy policy, and helped lead the successful campaign to stop coal export facilities on the West Coast. Ross also led Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest, the first stakeholder roadmap for cleaner fuels to power the next generation of flight, and has worked with aviation stakeholders on cleaner solutions in Brazil, Singapore, and around the world.

Ross brings more than 35 years of experience working on public policy and environmental issues. He was a partner at Preston Gates & Ellis (now K&L Gates) where he managed the environmental law practice and represented a wide range of public and private clients. Ross also has extensive public agency experience at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Seattle Monorail Project, where he directed legal and environmental activities. A Northwest native, Ross is a graduate of Pomona College and the University of Washington School of Law.