Black Rock Solar’s New Executive Director

Black Rock Solar, Burning Man’s sister non-profit dedicated to expanding the use of renewable energy through installation, art, education, and job training, is pleased to announce that Patrick (Paddy) McCully has joined Black Rock Solar, taking on the role of Executive Director.

Paddy is originally from Newtownards, Northern Ireland. He joins BRS from International Rivers, where he spent 17 years (six of them as Executive Director) working to protect rivers around the world from destructive dams and to promote human rights and sustainable water and energy practices.

Before coming to the United States in 1993, he worked with environmental non-profits in the UK and Uruguay. Paddy is on the advisory boards of two Indian non-profits and was formerly on the steering committee of the UN Environment Program’s Dams and Development Project. His book Silenced Rivers: The Ecology and Politics of Large Dams, described by prize-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy as a “dazzling book,” has been translated into five languages.

With such an illustrious career in the environmental non-profit arena, and being a Burner himself, Black Rock Solar is very excited to have Paddy join the team, helping to further its mission.

For more information about Black Rock Solar, please visit their website.

About the author: Will Chase

Will Chase

Will Chase is Burning Man's former Minister of Propaganda, working on global communications strategy. He was the editor-in-chief for the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter and the Burning Man Journal, and content manager for Burning Man’s web properties. He also oversaw the ePlaya BBS and Burning Man’s social media presence. Will first attended Burning Man in 2001. He volunteered as the Operations Manager for the ARTery (Black Rock City’s art HQ) and was on the Burning Man Art Council from 2003-2008. He was Web Team Project Manager and Webmaster from 2004 until he transitioned to the Communications Department in 2009.