Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of SDSG is the organization’s governing body, with an international and geographically diverse group with expertise in natural resources law and policy, non-profit management, and international development work. Our Directors volunteer their time and expertise to serve as Board members and support the mission and vision of SDSG.

Nadia B. AhmaD - DirectoR

Nadia Ahmad is a Visiting Associate Professor at Yale Law School and Associate Professor at Barry University School of Law. Her research centers on the intersections of energy siting, the environment, and sustainable development drawing on international investment law and corporate social responsibility. She has spent her academic career focusing on frontline communities who are the most vulnerable to energy production. Before teaching, Ahmad’s early experiences included working for a multinational oil and gas company in the Denver-Julesburg Basin and in a private law practice in Florida focusing on land use, zoning, asset protection, and bad faith insurance litigation defense. In 2016, she was recognized by the Orlando Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 honoree for her leadership and community involvement. She has presented her research on the law and policy of advanced biofuels in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Cambridge, Doha, Denver, New York, and San Francisco. She is a co-author of the third edition of the textbook, “Environmental Justice: Law, Policy, and Regulation,” (Carolina Academic Press). Over the past 15 years, Ahmad has held various leadership positions with the American Bar Association and The Florida Bar. In 2020, she appointed to the Council of the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, the Advisory Board of the ABA Center for Human Rights’ Dignity Rights Initiative, and The Florida Bar Journal/News Editorial Board. Ahmad earned an undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature from the University of California at Berkeley with high honors; law degree (J.D.) from the University of Florida Levin College of Law; and a masters of law (LL.M.) in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Watch Nadia’s Ted Talk here: Unearthing Clean Energy | Nadia Ahmad | TEDxOcala

Luke Danielson - President

Luke Danielson is President and Co-Founder of SDSG. He is an attorney, professor, researcher, and consultant on minerals policy, national development strategies, and environmental and social performance in the mining and oil and gas industries. He is known for his work both on international and national levels on minerals policies, and has worked with over a dozen governments, including Chile, Mongolia, Mozambique, the Peoples Republic of China, and Peru. Luke was previously the Executive Director of the path-breaking global Mining Minerals and Sustainable Development Project at the International Institute for Environment and Development in London, an effort that involved a network of international staff and consultants across several continents, engagement with hundreds of stakeholders, and multiple forums, conferences, and reports. The findings of the MMSD Project established the first work plan and agenda for the International Council on Mining and Metals. Luke was the founding Director of the Mining Policy Research Initiative, a project of the International Development Research Centre that supported and conducted research on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of mining investment in the 23 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. He was a member of the International Bar Association committee that developed the Model Mining Development Agreement, a tool for governments and investors to develop more stable and equitable mineral development agreements with improved development outcomes. Luke was a 2015 inductee into the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame for his contributions to Environmental Management and Stewardship.   Luke Danielson Curriculum Vitae

KRISTI DISNEY BRUCKNER - DIRECTOR

Kristi Disney Bruckner is an attorney with 20 years of experience working on complex law and policy issues with governments, communities, companies, and multi-stakeholder initiatives. She is Senior Policy Advisor at the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) where she assists with IRMA’s public engagement, partnerships, and ongoing work to improve standards and audits. Her experience includes over a decade of leadership at Sustainable Development Strategies Group, working to align management of renewable energy and natural resources with sustainable development objectives. She has worked with government, community and industry stakeholders around the world to review and improve law and policy frameworks; build capacity to negotiate and manage natural resource contracts and company-community agreements; and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her work has included research and co-authorship of Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) validation reports for 16 countries, review of mining law and policies of over 70 jurisdictions, and review of community development requirements for the mining sector in over 50 countries. She has also worked with the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) to complete Mining Policy Framework Assessments, capacity building seminars, and guidance for IGF Members, including guidance on improving environmental and social impact assessment and management for the mining sector. She is an adjunct professor of climate change law, sustainable development and international trade, and community engagement courses at law schools in the US and Scotland. Kristi Disney Bruckner Curriculum Vitae

Kimberly Jackson Thayer - DIRECTOR

Kimberly Jackson Thayer is an attorney for the United States Department of the Interior Office of Natural Resources Revenue. She provides mineral and resource valuation guidance for issues involving onshore, offshore, and tribal property concerns that relate to industry, state, tribal, and federal stakeholders. Ms. Thayer also assists the agency in regulatory rulemakings, overall community engagement, and educational/training efforts throughout the United States. Prior to her work with the United States Government, she worked as both a consultant and in-house counsel, focusing primarily on issues of environmental assessments, land use and zoning, conservation easements, energy development, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Thayer lectures extensively on land use and energy issues. She is a Faculty Instructor for the National Business Institute and also teaches courses at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She has participated as a guest lecturer for both the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and the Colorado Bar Association on a number of land use and environmental topics. Ms. Thayer earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado, a Practical Nursing license from the Community College of Denver, and both her J.D. and LL.M. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

Lila A. Murphy - Director

Lila A. Murphy has over 20 years of investment experience, including many years of experience analyzing and evaluating complex financial statements, and making forecasts and investment decisions as a fiduciary for a multi- billion-dollar asset management company. She is a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Dundee Corporation, a diversified holding company with investments in companies in wealth management, natural resources, agriculture, and real estate. She was previously the Vice President and Portfolio Manager of Federated Investors, one of the largest U.S. investment management firms. She also previously worked as an Equity Research Analyst at David W. Tice and Associates, an entrepreneurial boutique investment management firm with deep experience in natural resources investing.

David Phillips - Director

David Phillips served as the Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (RMMLF) for forty-two years. RMMLF focuses on a range of natural resource issues, including oil and gas, hardrock mining, public land, water, and renewable energy resources on local and international levels. David grew up in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and received a B.S. in geological engineering from Princeton University, graduating with honors. He has a master’s degree in geology from the University of Wyoming. After obtaining his master’s degree, he worked in oil and gas before deciding to enroll in law school at the University of Colorado in Boulder. David worked for RMMLF as a law clerk during law school, and after graduating with his JD in 1966, worked as in-house counsel for industrial minerals companies for four years before taking on the position of Executive Director of RMMLF. While at RMMLF, David build the foundation’s assets from $100,000 to its current $14 million to fund its mission, increasing its activity geographically and with a range of new programs and members from over 40 countries. David has recently retired from the foundation, leaving a long path of success for others to carry on. David currently resides in Denver, Colorado.

Heather Ryan - Secretary

Heather Ryan works for the Open Society Justice Initiative in a monitoring and advocacy role on issues related to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia. She has worked in the field of international criminal and human rights law for the last 12 years. Heather’s prior work experience also includes directing programs for the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, acting as a liaison for the Coalition for International Justice at The Hague, and serving as a Rule of Law Liaison for the American Bar Association Central and East Europe Law Initiative. She practiced law with Hutchinson, Black and Cook in Boulder for 17 years before focusing on international law issues. Heather lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Brendan Schwartz - Director

Brendan Schwartz is a Senior Natural Resources Researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development. His work focuses on enhancing rural communities’ participation in shaping natural resource policies and practice. His primary areas of expertise include land tenure, mining, legal redress, legal empowerment, land-based initiatives, and agriculture value chains. Prior to joining IIED, Mr. Schwartz worked for the University of Guelph as a research consultant on the study the politics of commodities in Central Africa. He has also consulted for international development institutions and NGOs in West and Central Africa.