Meet the Kilowatt Ours Team

Jeff started making home movies at age 12 when his Uncle George loaned him a wind-up 8 milimeter film camera.  Jeff went on to graduate from UCLA with a bachelors degree in Environmental Studies, and has spent the last 12 years producing award-winning environmental documentaries for television and classroom use, coordinating successful grassroots environmental campaigns, coordinating multimedia educational tours, and building coalitions as a consultant for organizations such as Alaska Wilderness League, Sierra Club, and Tree People. His video productions include “Generation Earth: A Look at Environmental Education,” “Summit of Hope,”  “Arctic Quest: A Search for Truth,” and “Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America.”  Generation Earth has been used effectively as the cornerstone educational piece in a public/private program in Los Angeles County, reaching hundreds of schools with a waste reduction message and curriculum.  In 2000, Barrie coordinated and pedaled a 4,600 mile bike trek across America to raise awareness about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  The tour featured a hybrid Toyota Prius support vehicle, and promoted fuel efficiency on one of the first cross-country drives made by a hybrid car.  Barrie founded Citizens for TDOT Reform in 2002 and led a successful effort to reform public involvement policies and advocate a more balanced transportation system in Tennessee.  He wrote, filmed and edited “Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America” (2005) and founded the Kilowatt Ours project.

Heather is an artist, musician, and co-stars in Kilowatt Ours along with her husband, documentary filmmaker Jeff Barrie.

Jeff and Heather met at a coffee shop in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in 2000 and recently co-produced their first daughter, Lily, who is now three.

Heather provided key support for Jeff on the production of Kilowatt Ours, providing meals, creative input and moral support - During the making of the film, Heather and Jeff visited mountain top removal sites featured in the film, and then turned the camera on themselves to become part of the energy solution in their home in Nashville Tennessee.

Energy conservation has since become a way of life for the Barries, and keeping the energy bills low has become a team effort.  Their energy conservation efforts include line-drying Lily’s organic cloth diapers, making mindful use of the thermostat year-round, using ceiling fans to stay comfortable indoors, and powering down electric devices when not in use.  Their electric bills remain around half the national average, even in Tennessee where average electricity use is much higher. 

Conservation in the household has also sharpened the Barries’ skills of compromise and negotiation, helping to keep their marriage strong, and helping them decide when to don the sweaters in the winter.

Jennifer has worked as an environmental educator in some capacity for over ten years.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara.  After graduating, she lived and worked at outdoor science schools in California, and for the National Park Service in Yosemite and Joshua Tree National Parks as a Park Ranger. Jennifer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize, Central America, where she lived and worked in a small community as an environmental educator and project coordinator. While in Nashville she has worked as a community organizer for a statewide citizen coalition called Citizens for TDOT Reform, researched and written studies for the Southeast Watershed Forum, and is managing a new farmers market for the 2008 summer growing season.

Jeff is a May 2006 graduate of Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.  He has consulting experience in the arena of environmental sustainability with several organizations, including General Electric, Philadelphia Eagles, Office Depot, Home Depot, and Bridgestone.  Prior to attending Vanderbilt, Mr. Gowdy served as a programmer, trainer, team leader, project manager, and senior consultant for American Management Systems in Washington, DC.  In addition, he led projects in the media and communications division of AMS.  Clients included BellSouth, Verizon, E3G (Lisbon, Portugal), and US LEC.  Mr. Gowdy is a 1997 graduate of The University of Virginia with a BS in Systems Engineering.  As a youth he attained the rank of Eagle Scout and as an adult has volunteered on several long-term mission trips.

Lydia was previously employed as salon manager, team leader and trainer for True Blue Salon in Nashville where some of her responsibilities included managing the day to day operations for a multi-million dollar company including a staff of fifteen; overseeing all advertising and marketing, service listing and creation of new services; and additionally, utilizing social networking sites to promote branding. In addition to being a long time advocate for earth friendly practices such as recycling, composting, and renewable energy, Lydia is also a voice over artist and creator of Lip Service Voice Over.

Prior to joining Kilowatt Ours, Gretchen was Marketing Director for Home Vision Entertainment in Chicago a DVD distributor specializing in international films—including the renowned Criterion Collection—and documentaries produced for public television.  Gretchen created recycling programs for previous corporate employers and participated in an eco-village training program at Findhorn in Scotland.  She believes great change is possible through individual action.  In Margaret Mead’s words, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Robert creates sponsorship revenue for Kilowatt Ours. His area of expertise is selling for firms with leading-edge value propositions in areas such as software, technology consulting, supply chain and most recently with sustainability. Rob feels he can effect the greatest change by helping corporations embed triple bottom line thinking into their operations - green product design, manufacturing and distribution.

Vicki graduated from Carson-Newman College with a degree in Communications & Journalism.  Originally from Georgia, Vicki moved to Tennessee in 1983 and has since gained over 11 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, development and special events.  Ms. Baldwin has worked with several organizations, including The Alzheimer’s Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Cumberland Heights and the TN Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Dan facilitates the Kilowatt Ours Nashville outreach project. He has a PhD in Resource Development from Michigan State University.  He also completed his Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.  He has considerable experience in community organizing.  He was an organizer with the esteemed Northwest Community Organization in Chicago – mainly focusing on energy issues in low and moderate-income neighborhoods.  His work was instrumental in the passage of significant state and city energy policies.  While in graduate school he also served on the staff of a partnership between Michigan State and 20 neighborhood associations involving 40 AmeriCorps volunteers in environmental projects.  He is adjunct faculty at Vanderbilt Divinity School – teaching courses in community development and urban church outreach.  He also coordinates the VDS outreach program at Riverbend Maximum Security prison.

Rachel just received an Associates Degree from Sussex County Community College in northwest New Jersey where she is originally from.   In the spring she will attend Rutgers University and study Journalism and Environmental Policy.  Last semester Rachel worked in the media department where she directed, shot, and edited a two episode series aired on the college TV station called Road Trip SCCC.  She received the Hull Scholarship for Conservation for the last 3 years and hiked from New Jersey to Maine on the Appalachian Trail last summer.