Who We Are
Joules Accelerator is led by mission-driven professionals with decades of innovation, education, and energy experience.
Joules Accelerator is generously supported by an industry-leading Board of Directors.
The work of Joules is enriched through a network of student fellows and associates.
The Joules Accelerator Staff
Ryan Rutledge
Executive Director
Ryan Rutledge works with utilities, corporates, researchers, investors, and government partners to identify innovation priorities, accelerate technology adoption, and strengthen the Carolinas as a national hub for grid modernization. Under his leadership, Joules has expanded to include the Joules Accelerator, the ARL-to-Scale program, and the Future Grid Network. He has led partnerships and multi-million-dollar initiatives with organizations such as Duke Energy, EY, GE Vernova, Honeywell, ABB, and national laboratories. He is committed to building collaborative ecosystems that spur development across the region.
Prior to joining Joules, Ryan worked as an environmental toxicologist, studying the Eastern oyster, the effects of oxygen and metals on marine ecosystems, and commercialization strategies for remediation technologies.
Saba Khalid
Director, Tech to Market Strategy
Saba Khalid is the founder and principal of SK Innovations, advising accelerators, incubators, and entrepreneurs on commercialization strategy, regulatory navigation, and market readiness for grid and energy technologies.
She was previously a management consultant at West Monroe within the Energy and Utilities practice, where she helped clients navigate strategic technological roadmaps. She also worked at Advanced Research Projects Agency- Energy (ARPA-E) as a Technology to Market advisor. She enjoys helping clients face the effects of climate change and translate them to grid resiliency and security. She started her career at GE Energy (now GE Vernova) as an Electrical Design Engineer. She has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering Power Systems.
Deb Wojcik
Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships and Impact
Dr. Deb Wojcik brings 20+ years of experience in program leadership and development, stakeholder engagement, network building, professional development, and environmental education. She has served as Executive Director of the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster (RTCC) since 2021, where she convenes industry leaders, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits to advance clean tech innovation and adoption.
Prior to her roles with Joules, Deb developed and managed innovative programs at several universities and organizations. She earned a PhD in interdisciplinary social sciences from the University of Florida, was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, and holds a Master of Environmental Management, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Bachelor of Science degrees from Duke University.
Lili Zay
Marketing and Communications Advisor
Lili Zay is a program and communications manager who has worked in climate and conservation since 2017, with nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and international NGOs. She is passionate about relationship-building, communication, and impact.
Before joining Joules, she was the Partnerships and Engagement Manager at Covering Climate Now, a global nonprofit journalism collaborative dedicated to strengthening news coverage of climate change. She has also worked on climate communications with the Micronesia Conservation Trust, International Union for Conservation of Nature Oceania, and Palau International Coral Reef Center. She is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain Scholar.