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Erica Thomas

Formerly of ITI

Erica is the leader of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) affiliate member organization dedicated to resource efficient data centers called “The Green Grid”. Erica is also the Senior Director of Policy, Environment, Sustainability, and Regulatory (E&S) for ITI. Under Erica’s leadership, The Green Grid has welcomed 20 new members in 3 years, embarked on the development of several new industry critical metrics, and worked with Governments around the world to improve the energy efficiency of data centers.

Erica’s E&S work at ITI includes running ITI’s Energy Efficiency and Asia Pacific Environment and Sustainability Committees. Erica also co-leads ITI’s Climate Committee. In this capacity, Erica has successfully advocated on behalf of ITI members on environment and sustainability topics across the globe.

Erica joined ITI after a distinguished career as a U.S. diplomat, where she focused primarily on environment, science, and technology issues. Erica’s senior diplomatic tours included Chief of Staff at the Bureau of Energy Resources in DC, Counselor for Environment, Science and Technology (EST) at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, and EST Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China.

A highlight of Erica’s environmental leadership as a career diplomat was the air monitoring program she ran at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The program published pollution measurements from an air monitoring station on the Embassy’s roof and has been widely credited with instigating China’s environmental awakening and efforts to address air pollution and climate change. Based Erica’s success in China, she institutionalized air monitoring at U.S. diplomatic posts as a global program at the State Department. As of now, the program has 74 monitors in 53 countries. Her work on this is spotlighted in the National Museum of American Diplomacy; you can read about it via this link:https://diplomacy.state.gov/exhibits/explore-online-exhibits/herdiplomacy/erica-keen-thomas/

Before working at the U.S. Department of State, Erica worked at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Erica has a Master's in Public Policy from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.