Winning the Future of the Energy Transition in Rural America

Joel Dyar

Director

Rural Electric Cooperative Elections Toolkit

Joel is the director of the Rural Electric Cooperative Elections Toolkit (RECET). Joel grew up in rural Colorado, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania. He earned a Masters of Community Development from Kansas State University and has worked with over 400 candidates and organizations in 14 states and six countries. He may have introduced comic book elections mail to Nepal and mass volunteer canvassing to New Zealand.  Joel worked on the flip of large energy supplier Tri-State G&T, retiring over 3.5GW of coal in favor of cheaper, cleaner, and more awesome renewables - the first grassroots flip of a G&T in the nation. Joel loves river paddleboarding, nature and adventure writing, and two largely feral daughters with serious 2046 Winter Olympics potential. Joel has directed RECET since 2017.

Erik Hatlestad

Erik Hatlestad is a lifelong resident of rural, western Minnesota who grew up on a family farm with a commitment to the cooperative movement. For the last 12 years Erik has been working on the clean energy transition at rural electric cooperatives at an organization called CURE. During that time his work has led to historic investments in rural electrification through the New ERA and PACE programs passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. In 2024, Erik served as an advisor to the Rural Utility Service helping to develop the USDA’s first Community Benefit Plan framework. Erik was named to the 2025 Grist50 list for his work on rural clean energy and electric cooperatives. In addition to his professional work Erik is also a County President for Minnesota Farmers Union and the founder and board chair of the New London Food Cooperative which opened in March 2024.