Pasadena-Based Heliogen Announces Nominations of Luminaries Stacey Abrams and Phyllis Newhouse to Its Board

Stacey Abrams, former State Representative at the Georgia General Assembly and founder of the Southern Economic Advancement Project, and Phyllis Newhouse, an entrepreneur, retired military senior non-commissioned officer and cybersecurity expert, have been nominated to join the Board of Directors of Heliogen, Inc., a Pasadena-based company providing of AI-enabled concentrated solar power.

Their nominations were announced upon closing of Heliogen’s business combination with Athena Technology Acquisition Corp.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have Stacey and Phyllis join Heliogen’s post-combination Board,” Bill Gross, Heliogen Inc. Founder and CEO, said. “Through our collaboration with Athena, Phyllis has already delivered extensive value to Heliogen, and Stacey is one of our country’s most dynamic and inspiring public figures, who has consistently championed the protection of our environment while advocating for policies that address climate change and drive economic development. We are forming a world-class Board of Directors to partner with our outstanding executive leadership team, and the additions of Stacey and Phyllis will be invaluable to advance Heliogen’s mission of replacing fossil fuels with concentrated sunlight.”

Abrams serves as the CEO of Sage Works Production, Inc. She has served as executive director of Southern Economic Advancement Project since 2019, and was a Georgia state representative from 2007 to 2017, serving as the minority leader from 2011 to 2017. She previously served as CEO of the Third Sector Development from August 1998 until March 2019, and as Senior Vice President of NOWaccount Network Corporation from 2010 to 2016.

Abrams has a BA degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Spelman College, a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, and a JD from Yale University.

“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century,” Abrams said. “To respond, we must develop and scale innovative solutions that decarbonize our planet while creating economic opportunity and prosperity for all. Technologies like those pioneered by Heliogen offer a dynamic answer, and I am proud to join Bill, Phyllis and the talented Heliogen team on its mission to empower a sustainable civilization with low-cost solar energy that makes clean power more affordable and accessible.”

Newhouse founded Atlanta-based cybersecurity firm XtremeSolutions and is its current CEO. She is also founder, CEO and Director of Athena Technology Acquisition Corp.

While serving in the US Army on various assignments, Newhouse focused on national security and worked on several projects that outlined the Cyber Espionage Task Force. She founded XtremeSolutions in 2002; the company offers a wide range of IT expertise and provides industry-leading information technology and cybersecurity services and solutions. XtremeSolutions has employees in 42 states and 40 percent of its workforce is made up of veterans.

In 2019, Newhouse co-founded ShoulderUp, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting and supporting women in their entrepreneurial journeys. She currently serves on the boards of the Technology Association of Georgia and Sabre Corporation and is a member of the Business Executives for National Security. She also serves on the executive board and is a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization and serves on the board of Girls

Newhouse holds a BA in Liberal Arts Science from Saint Leo College and is a graduate of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership program sponsored by John F. Kennedy University.

“I am honored to join the Heliogen board of directors to help the company fulfill its mission of creating a more sustainable future,” Newhouse said. “The company is pioneering the cost-effective delivery of renewable energy using innovative AI technology and I’m proud to leverage my experience and expertise in support of Heliogen’s vision. I very much look forward to working alongside Bill and his team as we work toward the day when cleaner power sources completely replace the need for fossil fuels.”

As a renewable energy technology company, Heliogen is focused on eliminating the need for fossil fuels in heavy industry and powering a sustainable future. Its AI-enabled, modular concentrated solar technology aims to cost-effectively deliver near 24/7 carbon-free energy in the form of heat, power, or green hydrogen fuel at scale – for the first time in history. Heliogen was created at Idealab in Pasadena, a leading technology incubator founded by Bill Gross in 1996.

To know more about the company, visit www.heliogen.com.