Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes Speaking Fee: $10,000 to $20,000

Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes is an accomplished engineer and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the natural resources sector. Hailing from Choctaw, Oklahoma, she became the first in her immediate family to attend university, earning a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 2012. She furthered her education with an MBA from Harvard Business School. Throughout her career, Ashley has demonstrated a remarkable ability to identify and develop opportunities in the energy industry. She co-founded and served as President of Black Mountain Metals, a private battery metals mining company, and Black Mountain Exploration, a natural gas company. Her leadership extended to Black Mountain CarbonLock, focusing on carbon-negative initiatives. In her role as the U.S. Deputy Director for Batteries and Critical Materials at the Department of Energy, Ashley oversaw the deployment of approximately $6 billion in non-dilutive equity and $10 billion in tax credits into the U.S. battery supply chain. Her efforts have been instrumental in advancing the nation's energy infrastructure. Ashley's achievements have been widely recognized. She was the featured honoree on the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Energy list, a 2021 Oil & Gas Investor Forty Under 40 award winner, and named one of the top 25 women in business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the Dallas Business Journal. Currently residing in Washington, D.C., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Ashley continues to influence the energy sector. Her journey from a small town in Oklahoma to a leader in global energy initiatives exemplifies her dedication and vision in shaping the future of energy.