Eric Washburn, a Principal, has extensive expertise in energy and environmental policy in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining BlueWater Strategies, Mr. Washburn ran his own consulting firm and was a senior public policy advisor at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, and Berkowitz where he provided business and governmental affairs advice to industry, non-profit and philanthropic foundation clients on a broad range of natural resources and energy issues. For over ten years prior to that, Mr. Washburn worked in various policy-making and management capacities in the United States Senate. From June 2001 until 2003, he worked for then-U.S. Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle as a senior policy advisor, overseeing development and U.S. Senate passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2002. Previously Mr. Washburn worked for Senator Harry Reid as the Democratic staff director of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. Before joining the EPW Committee, he was Senate Democratic Leader Daschle’s legislative director for four years, during which time he wrote the legislation establishing the national renewable fuel standard. Prior to working in the U.S. Senate, Mr. Washburn consulted with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. Mr. Washburn is also currently counsel to the Bipartisan Policy Center/National Commission on Energy Policy and to the American Coalition for Ethanol. Mr. Washburn holds a master’s degree in forest science from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from Bowdoin College. He and his wife, Robin, have two children.