Staff

Thomas J. Pyle is the president of the American Energy Alliance (AEA). In this capacity, Pyle brings a unique backdrop of public and private sector experience to help manage AEA’s Washington, DC-based staff and operations. He also helps to develop the organization’s free market policy positions and implement education efforts with respect to key energy stakeholders, including policymakers, federal agency representatives, industry leaders, consumer entities and the media.Previously, Pyle was the founder of his own consulting firm, Pyle Consulting, Inc., an active public affairs consulting firm with a wide range of private and not-for-profit customers. Prior to starting his own firm, Pyle served as vice president of the Rhoads Group in Washington, DC where he represented and advised a variety of association and corporate clients in meeting their strategic public policy goals and priorities. Additionally, he also served as director of federal affairs for a major integrated manufacturing and services company focusing on energy, environment, regulatory and transportation issues.Before coming to the private sector, Pyle held numerous positions on Capitol Hill including serving a policy analyst for the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives and as staff director for the Congressional Western Caucus, as well as other legislative staff positions.Pyle holds a B.A. in Political Scienc e from the University of Southern California.

Lisa Wallace is senior vice president for development and operations at the American Energy Alliance (AEA).Previously, Wallace spent twelve years working on Capitol Hill for Congressman George Radanovich and the House Committee on Resources. Initially, she worked as administrative assistant to Congressman Radanovich, where she served as senior advisor to the congressman on all matters of policy, personnel, political strategy and district operations and managed multi-million dollar budget, legislative, communications and support staff.As Chief Financial Officer for the House Committee on Resources, Ms. Wallace managed and administered a $15 million bi-annual committee budget, oversaw all business operations of the full committee, its five subcommittees, and the Office of the Chief Clerk, and managed a 50-member professional staff. Wallace is a graduate of California State University at Fullerton.

Daniel Simmons is AEA’s Director of Regulatory and State Affairs. He oversees our energy research and outreach at the state level. Before joining AEA, Simmons served as the Director of the Natural Resources Task Force at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).Prior to working for ALEC, Simmons was a Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He analyzed proposed federal regulations and wrote comments to federal agencies during the rulemaking process. He also drafted law review articles based on a current regulatory and legal issues.Previous to working at the Mercatus Center, Simmons served as Legislative Staff for the Committee on Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives where he handled endangered species and forestry issues.Simmons holds a B.A. in Economics from Utah State University and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar. 

Dustin DeBerry is Director of Donor Relations at the American Energy Alliance. In this role he helps oversee communications and outreach to AEA’s growing base of donors. He also assists in managing the day-to-day activities of AEA.DeBerry is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and holds a B.A. in Public and International Affairs as well as a B.S. in Business Administration, concentration accounting.

As Director of Communications for AEA, Benjamin Cole guides the organization’s media strategy to promote free market-based solutions to meet today’s global energy and environmental challenges.  Before joining the AEA leadership team, Cole served as a policy adviser and investigative analyst for the Republican staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform under Chairman Darrell Issa.A native Texan, he began his career in public policy in 2008, after 13 years as an evangelical clergyman in the Southern Baptist Convention.  In this capacity, Cole was widely recognized and frequently profiled for his strategic political and media skills.Cole is a graduate of Southeastern College at Wake Forest (B.A) and the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.). He is currently completing his doctoral work, where his research focuses on the anti-Communism and Vietnam policies of President Richard Nixon.

Genevieve Thornton is the Director of Marketing at the American Energy Alliance. In her role, Genevieve oversees marketing outreach to coalition partners, Capitol Hill staffers, industry partners, and donors.Prior to her role at AEA, Genevieve worked in marketing and sales for a private industrial textile firm and several media companies, including CNBC, Comedy Central, and NBC.Thornton received her BA from Columbia College of Columbia University and her MBA from Columbia Business School.