2017 Speakers

John Andary, Principal, Integral Group

Leading the bioclimatic design practice at Integral Group, John Andary has more than 25 years of engineering experience in education, healthcare, commercial and laboratory design. Throughout his career, his focus has been on green buildings and energy efficiency in the high tech industry. With an eye on the triple-bottom line (people, planet and profit), John focuses on opportunities that yield the greatest environmental and social results without affecting the economic bottom line. John believes that sustainable design is an engineer’s social responsibility. He has served as Project Manager and Principal-in-Charge on numerous LEED projects including several that have achieved LEED Platinum and Net-Zero energy.

 

Jill Anthes, Executive Director of Planning and Design, Physical Planning and Development, San Francisco State University

Jill is the Executive Director of Planning and Design at San Francisco State University. With the creation of this new department, SF State is positioned to deliver new housing, academic buildings, infrastructure, and landscapes that elevate the physical environment to enrich and support learning.  The Office of Sustainability is an integral part of the department, demonstrating SF State’s leadership and commitment to a sustainable future. This integration ensures that all development projects realize campus, CSU, and national goals in waste reduction, energy and water efficiency, and greenhouse gas emission reduction. As an urbanist, Jill brings experience in design, policy, and management in higher education, for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, and city government to her role. Her interests lie in contributing to beautiful, restorative, and regenerative buildings and landscapes that advance diverse cultures and ecologies.

 

Carina Anttila-Suarez, PhD, Professor, Biology, Skyline College

Professor Carina Anttila-Suarez joined Skyline College as a full-time faculty member in January 2013. At Skyline she is the faculty lead for the Sustainability Ambassador Network (SAN) while teaching courses in Environmental Science and Biology. Since 2012 she has served as the Chair of the Teaching Section for the Botanical Society of America. Anttila-Suarez has a PhD in Biology and was a NOAA SeaGrant Fellow at Bodega Marine Laboratory where she published on invasive species. As an Arctic and alpine field biologist in a joint project between University of Eastern Finland (Joensuu) and the University of Idaho (School of Natural Resources), her dissertation was on hybridization, biodiversity and ecology of vascular plants in diverse habitats impacted by man. Prior to Skyline, Carina was a tenured faculty member at San Jose City College and served as interim Dean of Math, Science and Engineering at SJCC’s sister campus, Evergreen Valley College.

 

Hamarz Aryafar, Chief Technology Officer, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cal Poly, Pomona

Dr. Hamarz Aryafar is the Chief Technology Officer of Element 16 Technologies. He leads the technical efforts for the three-year, $1.5MM CHP-TES effort. Dr. Aryafar is also Assistant Professor in the Engineering Technology Department at Cal Poly Pomona. He has also served as lead designer and system engineer on a DOE energy storage project over $1M. He was also previously lead engineer at energy storage startup, Marvel Energy, Inc. Dr. Aryafar has published over a dozen academic works and has three pending patents in energy storage. He received his Ph.D. in 2008 from UCLA.

 

Coleen Halloran Barsley, BEME, Sustainability & Operations Analyst, CSU Channel Islands

Coleen Halloran Barsley has been at CSUCI for over two years.  She is responsible for utility analysis and conservation and has helped implement projects involving equipment, systems, and procedures for efficient, sustainable use of resources.  Her favorite part of the job is working directly with the students to help them recognize and adopt sustainable living practices.

Before CSUCI, Coleen was an Engineer with Southern California Edison Customer Service and Power Generation divisions.  She was also a field service engineer for ABB Combustion Engineering.  These positions involved the design, construction, maintenance, and inspection of boilers and other equipment to minimize impact on the environment, while optimizing performance. Coleen has a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Marine Engineering from S.U.N.Y. Maritime College, and a Third Assistant Engineer’s License from the U.S. Coast Guard.  She lives in Camarillo, CA with her family.

 

Julie Barstow, Energy and Environmental Associate, District Office, San Mateo Community College District

Julie Barstow serves as the Energy and Environmental Associate at the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) for her FiCCS fellowship. Her duties include providing supportive functions for District-wide conservation and energy efficiency initiatives. Under direction, the position plans, strategizes, and deploys energy efficiency projects and programs. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Engineering with a focus on Engineering for Developing Communities from the University of Colorado – Boulder. Julie’s passion for humans to live in harmony with nature reflects her work at SMCCCD to make the built environment as comfortable and least impactful as possible.

 

Robert Barton, UCOP Sustainability Outreach and Communications Fellow

Bay Area Climate Corps

Robert is a dynamic sustainability professional with a background in youth environmental leadership and experience co-creating solutions to complex, interconnected sustainability problems through collaboration, innovation, and inclusive participation. He has served on project teams around many issues including food access, neighborhood development, curriculum design, systems change management, and well being indicator implementation. In his current role as a full-time Climate Corps fellow at UCOP Sustainability, his duties include GHG reporting, issue research, departmental outreach, assisting with UCOP Climate Action Planning, and supporting both the Climate Neutrality Initiative and Zero Waste Communications Campaign.

 

Kyrie Bass, MBA, Director, Organizational Performance, Housing and Hospitality Services, UC Los Angeles

Kyrie is no stranger to working across silos and building partnerships. In her work, she is accountable for the tactical decisions made by the division and prepares strategies to gain the support of these decisions to other entities. She has expertise in developing long-term planning for the department, including providing direction and counsel toward effective strategic planning. She leads the design, implementation, and management of training and development and process improvement programs, and develops, manages, directs, and controls key financial and activity indicators, including performance measurements and benchmarks. Kyrie is also a co-chair of the GFI UC Healthy Vending Policy work group.

 

Aravind Batra, PE, LC, LEED AP BD+C, Vice President/Chief Electrical Engineer, P2S Inc.

Aravind Batra has over 23 years of experience in consulting engineering, covering both renovation and new construction. He currently serves as Vice President at P2S where he continuously assures quality standards. Aravind brings an in-depth knowledge of electrical systems and their requirements to numerous needs assessments, systems upgrades, renovations and new building projects for various educational, municipal, commercial and industrial clients. He is also responsible for the design of numerous high performance buildings, independent reviews of various types of buildings, and providing peer review on various renovations and new buildings projects. Aravind has also been instrumental in developing electrical standards for various facilities that promote energy efficient designs and helps clients standardize their systems and equipment to reduce operational and maintenance costs

 

Adam Bayer, Senior Electrical Engineer, UC Santa Cruz

Adam was the former SJSU Director of Planning Design and Construction and Campus Deputy Building Official. Prior to that role he was Director of M&O, Director of Utilities and the Campus Energy Manager. This gave him the opportunity to represent different points of view on the goals and aspirations of performance as the building was being designed then constructed. His background is 28 years in Plant Operations, and Planning Design and Construction at both the University of California at Santa Cruz and San Jose State University. He has a BS in Marine Engineering and an MS in General Engineering. He is a California Registered ME and EE; AEE – Certified Energy Manager; LEED AP O&M; and DBIA Professional.

 

Hilary Bekmann, Associate Director of Sustainability, University of California, Office of the President

Hilary is the Associate Director of Sustainability at the UC Office of the President, where her focus areas are Green Labs, Zero Waste, Sustainable Procurement, Medical Centers and Water. Hilary has over 11 years of experience in leading the development and implementation of solutions to complex, multi-stakeholder challenges. Concentrated at the intersection of social and environmental science with corporate strategy; providing expertise to corporations, government agencies, and startups on projects that support a transition to a more sustainable economy. Hilary holds an undergraduate degree in communications and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science from Macquarie University in Sydney as well as an MBA from UC Davis.

 

Clinton Bench, Director, Fleet and Transit, UC Los Angeles

Clinton Bench traces his involvement in transportation back to his childhood, when he collected road maps and became fascinated about how people traveled from place to place.  These interests led him to MIT, where he received his B.S. in Civil Engineering, followed by an M.S. from the UMass.Clinton began his career as a Service Planner for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and later managed transit service planning for the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).  In 2008, he was appointed Deputy Director of Planning for MassDOT where he oversaw programming for the $1 billion annual capital program and chaired Massachusetts’ 13 MPOs. In 2015, Clinton began his current role as UCLA’s Director of Fleet & Transit where he oversees the procurement, operation, and maintenance of 1150 vehicles – including the BruinBus public transit system – as well as university driver safety.

 

Jessica Bilecki, Assistant Director for Education and Outreach, Elon University
Jessica began working at Elon in January of 2013. She is responsible for developing and implementing programs to increase the practice of sustainable behaviors and enhance awareness of sustainability initiatives and accomplishments. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Towson University in MD, Ms. Bilecki began working at Antioch College’s Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center and helped found and operate a small CSA farm. She continued teaching and farming at Olney Friends School until she attended Ohio University (OU) to complete her Master’s degree in Environmental Studies. While at OU, Ms. Bilecki was a graduate assistant in the Office of Sustainability, and in the summer of 2012 held a joint fellowship with the Center for Environment and Population and the Yale Office of Sustainability where she helped manage Yale’s Office of Sustainability website and headed efforts to edit and market their sustainability pledge. Ms. Bilecki also served for a number of years as a board member for the Kossoye Development Project, which works in partnership with the University of Gondor to increase nutrition through the promotion of household gardening in Ethiopia.

 

Hillary Blackerby, Marketing and Community Relations Manager, Santa Barbara MTD

Hillary Blackerby serves as the Marketing and Community Relations Manager for Santa Barbara MTD, the public transit provider on Santa Barbara County’s South Coast. In her role she manages the District’s marketing and design, customer service, media relations, and community partnerships. Prior to joining MTD, she worked for the California State Assembly for ten years, specializing in energy, housing, and transportation policy and constituent relations. Hillary serves as the Chair of the City of Santa Barbara’s Transportation and Circulation Committee, and is a proud UC Santa Barbara alumna.

 

Donald R. Blake, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry

Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Donald Blake is best known for his groundbreaking work with UCI’s late Nobel laureate F. Sherwood Rowland on air pollution, global warming and climate change. Over the last three decades, Professor Blake’s air samples have shed light on the quantification of greenhouse gases, gases affecting stratospheric ozone levels, and those causing urban smog formation. He received the American Chemical Society’s 2013 Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science & Technology.

 

Mickael Blancho, Production Manager, University Center Dining, UC Santa Barbara

Mickael was born and raised in France and did his apprenticeship in France in a restaurant called le Cabestan. After moving to America he worked at a variety of restaurants around the country before joining UCSB about 3 years ago. He’s brought his passion for delicious, tasty, sustainable food with him and the campus is lucky to have him.

 

David Blekhman, PhD, Professor, College of Engineering, Department of Technology, CSU Los Angeles

Dr. David Blekhman is a Professor in the Sustainable Power and Transportation program in the Department of Technology at Cal State LA. Dr.Blekhman received his B.S.-M.S. in Thermal Physics and Engineering from St. Petersburg State Technical University, Russia, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo. Joining Cal State LA in 2007, Dr. Blekhman has been a PI ($3.6 M), Co-Pi ($4.3 M) and a Senior Personnel ($7 M) on a number of grants from the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Argonne Labs, CARB, AQMD, CEC etc. Dr. Blekhman was a key faculty in the construction of the CSULA Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility where he is currently serving as the Technical Director. Dr. Blekhman has initiated the electrical vehicle-charging program on campus which currently has 19 ports. Dr. Blekhman is the lead faculty advisor for EocCAR3 and formerly EcoCAR 2, Supermileage and Shell competition teams.

 

Jillian Buckholz, Director of Sustainability, CSU East Bay

Jillian Buckholz is the first Director of Sustainability at Cal State East Bay, which is housed in Academic Affairs. In this role, Jillian is responsible for meeting Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment, supporting the integration of sustainability in the curriculum, consulting on sustainable campus operations, and leading a robust student internship program. Previously, Jillian was the Senior Programs Coordinator at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) where she was responsible for the customer support, educational programming, and outreach associated with all AASHE programs. She also served as the AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Program Coordinator, contributing to the development and initial launch of the STARS Program – an internationally recognized evaluation tool for higher education. Before AASHE, Jillian was the first sustainability coordinator in the California State University (CSU) system at CSU, Chico.

 

Matthew Burke, Procurement Analyst, Procurement Services, UC Riverside

Matthew Burke, CPSM is a Procurement Analyst for UC Riverside’s Procurement Services Department. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 1996 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Marketing. Prior to joining UCR, Matt worked in a variety of positions within the food industry, including Sysco. Matt works closely with Dining Services by assisting with vendor bids, agreements, sourcing, and other special projects.

 

Mike Carey, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Recycling, Orange Coast College

Mike Carey began his career at Orange Coast College in 1985 as a Student Assistant with the campus Recycling Program and became the Recycling Coordinator in 1987. He has also obtained a LEED AP Credential. As a former California Resource Recovery Association board member, Mike has been at the forefront of environmental issues for several decades. Mike transitioned into OCC’s first Sustainability Coordinator and became instrumental in getting Campus leadership to embrace The Talloires Declaration and the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

 

Wayne Chapman, Greenhouse Project Manager, Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration, UC Santa Barbara

Wayne Chapman graduated from UCSB with a degree in Environmental Studies in 1998, and has worked at the Cheadle Center ever since. He has been involved with numerous restoration projects on campus during that time and currently manages both the CCBER nursery and the Ocean Walk restoration site. In addition to giving lectures for a number of departments on campus, he teaches the Ethnobotany and Plant Propagation to undergraduates.

 

Jessian Choy, City Toxics Reduction Analyst, San Francisco Department of the Environment

Jessian Choy has researched how to trick people to try new things since 1999. By day, she co-creates laws and contracts, and manages SFApproved.org, a site of green products she helped create at San Francisco Department of Environment. And she makes kits atGreenCitiesCalifornia.org to help anyone create green policies and programs. By night, she serves on the board of California Student Sustainability Coalition. And she shares tips, policies, and negotiation and public speaking workshops to create a happy, equitable, green world at FunAndDraconian.com. In 2001, few colleges had permanently funded student groups to advocate for the campus to be green.  So she co-founded an organization that resulted in University of California Santa Cruz students voting for administrators to reduce climate change, and started an annual strategic planning summit with 55 students, faculty and administrators. She received the David Brower Youth Award for her efforts.

 

Megan Coats, Megan Coats, RD, Registered Dietitian and Sustainability Coordinator, Campus Dining, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Megan Coats, a registered dietitian, leads Cal Poly Campus Dining’s wellness programs. Taking a holistic approach, she aims to ensure the food Campus Dining serves is good for the campus and the planet, and is nutritious and sustainable. Originally, from Seattle, Washington, Megan attended Washington State University (WSU) where she earned her undergraduate degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition and her registered dietitian credentials. Most recently, Megan worked in food service for a school district where she supervised 140 employees in a child nutrition department and oversaw meal services at 26 schools. She worked closely with the food service staff and students to develop recipes and healthy food options for students with dietary restrictions. Megan also has a background in the clinical setting, nutrition education and support.

 

TallChief A. Comet, Director, Sustainability, Energy and Grounds; Facilities Management, Humboldt State University.

TallChief Comet (TC) was the first sustainability officer at Humboldt State University in 2007 and currently serves as Director of Sustainability, Energy and Grounds. TallChief has over 28 years of experience working in the sustainability, environmental and natural resources fields, ranging from a research biologist in Alaska with the PNW Research Station to an Environmental Programs Director for a tribal government.  In addition to his core duties at HSU TallChief has been the advisor for several student programs and clubs on campus, is a volunteer faculty member in the College of Natural Resources and Sciences, and is a leader or member of several campus committees. He is an enrolled member of the Osage Nation and a HSU alum (89’, Wildlife Management).

 

Martha Conklin, PhD, Founding Profession, School of Engineering, UC Merced

Dr. Martha Conklin, Professor of Engineering and member of the Environmental Systems Graduate Group, joined UC Merced in 2003 as part of the Founding Faculty.  For most of her career, Dr. Conklin has studied water quantity and quality, water movement and the interaction of surface water and groundwater in natural settings.  She is currently focusing on how forest management practices affect stream discharge in headwater catchments, seeing how better hydrological data will improve river modeling and forecasting, and determining groundwater contributions to stream flow using natural tracers and modeling.  Dr. Conklin is an investigator on the National Science Foundation’s Sierra Nevada Critical Zone Observatory located at the Kings River Experimental Watershed and is a co-Director of UC Water.  Dr. Conklin earned a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology.

 

Justine Cortez, Curriculum Coordinator, Educating Leaders for the Future; Undergraduate Student, Biology, UC Santa Barbara

Justine Cortez is a first generation, fourth-year Biology major. She is currently in her fourth year volunteering with the 5th Grade Outreach Program and has interned over the summer at Storke Ranch to work on habitat restoration for the vernal pools. Justine also completed a two-year service-learning Internship with Adventures in Caring which, combined with her work in SciTrek, has pushed her to pursue a Ph.D. in her field and become a professor. With the Educating Leaders for the Future Program, she hopes to transfer her energy into the classroom, teach the value of green practices and sustainability in the community, and to inspire others to pursue higher education.

 

Peter Crabtree, Dean, Career, and Technical Education, Laney College

Peter Crabtree is the Dean of Career & Technical Education at Laney College. Mr. Crabtree has led career technical education programs for over 25 years. At Laney, he was the Principal Investigator (PI) of two successful National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technology Education (ATE) grants “Environmental Control Technology Education for Advanced Building Operation and Management” and “Educating Technicians for Building Automation and Sustainability” and is now PI of a national NSF Center Grant “Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow” (BEST).  He has also spearheaded Laney’s interdisciplinary green jobs training programs in energy efficiency auditing, residential building retrofits, and solar installation. Mr. Crabtree holds a Masters of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelors of Arts in Government. He has broad experience leading and guiding faculty teams and industry advisory councils in program and curriculum design and development in technical fields and extensive experience in project management involving multiple partners.

 

Ellen Curtis, Director of Marketing and Communications

Ellen Curtis joined Cal Poly Corporation in January 2015 as director of marketing and communications. She leads the planning, development and implementation of all marketing and communications programs for university food services, stores and other corporation activities. She brings 20-plus years of marketing experience, working on the world’s top brands as a copywriter, creative director, social media director and agency owner. Ellen has received more than 200 major awards for her work’s creativity and effectiveness. In addition to her extensive experience, Ellen has taught at various universities and portfolio schools and donated her skills to numerous non-profits. Currently, she mentors marketing and communication students at Cal Poly and sits on the board of the SLO Food Bank. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communication from Boston University.

 

Erika Daley, Outreach Coordinator, My Green Lab, UC San Diego

Erika was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She completed a BSc, First Class Honours with Distinction at Mount Allison University, followed by an MSc in Chemistry at the University of Toronto. During her graduate studies, she was elected as Co-Chair of the Green Chemistry Initiative and served as an executive member of the Women in Chemistry group. In February 2016, Erika began her career with My Green Lab where she works to fulfill the mission of building a culture of sustainability through science

 

Kevin Daly, Owner, Kevin Daly Architects

Kevin Daly, FAIA, is the founder of Kevin Daly Architects. For over twenty years he has pursued an architecture that delves into the paradoxes of the urban condition and the consequences of intervention. Projects by Kevin Daly express his belief in an architecture that is performative on every level: environmentally, structurally, economically, and aesthetically. Bolstered by abundant research, he has demonstrated the benefits of advanced, unconventional building technology in works that are consistently recognized in publications and awards, and range from public schools, custom residences, and university buildings to affordable housing. Kevin received his Master of Architecture degree from Rice University. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of California in Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and is a board member of the AIA/LA Chapter. 

 

Andrew John De Los Santos, CSERL Student Ambassador, UC Merced

Andrew John De Los Santos is a recent graduate from UC Merced with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a title of LEED Green Associate. He has a passion for sustainability, which he has expressed through his roles as a Recycling/Composting Student Manager, Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI) Fellow, Climate and Sustainability Education Resource Library (CSERL) Student Ambassador, and as an Energize Colleges Intern. He hopes to pursue a Master’s in Sustainability Solutions at ASU with a focus on zero waste.

 

Andrew deCoriolis, Policy Director, Farm Forward

Andrew deCoriolis is a the Policy Director for Farm Forward where he advocates for safe, healthy, and humane animal agriculture. Andrew was responsible for creating and launching

BuyingPoultry.com, an authoritative guide for consumers and institutions who are interested in buying higher-welfare poultry products. Andrew’s work at Farm Forward has engaged hundreds of thousands of consumers and has been covered in leading periodicals including, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, National Public Radio, and Market Watch.

 

Ray Dennis, Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Management and Business Services, Loyola Marymount University

Ray Dennis is the Associate VP of Auxiliary Management and Business Services at Loyola Marymount University and previously worked as the University Bursar. Ray currently oversees various University business services, including Dining Services, and Ray has a Contract management Certification from UC Irvine. In addition to Ray’s business management duties, Ray is a strong campus advocate for sustainability initiatives. Ray has a Master of Pastoral Theology from LMU, a MBA from Pepperdine University and received his BS in Accounting from California State University, Dominguez Hills.  

 

Emily Dowey, Undergraduate Student, Chemical Engineering; TomKat Natural Gas Exit Strategies Intern, UC Santa Barbara

Emily Dowey is a second-year Chemical Engineering undergraduate student. She is an intern through UC Santa Barbara’s Institute for Energy Efficiency and works with the TomKat Foundation and the UC-wide Natural Gas Exit Strategies group. As an advocate from sustainable practices, Emily is passionate about contributing to the literature on the feasibility of alternative energy strategies within her own university and ultimately many others. She is also involved on campus with the UCSB chapter of Engineers without Borders. Emily hopes to work in either the alternative energy or food waste management industries after graduation.

 

Allen P. Doyle, MS. Sustainability Manager, Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability, University of California, Davis

After 20 years of ocean chemistry, soil, and permafrost research, the urgency of climate disruption and environmental degradation compelled Allen Doyle to leave the lab and work with scientists on conservation in their workplace. Mr. Doyle brings an occupant focus to laboratory energy conservation: he is co-founder of LabRATS, developing a ten-module green laboratory program, organizer of 200+ member national Green Labs network, working to reduce plug load through cold storage management and the Freezer Challenge, and engaged in HVAC optimization through temperature relaxation and control banding. As sustainability manager, he interacts at all levels of campus, hoping that research laboratories and their stakeholders will reach ambitious standards of quality with dramatic improvements in resource consumption. He collaborates with campuses across the country, and he serves on two I2SL steering committees. An avid trail runner, his meditation comes in the form of a rapid descent down a mountain.

 

Kimberly Duong, Executive Director of Scientific Operations, Climatepedia

Kimberly Duong is a PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. She received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Environmental Sciences, as well as a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from UC Irvine. Her research is centered on improving efficiency of water conservation measures in drought-prone areas such as southern California. In 2015-2016, she was the UC Irvine Climate Action Planning Fellow under the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, a multi-campus initiative led out of the University of California Office of the President. Currently, she serves as a member of the Climate Action Training Program at UC Irvine under UCOP Faculty Climate Action Champion Steven Allison. She is also President of Climatepedia’s UC Irvine chapter and Executive Director of Scientific Operations for the Climatepedia Executive Board.

 

Tyler Durchslag-Richardson, Sustainability Analyst, California Institute of Technology

Tyler Durchslag-Richardson serves is a Sustainability Analyst at the California Institute of Technology where he manages initiatives designed to improve the Institute’s environmental performance. Tyler has a diverse professional background focused on strategy consulting, environmental policy analysis, data and modeling, and international research and education. Prior to joining Caltech, Tyler lived and worked in Washington D.C. helping federal agency leaders find solutions to pressing business and operational challenges. Tyler holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies with from UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Public Policy from USC’s Price School of Public Policy.

 

Hilary Ego, Utility and Sustainability Specialist, Facilities Planning, Maintenance, and Operations, San Mateo County Community College District

Hilary Ego serves as the Utility and Sustainability Specialist at the San Mateo County Community College District.  Her duties include project and program coordination of District Sustainability initiatives while engaging students through various media channels, class lectures, and campus as a living lab activities.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Master of Science in Water Resources Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  Hilary’s passion for sustainability continues to be reverberated throughout the District and the greater San Mateo County community.

 

Tomas Eliaeson, AIA, M.Arch, LEED®AP BD+C, Director of Design, Little

Tomas Jimenez-­Eliaeson is the director of design for the Charlotte Community Practice Area at Little, an industry leading architecture and design firm with more than 350 professionals in six locations around the globe. He leads a team of architects and designers dedicated to pre K-­12th grade education, civic and college and university projects. Tomas is a member of the AIA, NCARB, CEFPI, and is a LEED Accredited professional. Originally from Spain, Tomas received his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Houston and a Master’s Degree in Architectural Design from the University of Texas. Tomas is currently focused on projects that fuse typological redefinitions, environmentally conscious design with leading ­edge technology and innovation. He is a frequent presenter around the globe at such conferences as the AIA National Convention, the international Society of College and University Planners conference, A4LE (formerly CEFPI), NeoCon World’s Trade Fair and the Innovate 2015 conference.

 

Dennis K. Elliot, PE, CEM, Director, Energy, Utilities & Sustainability, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Dennis Elliot has worked at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo for 34 years in a variety of energy related positions. In his current role as Director of Energy, Utilities & Sustainability, Dennis leads the team responsible for the university’s energy and water conservation programs, recycling initiatives, utility management and master planning, and taking the university to climate neutrality in accordance with the Second Nature Climate Commitment. He also chairs the university’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, and serves on the Academic Senate Sustainability Committee. Dennis is a graduate of Cal Poly’s Mechanical Engineering Program, is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Energy Manager.

 

John Elliott, Chief Sustainability Officer, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

John Elliott is Chief Sustainability Officer at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is responsible for directing and implementing the Lab’s sustainability strategy. He has broad and detailed experience in building efficiency, building energy management, renewables, water efficiency, electric vehicles, employee engagement and waste diversion. He was previously Director, Energy and Sustainability at UC Merced and has done prior work in energy efficiency program design, strategy consulting to utilities, consulting on efficiency and renewables to native American tribes, leading a professional services team implementing energy software solutions for utilities and energy market operators, as well as doing groundwater modeling and work with soil and groundwater remediation systems. John draws on the local academic communities of Stanford and the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley, where he received undergraduate and masters degrees.

 

Rowena Eng, Graduate Student Intern, TomKat UC Carbon Neutrality Project

Rowena Eng joined the TomKat UC Carbon Neutrality Project in January 2017 after deciding she wanted to help shape the future of sustainable energy at the University of California. She currently studies at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management as a first year Master’s student specializing in Corporate Environmental Management and Strategic Communications. As a native New Yorker and having volunteered on various energy-reduction initiatives around the city that never sleeps, Rowena saw that both public and private organizations can do their part in strengthening urban sustainability and resilience. Rowena enjoys using her interdisciplinary expertise, including her background in marine science and healthcare, to help future-proof organizations in our resource-constrained world.

 

Elida Erickson, Elida Erickson, Sustainability Director, UC Santa Cruz

Elida Erickson joined the University of California, Santa Cruz campus in 2005, and the Sustainability Office in 2011. Over the years, she has collaborated with the local community, students, faculty and staff to support the goal of Zero Waste by 2020, as well as reduce campus water usage by 25% in response to the California statewide drought in 2014-15. She is a strong advocate for student engagement and empowerment, and is passionate about challenging the environmental movement to open up to more diverse cultural interpretations of sustainability. Elida received her M.S. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from Indiana University in 2004.

 

Erik Eriksen, B.A. Environmental Economics UCSC. Analyst with Energy Department since 2014.

 

Austin Eriksson, Director of Energy & Sustainability, Facilities Planning, Design & Construction, CSU Northridge

Austin Eriksson is the Director of Energy and Sustainability at California State University Northridge (CSUN) and has worked at the University for over 3 years. In his role he coordinates projects and programs across divisions and departments to ensure that the University’s Sustainability Plan is met. He also played a key role in developing CSUN’s Climate Action Plan and is tasked with its implementation. His most recent accomplishments include leading the campus in tripling its diversion rate in less than two years, reducing CSUN’s water consumption by 24% – over 56 million gallons per year and is currently leading CSUN’s solar initiative with the goal of bringing 3-4 megawatts of clean energy to the campus within the next year.

 

Alison Erlenbach, Program Manager, Government and Community Partnerships, Pacific Gas & Electric Company

Alison Erlenbach manages higher education and local government energy efficiency programs for PG&E, and has 10 years of experience in implementing energy and sustainability projects and programs. Before joining PG&E she supported cities and institutions implementing clean energy, and startups to commercialize clean tech, for Prospect Silicon Valley (formerly known as the Bay Area Climate Collaborative). Prior to that she worked for a sustainability software company, the University of Florida Office of Sustainability, and held positions at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the DOE Energy Information Administration. Alison is a former Climate Corp Bay Area Fellow, and has a degree in economics from the University of Florida.​

 

Holli Fajack, Sustainability Coordinator, Physical Planning & Facilities Management, CSU Long Beach

Holli Fajack has a diverse background with experience in environmental education, policy analysis, sustainability consulting, communications and media, and fine art. As the Sustainability Coordinator at California State University, Long Beach, Holli is responsible for implementing, developing, and coordinating campus sustainability practices and programs and engaging students, faculty and staff in those efforts. Holli’s previous positions include Policy Analyst for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Budget and Innovation, Student Program Director at the environmental education non-profit Sustainable Works, and Project Assistant at the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment.  Holli has a Master’s degree in urban and regional planning from UCLA and a BFA in photography from Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Holli is motivated by her desire to develop smart environmental policies and programs that can make communities healthier and more resilient and empower people to become agents for positive change.

 

Rosalie Z Fanshel,  Program Manager, Berkeley Food Institute, UC Berkeley

A Bay Area native, Rosalie Z. Fanshel has spent over 15 years on (and in) the ground of the food movement in Northern California, Japan, and Australia. As a seasoned administrator, Rosalie thrives in making the good work happen on a day-to-day basis. She has previously served as Operations Manager for the Berkeley Farmers’ Markets; Operations Manager at Food Connect Sydney; and within the University of California as Program Assistant for UC Berkeley’s Institute of East Asian Studies and as Program Coordinator for UC San Diego’s Center on Emerging and Pacific Economies. Rosalie obtained her BA from Oberlin College in 2000. She is also an exhibiting artist and freelance illustrator. Her scholarly interests include popular music, visual culture, and representations of gender and sexuality within the food movement. Her writings have appeared in the peer-reviewed journal Popular Music and in Terrain Magazine.

 

Nicolas X Fauchier-Magnan, P.E., LEED AP, Facilities Management, Energy Conservation Office, UC Davis

Nicolas serves as a senior engineer, providing leadership to the Energy & Controls engineering team at the University of California, Davis. His team seeks to make campus buildings more energy-efficient through no-cost and low-cost optimizations of the HVAC systems. This work involves both deep dives into individual campus buildings, as well as cross-campus analyses and optimizations. Nicolas is a licensed professional engineer as well as a LEED-accredited professional, and has 10 years of experience in the field of building energy efficiency.

 

Daniel Fernandez, PhD, Professor, Environmental Studies; Coordinator, Sustainable City Year Program, CSU Monterey Bay

Dr. Fernandez has been a professor at CSUMB for over 20 years where he teaches courses in physics and environmental studies.   He has been involved with a number of sustainability initiatives at CSUMB for over the past decade.  He initiated and coordinates the Sustainable City Year Program at CSUMB, where regional jurisdictions team up with campus faculty on class projects developed to meet some of the jurisdiction’s sustainability needs.  He also works with the staff in facilities and planning departments on campus living lab-related projects.

His research includes systems thinking and water collection from fog.   On the latter topic, he has established and maintained a network of passive fog water collection instruments throughout the coastal regions of central and northern California to better understand regional fog patterns and their variations.   He is also collaborating with researchers in Chile to potentially establish a similar network there.

 

John Foran, PhD, Professor, Sociology, UC Santa Barbara

John Foran is professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is also involved with the programs in Latin American and Iberian Studies, Global and International Studies, Environmental Studies, and the Bren School. He was visiting professor of sociology and Latin American Studies at Smith College from 2000 to 2002, and Visiting Professor of Sociology at Goldsmith’s College, University of London, from 2009 to 2010. As he states in his syllabi, “I consider teaching a revolutionary act… Learning and teaching are complex, endlessly fascinating collaborations. I learn enormous amounts from the students in my classes, whom I consider colleagues and companions on an intellectual, potentially life-changing journey.” His innovative case study teaching has received various awards, and along with other UCSB faculty and students he has developed a website devoted to this.

 

Chuck Frost, ECT Faculty, Laney College

Chuck Frost recently retired from being the Campus Energy Manager at UC Berkeley where he oversaw an extensive incentive program to reduce energy use at campus facilities. Previously he was the Senior Facility Engineer for the College of Chemistry and Physics for at UC Berkeley, overseeing the College of Chemistry and Physics, as well as Building Controls Manager and Engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. At Laney College, he has been a part-time instructor for 15 years, bringing over 35 years of industry experience in HVAC systems, controls, and commissioning. Chuck also teaches HVAC and control classes for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council and has presented extensively at professional conferences, including Labs 21, Connectivity Week, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, California Higher Education Sustainability Conference.

 

Kimberly Fuentes, Curriculum Coordinator, Educating Leaders for the Future; Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies and Geology, minor in Education, UC Santa Barbara

Kimberly Fuentes is a second-year double major in Environmental Studies and Geography. She is excited to combine her passion for mentoring students with her love for sustainability and the environment in her new role as an Educating Leaders for the Future Curriculum Coordinator. As a first-generation student herself, she understands the difficulties that can arise when not only applying to college but also focusing on environmental issues. Were it not for her early involvement in environmental advocacy and teachers who supported her goals she would not be attending UCSB, so she acknowledges the value of having someone believe in you. Kimberly is currently involved in student affairs as a Resident Assistant and Mentor in the Cultural Mentorship Program, La Familia. She hopes to pursue a career in education, specifically with the goal of inspiring underrepresented youth to attend college and diversify the environmental field.

 

Joe Fullerton, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Facilities Planning and Operations, San Mateo Community College District

Joe Fullerton is the Energy and Sustainability Manager for San Mateo County Community College District. Here he has designed and is implementing a comprehensive Sustainability Initiative that integrates capital and operational projects, analysis of utility consumption, sustainability policy, and campus engagement. Joe is also an advisory committee member for Peninsula Clean Energy, serves as VP of BayAPPA, and is an adjunct professor of Sustainability Communications at ASU

Joe has spent the majority of his career facilitating transitions to a sustainable world. In prior roles, Joe focused on the water-energy-food nexus with CLEAResult, designed and implemented the City of Santa Cruz’s Green Building Program, and was a green builder. Joe is a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor, and Certified Educational Facilities Professional. He is a graduate of the Colorado Outward Bound School leadership semester, Acterra’s “Be the Change” Leadership Program, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Enterprise Management from the University of Phoenix. Thus far in 2017, Joe has earned a Masters in Sustainability Leadership through Arizona State University and was trained by Al Gore to be a Climate Reality Leader.

 

 

Thomas W. Gaffery IV, MBA, CAPP, Director of Parking & Transportation, CSU San Bernardino

Thomas Gaffery currently serves as the Director of Parking & Transportation at Cal State San Bernardino. Previously, he served as the Parking & Transportation Manager at Fresno State. In his over ten years at the university, he has served in various roles across administrative services including public safety, facilities management, auxiliary services and the office of the vice president. In addition to his extensive parking and transportation experience, he has presented parking & sustainability topics at WACUBO, NACUBO, PCAPPA, and the CSU Facilities Conference. He earned his BA in economics and MBA at Fresno State.

 

Karina Garbesi, PhD, Director, Environmental Studies Program, CSU East Bay

Dr. Garbesi has over 20 years of experience leading sustainability education, research, and action-oriented programs as a professor of environmental studies at Cal State East Bay, San Jose State University, and as a program director at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). With a background in physics (AB Physics, High Honors, UC Berkeley, ‘86) and an interdisciplinary MS and PhD in Energy and Resources (UCB ‘88/’93).Her work has included renewable energy resource assessment, environmental and social impacts of energy alternatives, energy and economic impacts of energy efficiency standards. Action oriented, her work has resulted in the implementation of national energy efficiency standards in the U.S., the installation of wind turbines in Eritrea, and solar energy on the CSUEB campus and throughout the world. Garbesi is a founding member of the board of directors of We Care Solar.

 

Harwood Garland, Research Analyst in Rowland-Blake Lab at UCI

Harwood Garland is a graduate student in Medicine, Science & Technology Studies at the University of California, Irvine. His undergraduate research with the Rowland-Blake Group utilized gas chromatography with flame ionization detection to measure atmospheric methane levels, particularly on islands in the South Pacific Ocean. His work was part of a global longitudinal study to measure the effects of greenhouse gases, started decades ago by UCI Founding Professor and Nobel laureate F. Sherwood Rowland. Garland was an undergraduate student in Rowland-Blake Lab last year and is working with the group this summer.

 

Amorette Getty, PhD, LabRATS Program CoDirector, Geography and Facilities Management, UC Santa Barbara

Amorette Getty has been striving to optimize laboratory research operations on university campuses for more than 15 years. Through modification and selection of equipment, end-user behavior change, building operations, web solutions, and policy changes, she has worked to help labs use every resource they have with efficiency: electrical energy, human energy, water, material waste, researcher time, and grant funding dollars. Since 2009, Getty has been CoDirector for UCSB’s LabRATS Program. LabRATS uses the skill of staff and undergraduate interns to provide ‘Resources, Advocates, and Technology for Sustainability’ in the Lab environment. Prior to her time with the LabRATS program, she pursued graduate work in the Materials Engineering labs at UCSB. Her PhD research focused on the improvement of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for solid state lighting and related applications.

 

Dan Gill

As Little’s Mechanical Engineering Studio Principal, Dan has the privilege of being involved in the earliest stages of a project and leading its mechanical design throughout the entire process. He is a firm believer that listening intensely and gaining a solid understanding of a client’s business and processes is absolutely critical to the success of any project. Dan remains connected to new technologies through his membership in ASHRAE and the Association of Energy Engineers, and is continually furthering his knowledge of how they and other resources can be applied to benefit of clients. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from NC State University.

 

Lou Gill, Director, Student Housing, UC Irvine

Lou has over 30 years’ experience in Housing and Residential Life most recently serving for the past 11 years as the Director of Mesa Court Housing at the University of California, Irvine.  He previously served as the Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life at California State University, Fullerton.  Prior to that, Lou worked for 15 years in the Residence Life Department at Millersville University in Pennsylvania.  He holds a BA in Social Work and an M. Ed. In Counseling from Millersville University.

 

Sea Gill, Sustainability Coordinator, Stanford

Sea Gill is a Sustainability Coordinator in Stanford’s R&DE department. She has a Masters of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and a B.A. from U.C. Merced. While at U.C. Merced Sea led development of their zero waste practices, including move out in Student Housing, and conducted waste audits. Sea has also served as a sustainability consultant, leading teams of students to analyze and solve sustainability problems for various clients.

 

Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, Sustainability Manager, Safety, Risk, and Sustainability, CSU San Marcos

Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, Sustainability Manager at Cal State San Marcos, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the CSUSM Sustainability Master Plan and is committed to working with faculty to create transformative academic opportunities for students to connect their education to real-life learning through developing the campus as a living laboratory.  Juliana engages and supports students, staff and faculty in fostering a culture of sustainability on campus.  She works closely with the operational side of the campus, working to reduce energy and water usage and work towards a Zero Waste goal. Prior to coming to CSUSM, Juliana worked for 6 years with the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology program.  As the Campus Manager, Juliana engaged with over 100 colleges and universities in the Midwest to develop robust sustainability programs.  She also helped develop the NWF EcoLeaders Initiative- a program dedicated to student environmental leaders.  Before joining NWF, Juliana worked for the U.S. Peace Corps in Jamaica as their Environmental Technical Trainer, where she developed a comprehensive training program for incoming Peace Corps volunteers working in the environmental sector. Juliana holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development with a concentration in Community Development and Social Action Training from SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont.  Her BA is in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

 

Brian Graham, LEED AP BD+C; Director of Residential Operations; Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises, UC Santa Barbara

Brian received his degree from UC Santa Barbara with a double-major in Geography and Environmental Studies. During his undergraduate studies, Brian worked as a student intern serving as the client’s LEED Representative for the UCSB San Clemente Villages project, which was awarded LEED-Gold certification and was the largest LEED-certified housing facility of any college or university campus in the country. Brian then went on to work as a Project Engineer for a private general contracting firm, and also pursued graduate education at the University of Southern California receiving a Masters in Construction Management from the School of Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Building Science from the School of Architecture. Since 2011, Brian has been working for UCSB and has been responsible for the implementation of a $4-5 million annual major maintenance program for Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises (HDAE), as well the Housing Capital Program which has delivered over $300 million in major capital projects including 1,518 new student beds, four LEED-Gold certified projects, and one LEED-Platinum project.

 

Cameron Scott Guiliano-Puzi, Green Laboratory Assessment Coordinator, LabRATS; Undergraduate Student, Microbiology, UC Santa Barbara

Cameron Guiliano-Puzi is a first year Microbiology major seeking experience working in a team to create sustainability on campus. His experience in LEAN manufacturing as well as lab experience with UC Davis led him to want to apply sustainability practices learned in manufacturing and applying them to the laboratory setting. After completing his degree he wants to work with policy-making in order to create more strict conservation laws.

 

Andrea Gutierrez, Food Access and Security Coordinator, Center for Educational Partnerships

Andrea Gutierrez is the inaugural Basic Needs Coordinator at UC Irvine and she serves as campus co-chair for the University of California Global Food Initiative’s Basic Needs Sub-Committee. She opened the first food pantry at UCI in October, 2015 and has worked with student leadership to secure long-term funding for its operations and expansion. Currently, she is working on opening a Basic Needs Hub that will provide food and housing security resources to students on campus. Andrea is a recent recipient of the 2017 Dynamic Woman of UCI Award for Outstanding Social Justice Activism.

 

Stephanie Gutierrez, Project Manager, Design and Construction Services, CSU Long Beach

Stephanie is a Minor Capital and Major Capital Project Manager with the Design and Construction Office at CSU Long Beach.  She is the University’s representative on the new energy neutral CCPE Classroom building, which broke ground in March of this year.  She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2003.  She is a LEED AP, and she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Construction Management.

 

Yuxu Han, Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellow, UC Office of the President; Graduate Student, Architecture, UC Berkeley

Yuxu Han started her CNI student fellow position in University of California Office of the President (UCOP) in 2016 after one year internship in Europe. During her time in Europe, Yuxu worked as an intern architect half year in COBE Copenhagen and half year in LAVA Berlin, participating in over 10 projects around Europe as designer. In 2015 summer, she worked as a space audit intern in University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Campus Planning Department to conduct a space study and collect spatial data to help build the ARCHIBUS system. In 2014, she did an internship with Woodsbagot Beijing for several commercial projects in China. Yuxu has a Bachelor of Electronic and Information Engineering Degree from Capital Normal University in Beijing and will receive her Master of Architecture degree from University of California Berkeley (UCB) in May 2017.

 

Nina Haft, Associate Professor, Theater & Dance, CSU East Bay

Nina Haft has been making dances in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1984. She began her formal training in dance at American Ballet Theater School and the 92nd Street Y in New York City. In 2000, she formed Nina Haft & Company with the premiere of The Making of Americans, an evening-length interdisciplinary dance piece inspired by the life and writings of Gertrude Stein. She has been honored as a recipient of the City of Oakland Creative Artist Choreographer’s Fellowship, and has served as Artist in Residence for the California Arts Council, the City of Oakland Artists in the Libraries program, and at the Djerassi Resident Artist Program, where she was awarded the John D. and Susan P. Diekman Fellowship. Professor Haft was awarded the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship in Dance by the United States Department of Education for 2001-03.

 

Lisa Hannaman, Account Manager, Utility Company, Southern California Edison

Lisa Hannaman is a Senior Account Manager with Southern California Edison’s Business Customer Division in the Government Institution Agriculture Water group. She has lead oversight and partnership with the State of California Portfolio for Southern California Edison which includes UC/CSU, California Community Colleges, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the State of California.  During her time with SCE, she has been responsible for overseeing a portfolio of Strategic and Energy Intensive customers spread throughout SCE’s 50,000 sq. mile territory. She has had significant success with assisting customers with their goals in the areas of energy efficiency, energy resiliency and emission reductions.   She is an active member of several key customer groups and committees in the State of California.  She has her Bachelor of Science Degree from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.

 

Angela Harris, Staff Advisor for Student Run Sustainability Organizations, UC Santa Cruz

Angela is the staff advisor for the Student Environmental Center, Education for Sustainable Living Program, and Campus Sustainability Council housed under the Student Organization Advising & Resources office at UC Santa Cruz. She has experience in supporting the organization of a graded, student facilitated sustainability course for 2 and 5 units each Spring at UCSC, which has been taught since 2004. Angela holds a degree in Environmental Studies and Biology from UCSC, and was active in the “Enviroslug” organizations as an undergraduate.  She offers strengths in shared leadership, environmental advocacy, organizational development, and fiscal management to further the student run, student led sustainability movement on the campus.  

 

Erik Helgren, PhD, Associate Professor; Chair, Physics, CSU East Bay

Dr. Helgren earned his B.S. at UCLA and then worked in the defense industry (Hughes Aircraft Co. and Raytheon Defense Systems) before returning to UCLA to earn his Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics in 2002. He worked as a post-doctoral researcher at UCSD and then at UC Berkeley and LBNL. Dr. Helgren joined the Physics department at CSUEB in 2008 and was promoted to Associate Professor and took over as the Chair of the department in 2014. Research interests encompass studying the fundamental properties of renewable energy materials including studying the metal insulator transition in semiconductors and the electrical properties of conducting polymers.

 

Lauren Hennessy, Outreach Program Manager, Stanford University

Lauren Hennessy manages the ongoing development of the Office of Sustainability’s outreach, campus education and training programs. Her portfolio includes the management of the Office’s conservation campaigns, employee and student training materials, online and print collateral materials, and oversight of student programs. Lauren began her career in sustainability overseeing communications and outreach for the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy sponsored programs Laboratories for the 21st Century (Labs21) and WaterSense, as well as for the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories. Outside of sustainability she has worked extensively in the non-profit sector, managing communications for a New York City non-profit providing social services to New York and overseeing a corporate philanthropy program benefitting Susan G. Komen’s mission to end breast cancer.

 

Carolyn J. Hernandez, MS, LEEDTM Green Associate, LCI #4703, Bicycle & Transportation Coordinator, Transportation and Distribution Services, UC Irvine
Carolyn Hernandez serves as one of UC Irvine’s Transportation Coordinators specializing in bicycle transportation and transit.  As one of two campus bike coordinators – and a bike commuter – at UC Irvine, she plans and hosts large education festivals, sustainable commute presentations and outreach, teaches the League of American Bicyclists Smart Cycling courses, and plans bicycle infrastructure.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning and Master of Science in Regenerative Studies from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

 

Stacy Rebich Hespanha, PhD, Senior Fellow at UCSB National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis

Dr. Stacy Rebich Hespanha’s work involves the design, analysis, and visualization of information about the environment. She is particularly interested in environmental communication, media representations of climate change, cognitive and affective responses to environmental information, algorithmic text analysis and visualization, evaluation of how people learn in formal and informal contexts, and data management practices. She earned a PhD in Geography with an Emphasis in Cognitive Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara and is currently a Senior Fellow at UCSB’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.

 

Audrey Horn, Global Food Initiative Fellow, Biopsychology, UC Santa Barbara

Audrey is a 2016-2017 and 2017-2019 Global Food Initiative Fellow. She is a third year, majoring in Biopsychology at UCSB. Her project tackles the issue of factory farming by searching for higher welfare alternatives in the UCEN Dining at UCSB. By changing the animal products at UCSB to more sustainable options, she is impacting not only the factory farming industry, but also people’s health and the environment.

 

Lily House-Peters, Resilience Commitment Coordinator & Assistant Professor

Lily House-Peters serves as the Resilience Commitment Coordinator and as an assistant professor of sustainability science in the Department of Geography at California State University, Long Beach. She received a PhD from the School of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona in 2016. Her areas of research expertise include climate resilience, water resources research, natural resource conservation policy, and the human dimensions of global change. Dr. House-Peters strives to conduct community-based, action-oriented research that is directly translatable into policy and practice.

 

Aris Hovasapian, Utility Program manager, Los Angeles Community College District

Aris Hovasapian attended local community colleges and graduated from UCLA.  He was the Energy Program Manager for Los Angeles Unified School District before taking on the role of Utility Program Manager for the Los Angeles Community College District.  Aris serves in an advisory and support role for all utility services for LACCD’s nine colleges and manages the Proposition 39 Program for LACCD.  Aris also manages the District’s utility data, solar PV contracts, relationships with utility providers, incentive/rebate programs, operational best practices, and other sustainability efforts.  

 

Christopher Hrones, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner, Arup

Christopher Hrones is a Senior Transportation Planner in Arup’s San Francisco office. He has twenty years of experience as a transportation professional in the private and public sectors. His areas of excellence include transportation demand management, public outreach and bus priority/complete streets planning. Christopher has prepared transit plans for schools including the University of Indiana, the University of Illinois, and UC Santa Cruz, evaluating campus and municipal bus systems and developing solutions for more effective service. He is currently providing multiple transportation planning services to Stanford University, including the development and prioritization of TDM, transit and land use measures to reduce vehicular trips to campus, and an evaluation of Stanford’s accessibility transportation service. Christopher is also leading the transportation component of SF State’s master plan update, developing internal mobility, TDM, and way finding measures that respond to a rapidly growing campus.

 

Evelyn Hurtado, Intern, R’Garden; Student Ambassador, CSERL; Student, Sustainability Studies B.S.; Political Science B.A., UC Riverside

I am a Senior majoring in Sustainability Studies and Political Science. I am Co-President of Cultivate R’Space, a student organization that focuses on feeding the people. I served as Team Leader for the Green Lab Program that incentivizes recycling and energy efficiency practices for laboratories at UCR. I am also a Student Ambassador for the Climate and Sustainability Education Resource Library (CSERL), a program designed to increase collaboration and faculty engagement among UC educators and incorporate climate change and sustainability into curriculum and an intern at the UCR Community Garden. I am interested in global climate change and its political intersections such as climate migration and displacement, environmental justice and water and food security.

 

Ali Hussaini, Green Office Coordinator, PACES; Undergraduate Student, Economics, UC Santa Barbara

Ali Hussaini is a first year Economics student who hopes to work as an economic advisor at World Bank. He has worked as a tutor and intern at Rising Sun Energy Center, a nonprofit. As an intern, Ali provided green assessments to homes in his community for free and helped reduce water, energy, and waste consumption. As a Green Office Certification Coordinator, Ali is excited to join the PACES team and help create a more sustainable campus at UCSB. In his free time, Ali loves to play ping pong and lift weights.

 

Sachi Itagaki, P.E., QSD, Principal, One Water Practice

Ms. Itagaki has over 25 years of water resources and civil engineering experience, specifically in conducting water resource planning and management programs including surface water and groundwater investigations; utility (water, recycled water, wastewater, and stormwater) infrastructure management, master planning, modeling, and design studies; water quality and hazardous waste investigations; and supporting the preparation of CEQA Compliance documents and obtaining project permits. She has been assisting San Jose State University, and other university campuses since 2005 in a wide range of projects that includes recycled water permitting and conversions for irrigation, fountains, interior reuse, and central plant; water infrastructure modeling/master planning and pipeline/valve replacements; groundwater well rehabilitation and replacement; stormwater management and regulatory compliance, as well as working with architectural teams in civil infrastructure design.

 

Leigh Anne Jones, AIA, LEED®AP BD+C, Studio Leader, Little

Leigh Anne’s depth of experience in a variety of project types is one of the benefits her clients enjoy. As a Higher Education Studio Leader, her higher education project experience includes labs, libraries, classrooms, athletic facilities, performing art centers, student centers and landscape improvements. With over 25 years of experience, Leigh Anne shares a passion for achieving project success by working with diverse user groups to create outstanding solutions. Her portfolio includes clients such as Cornell University, John Hopkins University, California Institute of Technology and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Leigh Anne received her Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University.

 

Grance Junge, PE, LEED AP, Energy Engineer, Enpowered Solutions

Grace Jungé is an energy engineer who specializes in retro-commissioning and ongoing data-driven commissioning. She has experience working in institutional, commercial, and industrial energy efficiency, and is passionate about leveraging her expertise to develop system control strategies that maximize both function and sustainability. Grace is a licensed professional engineer, a LEED accredited professional, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois in Chicago.

 

Janice Kao, MPH, Research Coordinator, Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

Janice is an evaluation research coordinator at the Nutrition Policy Institute, whose primary research interests include evaluation of community-based programs and policies. Examples include examining the impact of school wellness policies and the effectiveness of healthy food retail interventions. She has contributed to several large-scale research evaluation projects such as the Kaiser Permanente Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Initiative, the NHLBI-funded Healthy Communities Study, and evaluation of Policy, Systems, and Environmental change interventions in communities receiving SNAP-Ed funding. Janice is currently managing an evaluation of the Mandela MarketPlace Health and Wealth Net and serves as co-chair of the UC Healthy Vending Policy Work Group, a UC Global Food Initiative project.

 

Nick Kordesch, Sustainability Specialist, Planning & Design, San Francisco State University

Nick Kordesch is a Sustainability Specialist at San Francisco State University. He manages the campus’ Power to the Pedal bicycle outreach program and bike commutes from Oakland. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School

 

Allison Korn, J.D., Clinical Director, Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy, UC Los Angeles

Allison Korn is the Clinical Director for the Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy. Her teaching and scholarship focus on law, policy, and practices that impact vulnerable communities’ access to justice. Prior to joining UCLA Law, Allison was a Clinical Teaching Fellow at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she co-taught the Family Law Clinic and supervised students in their direct representation of clients in family law and civil matters. Allison also taught at the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she designed a practicum addressing poverty in the region. As a practitioner, Allison was a public defender at the Bronx Defenders in New York, and later worked as a staff attorney at National Advocates for Pregnant Women. While in law school, Allison co-founded the Student Hurricane Network, a national network of more than 5,500 law students advancing social justice in communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.

 

Kathleen Koscielak, Sustainability Analyst, Facilities Management and Sustainability, CSU Humboldt 

Katie Koscielak is a Sustainability Analyst at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA. She holds a Master of Arts degree with a concentration in Environment & Community from Humboldt State University, in addition to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from UC Berkeley. Beyond her time in academia, Katie has devoted her career to establishing, organizing, and maintaining inclusive, just and sustainable communities through her work in the food, energy, education, and creative sectors. At HSU, she contributes to climate action planning efforts, coordinates the campus STARS report, produces outreach materials, and advises students.

 

John Lazarus, Assistant Director, University Center Dining, UC Santa Barbara

Mr. John Lazarus is a trained chef and Assistant Director, UCen Dining at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) where he leads a team of over 120 full and part time employees in providing a range of retail dining on the UCSB Campus and manages the operations of a commissary kitchen serving 12 retail locations.  At the university he is a member of both the UCSB Food Security Task Force and the UC Sustainable Foodservice group. John lives in Ventura where he volunteers with the Ventura County Food Share, The Abundant Table CSA, and American Youth Soccer Organization, embodying a commitment to healthy eating and active living. Before he and his family relocated to Ventura 10 years ago, he was a chef at several fine dining restaurants in Washington DC.

 

Maiko Le Lay, Maiko Le Lay, PhD Student Critical Dance Studies, UC Riverside

Maïko Le Lay is a French and Japanese PhD student in Critical Dance Studies at the University of California Riverside. Le Lay holds a M.A in Cultural Studies from the University Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle (France) and a M.A in Political Sciences from the University Catholic of Louvain (Belgium). She is the recipient of the Gluck and the Carbon Neutral Initiative Fellowships. She currently acts as the Graduate Student Association Executive Vice President where she actively tries to raise awareness about sustainable, diverse, and healthy practices among the UCR community. Her research focuses on the impact of hip hop dance and culture in education. She is the founder of Collab’ Home Street Home, a multidisciplinary collaborative that works on sustainability and art activism.

 

Owen Letcher, Director, Facilities and Bond Program Management, San Jose Evergreen Community College District
Owen Letcher is the Director of Facilities and Bond Program Manager for San Jose Evergreen Community College District; prior to joining the District he was an Architect in practice focused on Educational Facility design within the California Community College system for over 28 years. He is a Licensed Architect in California, LEED AP and NCARB Certified. SJECCD is located in San Jose California and consists of San Jose City College, Evergreen Valley College, District Offices and a College Extension which encompass 227 acres of land and over 1.6 million square feet of instructional space. In his role at SJECCD Owen, manages staff, works with College and District Administrators, and manages the District Bond Program of approximately $820 Million.

 

David Liebman, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Facilities Planning and Operations,  Sonoma County Junior College District

David Liebman is the current Energy & Sustainability Manager of Sonoma County Junior College District. He has a Bachelor of Science in Energy Management & Design from Sonoma State University, and a certificate of climate protection from Skyline College. currently David manages all Prop 39. Projects for the Sonoma County Junior College District as well as $32 Million dollars in local Bond dollars for Energy and Sustainability Project. When not saving planet David spends the weekends hiking and eating Thai Food.

 

Grace Lihn, Undergraduate Student, Cooperatives & the Politics of Food, Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley

Grace Lihn is an artist, educator, and recent graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Cooperative Business and Food Systems. She served as the Experiential Learning Fellow for the Berkeley Food Institute and the University of California Global Food Initiative, where she conducted an oral history project exploring food literacy in its many forms. She previously volunteered as the Board Chair of the Berkeley Student Food Collective, where she worked to create a more equitable and inclusive storefront and community space. Grace has also previously facilitated gardening classes for the Student Organic Gardening Association, guided wanderlust freshmen in the Global Environment Theme House, and trained as a middle school educator with Breakthrough Collaborative – Oakland. She currently facilitates the Cooperatives DeCal course at UC Berkeley and is passionate about creating democratic, inclusive and cooperative learning spaces. Her dreams include becoming a cooperative enterprise attorney and teaching about cooperatives in a business school.

 

Robin Liu, P.E., LEED AP, Senior Engineer, Enpowered Solutions

Robin Liu is a Senior Energy Engineer with Enpowered Solutions, and brings over ten years of experience in the commissioning, retro-commissioning, energy auditing, and energy services industries. She has performed extensive energy and utility system analysis at universities across California.

 

Mo Lovegreen, Director, Campus Sustainability, Department of Geography, UC Santa Barbara

Mo Lovegreen is the founding director for campus sustainability at the University of California, Santa Barbara and is also the Executive Officer in the Department of Geography where she coordinates with the IT staff on developing components for the Interactive Campus Map (ICM). Mo manages the 10 Sustainability Change Agent Teams/subcommittees and serves as an advisor to the Chancellor’s Sustainability Committee and the Academic Senate Working Group on Sustainability. Mo also supervised the design, construction and “greening” of Donald Bren Hall – the first laboratory building in the United States to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating.

 

Gianna Lum, Associate Director, Climatepedia

Gianna Lum is an undergraduate Earth System Science major, Global Sustainability and Urban Studies double minor at UC Irvine. She currently serves as Associate Director of the Climatepedia Executive Board and is the coordinator for the student certificate program. She is also an analyst for the VENG Group, a policy firm in Washington, D.C. that helps clients achieve their goals in the areas of advocacy, government relations, communications, and fundraising.

 

Todd M. Lynch, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, Principal Project Planner, Capital Programs, UCLA

At UCLA, Todd guides campus Green Building projects as a stakeholder from planning through occupancy, including the Ostin Basketball Center. His past LEED-certified projects include 17 Gold and 9 Platinum. Additionally, he serves on UCLA’s Sustainability Committee and co-Chairs the UC-wide Green Buildings Working Group. Todd is a lecturer at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design, where he also mentors emerging professionals as an Architect Licensing Advisor and advises two campus organizations, the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and USGBC Students at UCLA.  Since 2012, he has guided Student Action Research teams through the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Todd holds degrees from Yale and UC Berkeley, and past architectural work includes projects with Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Fumihiko Maki, Ballinger, and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.

 

Carlos Macias, Board Member, Climatepedia; Aerospace Engineering Undergraduate UCI

Carlos Macias is an undergraduate Aerospace Engineering major at the University of California, Irvine. He is involved in Design Build Fly, a local UC Irvine club that takes specified missions and build airplanes that meets requirements for the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation annual competition. He is also a board member of Climatepedia at the UC Irvine chapter.

 

Tom Macias, Director of Facilities, MiraCosta Community College District

Tom Macias joined MiraCosta Community College District in March 2004 as the district’s Director of Facilities. His responsibilities include facilities Capital planning and construction, maintenance and operations, grounds, custodial services, transportation, environmental compliance, hazardous waste management, safety compliance, industrial hygiene, recycling and fire prevention. Mr. Macias’ 33 years of management experience also includes Facilities Management and Environmental, Health and Safety positions at NCR, National Steel and Shipbuilding, Morrison Knudsen, Northern Telecom and Callaway Golf Company.

Mr. Macias was born in Denver, Colorado in 1959. He graduated From Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO with a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science in Environmental and Occupational Health in 1982. Mr. Macias is also a State of California Registered Environmental Assessor 05262 (REA).

 

Nathaniel C. Martin, CEM

Mr. Martin received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1992 from California State University, Sacramento. He has worked at CSU Sacramento since 2002, and currently functions as the campus’s Energy/Utility Manager working in the Sustainability Department under Facilities Management. He has worked in the energy conservation field for over 20 years, and has experience in energy management, renewable energy, energy engineering, and performance contracting. Mr. Martin has won previous Best Practice awards at CHESC in the areas of HVAC, Sustainability, and now Lighting. Mr. Martin has also received awards in similar areas from organizations like Business Environmental Resource Center (BERC), SMUD Board Award, Clean Air Champion by Breathe California of Sacramento and CSU’s Facilities Management Conference. In addition, The Northern California chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers named Mr. Martin – Energy Manager of the year for 2016.

 

James Matson, Vice President, Principal, HGA Architects and Engineers

James Matson, AIA is Vice President for HGA Architects and Engineers in the Los Angeles office.  He is a Principal on a variety of college and university projects, many of which are seeking and have already received LEED certification.  James has worked on a number of award-winning projects in California, spoken at sustainability conferences and has authored numerous articles for publications.  He is experienced managing a variety of projects for higher education clients, from campus plans to buildings for the arts, science and technology, student centers and learning environments for student success.  James is responsible for guiding the integrated design team through the planning and design process.  James received his Master of Architecture degree from Harvard University and his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Virginia.

 

 

Mark Maxwell, Assistant Director, Department of Sustainability, UC Merced

Mark is the Assistant Director of Sustainability in the newly formed department of Sustainability. Mark is responsible for managing, tracking and coordinating all building documentation for LEED submittals to the US Green Building Council. On new construction projects, he oversees each project from design through construction and gives support to all project teams to insure all LEED Criteria is met. He lectures a LEED Lab Class where students certify existing buildings on campus under the LEED Operation and Maintenance certification program. Mark also leads the commission program for the campus, provides support to campus departments on sustainability and manages interns in the Energizes Colleges and Carbon Neutrality Initiative programs.

 

Matthew McCluney, Senior Campus Planner, California State University Monterey Bay

Matthew serves the Senior Campus Planner within the Campus Planning and Development office at California State University Monterey Bay. As a campus planner Matthew facilitates comprehensive planning efforts, such as the University’s most recent update to their Master Plan, he supports transportation demand management planning and programming, and he develops growth and design standards to be applied to campus projects. Prior to this post, Matthew served as a Transportation Planner at Old Dominion University in Norfolk VA, where he transitioned and managed a out-sourced shuttle service into an university operated service, as well as drafted a campus policy on bicycle use and storage. Matthew received his Masters in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from Boston College.

 

Ann McCormick,  P.E., LEEDTM AP, Principal, Newcomb Anderson McCormick

Ann McCormick has been an active member of the energy efficiency community in Northern California for over 25 years. She is a founding principal of Newcomb Anderson McCormick, a San Francisco based energy engineering and management consulting firm devoted exclusively to solving energy and sustainability issues. She is responsible for technical and managerial oversight of the firm’s major projects and programs and has been involved with CHESC and the higher education IOU partnerships since 2005. Ms. McCormick serves as President on the Public Utilities Board overseeing Alameda Municipal Power and also serves on the Board of Directors of the California Energy Efficiency Industry Council. She holds a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin- Madison and a BSME from Michigan State University. She is a Registered Mechanical Engineer and a LEED Accredited Professional.

 

Colleen McCormick, Director, Sustainability, UC Merced

Colleen McCormick became the first Director of Sustainability at University of California, Merced in December 2014. In this role, she works toward fostering a culture of sustainability among students, faculty, and staff; identifying and prioritizing areas for institutional sustainability efforts; planning and development of short and long range goals; and engaging campus leaders to foster sustainability broadly across campus units.   Colleen earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in 2000 and a Master of Public Health degree at IUPUI in 2010.  She previously worked as the Director of the Office of Sustainability at IUPUI for over three years.  Prior to that, Colleen worked in the IUPUI Office of Environmental Health and Safety for more than six years and at Regenstrief Institute, Inc. conducting public health informatics research.

 

Margot McDonald, AIA, NCARB, Professor, Department Head, Architecture, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

In the studio, her teaching has focuses on integrated project delivery by working collaboratively with the disciplines of architecture, structural engineering, construction management, and landscape architecture on building/site proposals for real clients. She is the co-director for the ACSA/AIA National Resilience Initiative as well as director of the Resilient Communities Research Institute, faculty advisor for an interdisciplinary Sustainable Environments minor, and past chair for the International Educational Advisory Council at Cal Poly.

 

Janika McFeeley, Sustainability Specialist, UCOP

Janika McFeely is the Sustainability Specialist at the UC Office of the President. She is the resident expert in green building, climate action, and student engagement, supporting UC campuses in achieving their sustainability goals in each of those areas. Prior to joining UCOP, Janika was an Associate and Sustainability Specialist at EHDD. Janika has a Masters in Architecture from the University of British Columbia and a BFA in Fine Art at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

 

David McHale, Director of Facilities Management, UC Santa Barbara

David P. McHale, P.E., has been part of the UCSB family since 2001 and was selected as the Director for Facilities Management in May 2014. Prior to assuming this position, David recently served as an Associate Director within FM since 2008 where he oversaw the Utilities and Energy Services Group. In addition to his current position, David has been involved with Gaucho U as an instructor for the Crucial Conversations program and has targeted outreach training with other UC departments. David is deeply involved with the Long Range Development plan for the university and provides support for the campus concerning electrical design, energy conservation, renewable energy sources and power quality issues. He has a strong background with the National Electric Code and was Chairman for the Wisconsin Utilities Association National Electric Code Committee and Vice Chairman for the State of Wisconsin National Electric Code Committee.

 

Sara McKinstry, LEED GA, MA Education, MEM Environmental Economics and Policy, Campus Sustainability Manager, UC San Diego

Sara McKinstry is the Campus Sustainability Manager for UC San Diego, collaborating with faculty, staff and students to help lead and manage the University’s sustainability efforts and foster a culture of sustainability. One of first to become a Certified Sustainability Professional by the International Society of Sustainablity Professionals, she has a background in communications, marketing and environmental journalism. Before coming to UC San Diego in 2014, Sara was the associate director of the University of New Hampshire’s Sustainability Institute, the oldest endowed sustainability program in U.S. higher education, and has prior sustainability and communications experience with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Transportation, Smithsonian Institution, and New England Aquarium. She has a Master’s degree in Environmental Economics and Policy from Duke University, a Master’s degree in Education from the University of New Hampshire, and a Bachelor’s degree in English from Dartmouth College.

 

Jonathan McMurtry, Associate Principal, San Jose Evergreen Community College District, Lionakis

As an Associate Principal at Lionakis, Jonathan McMurtry has 28 years of experience in the industry and over 20 years of experience in the design, production and construction administration of community college projects. His creative design abilities result in innovative, quality solutions that encourage learning. Jonathan is a licensed Architect and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

 

Penny Menton, Director of Communications and Commuter Services, Events and Transportation, UC Los Angeles

Penny Menton is the Director for Communication and Commuter Services and leads the Integrated Marketing and Communication Services team, which includes strategic creative development and brand messaging, graphic design and online services, website, digital media and marketing content & placement. She also manages her divisions’ Training and Organizational Development; Public Relations and Information; Employee Event Planning; and the university Bruin Commuter Services and Information Office, which provides customer service information and TDM programs and services to the campus. Penny often works closely with the Campus Sustainability Office on projects that will improve the environment and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Penny has also played a key role in developing employee recognition programs, such as Extra Mile/On-the-Spot Customer Service Reward, Years of Service, and the annual Employee of the Year Award Event.  Penny is a “True Bruin” having earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics, a Master’s degree in International Relations, and her MBA, all from UCLA.

 

Stephen Miller, Deputy Director, Higher Education, Strategic Energy Innovations

At Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI), Stephen’s primary focus is on workforce development and higher education sustainability initiatives, including serving as the Director of SEI’s statewide Energize Colleges and Climate Corps Programs. Before SEI, Stephen worked to implement US Department of Energy programs out of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, in support of energy-sustainable communities and the market adoption of solar energy across a seven-state region. Before this role, Stephen directed market research for a new ventures division of Exelon (PECO Energy), after conducting similar work for a quantitative market research supplier that included public opinion polling for ABC News and The Washington Post. Stephen holds a master’s degree in business administration from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and an undergraduate degree in business from The Pennsylvania State University.

 

Albert Miranda, Director, Physical Plant; Facilities, Cypress Community College

Mr. Miranda is the Director of the Physical Plant and Facilities at Cypress College. Mr. Miranda has over 40 years of experience in higher education and school administration. He has extensive experience in planning, management, and construction of school facilities and maintenance and operations.

Patti Mitchell, LEED™ ® AP, AIA, Associate Director, Real Estate, Planning and Capital Programs, University of California, San Francisco
Patti Mitchell is an Associate Director with Real Estate, Planning and Capital Programs (REPCAP) and provides executive management and supervision of capital programs, projects and University initiatives.  Her focus is on the west zone including the Parnassus and Mt Zion campus sites.  Patti has worked with Capital Programs for over 12 years and has been involved with projects at all phases. In addition to project work, Patti has worked to develop the Capital Programs Sustainability requirements, reviews projects for compliance with the CP and UC Office of the President’s Sustainability Practices Policy and assists design professionals with the standard sustainability documentation for UCSF.

 

Fotino Morales, Fortino Morales III, R’Garden Director, UC Riverside

Fortino Morales III is the R’Garden Director at the University of California, Riverside working under Agricultural Operations within the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. The R’Garden is a 3 acres’ site that features a community garden area, row crop production area, orchard, and soon to be refurbished greenhouse area. In this role, he has worked to build environmental & agricultural educational experiences for students, staff, faculty, and the community. The R’Garden also aims to address issues of student and community food insecurity issues through workshops and educational opportunities and by harvesting for the R’Pantry, a campus food pantry program. He has been involved with the UCOP Global Food Initiative since its inception as well as a local food system initiative called Grow Riverside. He is also a graduate student at the School of Public Policy at UC Riverside.

 

Joshua Morejohn, PE, CEM, Energy Manager, Facilities Management, UC Davis

Joshua serves as Energy Manager for Facilities Management at the University of California, Davis. In this role he provides leadership and direction for the Energy Conservation Office in developing and institutionalizing an aggressive energy management strategy and implementing a wide variety of energy projects across the campus. His office includes the existing building commissioning program and the utilities & data engineering team along with a team that develops energy related web apps for the campus. He is a licensed professional engineer and a certified energy manager.

 

 

Dawn Morrissey, Program Manager, Center for Continuing Professional Education, Veterinary Medicine Dean’s Office, UC Davis

Dawn Dillman Morrissey has over 20 years’ experience in event management. She holds a B.S. in Food and Nutrition, has taught Green Event Management to professional planners for more than 5 years, and has her own planning and consulting business, Sacramento Event Planners, specialized in zero-waste and eco-friendly event planning since 2008. Dawn hails from Half Moon Bay, California and currently resides with her Great Dane and two children in Davis,CA, and now works as a Program Manager for the Center for Continuing Professional Education, Veterinary Medicine Dean’s Office, UC Davis.

 

Claire Napawan, Associate Professor, UC Davis

N. Claire Napawan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of California, Davis. She is a landscape architect and urban designer who has designed and studied urban environments throughout the world for over ten years. Her research focuses on urban public spaces and their contribution to community resilience. Examples of her work include: Smart Sidewalks, a winning proposal for NYC Reinventing Payphones competition; #OurChangingClimate, an award-winning participatory design project that empowers vulnerable youth to share their experiences of climate change; and FOGWASTE, a public art installation commissioned by the city of San Jose that brings greater awareness of wastewater infrastructures to community members. Professor Napawan was awarded the top honor of Vanguard by Next City (top ’40 under 40′ for emerging urbanists) in 2015 and was named a 2016 Climate Action Champion by the University of California, Davis.

 

Chris Nordby, Director, Energy, Utilities and Sustainability, Facilities Development and Operations, San Jose State University

Chris Nordby is the Director of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability at San Jose State University. He has managed the San Jose State Central Heating and Cooling Plant for over twenty years, and has 25 years experience in gas turbine cogeneration and industrial cooling plants.

 

Matthew O’Carroll, MESM, Facilities Management, UC Santa Barbara

Matthew O’Carroll serves as UCSB’s Refuse, Recycling, Water Efficiency, & Pest Control Manager. He is responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the University’s water conservation efforts, waste management practices, and the integrated pest management (IPM) program. In his time with the University, he has received over $100k in grant funding for water conservation projects at UCSB, played an instrumental role in decreasing UCSB’s potable water consumption rate 23%, and has also increased the UCSB’s waste diversion percentage 11% in two years. He oversees UCSB’s Refuse and Recycling Research Center (R3C), which specializes in behavioral economic waste-related research, and also co-chairs the UC Solid Waste & Recycling Working Group. He received his Master’s degree from UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, where he specialized in Water Resources Management. As his Master’s thesis, he produced UCSB’s first comprehensive water management document, the UCSB Water Action Plan, which has received local and national recognition.

 

John Onderdonk, Director of Sustainability Programs, Cal Tech

John Onderdonk serves as the Director of Sustainability Programs at Caltech where he is responsible for strategic planning to improve environmental performance in the areas of energy, climate, water, waste, supply chain, transportation and building infrastructure.

At Caltech, John has advised on the installation of 3MW of fuel cell and 1.3MW of photovoltaic capacity. He has supervised the execution of a $15M energy efficiency fund and serves as the lead sustainability advisor for 9 capital projects totaling approximately $300M in construction costs. John is also responsible for AB 32 compliance. Prior to joining Caltech, John practiced environmental risk management and worked as an environmental consultant.

John holds a Masters in Corporate Environmental Management from the Bren School at the UCSB and a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science and Economics from the University of Oregon. John was recognized as the 2013 CHESC Sustainability Officer of the Year.

 

Allison Paradise, Executive Director, My Green Lab

Allison Paradise is the Executive Director of My Green Lab, a California-based nonprofit dedicated to building a culture of sustainability through science. My Green Lab works with over two dozen organizations in California and several organizations nationally to reduce the environmental impact of their labs through outreach programs and concrete initiatives. Paradise holds degrees in neuroscience from Brown and Harvard, and before co-founding My Green Lab she worked as a scientific consultant.

 

Melina Packer, PhD Student. Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley

Melina Packer is pursuing her doctorate in the Department of Environmental, Science, Policy, & Management, at the University of California, Berkeley. Her dissertation examines how ubiquitous toxic exposure has fundamentally challenged dominant scientific paradigms, and further asks how these new biologies might be made to justify more equitable societies.

 

Kristin Parineh, Manager of Sustainability and Utility Programs, Stanford

Kristin has been with Stanford University’s Residential and Dining Enterprises as the Manager of Sustainability and Utilities Programs for 5 years. R&DE encompasses about 1/3 of the campus: 57 acres of landscape, 350 buildings and 13,000 residents. Kristin collaborates with students and staff to foster sustainable behavior change, reduce energy and water consumption and waste production, and to integrate long-term sustainable thinking into how R&DE operates. A few of Kristin’s current projects include interior and exterior zero waste programming, renovation projects that reduce utilities usage, and system wide adoption of green cleaning. Kristin previously served as the Sustainability Planner for the City of Palo Alto, and also has work experience at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, C.A. Environmental Protection Agency, and Natural Resources Defense Council. She has a BS in Environmental Design from U.C. Davis and a MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University.

 

Bharat Patel, Advisor, Pasadena City College Green Technologies Program, PE CEM LEED AP

Bharat Patel is a principal at Harley Ellis Devereaux and has over 30 years Design and Construction experience in sustainable development.  He is LEED accredited professional and is the past chair of the US Green Building Council – LA chapter and a LEED faculty.  He has worked on building projects in Europe, Asia and America and has worked with a number of world renowned architects His unique experience zero net energy buildings and campuses allows him to examine and provide unique integrated solutions that address programmatic requirements, operational efficiencies, maintenance reduction, energy, environmental sensitivities, security issues and costs. Bharat is the principal in charge of the most advanced vehicle emissions test center for CARB.  When completed it will be Zero Net Energy campus and LEED platinum. Patel prepared the Integrated Energy Master Plan with a goal of Zero Net Energy for Pasadena City College, Cerritos City College, South Orange County Community College District, and WS Hart Union High School.

 

Michelle Perez, PE, LEED AP, Campus Energy Engineer, UC San Diego

Service to others has always been a core value for Michelle Perez, leading her to careers in the Navy and education. Michelle’s background includes a profession license in Mechanical Engineering, a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University, and a Masters in Cross-Cultural Education from National University.As UC San Diego’s Campus Energy Engineer, she is responsible for the implementation and management of the Campus Strategic Energy Plan and the execution of the UC/IOU Partnership Program. Prior to assuming this role, Michelle served as the Campus Utilities Engineer and LEED Project Manager, and worked at Ackerstein Sustainability as a Senior Engineer. Michelle has also served as a technical advisor on Green Building standards, energy/water efficiency, and sustainable operations.

 

Eliahu Perszyk

Eliahu Perszyk has worked at UCSF for the past two years as the Water Program Coordinator, developing a comprehensive water efficiency program to reduce water consumption and improve campus research operations. Prior to working at UCSF, he was the Facilities Manager for the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley.

 

David Phillips, Associate Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, UCOP

In the newly created position of Associate Vice President for Energy and Sustainability, David Phillips provides strategic leadership for energy and sustainability initiatives across the University of California. Among other goals, multidisciplinary teams are currently developing plans and actions to reach systemwide carbon neutrality by 2025. This initiative is being implemented as part of UC’s broader energy procurement and sustainability efforts in consultation with the University’s Global Climate Leadership Council, Energy Governing Board and the sustainability community. David was formerly Director of Utilities at UC Davis, where he managed their city-scale water, waste and energy systems. Developing practical solutions to cost-effectively accomplish sustainability goals has been a career focus. While at Davis, David developed one of the country’s largest on-site solar power plants, oversaw an on-site waste treatment system to reduce campus landfill disposal by 25 percent and led the regulatory approval process for several wastewater recycling projects.

 

Alden Phinney, B.A. Business Management Economics 2017, UC Santa Cruz

Alden Phinney is a recent graduate of UC Santa Cruz, where he worked as a Climate Action Analyst and studied Business Management Economics and Sustainability. Alden’s on campus work coalesced around a thesis on internal carbon pricing practices, climate action outreach and engagement, and advocacy and activism for fossil fuel divestment. Alden took time off from studying to organize at COP21 and consult for the 2° Investing Initiative in Paris, analyze energy markets at the grid-edge for a home automation start-up, and develop a craft cocktail program at a seasonal restaurant. Alden is now evaluating opportunities with carbon consultancies and renewable energy companies, as well as working on a clean-tech grant proposal and business plan. He hails from Washington D.C. via San Diego, and enjoys Shakespeare, hip-hop, Italian liqueurs, and many combinations therein.

 

Gustavo Plascencia, Gustavo Plascencia, General Manager of Special Projects, Dining, Hospitality and Retail Services, UC Riverside.

Gustavo Plascencia is the General Manager of Special Projects for Dining Services at UC Riverside. He graduated from UCR in 1995 with a BA in Political Science, and has worked at UCR Dining Services since 1992. In addition to coordinating special projects, Gustavo helps to develop and implement sustainable initiatives for Dining Services, and serves as the department’s food safety and workplace safety coordinator.

 

Brian Pompeii, PhD, Lecturer, Social Science Department, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Brian Pompeii is a geography lecturer at Cal Poly San Luis Opsible. His research interests include water, hazards, and sustainability. He current research project investigates the changing access to water during the Great California Drought for the state’s most vulnerable populations.

 

Casandra Rauser, PhD, Director, Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

Dr. Rauser is the Director of UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge. She has extensive experience strategically developing and funding major research and training programs across campus, and formerly worked abroad building partnerships among private companies, local and national government and the community to create a public-private nature preserve in the tropics. In her current position, Dr. Rauser is working to advance a campus-led Grand Challenge project at UCLA to transform Los Angeles into the first fully sustainable megacity in the areas of energy, water, and ecosystem health. She is using her demonstrated ability to build relationships and forge collaborations among diverse groups to identify challenges specific to the LA region, and implement solutions with the goal of creating a more equitable and livable world.

 

Ken Premo, MBA, Support Services Manager, Associated Students, CSU Northridge

Ken Premo has been working with California State University Northridge for the past 20 years. After completing his master’s degree in business, Ken accepted the position of Support Services Manager for Associated Students. In this role, Ken manages the departments of AS Technology Support, AS Marketing, AS Ticket Office, and advises committees on sustainability and external affairs. As chair of the campus Transportation Working Group, Ken works to increase the available alternative transportation modes. As an employee of Associated Students, Ken has a special interest in transportation efforts directed at students – often implementing ideas developed in student government committees.

 

Andrew Reilman, Principal, Integral Group

Andrew (Andy) Reilman is a Principal with Integral Group’s Los Angeles Office, and has more than 15 years in sustainable consulting engineering. His expertise in sustainable architecture and green buildings includes building designs for Net Zero, passive, low energy systems such as natural and mixed-mode natural ventilation, displacement ventilation, radiant heating and cooling, and building integrated renewable energy systems. Some of Andy’s notable high performance projects include the Robert Redford Center for Sustainability (ZNE/LEED Platinum Target), UCLA Basketball Practice Facility (LEED Platinum target), CalPoly Pomona Student Services (LEED Gold Target) UCLA Pauley Pavilion (LEED Gold), UC Berkeley Student Community Center (LEED Gold), Long Beach Airport Terminals (LEED Certified Level), Soka University Performing Arts Center (LEED Gold). Andy has a BSME from University of California, Davis, is a professional engineer and an ASHRAE High Performance Building Design Professional. Andy is the ASHRAE Regional Vice Chair and is active in USGBC-LA and LBC-LA. 

 

Adriana Renteria, BA, People of Color Sustainability Collective Program Coordinator, American Indian Resource Center, UC Santa Cruz

Adriana Renteria received her B.A. in Environmental Studies and Economics from UC Santa Cruz in 2015. Adriana is a first generation queer Chicana who grew up in Merced, California. As a UCSC student, she was involved with several student organizations and clubs including Hermanas Unidas, IDEASS, Education for a Sustainable Living Program, Student Environmental Center, and the American Indian Resource Center. As the current Program Coordinator for the People of Color Sustainability Collective, Adriana is dedicated to creating an inclusive campus sustainability community for all students at her alma mater. She is passionate about environmental justice and the honoring of cultural knowledge, experiences, and traditions.

 

Andrea Richards, PhD, Core Faculty and Dean of Assessment and Student Learning

My BA, MA and PhD degrees all focus on some aspect of psychology. While in my doctoral program, I majored in cognitive psychology and minored in psychometrics, spending much of my time as a graduate teaching assistant participating in the undergraduate research methods course. When offered an opportunity to teach research methods at Antioch University Los Angeles, I took advantage of the chance to teach 15 students rather than 225 students each quarter. For the past 22 years, I have almost exclusively taught statistics and research in both undergraduate and graduate programs on the AULA campus. In addition to teaching at AULA, I serve as the Dean of Assessment and Student Learning. In this role, I work with program faculty evaluating student learning outcomes and creating plans for using assessment information to improve practice. Ultimately, my job is to serve students in their efforts toward educational excellence.

 

Andrew Riley, CEM, Sustainability Specialist, VCSA, UC Santa Barbara 

As a Sustainability Specialist for Student Affairs, Andrew Riley is working to help Student Affairs reach its Zero-Net Energy goals by supporting the development and implementation of energy efficiency projects and renewable energy planning for the Division.  Andrew also works closely with the Renewable Energy Initiative Governance Board as its administrative coordinator to bring student funded renewable energy projects to the campus. Andrew earned a degree in physics and worked with an experimental cosmology group before completing a Master’s degree at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, specializing in energy and climate studies with an emphasis in community renewable energy solutions.

 

Rebecca H. Rosser, PhD, Director, American Indian Resource Center, UC Santa Cruz

Rebecca Hernandez Rosser (Mescalero/Warm Springs Apache & Mexican American) earned a doctorate in American Studies from the University of New Mexico with a specialization in the American Southwest. She also holds an MA in American Indian Studies from UCLA, and an MFA in Exhibition Design and Museum Studies from CSU Fullerton. Rebecca is currently the Director of the American Indian Resource Center at UC Santa Cruz, one of six resource centers on campus. She has worked at a variety of institutions including the Southwest Museum, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Center for Southwest Research and the American Indian Studies Center at UCLA. She is dedicated to educating herself and the students she works with about how traditional Indigenous foodways can aid in lessening health dilemmas in Indian Country.

 

Mark Rousseau, Energy & Environmental Manager, HDAE, UC Santa Barbara

Mark Rousseau graduated from UCSD in Biochem then spent 2 years at Stanford University Biology Department. Mark also was a Peace Corp Volunteer in Agro-Forestry in the Philippines. He received his Masters in Resource Management from Michigan State University. After he spent 3 years doing Environmental Consulting and has since been at UCSB for 22 years.

 

Lydia Rudnick, Masters of Environmental Science and Management, Bren School of Environmental & Management, UC Santa Barbara

Lydia Rudnick recently graduated with her Master’s in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School for Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She specialized in Corporate Environmental Management, with an emphasis on energy, and was a Teacher’s Assistant for the Environmental Studies Department. Lydia was Project Manager of her Master’s Thesis Group Project that researched implementation strategies to achieve carbon neutrality at UCSB. She graduated from Princeton University in 2013 with a B.A. in Geosciences and a certificate in Environmental Studies. Lydia taught English at a university in northern Thailand through a fellowship with Princeton in Asia, worked in Government Relations at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, and was an Environmental Engineering Intern at the environmental consulting firm, Ramboll Environ.

 

Jordan Sager, Campus Energy Manager, Facilities Management, UC Santa Barbara

Jordan Sager is the Campus Energy Manager at the University of California, Santa Barbara. As part of the University’s Facilities Management division, Jordan focuses on development and implementation of demand and supply side utility management projects with the goals of reducing campus operating expenses and environmental impact. The campus’s current projects include lighting, mechanical and control systems optimizations, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, energy storage, and potable to reclaimed water conversions for landscape and process water uses. Jordan earned his Bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Redlands and a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at UCSB. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and a Certified Energy Manager.

 

Rashmi Sahai, Assessments Program Manager, Sustainability and Energy Management, Stanford University

Rashmi Sahai currently manages the sustainability assessments program at Stanford University. She leads the tracking and reporting of Stanford’s sustainability metrics, and heads Stanford’s Green Labs and Sustainable IT programs. Prior to her role at Stanford, Rashmi served as the Sustainability Specialist at the University of California (UC) Office of the President, where she supported implementation of the UC Sustainable Practices Policy across the ten UC campuses. Rashmi is a certified energy manager and received her M.S. in Energy and Resources from UC Berkeley and her B.S. in Environmental Science from UCLA.

 

Karen Salvini, Sustainability Project Manager, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Karen Salvini is Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Sustainability Project Manager. Karen works with stakeholders across the Lab to implement projects in support of the Lab’s aggressive sustainability goals. Karen has a diverse background in project and program management, sustainability and environment, information technology, communications, and organizational change management. Prior to joining the Sustainable Berkeley Lab team, Karen worked as a program manager in the Environmental Technologies Area, and led communications and change management for the Lab’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Before Berkeley Lab, Karen worked in marine research and policy at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Karen received her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at Wesleyan University, and her MBA at the University of California Berkeley. She is a LEED Accredited Professional. 

 

Sarah Siedschlag, Environmental Programs Advisor, Associated Students UCSB

Sarah Siedschlag is the Environmental Programs Advisor for Associated Students at UCSB. In this role she oversees certain environmentally-focused student groups, including A.S. Coastal Fund, Bike Committee, and Environmental Affairs Board. She focuses on educating and empowering students on environmental topics, and on connecting students to behind-the-scenes sustainable practices and advocacy in on campus and in the community. Sarah earned her masters’ degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at UCSB.

 

Greg Secor, Senior Project Manager, Design and Construction Management, UC Davis

Greg Secor is a LEED AP and an architect that has worked as project manager for major capital projects at UC Davis Design and Construction Management for the past 5 years. Prior to this, Greg spent 10 years in architectural practice working on public projects including higher education.

 

Kenny Seeton, Manager Central Plant / Energy Manager, CSU Dominguez Hills

Kenny Seeton has spent 26 years at one of the top 10 largest hi-speed, automated bakeries in the USA. Hostess Twinkies maintenance/engineering night shift. He has spent 6 years at CSUDH Central Plant Manager/Energy Manager. Kenny enjoys working with students and his crew to come up with innovative ways to increase comfort and reduce energy. Kenny is not afraid to test the untested.

Michelle Sevilla, B.A. Environmental Studies, UCSB (Class of 2017)

Michelle is a Philippine-born, Santa Barbara local and a recent graduate of UCSB. She currently serves in many roles in the university and local community of Santa Barbara. She is a co-founder and current President of the on-campus organization, the Climate Justice Hub, which bridges climate justice activism from faculty and graduate students to the undergraduate student body. Michelle is also the Membership Assistant at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, which has been her place of employment for almost seven years. Michelle is currently preparing for the GRE and plans to continue her pursuit of higher education in the near future.

 

K. Shankari, PhD student, EECS, UC Berkeley

Shankari is a PhD student at UC Berkeley, and is passionate about removing barriers to the widespread adoption of sustainable transportation. Her goal is to enable cities to be designed such that the most energy efficient mode for each trip is the most convenient. To that end, she is building a transportation meter that can measure how far a city is from its goals and track progress towards achieving it. Her ideas are drawn from her experience living in the San Francisco Bay Area without a car, and by her service on the City of Mountain View’s Bicycle/Pedestrian advisory committee. Before returning to graduate school, she spent 12 years in industry. She lives with her husband and two children in Mountain View, CA.

 

Brian D. Shaw, CAPP, Executive Director, Department of Parking & Transportation Services, Stanford University

Brian Shaw is the Director of Parking and Transportation Services at Stanford University.  He is a specialist in the area of Sustainable Transportation, having created new programs at Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago and Emory that fostered carpooling, biking, walking and riding public transit to campus.  Under his leadership, Stanford has been able keep its peak hour trips under a cap established in 2000, while the campus has continued to grow and thrive. Brian has served on the board of International Parking Institute (IPI) since 2014, co-chairing IPI’s Sustainability Committee, while serving on the Education Development Committee.  He recently developed a TDM course for IPI and the Green Building Council to help educate non-practitioners.  He has also served on the Caltrain Citizens Advisory Committee since 2014, currently as Chair. He is a Certified Administrator of Public Parking(CAPP) with IPI.  

 

Robert Silsbee, Planning & Resources Director, Administrative Services Division, UC Santa Barbara

Robert Silsbee is the Planning & Resources Director of the Administrative Services Division at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). Silsbee has more than 17 years of experience in higher education budget, finance, and resource policy development, and more than 37 years of professional economic and environmental analysis. Reporting to the Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services, Silsbee participated in securing entitlements for development of more than 300 faculty, staff, and student housing units on UCSB’s North Campus on a site that was significantly constrained by sensitive natural habitat. The development project required mitigation of environmental impacts by restoring habitat both on- and off-site. Silsbee also analyzed the financial feasibility of UCSB’s acquisition of a thirteen-story, 1,325-bed student residence hall, purchased for $76 million from a private-sector owner in 2002. He analyzed the financial feasibility of building two commuter parking structures in 2005 and 2006 with construction costs of $39 million and new debt of $32 million.

 

Riley Smith, MA, LEED GA, Sustainability Coordinator, Saint Mary’s College

Riley Smith earned his Masters in Sustainability (’10) from the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. His focus has been on the implementation of sustainability projects and programs at the local level, specifically within local governments and K-12/higher education. Before his work in sustainability, Riley was a high school Biology teacher (3 years) as well as a digital marketing manager within the private sector (3 years). On his off days, Riley enjoys backpacking, homebrewing or spending time with his family.

 

Amanda Snelson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, ZGF Architects

Amanda Snelson is an architect at ZGF Architects, with over six years of experience practicing architecture, seeing multiple interior renovation and expansion projects through completion. The emphasis of her work is on existing buildings including renovation, adaptive reuse and sustainable strategies. Before moving to California, Amanda worked for Dake Wells Architecture for two years, completing three interior renovation projects from concept through construction at Missouri State University. Amanda has her Bachelor of Architecture from Drury University and is a licensed architect in California and Missouri.

 

Emma Sorrell, Sustainability Manager, Housing & Hospitality Services, UC Los Angeles

As Sustainability Manager for UCLA Housing & Hospitality Services, Emma Sorrell supports the H&HS belief that sustainable practices are a critical component of delivering quality services, products, and programs. Emma is responsible for implementing and over-seeing sustainability programs and strategic initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and the responsible use of natural resources for On- and Off-Campus Housing, UCLA Dining, UCLA Guest House, Conferences and Catering, Vending Services, the Lake Arrowhead Conference Center and Bruin Woods Family Resort, and the Luskin Conference Center, as well as spearheading sustainability outreach and education of more than 14,000 students and 1,600 staff. Prior to joining the UCLA team, Emma established the sustainability program for Occidental College and served as the campus’s first Sustainability Coordinator. She holds a degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College. Emma’s current efforts include waste reduction & diversion, energy efficiency, and behavioral change.

 

Matt St Clair, LEED AP, Director of Sustainability, UC Office of the President

Matthew St.Clair is the first Director of Sustainability for the University of California’s Office of the President, leading sustainability efforts across the 10-campus UC system since 2004. Mr. St.Clair was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Mr. St.Clair has delivered lectures at numerous universities, been an invited keynote speaker at several regional and national conferences, and advised the U.S. House of Representatives on the formation of an Office of Sustainability for the U.S. Capitol.

 

Mark Stemen, PhD, Professor, Geography and Planning, CSU Chico
Mark is a professor of Geography and Planning at CSU, Chico, where he teaches environmental courses in sustainability and civic engagement. Known to his students as ‘Dr. Mark,’ he is recognized on the campus for his inspiring work with students and the community on issues of sustainability. Mark has served on the Board since 2010, and has been board president since 2011.  He led the effort to hire the new executive director, and he is currently working on the Humboldt Community Garden project.  Mark is also Chair of the City of Chico’s Sustainability Task Force.

 

Donald Strauss, PhD, M.F.A. is the founding chair of the Urban Sustainability MA program at Antioch University Los Angeles, launched in October 2010 with the intention of training practitioners and activists committed to working at the urban intersections of global environmental change and social, economic, and environmental justice.

In March 2015, Donald completed his work in the Environmental Studies program at Antioch University New England (AUNE), where he earned a PhD. While in the Environmental Studies Program, he focused on narratives of individuals and groups in urban communities and their relationships to the natural, social and political ecosystems with which they interact. His dissertation, titled Ridazz, Wrenches, & Wonks: A Revolution on Two Wheels Rolls Into Los Angeles, is an examination of the spontaneous emergence of a bike culture that has played an unlikely role in the transformation of regional transportation policy and the cultural life of Los Angeles, California.

 

Justin Sullivan, CPSM, Director, Strategic Sourcing Centers of Excellence, University of California

Justin Sullivan has been the System-wide Director of Strategic Sourcing since August 2013. He has been instrumental in developing the UC’s sourcing process and unique COE operating model that leverages the capabilities and category expertise of professionals based on UC campuses on behalf of the entire system. Justin started his UC career as the Director of Strategic Sourcing for the combined UCSF and UC Berkeley Strategic Sourcing organization. Justin began his Higher Education career as Director of Procurement Services at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Prior to Higher Education, Justin was an innovator in procurement technology and services. Justin spent 10 years with Ariba, leading the delivery of innovative sourcing and procurement solutions to global companies. Before entering the procurement world, Justin was a Policy Analyst for the Office of Management and Budget, the budget office for the President of the United States.

 

Breeana Sylvas, Senior Analyst, UC Merced

Breeana Sylvas is the Sr. Analyst in the Department of Sustainability at the University of California Merced. Ms. Sylvas is responsible for strategic planning, performance measures, and sustainability program and capital project developments. She also conducts analytical studies related to water and energy. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Sylvas served in a number of professional appointments in the Office of Management and Budget for the City of Las Cruces, and New Mexico State University (NMSU). Ms. Sylvas holds both a Bachelors of Business Administration degree in Finance, and a Masters of Public Administration degree from NMSU.

 

Jeffrey Taylor, Facilities Controls Specialist, Facilities Development & Operations, Energy & Utilities Group, San Jose State University

Jeffrey Taylor was employed by UCSC for 5 years as a HVAC/R technician, performing maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and on site commissioning efforts for HVAC systems including retrofits and new construction. I have been employed by SJSU over 12 years as a HVAC and Controls technician and my main function is to provide commissioning services for retrofits and new construction.

 

Fariborz M Tehrani, PhD, PE, ENV SP, PMP, SAP, Associate Professor, Civil and Geomatics Engineering, CSU Fresno

Dr. Fariborz M. Tehrani is an Associate Professor, Professional Civil Engineer, Sustainability Professional, and Project Management Professional with academic and professional background in structural, geotechnical, and transportation engineering and management. Fariborz Tehrani has authored and co-authored three books, as well as thirty-five technical articles and research reports. His research and practice experiences focus on resilient-sustainable infrastructures and include structural analysis and design, earthquake resistant design, building materials and construction, road and bridge design, and project management. His research on sliding seismic isolation resulted in a patented methodology, Sliding Foundation System with Safety Margin. He has contributed to the engineering design of more than fifty structures and infrastructures, management and planning of $150 million projects, and development of several research proposals and projects. He is also mentoring in EWB student chapters on multiple projects in Honduras and Nicaragua. Dr. Tehrani received the ASCE Region 9 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award in 2015.

 

Dawnielle Tellez, Masters of Environmental Science and Management, Bren School of Environmental & Management, UC Santa Barbara

Dawnielle Tellez recently graduated with a Master’s degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California Santa Barbara specializing in Corporate Environmental Management. In her Master’s group thesis project, she led research into communication and stakeholder engagement strategies informing UCSB’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative. She has previously worked in corporate sustainability and employee engagement at Caesars Entertainment Corporation and as 2016 Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Climate Corps Fellow at Western Digital (formerly HGST). Additionally, she has experience in market research consulting, non-profit communications, and LEED projects. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University of Southern California. She plans to pursue a career in corporate social responsibility where she can apply her expertise and passion for helping organizations embed sustainability into business practices while aligning environmental goals with operational efficiency, stakeholder engagement, and pathways to revenue.

 

Patrick Testoni, CEM, CMVP, Campus Energy Manager, UC Santa Cruz

Patrick Testoni is responsible for campus energy efficiency, greenhouse gas accounting, and energy procurement at UC Santa Cruz.  He directs the Statewide Energy Partnership Program for the UCSC campus, and provides input on campus planning for sustainability in the area of new construction, energy procurement and renewables. Mr. Testoni has over 15 years of experience in energy efficiency, renewables, energy contracts, building management systems, and metering technology. He holds a BS in Earth Sciences from UC Santa Cruz, is a Certified Energy Manager, a Certified M&V Professional, and is a lifetime member of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

 

Chrissy Thomure, Climate Action Manager, Sustainability Office, UC Santa Cruz

Chrissy Thomure serves as the Climate Action Manager at University of the California, Santa Cruz, where she leads campus efforts towards carbon neutrality by 2025.  Chrissy has fifteen years experience working in sustainability and green building.  Prior to joining the UC, Chrissy was the Sustainability Director at Grand Targhee Ski & Summer Resort in Wyoming.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from Missouri State, and is an ISO 14001 Lead Auditor, LEED AP and Certified Energy Manager.  

 

Jodi Titus, Faculty Member Steering Committee, Irvine Valley College

Jodi Titus earned her M.A. Geography, CSU Fullerton in 2002 and has been teaching Geography at Irvine Valley College since 2005 and currently serves as the Department Chair. She has been the faculty coordinator for Sustainability and Resource Management Program for several years, writing and revising all courses, hiring faculty and working with the Advisory Board.  She also serves as the faculty advisor for the ASIVC Green Team student club. She is also a member of the Environmental Leadership Task Force for the Academic Senate. Most recently, she is currently serving as a faculty member of the Irvine Valley College Steering Committee for the development of the Sustainability and Energy Action Plan.

 

Nicholas Turton, Nicholas C. Turton, Food Security Policy Research Assistant, UC Global Food Initiative. BA, Communication Studies, UC Santa Barbara

Nicholas Turton is a graduating honors student from the Department of Communication at UC Santa Barbara. This year, Nicholas has served as a Food Security Policy Researcher through the Global Food Initiative. In his work, he has conducted broad-scope research on the issues of food security in student populations across various campuses to inform best practices and policy interventions at his home campus of UC Santa Barbara. He has worked with stakeholders, peers and campus administrators to set a foundation for holistic and systems-oriented change to alleviate students from the issues of food insecurity. He is currently searching ways on how he can continue similar work in Student Affairs or campus administration in full-time opportunities in the Southern California region.

 

Cara K. Uy, Sustainability Coordinator, Center for Sustainability, Santa Clara University

Cara K. Uy is the Sustainability Coordinator of Santa Clara University (SCU) Center for Sustainability. Passionate about behavior change and leadership development, Cara develops and maintains strategic partnerships within the University, coordinates campus sustainability events and creative communication strategies, and manages the internship program as well as programming to engage residence life and student organizations, faculty and staff, as well as the general campus community.

 

Unique Vance, Unique Vance, Food & Water Watch Campus Coordinator, Animal Rights Activist, Student, Environmental Studies, UC Santa Barbara.

Unique Vance is a student activist from Compton, CA. She became involved in environmental organizing as a sophomore in high school when she co-founded an ecological justice organization. Since then her primary work has focused on the intersections of environmental justice, food security, and animal rights through community organizing and radical education.

 

Sue Vang, MS, Waste Reduction & Recycling Manager, Office of Sustainability, UC Davis

Sue manages the Waste Reduction and Recycling Program for the University of California, Davis. She is an Aggie alumna with a BS in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning, and an MS in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from UW-Madison. Sue also has experience in waste and recycling policy, environmental analysis and consulting, and community based social marketing.

 

Emily Waddington, Masters of Environmental Science and Management, Bren School of Environmental & Management, UC Santa Barbara

Emily received her B.A. in Biology from Boston University and found herself participating in a whole array of different environmental opportunities, from research to entrepreneurship, before pursuing her master’s degree at The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB. Emily is studying pollution prevention and is part of a team devising strategies for how UCSB can overcome implementation challenges to reaching carbon neutrality by 2025. She hopes to use her passion for science to help create solutions to foster sustainable food systems and fight climate change.

 

Katherine Walker, Sr. Manager, Sustainability & CSR Performance, Sodexo North America

A Northern California native, Katherine runs Performance for the Office of Sustainability and CSR for Sodexo in North America. Her work focuses on setting metrics, measuring progress and reporting to internal and external partners as well as producing tools for the field and work within the supply chain. Katherine grew up on her family’s vineyard in Sonoma County, California and was a chef for 7 years before joining Sodexo. She is based in San Diego, CA. Katherine holds a BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an MBA from Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, Spain.

 

Pamela Wallace, Director, BEST Center, Laney College
Pamela Wallace is the Director of the BEST Center (Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow).  She has worked for Siemens and Honeywell for eight years implementing multi-million dollar energy efficiency projects at community colleges, state agencies and local municipalities in Northern California.  She served as an industry advisor to the BEST Center while at Siemens and Honeywell and serves as an industry advisor to Diablo Valley College Electronic program and Urban Releaf and Oakland urban forestry non-profit. Ms. Wallace holds a BA in Economics and French from U.C. Berkeley and an MBA from U.C.L.A.  She has presented at the American Association of Community Colleges, Principal Investigators Conference, Advanced Technical Education – National Science Foundation, Association for the Advancement in Higher Education and American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

 

Thomas Wang, Food Recovery Coordinator, UC Global Food Initiative; Undergraduate Student, Economics; Global Studies, UC Santa Barbara

Thomas is a fourth year at UCSB studying Economics and Global Studies. He became interested in food recovery after learning about the amount of food insecurity on campus and the local community. As a student intern at the Sustainability Program for the 2017-2018 school year, he works with the Sustainability Coordinator to develop the pilot and manage the pilot program.

 

Byron Washom, Director, Strategic Energy Initiatives, UC San Diego

Byron Washom, has served as Director of Strategic Energy Initiatives at UCSD since 2008. Immediately prior to joining UCSD, he served as the CEO of a technical due diligence firm in the CleanTech space while concurrently serving as Sr. International Advisor to The World bank and being a four-time Rockefeller Foundation Grantee in renewable energy development. In 1984, Mr. Washom received an R&D100 for one of the 100 most outstanding innovations in the world based upon his leadership that set eight technical world records for the conversion of sunlight to grid connected efficiency , and the records remained unsurpassed for 24 years. Fast Company magazine named Mr. Washom to their June 2010 cover story “100 Most Innovative Persons in Business”, and in 2013, Larry Ellison tapped Mr. Washom to be the Architect of highly advanced microgrid on the Island of Lana`i, Hawaii with the objective to be carbon free.

 

Parker Wells, Chief Executive Officer, Element 16 Technologies
Parker Wells founded and leads Element 16 Technologies, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Wells previously co-founded and lead Overhead.fm, Inc. as CEO starting in 2012, where he oversaw operations and technology development. He holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Brown University and patent applications in sulfur-based thermal energy storage.

 

Nathaniel Wilson, AIA, AICP, LEED AP, Campus Architect, Facilities Planning Design and Construction, CSU Northridge

Nat has been working at California State University Northridge (CSUN) for fourteen years as the Campus Architect. He has led many award winning building projects including two LEED Gold projects. Among his current projects is the Associated Students Sustainability Center, a LEED Platinum / Living Building Challenge / Net Zero Energy project. Nat is also an American Planning Association Certified Environmental Planner (CEP) and a member of the AIA Committee on the Environment. He is serving on the CAHESC Steering Committee for an eighth year reviewing Water and Green Building speaker submittals.

 

Boykin Witherspoon III, Executive Director, Water Resources and Policy Initiatives, California State University

Mr. Witherspoon’s experience includes the administration of all aspects of the management for the Water Resources and Policy Initiatives and the Water Resources Institute including: strategic planning and budgeting; promotion with community, universities, and industry; liaison with advisory boards; program management; development and oversight of contracts and grants; hiring and supervision of staff; and training and publications efforts. Additionally, Mr. Witherspoon is a focused problem solver with international project management experience developing Geographic Information System (GIS) applications and software for sustainable landscape architectural planning and design. Mr. Witherspoon’s professional experience includes managing interdisciplinary teams of designers, scientists, and software developers creating innovative and sustainable land use and land planning solutions with an emphasis on programmatic suitability and capability analysis. Mr. Witherspoon is dedicated to ingraining GIS and geographic information science into the teaching, legal, and regulatory.

Kristen Wonder, Sustainability Coordinator and Co-chair of the Student Hunger Committee

Kristen Wonder is the Sustainability Coordinator and Co-chair of the Student Hunger Committee at San Jose State University. In her previous role on campus, she was the Sustainability Coordinator for dining services and worked directly with food donations, to students and to the community. She strives to create meaningful change with long-term sustainable solutions, both for the environment and for student hunger. Kristen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Communication Studies. Her passion for helping students facing food insecurity comes from personal experiences with food insecurity during college.

Ramon Zavala, Sustainable Transportation Supervisor, Transportation and Distribution Services

Ramon is a graduate from UCI and began working for Transportation Services’s Sustainable Transportation program in 2011 as the campus bike coordinator. He has since taken program’s helm and manages regulatory reporting and future planning for sustainable transportation at UCI. Ramon has been a member of the student-majority Bus Love Board since its inception.