Monday September 21, 2020 3:30pm – 6:15pm
Tuesday September 22, 2020 8:30am – 4:00pm
VIRTUAL 14th Annual
Sustainability Summit
2029 Century Park East Suite 4380 Los Angeles, CA 90067 310.226.7460
www.labusinesscouncil.org labcinstitute.org
Achieving Our Climate Goals and Advancing
A Sustainable Economic Recovery
CLIMATE CHANGE (The Other Crisis)
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10:15 A.M. BREAK
10:25 - 10:30 A.M. INTRODUCTION Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council
10:30 - 11:00 A.M. FIRESIDE CHAT EDUCATING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE TO ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE REGION
MODERATOR Dr. Daniel A. Mazmanian, Chair, Presidential Working Group on Sustainability & Professor of Public Policy, USC
PANELISTS Dr. Carol L. Folt, President, University of Southern California
The Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles
11:00 - 11:05 A.M. INTRODUCTION Nadine Watt, Chair, Los Angeles Business Council
11:05 - 11:20 A.M. BUSINESS LEADER KEYNOTE Emile Haddad, Chairman & CEO, FivePoint
11:20 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. PANEL 2 THE BUILDINGS OF TOMORROW
MODERATOR Lauren Faber O’Connor, Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
PANELISTS David Hochschild, Chair, California Energy Commission
Zafer Sahinoglu, Vice President, Business Innovation, Mitsubishi Electric US Inc.
Reed McMains, Vice President & General Manager, Turner Construction Company
Jason Barrett, Vice President, GAF Energy 12:00 P.M. BREAK
12:10 - 12:15 P.M. INTRODUCTION Sam Arons, Director of Sustainability, Lyft
12:15 - 12:45 P.M. FIRESIDE CHAT
MODERATOR Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council
PANELISTS U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Chair, Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and
Mineral Resources
Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
12:45 - 1:45 P.M. PANEL PROVIDING CLEAN, AFFORDABLE WATER FOR CALIFORNIANS
MODERATOR David Nahai, President, David Nahai Companies
PANELISTS The Honorable Henry Stern, Senator, State of California
Gil Crozes, Partner, Carollo Engineers
Brian Jordan, Vice President, Tetra Tech
Rupam Soni, Principal Public Affairs Representative, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Enrique C. Zaldivar, P.E., Director and General Manager, LA Sanitation & Environment
1:45 - 1:50 P.M. INTRODUCTION Garrett Gin, Marketing Executive, Greater Los Angeles, Bank of America
1:50 - 2:05 P.M. KEYNOTE PATHWAY TO THE CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE
Kevin Payne, President & CEO, Southern California Edison
2:05 - 3:00 P.M. PANEL THE FUTURE OF CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
MODERATOR Pete Holland, Executive Vice President & Regional Executive, AECOM
PANELISTS Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Genevieve Giuliano, Director, METRANS Transportation Center, USC
David Kim, Secretary, California State Transportation Agency
James De La Loza, Chief Planning Officer, LA Metro
Matt Petersen, President & CEO, LA Cleantech Incubator
3:00 - 3:05 P.M. INTRODUCTION Adam Davis, Managing Partner, Ecosystem Investment Partners
3:05 - 3:20 P.M. CLOSING KEYNOTE INVESTING IN CLEAN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
U.S. Congressman Tony Cárdenas, Member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
The LABC VIRTUAL 2020 Sustainability Summit
(The Other Crisis): Achieving Our Climate Goals and
Advancing A Sustainable Economic Recovery
Monday, September 21st – Sustainability Summit Kickoff and VIP & Awards Reception
3:30 - 3:35 P.M. LABC Nadine Watt, Chair, Los Angeles Business Council
3:35 - 3:40 P.M. USC WELCOME Dana Goldman, Interim Dean, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and Leonard D. Schaeffer Director's Chair, USC Schaeffer Center
3:40 - 3:45 P.M. INTRO OF SPOTLIGHTS David Wilhelm, Chief Strategy Officer, Hecate Energy
3:45 - 3:55 P.M. SPOTLIGHT SESSION 1 Mary Wenzel, Executive Vice President, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Wells Fargo & Company
3:55 - 4:00 P.M. INTRODUCTION Kip Field, Southern California Area Manager, HDR
4:00 - 4:20 P.M. CONGRESSIONAL KEYNOTE A CLEAN ENERGY COVID RECOVERY U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, Assistant Whip for House Leadership 4:20-4:35 P.M. BREAK
4:35 - 4:40 P.M. INTRODUCTION Alberto Diaz, Managing Director of LAX, United Airlines
4:40 - 5:00 P.M. FEDERAL KEYNOTE SECURING OUR ENERGY AND CLIMATE FUTURE
Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Distinguished Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology;
Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
5:00 - 6:00 P.M. PANEL MOVING TOWARD 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY & RESOURCE ADEQUACY
MODERATOR Sammy Roth, Energy Reporter, LA Times
PANELISTS Martin L. Adams, General Manager & Chief Engineer, LADWP
Tom Buttgenbach, Founder & CEO, 8minute Solar Energy
Michael Garland, CEO, Pattern Energy
Carla Peterman, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Regulatory Affairs, Southern California Edison
Liane Randolph, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
6:00 - 6:05 P.M. INTRODUCTION Alex Pugh, Development Manager, Hecate Grid
6:05 - 6:15 P.M. SPOTLIGHT SESSION 2 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: MYTHS AND TRUTHS - AND J.P. MORGAN’S COMMITMENT
RA McDonough, Managing Director & Head of Energy, West Region & LA, Investment Bank, JPMorgan Chase
Tuesday, September 22nd 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
8:45 - 8:50 A.M. LABC WELCOME Brad Cox, Chair, Los Angeles Business Council Institute
8:50 - 8:55 A.M. SPECIAL GUEST The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, 38th Governor of California
8:55 - 9:00 A.M. INTRODUCTION Ambassador Nina Hachigian, Deputy Mayor for International Affairs, City of Los Angeles
9:00 - 9:15 A.M. KEYNOTE Dame Karen Pierce DCMG, British Ambassador to the USA
9:15 - 10:15 A.M. PANEL ACCELERATING JUST, EQUITABLE CLIMATE GOALS
MODERATOR Michael Northrop, Program Director, Sustainable Development, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
PANELISTS The Honorable Kevin de León, Councilmember-elect, City of Los Angeles
The Honorable Fran Pavley, Former California State Senator & Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute
Kate Gordon, Director, Office of Planning and Research & Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Change,
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
Dr. Manuel Pastor, Director, USC Equity Research Institute
Monday, September 21st 3:30 – 6:15 PM
2 - D A Y S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y S U M M I T P R O G R A M
2 - D A Y S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y S U M M I T P R O G R A M
Tuesday, September 22nd 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM Continued
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September 21, 2020
Dear Summit Participants:
Nothing could have prepared us for the magnitude or intensity of the adversity we are currently facing as a city, state and nation. We have spent the last seven months coping with a deadly virus that has entirely changed the way we live our lives and upended our economy. We have experienced record high temperatures in the Western states leading to power shortages, and now we have catastrophic wildfires burning throughout the West Coast making it hazardous to breathe.
This is a historic and unprecedented time that requires bold action. The Los Angeles Business Council is proud to be hosting its 14th Annual Sustainability Summit for the first time with USC President Carol Folt to discuss exactly how government, private, nonprofit, and academic leaders can meet this moment to prevent the worst possible scenarios of climate change.
This year’s Summit features international, national and state government and business leaders that will be responsible for planning and executing a bold climate strategy. It will be critical that we all step up our response to this crisis and act now to protect our environment and our well-being.
For our part, the LABC is proud to be the first business group to step up and endorse Governor Newsom’s call to accelerate our 100% green energy grid by 2045 and to fast-track our efforts to continue as the world leader in sustainability and renewable energy. We believe we can, and must act, while improving our planning to assure a reliable energy grid and a just transition for those who may be left behind in the wake of progress.
As the coronavirus pandemic rages against the backdrop of the West Coast fires and great economic uncertainty, we are being forced to confront multiple crisis at once. However, California has shown that it is up to the challenge of meeting our 100% renewable energy goal – and with even greater speed and urgency! – to fight the scourge of climate change and build a stronger, clean economy.
California continues to lead the nation in reducing our carbon output and advancing policies that lay the groundwork for a more vibrant, inclusive green economy. In support of our critical progress, we applaud our summit speakers, panelists and the LABC’s Energy & Environment Committee, and we thank you for your participation.
Sincerely,
Mary Leslie Nadine Watt Brad Cox President, LABC LABC Chair LABC Institute Chairman
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About Us The LABC Institute is the 501 (c) 3 designated research and educational arm of the LA Business
Council. The LABC Institute produces cutting-edge research to strengthen the sustainable economy of the Los Angeles region. Founded in 2010, the LABC Institute provides a bridge between LA’s business, government, and environmental communities to develop and promote effective, forward-thinking public policy.
The LABC Institute capitalizes on the renowned scholars and academic expertise present in the Los Angeles area. Partners have included many of the region’s leading research institutions, including the University of Southern California; University of California, Los Angeles; Loyola Marymount University, and California Institute of Technology. Continued collaborators include the California Governor’s Office, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, the California Air Resources Board, and the California Public Utilities Commission.
The LABC Institute’s goal is to facilitate new ideas that lead to policies and programs that advance the environmental and economic sustainability for the City of LA. Please go to our website labcinstitute.org to see our research.
Over the past several years, the LABC Institute has played a large role in the strategic dialogue between government and business leaders in order to construct approaches which will strengthen the commercial, tourism, and governmental relationship with cities abroad.
Los Angeles has established itself as a global partner and with more foreign investment and a greater global presence seen in the horizon, we continue to see the opportunities to collaborate, learn best practices and facilitate meaningful relationships and exchanges while promoting the diverse business community in Los Angeles.
To learn how to get involved, please contact Carla Marsh at [email protected].
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Honorable Henry Cisneros, CityView
Kendra Doyel, Ralphs Grocery Store
Lew Horne, CBRE
Joanne Kozberg, California Strategies
Jacob Lipa, Micropolitan/Psomas
David Nahai, David Nahai Companies
Dan Rosenfeld, Indivest
Kecia Washington, LADWP
Executive Officers
Richard Ziman, Founding Chair Rexford Industrial Realty
Brad Cox, Chairman Trammell Crow Company
Antonio Manning, Vice Chair Affordable Living for the Aging
Mary Leslie, President Los Angeles Business Council
Ellen M. Berkowitz, Secretary Greenberg Traurig
David C. Sears, Treasurer Covington Consulting Group
The Honorable Nury Martinez President, Los Angeles City Council
For being the voice of communities that deserve to be clean, healthy and vibrant
THE LABC CONGRATULATES THIS YEAR’S HONOREES:
Tom Buttgenbach, Ph.D President & CEO, 8minute Solar Energy
For being the first to provide low-cost reliable solar energy and storage to our region
Jason Barrett Vice President, Structured Finance & Investments, GAF Energy
For creating innovative financial tools that enables local solar investments
Jonathan Port Vice President, Structured Finance & Investments, GAF Energy
For successfully delivering the solar Feed-in Tariff program to our region
Osama Younan General Manager of Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety
For successfully clearing a path to solar expansion in Los Angeles
LABC RENEWABLE ENERGY LEADERS AWARDS
SUSTAINABILITY TRAILBLAZER AWARD
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LABC Executive Officers Nadine Watt, Chair Watt Companies Jacob Lipa, Immediate Past Chairman Micropolitan / Psomas Mary Leslie, President LABC Thomas Flintoft, Vice Chairman Kindel Gagan
Robert Jernigan, Vice Chair Gensler
David Nahai, Vice Chair Daivd Nahai Companies
Richard Ziman, Founding Chair, Vice Chair Rexford Industrial Realty
Lori Tierney, Secretary Tierney Management
David Sears, Treasurer Pacific Reach Partners
LABC Board of Directors Martin Adams LA Dept of Water & Power Celeste Altimari Haworth Rick Bartlett Unisource Solutions April Blackadder Haworth Kevin Blackburn Federal Home Loan Bank of S.F. David Borger STV Incorporated Kasey Burke Meta Housing Corporation Marcia Choo Wells Fargo Bank Caroline Choi Southern California Edison Mr. Steve Churm FivePoint, LLC Brad Cox Trammell Crow Company Tom Donohue Suffolk Construction Brant H. Dveirin Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith, LLP
Kip Field, P.E. HDR
Thomas Flintoft Kindel Gagan
Amy Freilich Armbruster, Goldsmith & Delvac LLP
Garrett Gin Bank of America
Bob Graziano JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Ron Griffith Century Housing
Kwaku Gyabaah Clark Construction
Gene Hale G & C Equipment Corporation
David Hart Steinberg Hart
Scott Hunter HKS Architects
Rob A. Jernigan, AIA, LEED AP Gensler
Deborah Kallick Cedars-Sinai Health System
Jan Karl Morley Builders
Maureen Kindel Kindel Gagan
Brooke Lauter Lauter Communications, LLC
Mary Leslie Los Angeles Business Council
Jacob Lipa Micropolitan | Psomas
Michael Mahdesian Servicon Systems, Inc.
Antonio Manning Affordable Living for the Aging
Dan Margolis FTI Consulting
Scott McClure Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Co.
Reed McMains Turner Construction Co.
George J. Mihlsten Latham & Watkins
Wendy Mitchell WM Consulting
Claudette A. Moody WSP USA
David Nahai David Nahai Companies
Hilary Norton Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic
Jonathan Port PermaCity Solar
Jerry Porter CresaPartners
Saundra Price W.E. O’Neil Construction
Phil Recht Mayer Brown
Kirk Rose, AIA, DBIA HMC Architects
Michael Rosenfeld Next Century Partners, LLC
Alan Rothenberg 1st Century Bank
Martha Saucedo AEG
David Sears Pacific Reach Partners
Sarah Shaw JMB Realty Corporation
Patti Shwayder Aimco
Alan Skobin Galpin Motors, Inc.
Lori Tierney Tierney Management LLC
Jon Vein Los Angeles Convention Center and Tourism Development Commission
Jacqueline Waggoner Enterprise Community Partners
Tom Warren Holland Partner Group
Nadine Watt Watt Companies
Gillian Wright Sempra Energy Utilities
Richard Ziman Rexford Industrial Realty
Board of Directors
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Our mission is uniting the power of business with the power of government for education and advocacy to promote
environmental and economic sustainability.
About Us The Los Angeles Business Council (LABC) is renowned for its effective advocacy and educational
programs throughout the region, and is a vital representative of business leaders from all industry sectors. The LABC provides its members with strong conduits to local, state and federal officials through targeted policy recommendations and key issue briefings, and annually hosts the influential Mayoral Housing, Transportation and Jobs Summit, Sustainability Summit and Los Angeles Architectural Awards luncheon.
The LABC targets three key issue areas that are integral to our city’s economic competitiveness and quality of life:
Energy & Environment n Housing & Transportation n Economic Development
History The Los Angeles Business Council has been impacting the Los Angeles business landscape for
over 70 years. Originally founded as a West Los Angeles-based organization that facilitated the growth of the University of California Los Angeles’ burgeoning campus, the LABC quickly expanded its role in both education and advocacy. In the process, the Council became an influential link between business and city government and has had a major impact on sustainability, workforce housing, transportation, job creation, education and business development policy.
Today, the LABC is considered one of the most effective and influential advocacy and educational organizations in California. The LABC unites the power of business with the power of government for education and advocacy to promote environmental and economic sustainability. By carefully targeting policy areas and creating a holistic, broad-based approach to problem resolution, the LABC is able to serve businesses while informing and impacting positive change at multiple layers of city government.
Approach Remaining true to its academic roots, the LABC informs its advocacy initiatives by scholastic
research. Key representatives from area universities and research organizations are LABC members or partners, and help to analyze and articulate the complex issues that impact our region. Coupled with intensive dialogue between key business and government leaders, the LABC is able to advocate for comprehensive solutions that best serve our broad member base and the communities in which they live and work.
Collaboration LABC builds strong, broad-based coalitions in support of our initiatives including business,
nonprofit, academic, environmental, and union organizations. Further, LABC continues to develop its collaborative capacity in the social media realm and is developing powerful online advocacy tools to engage the broader public in supporting our initiatives.
For more information on the Los Angeles Business Council and membership, please call 310-226-7460 or visit our website as labusinesscouncil.org.
Mary Wenzel Executive Vice President, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Wells Fargo & Company
Mary Wenzel is executive vice president and head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility for Wells Fargo & Co. In this role, Wenzel is responsible for the strategic integration of sustainability and corporate responsibility across Wells Fargo’s products and services, operations and culture, and philanthropy. Her areas of focus include corporate responsibility strategy and reporting; ESG analyst engagement and disclosures; integration of sustainability, including human rights considerations, into the company’s environmental and social risk management, financing and lending; community development and philanthropy initiatives; and team member engagement.
Under Wenzel’s leadership, the company has announced aggressive operational-efficiency goals to be achieved by 2020, committed to providing $200 billion in financing to environmentally beneficial businesses by 2030, committed $50 million in philanthropy over five years to address the unique social, economic and environmental needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and created significant, strategic philanthropic partnerships with organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and GRID Alternatives, to help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Kip Field Southern California Area Manager, HDR
Kip Field, HDR’s Southern California Area Manager, is a civil engineer with over 32 years of experience in the planning, development and implementation of infrastructure projects in California. He has experience in both the private and public sectors with a focus on the planning, land development, and design of transportation projects. He oversees HDR’s growing practices in power, water, and transportation.
Alberto Diaz Managing Director of LAX, United Airlines
Alberto joined United Airlines in 1995 after serving as a pilot in the U.S. Navy and working briefly for a commuter airline. He’s been a United captain for nearly 20 years and is type rated on the Airbus 320, the Boeing 737, B767 and B777 aircraft. A longtime Californian, Alberto grew up in Burbank after immigrating to the U.S. from Cuba with his parents at age 5.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University Northridge, where he majored in Biology and played varsity basketball.
Alberto is passionate about giving back to the Los Angeles community and currently serves on the governing board for LA's BEST. He lives in Pacific Palisades with his wife and three daughters. He loves basketball and enjoys watching his daughters compete in high school.
U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester Assistant Whip for House Leadership
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives and serves as an Assistant Whip for House Leadership. Lisa sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The committee has broad jurisdiction over health care, the environment, commerce and trade, energy policy, telecommunications, manufacturing, and consumer protection.
As the Energy and Commerce Committee’s only former statewide health official, Lisa understands health care from a number of different perspectives – as an implementer at the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, negotiator while serving as State Personnel Director, and advocate as CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. Lisa is focused on reducing the cost of health care and prescription drugs for middle-class families, addressing the disparity in outcomes for communities of color, and tackling our nation’s opioid and addiction epidemic. She serves as a Member of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, comprised of more than 100 members united with the common goal of tackling opioid addiction.
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Monday, September 21
Nadine Watt CEO, Watt Companies; Chair, Los Angeles Business Council
Nadine Watt is CEO of Watt Companies where she oversees all commercial investment activities including acquisitions, development, and asset management for the company’s 6 million square-foot portfolio of multifamily, industrial, office, and retail properties. Nadine is a member of the USC Board of Governors and the Marshall School of Business Board of Leaders, as well as the USC Price School of Public Policy. She is the first female Chair for the Los Angeles Business Council; she is on the Board of Brentwood School and she recently joined the Board of the Visionary Women. Nadine received the Century City Citizen of the Year Award in 2017 and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2018. She served on the publicly traded companies boards of both First Century Bank and the New Home Company. A graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Nadine also holds a Master of Arts degree from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
Dana Goldman Interim Dean, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and Leonard D. Schaeffer Director's Chair, USC Schaeffer Center
Dana Goldman is the Leonard D. Schaeffer Chair and Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy, Public Policy, and Economics at the University of Southern California. Dr. Goldman is also the interim dean of USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. Since inception, he has led USC’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, one of the nation’s premier health policy programs.
He is the author of more than 300 articles in medicine, health policy, economics, and statistics. He has served as a health policy advisor to the Congressional Budget Office, Covered California, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute, and National Institutes of Health. Dr. Goldman has advised many companies in the life sciences industry and currently serves on the scientific advisory board of GRAIL. He is a founding editor of the Forum for Health Economics and Policy and serves on several editorial boards including Health Affairs and the American Journal of Managed Care. He is a former director of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research and the American Society of Health Economists. Dr. Goldman pioneered a “Netflix model” to improve access to prescription drugs and the value of reduced copayments for the chronically ill. His research and opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Stat, Forbes, Business Week, U.S. News & World Report, The Economist, Modern Healthcare, NBC Nightly News, PBS NewsHour, CNN, NPR, and other media.
Dr. Goldman is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Social Insurance. In 2016, he was appointed a Distinguished Professor at the University of Southern California in honor of accomplishments bringing the University “special renown.” He received the MetLife Foundation Silver Scholar Award in honor of his research to value healthy aging and medical innovations; the Eugene Garfield Economic Impact Prize, recognizing outstanding work demonstrating how medical research impacts the economy; the National Institute for Health Care Management Research Foundation award for excellence in health policy; and the Alice S. Hersh New Investigator Award recognizing contributions of a young scholar to health services research.
David Wilhelm Chief Strategy Officer, Hecate Energy
David Wilhelm’s career has spanned the worlds of energy, finance, politics, academia, and public policy. Today, he is a Partner at Hecate Energy, a developer of large-scale renewable energy projects around the globe. There, he leads efforts to link solar project development to job creation in places ranging from the coal fields of the Ohio River Valley to the high plains of central Tanzania. He is also a founder of Empower, an energy technology company that uses data analytics to promote the spread of energy efficiency strategies and shared solar projects
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Speaker Directory in order of Appearance
Throughout the course of his career, Tom has led transactions totaling over $10 billion in power purchase agreements and project finance deals. Prior to founding 8minute, Tom’s professional life featured tenures in entrepreneurship, real estate development and investment banking, as well as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company in energy and technology sectors.
Michael Garland CEO, Pattern Energy
Michael Garland serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Pattern Energy and Pattern Development, a position he has held since he co-founded Pattern Energy Group (Pattern) in 2009. Mr. Garland oversees all aspects of Pattern Energy and Pattern Development, but his efforts are largely focused on corporate and industry strategy, capital formation, market and project selection, corporate performance and corporate culture. He is based out of the San Francisco office. For over 30 years, Mr. Garland’s career has focused on developing, constructing, managing, and investing in energy and infrastructure projects in the United States and around the world. He closed his first wind project financing in 1989, and has since successfully managed or oversaw the development, investment and operations of nearly 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy projects worldwide and nearly $50 billion of infrastructure assets. Prior to joining Pattern, Mr. Garland was a partner at Babcock & Brown from 1986 to 2009. As leader of Babcock & Brown’s North American Infrastructure Group, he initiated and was responsible for project finance activities, energy project development and investment, and energy and infrastructure funds management for institutional investors. Previously, Mr. Garland worked for the State of California as Chief of Energy Assessments from 1975 to 1986.
Carla Peterman Senior Vice President, Strategy & Regulatory Affairs, Southern California Edison
Carla Peterman is senior vice president of Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. She is responsible at the national and state levels for the company’s Regulatory Affairs, Energy and Environmental Policy, Strategic Planning, and Resource and Environmental Planning and Strategy organizations, overseeing regulatory strategy and operations and environmental affairs. Previously, Peterman served a six-year term on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), from 2013 to 2018. She led several CPUC clean-energy initiatives, including the adoption of the nation’s first electric utility energy storage mandate, approval of $965 million of utility investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, adoption of utility energy-efficiency goals, and the continued implementation of California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard. Before her CPUC appointment, Peterman served on the California Energy Commission, where she was the lead commissioner for renewables, transportation, and natural gas. She also is a former board member of The Utility Reform Network, an organization that represents consumers before the CPUC and California Legislature.
Liane Randolph Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Commissioner Liane M. Randolph was appointed to the California Public Utilities Commission by Governor Jerry Brown in January 2015. She formerly served as Deputy Secretary and General Counsel at the California Natural Resources Agency and was appointed to that position by Governor Brown in May 2011. Commissioner Randolph’s portfolio and interests focus on long-term electric and gas resource planning, energy market design, utility infrastructure, and adaptation to climate change. She is presently the lead Commissioner for approximately 85 formal proceedings spanning the regulated electricity, gas, telecommunications, transportation and water industries. Commissioner Randolph leads the Integrated Resource Plan proceeding established pursuant to Senate Bill 350, the investigations into the future of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility, Resource Adequacy, Climate Change Adaptation for California’s utilities, and major general rate cases, including Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Southern California Gas Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company. She is also the chair of the Policy and Governance committee at the Commission, and has spearheaded reforms to the CPUC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure.
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Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall Distinguished Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology; Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
Sherwood-Randall is currently a Distinguished Professor of the Practice at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Nunn School of International Affairs and a Senior Fellow at its Strategic Energy Institute. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and advises several U.S. National Laboratories, energy investment funds and research organizations, and cyber security start-ups.
From 2014 until January 2017, Sherwood-Randall served as the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Energy (DOE). In this role, she was the Department’s statutory chief operating officer, executing leadership and management responsibilities for DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration and 17 National Laboratories. She provided strategic direction for the Department’s broad and complex missions in ensuring nuclear deterrence and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, advancing the frontiers of research and innovation in science and energy, fulfilling environmental management commitments, and building a more secure and resilient U.S. power grid. During her time in service, she drove initiatives to secure the U.S. competitive edge on advanced national security technologies and oversaw multiple teams that provided unique technical support to the negotiation and implementation of international proliferation prevention and arms control agreements. In the face of growing natural, physical, and cyber threats to the Nation’s critical energy infrastructure, she developed and implemented a new strategy to meet DOE's growing responsibilities for grid resilience and emergency response. She also led energy, climate, and nuclear security dialogues with global partners including China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Sammy Roth Energy Reporter, LA Times
Sammy Roth covers energy for the Los Angeles Times and writes the weekly Boiling Point newsletter. He previously reported for the Desert Sun and USA Today, where he focused on renewable energy, climate change, electric utilities and public lands.
Martin L. Adams General Manager & Chief Engineer, LADWP
Martin L. Adams is LADWP’s General Manager. A 35-year veteran of the Department, Adams most recently served as Chief Operating Officer, where he oversaw LADWP’s extensive water and power operations. Adams was nominated to the post by Mayor Eric Garcetti in June 2019 and appointed by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners as interim General Manager in July 2019, replacing outgoing General Manager David H. Wright. Adams is a well-respected utility executive locally and throughout the United States. Before becoming COO, he led the LADWP Water System as Senior Assistant General Manager overseeing water infrastructure, water resources and water quality. At the time, he helped reduce Los Angeles’ water use by nearly 20 percent through implementation of LA’s industry-leading water conservation ordinance and oversaw the creation of numerous customer rebates and programs or customers, while also accelerating LADWP’s replacement of aging infrastructure. A civil engineer by training, Mr. Adams is a native of Glendale, California, and attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Tom Buttgenbach Founder & CEO, 8minute Solar Energy
Tom founded 8minute Solar Energy (8minute) in 2009 with a vision for making solar-plus-storage the lowest cost, most reliable form of energy on the planet – even when the sun isn’t shining. With more than 20 years of executive management experience and a scientific and analytical approach that drives the company, Tom has transformed 8minute from a boutique developer to a nationwide leader in solar-plus-storage that is shaping the future of energy. Through a relentless focus on technology, innovation, and scale, the company’s best-in-class team is setting new records and leading the clean energy transition making his vision a reality. Today, 8minute has more than 18 GW of solar and 24 GWh of storage projects under development, enough to provide clean and reliable power for 20 million Americans – day and night, for less than the cost of fossil fuels.
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initiative and ensured California was the first state to create a Health Benefits Exchange. He also put politics back in the hands of the people through citizen-based redistricting and primary election reform.
Continuing his commitment to environmental leadership, in 2011 he co-founded R20, a global non-profit of sub-national governments and regional leaders working together to address climate change and build a green economy. In 2012 he partnered with USC to launch the USC Schwarzenegger Institute to continue his work on the many policy initiatives he championed during his two terms as Governor.
Ambassador Nina Hachigian Deputy Mayor of International Affairs, City of Los Angeles
Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Ambassador Nina Hachigian to be the first Deputy Mayor of International Affairs for Los Angeles and the only one in the United States. Her office connects the world to L.A. and L.A. to the world. They build relationships with foreign partners to bring more jobs, opportunity, culture, ideas, and visitors to Los Angeles and to elevate L.A.’s international leadership, including on climate, inclusion, and innovation. They are also laying the foundations for Angelenos to welcome the world for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and to leave behind a great legacy for the City.
From 2014 to 2017, Ambassador Hachigian served as the second U.S. Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During her tenure, the United States established a strategic partnership with ASEAN, held the first Leaders’ Summit in the United States, launched a Presidential initiative on economic cooperation, established the U.S.-ASEAN Women’s Leadership Academy and grew the youth program to over 100,000 members. She was awarded the State Department’s Superior Honor Award for her service.
Dame Karen Pierce DCMG British Ambassador to the USA
Prior to arriving in DC, Karen Pierce was the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York since March 2018. Prior to this role, Karen served as the Director General for Political Affairs and Chief Operating Officer of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, from 2016.
Karen joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 1981. Her first role was in Tokyo between 1984 and 1987, after which she returned to the UK to work in the Security Policy Department. Karen worked in Washington as the Private Secretary to the British Ambassador to the United States between 1992 and 1995. Between 1996 and 2006, Karen held several positions in London including Team Leader for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, Deputy Head of Eastern Adriatic (Balkans) Department, Head of Newsroom, Head of EU Department (Bilateral) and concurrently Head of Afghanistan Political Military Unit after 9/11 before returning to the Balkans as Balkans Coordinator from 2002 to 2006.
In 2006, Karen moved to New York for the first time to be the Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador at the UK Mission to the UN. In 2009, she returned to London to become the Director of South Asia and Afghanistan Department and the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2012, Karen started her second multilateral role, this time in Geneva, where she was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UK Mission to the United Nations, World Trade Organization and Other International Organizations until 2015. Between 2015 and 2016 Karen was the UK’s Ambassador to Afghanistan.
Michael Northrop Program Director, Sustainable Development, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Dr. Manuel Pastor is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC) where he directs the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII). He is the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change, and holds an economics Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He writes and speaks widely on issues including demographic change, economic inequality, and community empowerment. Pastor’s latest book is titled, State of Resistance: What California's Dizzying Descent and Remarkable Resurgence Means for America's Future.
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Alex Pugh Development Manager, Hecate Grid
Alexander Pugh has spent 15 years as an energy industry professional. He is currently a Development Manager at Hecate Energy. In this role, he leads business and project development efforts for a project pipeline of over 250 MW of solar projects and 800 MW of battery storage throughout the Western US. Prior to Hecate Energy, Alex was Senior Project Manager at Southern California Edison for almost 5 years where he managed corporate strategy and developed public policy on electric transportation and environmental issues. Alex also worked at the Senior Public Policy Manager at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where he developed and advocated to improve the local business climate for public transportation, goods movement and conventional and renewable energy. Alex holds an MBA from the Anderson School of Business at UC Los Angeles and a BA in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz.
RA McDonough Managing Director & Head of Energy, West Region & LA, Investment Bank, JPMorgan Chase
R.A. McDonough heads Energy-West and L.A. Investment Banking for J.P. Morgan. He advises leading renewable/clean tech, power, water and oil & gas companies. R.A. has been with J.P. Morgan and predecessor firms for 26 years, has over 30 years of investment banking experience, and is a founding member of J.P. Morgan's California Operating Committee. R.A. graduated from Harvard University (M.B.A.) and Dartmouth College (A.B.).
Tuesday September 22
Brad Cox Senior Managing Director, Trammell Crow; Chair, LABC Institute
Brad Cox serves as Senior Managing Director for Trammell Crow Company where his primary focus is raising capital, setting investment strategy, creating deal flow, and overseeing the day-to-day activities for the Los Angeles Business Unit. Trammell Crow Company is a 69-year national development company, a wholly owned subsidiary of CBRE, with offices in 16 cities across the United States. The Los Angeles division portfolio currently includes $1.8B of in process development including 3 million SF of industrial development in Santa Clarita, Irwindale and Compton; 1.4 million SF of office development at the Diridon Transit Center in San Jose and the headquarters for LA County Department of Mental Health Services; 50,000 SF Medical Office Building for MLK Hospital; and over 4,000 multifamily residential units in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Hollywood, North Hollywood, Phoenix and Bakersfield.
The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger 38th Governor of California
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most recognized individuals on the planet, having led an amazing life and achieving beyond his dreams in Hollywood, fitness, and public service. In an effort to give back to the country that allowed him to accomplish so much, Schwarzenegger ran for public office and was elected California’s 38th Governor.
Called “The People’s Governor,” Schwarzenegger worked with leaders of both major political parties to address the greatest challenges facing the state in a bold and historic manner. His leadership put California at the forefront of the nation in addressing climate change, pushing for the development of renewable energies, rebuilding our critical infrastructure, investing in stem cell research, and putting in place health care and political reforms. Schwarzenegger pushed for historic investment in California’s roads, bridges, water delivery systems, and schools. He proposed a comprehensive health care reform
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Mary Leslie President, Los Angeles Business Council
Ms. Leslie has served as LABC President since 2001, growing the council into one of the most prominent business organizations in the region, working closely with leaders from business, government and the non-profit sectors to enact policies and programs to strengthen Los Angeles’ economic competitiveness and quality of life. Under her leadership, she launched the LABC Institute in 2010 as the 501 (c) 3 research and education arm, attracting local and national funding. Both organizations operate with the core mission, focused on creating cutting edge policy strategies to reduce the region’s housing affordability gap, increase sustainable development, promote international trade, and expand high-paying workforce opportunities.
In January 2019, Ms. Leslie was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Independent System Operator Board of Governors. She also currently serves on Mayor Garcetti’s LA Sustainability Leadership Council, LA Cleantech Incubator Board of Directors, Los Angeles Conservation Corporation Board of Directors, UCLA Advisory Committee for the Luskin Center for Innovation, and is a member of the Pacific Council of International Policy. She previously served as a Commissioner on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board, Advisory Committees of L.A. Family Housing the California Women’s Law Center and the LA2028 Olympic Bid Committee. In her previous role as Deputy Mayor for the City of Los Angeles under Mayor Richard Riordan, Ms. Leslie was responsible for the Mayor's Business Development programs. Prior to joining the Riordan Administration, she was Deputy Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), where she oversaw the Northridge Earthquake relief dollars for Los Angeles as part of her portfolio of lending and education programs for SBA Director Erskine Bowles. She also served as the Executive Director of the California Economic Development Commission, overseeing policy development and trade missions for California business. Ms. Leslie was also President Clinton’s California Finance Director in his successful 1992 race for President.
Dr. Daniel A. Mazmanian Chair, Presidential Working Group on Sustainability & Professor of Public Policy, USC
Professor Dan Mazmanian is expert and author on environment and sustainability policy. He served as Director of the Governor Schwarzenegger’s Task Force on California’s Adaptation to Climate Change in 2009-2010 and skillfully led multiple task forces on environmental policy for the People’s Republic of China from 2005-2016. He came to USC as the first Dean of the USC Price School of Public Policy in 2000 from his position as Dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment. Dr. Mazmanian was the founding Director of the Bedrosian Center on Governance, from 2005-2012.
As an academic, Dr. Mazmanian is a widely published scholar in the field of policy implementation and environmental policy. His research has focused on the transition to sustainable communities. He is recipient of the Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Award from the American Political Science Association and the Thomas R. Dye Service Award from the Policy Studies Organization. He is past president of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
Currently, Dan serves as Chair of President Folt’s Working Group on Sustainability, which brings together faculty, students, and administrative leaders to make ambitious recommendations on fostering sustainability at the university.
Dr. Carol L. Folt President, University of Southern California
Dr. Carol L. Folt serves as the twelfth president of the University of Southern California. She is a highly experienced leader, internationally recognized life scientist, and award-winning teacher. In leading USC, Dr. Folt brings broad executive and leadership experience across the academy, including arts and sciences, professional schools, and academic medicine.
Throughout her career, Dr. Folt has earned a reputation for always placing students at the center, advancing academic excellence and innovation, setting ambitious goals, prioritizing shared governance, and focusing on the future.
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The Honorable Kevin de León Councilmember-elect, City of Los Angeles
Kevin de León is President pro Tempore Emeritus of the California State Senate and the Los Angeles City Councilmember-elect for the 14th District. The son of a single immigrant mother with a third grade education, he rose from San Diego’s Logan Heights barrio to become the first Latino to lead the State Senate in over a century.
As leader of the Senate, he delivered landmark gun-safety legislation, clean-energy mandates, environmental protections, and immigration reform. He authored the “Sanctuary State Bill” Senate Bill 54, created the CalSavers retirement security program, reallocated $2 billion for permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals with mental illness experiencing homeless under his ballot initiative “No Place Like Home”, and legally committed California to 100% clean energy with his Senate Bill 100.
Before politics, Senator de León served the public as a community organizer, taught ESL and U.S. citizenship courses, and advocated for public schools. He graduated with honors from Pitzer College. The Senator is currently a professor at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and a Distinguished Fellow at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. He was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in March of 2020 by an overwhelming majority and will take office on October 15.
The Honorable Fran Pavley Former California State Senator & Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute
Fran Pavley served 29 years in elected office. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Pavley was elected the first mayor of Agoura Hills in 1982 and served 14 years in the California Assembly and the State Senate. Former State Senator Pavley authored landmark climate policies (AB 1493, AB 32, SB 32, and others) that have created a market for innovation and investment in clean energy and vehicles, which have helped clean up our air, grow the economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As chair of the Senate’s Natural Resources and Water Committee, she was able to pass California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), promote policies to protect our ocean and watersheds, and adopt measures to create more sustainable local water supplies. During her last year in the legislature, Senator Pavley also authored SB 1425, the Water-Energy Nexus bill. She is working as the Environmental Policy Director for the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and serves on several state and local advisory boards and committees. Senator Pavley is a graduate of Fresno State University.
Kate Gordon Director, Office of Planning and Research & Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Change, Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
Kate Gordon was appointed by Governor Newsom in January 2019 as OPR Director and as his Senior Advisor on Climate. Prior, Gordon was the founding director of the Risky Business Project. Her work also includes senior leadership positions at the Paulson Institute and NextGen. Gordon earned a JD and Masters in City Planning from UC Berkeley.
Dr. Manuel Pastor Director, USC Equity Research Institute
Dr. Manuel Pastor is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. He directs the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and USC's Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) and is the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at USC. Recognized for his work at the intersection of the academy and activism, he received the Wally Marks Changemaker of the Year Award from the Liberty Hill Foundation for his many research partnerships with social justice organizations. His latest book, State of Resistance: What California's Dizzying Descent and Remarkable Resurgence Means for America's Future, looks at the last several decades of economic, social, and environmental transformations in California – and what they can tell us about the road ahead for the U.S.
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Initiative, a 60,000-member advocacy organization promoting solar policies at the local, state, and federal levels. He was executive director of a national consortium of leading solar manufacturers and worked for five years at Solaria, a solar company in Silicon Valley. From 2007 to 2008, he served as a commissioner at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Chair Hochschild holds a bachelor of arts from Swarthmore College and a master of public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He also was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs.
Zafer Sahinoglu Vice President, Business Innovation, Mitsubishi Electric US Inc
Dr. Zafer Sahinoglu is currently leading development of new products and services as the Vice President, Business Innovation in Mitsubishi Electric US Inc., Cypress, CA, USA. His group developed innovative SaaS solutions in the areas of mobility, transportation and energy. He received the M.B.A. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA, USA, in 2013, and Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA in 2001. He was a Senior Principal Research Scientist with Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories between 2001 and 2016. He technically contributed to and served in officer positions in IEEE 802.15.4a (Ultra-wideband PHY/MAC), IEEE 802.15.4e (Low-Latency MAC), ZigBee, and MPEG21 standards. He is an inventor on more than 80 patents. He has (co)authored more than 100 journal and conference papers, and published two books on wireless communication and localization systems.
Reed McMains Vice President & General Manager, Turner Construction Company
Reed McMains joined Turner in 2006 and quickly progressed through roles of increasing responsibility within the company. During his time with the company, Reed has served as Turner’s Manager of Business Development for Southern California, and as a Project Executive for Commercial and Entertainment projects. Prior to his current position, Reed was Construction Executive for SoFi Stadium. In 2018, Reed was promoted to Vice President and General Manager of Turner’s Southern California Business Unit. In this role, his key focus is the support and motivation of his employees, empowering them to implement new ideas to advance the construction industry.
Jason Barrett Vice President, GAF Energy
Jason believes using the sun’s energy is key to keeping the planet safe for future generations. Prior to his commercial tax equity role at GAF Energy, he served as Chief Commercial Officer of Sol-Wind as well as a founding partner of Paladin Strategic Partners and has an extensive background in structured finance and asset management with senior positions at firms including Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Fannie Mae, Morgan Stanley and the Hartford Insurance Group. He has a BBA in Finance and International Business from Howard University where he was a Trustee and ITT Hartford Scholar and an MBA from Cornell University where he was a Robert Toigo Fellow. His favorite roof is the one on the Westmont Industries Distribution Center at the Port of LA, which has 50,000 solar panels on it (that he led the financing for).
Sam Arons Director of Sustainability, Lyft, Inc.
Sam joined Lyft in 2018 as the Director of Sustainability, where he oversees Lyft’s sustainability and climate impact efforts. Lyft was one of the first companies to join former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “We Are Still In” movement to pledge its commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. Most recently in June 2020, Lyft made an industry-leading commitment to reach 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030.
Prior to Lyft, Sam spent 10 years at Google as Senior Lead for Energy & Infrastructure, where he co-led Google's achievement of 100% renewable energy in 2017, making Google the largest non-utility purchaser of renewable energy on the planet to-date with over 3 GW of wind & solar energy under contract.
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Prior to her appointment at USC in July 2019, Dr. Folt led the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – one of the nation’s most distinguished and research-intensive universities – from 2013 to 2019. At UNC, she set a bold course for the university’s future by spearheading a historic capital campaign, raising billions of dollars; building the school’s first-ever strategic plan in collaboration with every school and department; fighting to make college education accessible and affordable; and inspiring thousands of Tar Heels to embrace the arts and sustainability. Under her leadership, UNC was repeatedly named the No. 1 value in public higher education, surpassed $1 billion in annual research expenditures for the first time in school history (No. 5 in the nation overall), and set admissions records every year.
The Honorable Eric Garcetti Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Eric Garcetti is a fourth-generation Angeleno and the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley — the son of public servants and the grandson and great-grandson of immigrants from Mexico and Eastern Europe — Mayor Garcetti’s life has been shaped by a deep commitment to the core values of justice, dignity, and equality for all people. Mayor Garcetti’s government service began on the L.A. City Council, where he spent four terms as Council President before being elected Mayor in 2013 and winning re-election in 2017 by the widest margin in the history of Los Angeles. Beyond his time at City Hall, Mayor Garcetti has served his country as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve, and taught at the University of Southern California and Occidental College. The Mayor received his B.A. and M.A. from Columbia University, and studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, and later at the London School of Economics. He is also a jazz pianist and photographer. He and his wife, First Lady Amy Elaine Wakeland, are the proud parents of a daughter, Maya, and have been foster parents for more than a decade.
Emile Haddad Chairman and CEO, FivePoint
Emile Haddad is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FivePoint Holdings, LLC. FivePoint, which is the largest developer of mixed-use communities in coastal California, owns and manages Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine, Valencia (formerly Newhall Ranch) in Los Angeles County and Candlestick Point in San Francisco. Combined, these mixed-used communities will include approximately 40,000 residential homes and 23 million square feet of commercial space. Total, these developments will generate approximately 288,000 jobs during construction and $54 billion in activity for the California economy.
Lauren Faber O’Connor Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
Lauren Faber O’Connor is the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles. In her role, she is driving the implementation of Mayor Garcetti’s newly released LA’s Green New Deal, a global model for local action to confront the climate crisis. L.A.’s Green New Deal is guided by four key principles: a commitment to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement; a promise to deliver environmental justice and equity; a plan to ensure every Angeleno has the ability to join the green economy; and a determination to lead by example within City government. To deliver accelerated leadership on sustainability, Lauren also builds collaboration including through Climate Mayors, a coalition chaired by Mayor Garcetti of over 400 US Mayors committed to US leadership on climate change and C40, an international network of cities raising the bar on climate action.
David Hochschild Chair, California Energy Commission
David Hochschild was designated chair of the California Energy Commission by Governor Gavin Newsom in February 2019 where he has led renewable energy policy as a member of the five-person Commission since 2013. As Chair, Hochschild oversees an agency of nearly 700 engineers, scientists and professional staff charged with the state's energy policy and planning. Chair Hochschild's career has spanned public service, environmental advocacy, and the private sector. He first got involved in the solar energy field in 2001 in San Francisco as a special assistant to Mayor Willie Brown where Chair Hochschild launched a citywide $100 million initiative to put solar panels on public buildings. He also cofounded the Vote Solar
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Gil Crozes Partner, Carollo Engineers
Dr. Gil Crozes has been involved in water treatment for 30 years, leading various planning, water resources, applied research, and engineering projects. He is a senior vice president with Carollo Engineers and is serving clients in the greater Los Angeles area. His background includes extensive water and wastewater treatment process work, pilot- and demonstration-scale testing, as well as full-scale facilities planning and design. His areas of focus include groundwater treatment, surface water treatment, wastewater treatment, and solids and biogas utilization, as well as reuse of wastewater for irrigation, groundwater recharge, and various industrial applications such as power plant cooling water and boilers. His experience includes projects in more than 12 states.
Brian Jordan Vice President, Tetra Tech
Brian Jordan is a Vice President at Tetra Tech, a leading provider of consulting and engineering services, and an active leader in the water, infrastructure, and environmental sector. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and has been elected or appointed to the role of President, Chair, or Vice Chair for over a half-dozen different industry associations. Mr. Jordan currently has a variety of executive management responsibilities for the firm’s Water and Infrastructure business in the United States and also leads several of the firm’s strategic initiatives, including the global “smart water” initiative. Tetra Tech’s smart water initiative focuses on technology and IT investments to differentiate the company through pioneering services centered on data, analytics, hardware, and software solutions. Mr. Jordan’s technical experience spans a wide range of water, infrastructure, and environmental projects throughout North America. This includes projects and facilities in the planning, design, and construction phases. He also has extensive experience on large capital delivery programs and has served on program management assignments involving capital expenditures in excess of $10B.
Rupam Soni Principal Public Affairs Representative, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Rupam Soni is a Principal Public Affairs Representative with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. She works in the External Affairs Group, where she is responsible for community relations and engagement for a number of Metropolitan's facilities and infrastructure projects, including the Regional Recycled Water Program. Rupam has over 20 years of work experience in the water and wastewater industries. She has a B.S. from UCLA and a M.S. from UC Berkeley.
Enrique C. Zaldivar, P.E. Director and General Manager, LA Sanitation & Environment
Enrique has been at the helm of LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN) as the Director and General Manager for over eight years. He was originally appointed in 2007, and then reappointed by Mayor Garcetti in September 2013. LASAN is one of the largest agencies in the City of Los Angeles with nearly 3,300 employees and an annual revenue budget of over $1.1 billion. Through Mr. Zaldivar's leadership and management, LASAN oversees important environmental and infrastructure programs such as the City's Clean Water program, one of the largest in the world with its iconic flagship Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant; the Solid Resources program, which has achieved one of the highest recycling rates in the nation at 76.4% and climbing, and includes the recently implemented recycLA Franchise Initiative; and the Watershed Protection program, which is among the most innovative in the country with its use of green infrastructure for achieving water quality objectives for urban stormwater runoff, while delivering on multiple other benefits like open space, urban habitat support, and water supply.
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U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal Chair, Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
Representative Alan Lowenthal is serving his fourth term representing California’s 47th district. In Congress, he serves on both the House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC) and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I). He is the Chair of the HNRC's Energy and Mineral Resources subcommittee. He also serves on the HNRC's National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands and the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife subcommittees. As a member of the T&I Committee, he serves on the Highways and Transit, the Water Resources and Environment, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, and the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials subcommittees.
Before being elected to Congress, Congressman Lowenthal served two terms on the Long Beach City Council, three terms as a California Assemblyman, and two terms as a California State Senator. He is widely regarded as a leader on environmental, transportation, human rights, and education issues.
In Congress has continued his long history of fighting for environmental protections, with a new mission to bring the issue of climate change to the front in Congress as chair of the more than 100-member Safe Climate Caucus. Congressman Lowenthal has also been a champion in Congress advocating for a National Multimodal and Sustainable Freight Infrastructure Act. The Congressman believes efficient goods movement and the health of our environment and communities must go hand in hand.
Wade Crowfoot Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Wade Crowfoot was appointed California Secretary for Natural Resources by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 11, 2019. Crowfoot brings more than 20 years of public policy and environmental experience to the office, with expertise in water, climate and sustainability issues. He most recently served as chief executive officer of the Water Foundation and led its transition into an independent organization early in 2017. Prior to joining the foundation, he served in Governor Jerry Brown’s Administration as deputy cabinet secretary and senior advisor to the Governor, leading the administration’s drought response efforts. He previously served as West Coast regional director for the Environmental Defense Fund and a senior environmental advisor to then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
David Nahai President, David Nahai Companies
David Nahai is a Partner at the Lewis Brisbois law firm, President of David Nahai Consulting Services, and Managing Partner at AQORA Capital. A leading expert in water, energy, and real estate matters, Mr. Nahai previously served as the General Manager and Commission President of the L.A. Dept. of Water & Power, Chair of the Regional Water Board, and Senior Advisor to the Clinton Climate Initiative. He was recently appointed to the Watershed Area Steering Committee by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and was elected to serve as its Chair. He is a Vice-Chair of the Los Angeles Business Council and a board member of the California League of Conservation Voters, Heal the Bay, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, UCLA Luskin Center, Climate Resolve and LAANE. His new book on California real estate transactions was recently published by Thomson Reuters.
The Honorable Henry Stern Senator, State of California
Senator Henry Stern is a sixth-generation Californian and native of this district. He credits his passion for public service as a family trait, whose diverse history includes farming and ranching, music and film, and a steadfast commitment to helping young people fulfill their potential. Senator Stern was elected to represent the 27th Senate District, which includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, on November 8, 2016. Senator Stern has also lectured at UCLA and UC Berkeley, enjoys volunteering at his local Boys & Girls Club and is a member of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee, the Jewish Federation, the American Jewish Committee, and the Truman National Security Project. He is an alumnus of Harvard University and UC Berkeley Law.
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Garrett Gin Marketing Executive, Greater Los Angeles, Bank of America
Garrett Gin serves as the Local Market Executive for Bank of America in Los Angeles. In this role, he leads a team of professionals that is responsible for numerous local market initiatives, including local philanthropy; community reinvestment and development; community engagement; and corporate sponsorships in the region. These local marketing strategies and programs help to drive brand visibility, employee engagement, and the integration of the bank’s business divisions throughout Greater Los Angeles.
Prior to joining Bank of America in 2009, Garrett served as the Director of Communications & Public Affairs for Merrill Lynch in California. He is active with numerous business and civic organizations, including serving on the boards of the City of Los Angeles Workforce Development Board, the Los Angeles Business Council, the Central City Association, and the National Asian Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship.
Garrett is a native of San Francisco and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. He and his wife live in Orange County, California with their two daughters.
Kevin Payne President & CEO, Southern California Edison
Kevin M. Payne is president and chief executive officer of Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric utilities, delivering power to approximately 15 million people in a 50,000-square-mile service area spanning Central, Coastal and Southern California. He is a member of SCE’s board of directors.
Before his current role, Payne was senior vice president of Customer Service for SCE. In that role, he was responsible for SCE’s customer products and services, customer engagement and call center operations, demand-side management programs, account management and advanced metering.
Pete Holland Executive Vice President & Regional Executive, AECOM
Pete Holland is the West Region Executive for AECOM's Design and Consulting Services Group (NYSE: ACM). In his role, he directs the growth and delivery of AECOM’s Transportation,
Water, Program/Construction Management, and Architectural & Building Engineering services across the western U.S., as well as DCS’ Energy business throughout North America. Mr. Holland has
over 27 years of private sector experience leading professional services and construction companies. Prior to his private sector work, Mr. Holland served 10 years active duty in the U.S. Air Force deploying to locations across the Americas and Asia. Mr. Holland also serves as a board director for NextOp, a military veteran advocacy group that recruits, trains, and places high-performing military leaders into industry careers.
Mary Nichols Chair, California Air Resources Board
Mary Nichols is the Chair of the California Air Resources Board, where she occupies the attorney seat. She has served on the Board under Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (1975–82 and 2010–18), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007–2010) and Governor Gavin Newsom (2019–present). She also served as California’s Secretary for Natural Resources (1999–2003), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis. When not working for the State of California, Mary was a senior staff attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council; Assistant Administrator for US EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, in the administration of President William Jefferson Clinton; and headed the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning over 45 years, Mary Nichols has played a key role in California and the nation’s progress toward healthy air. She has also led the Board in crafting California’s internationally recognized climate action plan.
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Genevieve Giuliano Director, METRANS Transportation Center, USC
Professor Giuliano’s research areas include relationships between land use and transportation, transportation policy analysis, travel behavior, and information technology applications in transportation. Current research includes examination of relationships between urban form, online shopping behavior, and local freight demand; market potential for zero emission trucks; reducing local impacts of truck traffic, and applications for transportation system analysis using archived real-time data. She has published over 170 papers and given
David Kim Secretary, California State Transportation Agency
David S. Kim became the third Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) on July 1, 2019 following his appointment by Governor Newsom in April 2019. In this role, David is responsible for oversight of 40,000 employees across eight departments, boards and commissions whose mission is to advance a safe, environmentally sustainable transportation system that maximizes mobility for all Californians. A longtime transportation leader with experience in the private sector as well as all three levels of government, David served as Vice President, Government Affairs for Hyundai Motor Company from 2017-2019. Prior to this assignment, David spent nearly eight years in senior level roles at the U.S. Department of Transportation. He served as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the number two position in the agency. Additionally, he was FHWA’s Associate Administrator for Policy and Governmental Affairs and before that, spent two years as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. At the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, David led federal, state and local government affairs from 2004-2009 as Deputy Executive Officer for Federal Advocacy and Government Relations. Additionally, he served in the administration of Governor Gray Davis from 1999-2003 where he represented the State of California’s interests before Congress and the executive branch on transportation, water, energy and environmental priorities. From 1998 to 1999, David worked in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Congressional Affairs. He also spent three years as a Washington representative for the City of Los Angeles. For a decade, David served on the staff of numerous elected officials in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Washington. He spent five years working in various capacities with Xavier Becerra, during his time in both the California State Assembly and Congress. Kim began his public service career as a field representative and administrative assistant to State Senator David Roberti. A native of Davis, California, David earned a B.A. in Political Science from Occidental College and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
James De La Loza Chief Planning Officer, LA Metro
Mr. de la Loza has over 34 years of experience in the design, planning and implementation of major transportation infrastructure projects. His background includes transportation multi-modal corridor analysis and planning, operations service planning, development and coordination of funding strategies, policy development, environmental impact analysis and alternative delivery for large multi-modal projects. Mr. de la Loza has a strong commitment to community engagement in the project development process. He has an in- depth understanding of mobility analysis, the relationship of transportation to how we grow our region and the importance of designing a system which is sustainable. He has a proven ability to implement agency goals and objectives in some of the most challenging environments.
His transportation care er has steadily increased in responsibility and includes the position of Chief Planning Officer for Metro from 2019 to current and 1996 to 2005. As the CPO for LA Metro he oversees the expansion of the Metro Light and Heavy Rail program, Highway/HOV system, and the development of Metro’s Rapid Bus and BRT program. Over the last 15 years he has served at executive level positions at three major National and Global transportation companies. In these capacities he has led the successful pursuit and delivery some of the regions' most complex transportation projects and programs including the Regional Connector Project, Eastside Phase 2 Extension, CHSR EIS for 2 segments, West Santa Ana Branch AA Study, and the SCAG Cordon Study among others.
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Matt Petersen President & CEO, LA Cleantech Incubator
Matt Petersen is the President and CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI.) LACI is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation (e.g., incubating leading startups), transforming markets (i.e., creating aspirational partnerships), and enhancing community (i.e., inspiring future entrepreneurs). LACI's three priorities are accelerating transportation electrification, clean energy, and sustainable cities. Prior to joining LACI, he was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti as the first ever Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles. Serving as CSO for four years, Petersen was the chief architect of the groundbreaking Sustainable City pLAn, helped LA become a global leader in EVs, solar and water conservation, and helped create the Climate Mayors. Petersen co-founded Global Green USA and led the organization for 19 years as President and CEO. Petersen is chair of the Climate Mayors board, and a board member of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Center for Environmental Health, and the Sir Edmund Hilary Institute for International Leadership. Petersen also created Citizen E to find and support individuals taking responsibility for a corner of their world. Petersen is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Pacific Council on International Policy, the LA Sustainability Leadership Council. He and his son live in Santa Monica, and Matt is a retired AYSO coach.
Adam Davis Managing Partner, Ecosystem Investment Partners
Adam Davis is a Managing Partner at Ecosystem Investment Partners, a unique firm that delivers ecological restoration projects across the U.S. With $885 million in assets under management, EIP restores and protects priority conservation properties to meet mitigation needs for business and reduce risk and cost for government agencies striving to meet critical regional water quality and habitat objectives.
U.S. Congressman Tony Cárdenas Member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Raised by hard-working immigrant parents, Tony Cárdenas was brought up with simple ideals – that integrity and dedication were the keys to success. These are the qualities that he has brought to his career as a public servant, and he continues to offer that today as a United States Congressman.
Rep. Cárdenas was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2013 for the 113th Congress (2013-2014) and has represented California’s 29th district since. Now in the 116th Congress (2019-2020), Rep. Cárdenas sits on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he is fighting for hard-working American families. He has worked on and authored legislation to lower prescription drug prices, protect American consumers, combat climate change, and ensure that everyone has access to affordable, quality health care. The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest of the "authorizing" committees in the House.
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AltaSea
American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles
American Planning Association- LA
American Society of Civil Engineers, Los Angeles
Aquarium of the Pacific
Bay Area Council
Better World Group
California Business Alliance for a Clean Economy
California Community Economic Development
Association
California Community Foundation
California Electric Transportation Coalition
California Energy Storage Alliance
California Environmental Justice Alliance
California League of Conservation voters
Center for Sustainable Energy
Century City Chamber of Commerce
Clean Coalition
Clean Power Alliance
Climate Action Reserve
Climate Resolve
Coalition for Clean Air
Communities for a Better Environment
Community Corporation of Santa Monica
E2
Ednovate Charter Schools
Environment California
Environmental Defense Fund
Estolano Advisors
Faith 2 Green
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber
of Commerce
Green Business Networking
Green Hydrogen Coalition
GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Heal the Bay
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
Kilroy Realty Corporation
Korean American Coalition, Los Angeles
LA Better Buildings Challenge
LA County Sustainability Office
LG Chem ESS Battery Division
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Los Angeles Conservation Corps
Los Angeles County Economic Development
Corporation
Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate
Action and Sustainability
Move LA
Mujeres de la Tierra
National Association of Women Business Owners,
LA Chapter
Natural Resources Defense Council
Oakland Chamber of Commerce
Pacoima Beautiful
Pando Populus
River LA
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone
(SLATE - Z)
Sustainable Works
The Climate Center
The Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance
The Transit Coalition
TransForm
Trust for Public Land
UCLA Institute of the Environment and
Sustainability
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
United States Green Building Council
Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles
Young Professionals in Energy - LA (YPE)
The LABC Thanks Our 2020 Sustainability Summit Cooperating Organizations
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