SOLAR SPRING BREAK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe
- Vice President of Philanthropy
Adam's mission is to strengthen people and planet through philanthropy. As Vice President of Philanthropy at GRID Alternatives, Adam manages all organization-wide strategies to advance philanthropic partnerships and promote a culture of philanthropy. Adam founded the Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund in 2018 and serves as the leading executive for all grant-making activities, solar project development, and tribal partnerships. Adam is a frequent speaker and thought leader on energy sovereignty and related topics and in 2020, he was recognized on the Energy News Network "40 under 40" list, spotlighting emerging leaders and innovators from across the U.S. and their work in America's transition to a clean energy economy.
His career began at Stanford University at the Haas Center for Public Service, in a joint appointment with the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. Since then, he has worked for more than a decade in environmental nonprofits, including the California Academy of Sciences, NatureBridge, and the Wilderness Society. Adam holds an undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College, graduate degrees from Columbia and Stanford, and an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Harvard. Adam actively volunteers at Stanford where he serves on the National Advisory Board of the Haas Center for Public Service and recently completed a five-year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the Stanford Alumni Association.
Adam is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (Lakota) and in his free time, you can find him exploring the badlands, grasslands, and Black Hills of South Dakota.
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Trainer
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Workforce Development
Originally from the east coast, Adewale moved to Southern California in 2007. Initially he worked at California State University, Dominguez Hills for the California African American Political & Economic Institute, a non-profit research organization that disseminated information into the Greater Los Angeles community. During the course of his employment, he took up the study of photovoltaics at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. It was at that time that he learned about and became involved with GRID Alternatives. Since then he has developed a passion for solar energy and all the possibilities its uses create.
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor and System Designer
Ajith is an educator at Fresno State in Mechanical engineering with a Ph.D. in solar energy. He has taken part in several Solarthons along with his students. He cherishes preparing young minds to look after the environment. He is an advocate for solar energy and electric vehicles (EV). He looks forward to bringing his academic and photovoltaic (PV) expertise and diverse background to contribute to local communities and GRID Central Valley Fresno. Ajith started his solar journey in 1995 with a master's in solar power at Brunel University, London, United Kingdom (UK).
Job Titles:
- Financial Services Leader
Alex Saucedo has been a financial services leader for the past 10 years with a strong passion to making positive impacts on team members, customers and the communities he serves. He is currently a Community Banking Manager at US Bank in Rancho Cucamonga where he leads and coaches the banking employees to create, build and deepen the relationship to provide a world class client experience. His focus and specialties are in Consumer Lending, Wealth Management, Leadership and Operations.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Regulatory Manager
Job Titles:
- Outreach Program Specialist
Job Titles:
- Construction Operations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Workforce Program Assistant
Job Titles:
- Logistics Supply Chain Manager
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator / Design Quality Control
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Accounts Payable Specialist
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
Job Titles:
- Residential Outreach Manager
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Construction
Anna has broad experience in the solar industry as a site supervisor, hands-on trainer, and design and installation technician. In the private sector, she managed over $4M in residential and small commercial PV projects. She has worked on renewable energy projects and environmental justice campaigns in the Philippines, Haiti, and Costa Rica but is honored to share her skills locally to help democratize access to renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions and training. Anna has a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT and is proud to represent among other women who are NABCEP Certified Installers in California.
Job Titles:
- Electrical Engineer With the State of California
Anthony Hernandez is a licensed Electrical Engineer with the state of California, and a LEED® Accredited Professional, and holds a M.S. in Engineering Management and B.S. in Electrical Engineering, both from Cal Poly Pomona. He has two decades of experience within the energy and construction industries. Throughout his career he has held various leadership roles in customer service, construction management & design, product development & management, energy markets & procurement. Anthony is currently the Principal Manager for SCE's Energy Contracts Origination team. His team oversees all aspects of the deal-making and solicitation processes for SCE's Energy Procurement & Management organization, which is responsible for developing SCE's multi-billion dollar energy resource portfolio, in furtherance of State goals and SCE's clean energy vision. Anthony has also led teams responsible for SCE's portfolios of Energy Efficiency, Demand Response, and Distributed Generation programs, as well as, SCE's related tariff offers. He currently volunteers as a Strategic Advisor for SCE's Latinos for Engagement Advancement & Development (LEAD) Employee Resource Group, and serves as a Board Member for GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles.
Job Titles:
- Workforce and Volunteer Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Solar Outreach Coodinator
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Director of Corporate Partnerships
Aspen Stover was fortunate to start her SolarCorps career at GRID Alternatives in 2017 and completed her time with grid in 2018. Through her training and connection with Grid she was able to land a job a crew lead that eventually lead to being a Commercial Solar Cobstruction Manager. Throughout that time she remained involved with Grid Colorado and continued to work with many of the interns who came after her. She eventually moved over to utility scale energy storage systems and continues to work closely with Grid Alternatives as a board member.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Vice President of Regions
Bambi grew up in the Washington, DC area. She holds a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland in College Park, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. In her career she has worked as a green builder, designer, and consultant for a number of private and non-profit developers, building owners, and design/engineering/contracting firms throughout the US and internationally. Bambi enjoys cooking, eating, hiking, traveling, reading, teaching, humming, building things, and spending time with her family. She believes in trying anything, especially unique foods, at least once!
Ben Passer joined the McKnight Foundation in September 2021 as a senior program officer for the Midwest Climate & Energy program. He oversees and develops significant grant portfolios that support efforts to build power through partnerships, aligning McKnight's climate and equity goals to advance solutions to the climate crisis. He came to McKnight from Fresh Energy, where he directed energy access work that secured regulatory results at the Public Utilities Commission and policy change at the Minnesota State Capitol. He spearheaded the creation and growth of Fresh Energy's Energy Access and Equity program, and led the organization's diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism initiatives. A licensed attorney and member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, Passer holds a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Minnesota and a juris doctor from William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law).
Benny D. Barco is a Central Valley small business and startup attorney. He acts as business and outside general legal counsel to startups, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
Benny is active in numerous community and charitable causes in the Central Valley. He is a board member for the Junior Company Foundation and an active member of Community Housing Council of Fresno, Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation and National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.
Benny received a J.D. from San Joaquin College of Law and a B.A. in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Senior Outreach Coordinator
Blaine Boyer has an extensive career in education. For the past 20 years he has been a teacher at Rancho Vista Continuation High School in Temecula where some of his accomplishments include receiving 'Teacher of the Year' awards and receiving $10,000 in grants to create a Solar/Green energy program.
Blaine is a licensed real estate broker in California and received a BS in Business Administration and MBA from the University of Southern California. He also obtained his Single Subject Teaching credential in Business with supplementals in Math and Economics. He is a proud father of two daughters and four grandchildren and currently lives on and operates an 18-acre organic farm with his wife.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Executive Director of Global Corporate Citizenship for KPMG
Brad is Executive Director of Global Corporate Citizenship for KPMG. In this role, he focuses on integrating corporate responsibility across the KPMG network, with specific responsibility for the firm's environmental sustainability initiatives. He also serves as KPMG's Liaison Delegate for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Prior to Brad's current position, he served as Director with the Forensic practice of KPMG LLP, assisting clients with a variety of corporate responsibility initiatives such as internal investigations, sustainability reporting, and supply chain integrity. Other professional experiences include serving as a labor standards monitor with the non-profit Kenan Institute of Asia, a sustainability advisor with KPMG in South Africa, and as an internal auditor with Gateway computers. Brad is a Certified Public Accountant, has a MBA degree in Sustainable Enterprise from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Masters of Accounting from Appalachian State University.
Project Manager for juwi Inc, Mr. Vickers joined the GRID Alternatives Board in 2018. Since 1990, he has pursued his passion for project leadership through a number of diverse fields from environmental services to renewable energy construction. For juwi, Mr. Vickers is responsible for managing development and construction activities for utility-scale solar projects.
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Marketing, Education & Outreach Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of California Conservation Corps
Bruce Saito was appointed Director of California Conservation Corps - the oldest and largest conservation corps in the nation - by Governor Jerry Brown in September of 2015. He is leading the organization in its commitment to enhance the Corpsmember vocational experience and expand environmentally focused projects that make California an even better place to live. Bruce's career with the Corps goes back to 1977 during the CCC's earliest days. He started as a supervisor/instructor at the Bret Harte Training Academy in Calaveras County, and over the next ten years, promoted his way up to director of the Los Angeles Urban Center and the Conservationist Supervisor CCC Camarillo Center.
In 1986, Bruce helped establish the non-profit Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC). He later served as the LACC executive director- devoting 30 years to the program and growing it to be one of the country's largest local-nonprofit corps. In 2014, LACC's Charter High School was renamed the Saito Charter High School.
Bruce previously served as board president for the Corps Network and he currently serves on the Corps Network Board of Directors and Corps Council. In 2014, Bruce was honored with the Corps Legacy Achievement Award. In California, he served as president of the California Association of Local Conservation Corps that represents 14 certified local conservation corps programs. Additionally, he continues to serve on a number of Los Angeles Boards and Commissions, including the Friends of Manzanar, Little Tokyo Senior Nutrition Center, Community Nature Connection, the Coalition for Responsible Community Development, the LA Education Corps, the LA League of Conservation Voters (LACLV) and the Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbor Commission.
Bruce grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from San Francisco State University, and resides in Long Beach, CA.
Job Titles:
- Commercial Project Designer / Engineer
Job Titles:
- Member and Donor Partnerships Senior Coordinator / Communications
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Communications
Carole Bernard has always been passionate about strengthening and empowering individuals and communities. And she is excited to bring her 20+ years of nonprofit management experience in strategic communications to GRID from her home in Maryland. She's originally from Boston, where her career started as a speechwriter for the Mayor of Boston and as the Director of Public Information for Action for Boston Community Development, Inc., a large anti-poverty agency. She most recently served as the CEO of the Amara Legal Center, where she addressed human trafficking through a racial justice lens. She has a 22-year-old son who is the light of her life, a beautiful black kitty named Brady, and she loves playing the piano, drawing, and writing.
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Workforce Development & Volunteer Fellow
Job Titles:
- Outreach Coordinator
- GRID Alternatives Colorado As the Outreach Coordinator
Chelsea joined GRID Alternatives Colorado as the Outreach Coordinator in 2020. Chelsea has a long history of working with non-profits in Outreach Services and Case Management roles. With this background, Chelsea is well equipped in working with clients and community partners. Outside of overseeing the application process, Chelsea builds connections with community organizations and informs the community of the solar programs available to them through GRID. In her free time, Chelsea advocates for affordable and safe housing, food security, and sustainability in the Fashion Industry. If you are interested in free solar, please apply now! Click our ‘Get Solar' link at the top of the page to get started! Chelsea is excited to hear from you and stoked to get you started in the process!
Job Titles:
- Multifamily Technical Assistance Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Clean Mobility Manager
- Customer Care Specialist
Christian McWilliams communicates with new applicants as a Customer Care Specialist. His past work has had him working with nonprofits including directing a voter outreach office and speaking with the public on migratory bird conservation on a tour from San Diego, CA to Fairbanks, AK. He received his Bachelors of Science in International Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and interned for several think tanks in Mumbai, New York, and Washington D.C while studying. He lives in Denver now and calls both Norfolk, VA and Rota, Spain home.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Program Administration
Job Titles:
- Commercial Solar Engineer
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Program Administration Fellow
Job Titles:
- Workforce and Volunteer Manager
Cindy is a Stockton, California native with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Biology from Cal Poly Pomona. She has been a resident of the Inland Empire region for the last 17 years.
Prior to GRID, Cindy served the Greater New Orleans, LA area with non-profit Green Light New Orleans where she assisted in coordinating 1,000 volunteers to install 30,000+ energy efficient light bulbs for more than 2,000 households. Having enjoyed that experience so much, she was lucky to find out about GRID Alternatives when she moved back to the Inland Empire region.
Cindy is passionate about environmental justice work with a focus on clean energy and in her role, oversees the Workforce and Volunteerism programs at GRID Inland Empire.
Job Titles:
- System Designer / Educator and Training Coordinator
Job Titles:
- VP, Origination & Power Marketing
Dai Owen serves as VP, Origination & Power Marketing at EDF Renewables, a market leading independent power producer delivering grid-scale wind, solar and storage projects. In this position he is responsible for leading the team that originates and negotiates long-term contracts for the sale of renewable energy from EDF's projects to utilities, governmental agencies, and large commercial/industrial customers. During his tenure with EDF since 2008, Dai has led the successful negotiation of over 20 offtake and acquisition agreements, resulting in over 3 GigaWatts of projects constructed by EDF (enough to power over one million homes). Dai is proud to live in a state with a 100% carbon-free energy target and believes that all people should be involved in and benefit from the transition to a green economy.
Job Titles:
- Residential Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Construction Operations Manager
Dan grew up in Southern California. He has worked in construction (residential and commercial) for over 13 years, including more than 6 years in the solar industry. Dan likes meeting new people and all sorts of challenges.
He enjoys camping, fishing, and spending time with his family.
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Job Titles:
- Construction Project Assistant
Job Titles:
- Central Valley Staff Member
- Co - Executive Director
David graduated from CSU, Fresno with a B.S. in Business Administration-Accountacy. His work history includes retail sales, construction, insurance, and teaching prior to joining GRID Alternatives in September, 2010. David began volunteering with GRID after looking for a career that was socially, environmentally, and personally satisfying. As David volunteered often, he learned more about GRID Alternatives, it's mission and goals, and decided to join the Central Valley Fresno team.
Job Titles:
- Residential & Commercial Lead Installer
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant / Communications
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
- Accounts Payable Staff Accountant
Job Titles:
- Workforce Training Supervisor
Dr. Nikky Avila has expertise in energy and climate policy in California, and in electricity access strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She has a Ph.D. in Energy and Resources from the University of California, Berkeley, and draws from engineering and urban planning disciplines to envision how the renewable energy transition can lead to more equitable socio-technical systems. She has led strategic engagement and local capacity building with inter-ministerial stakeholders in Southeast Asia, advising on strategy and policy issues across the water-energy-food nexus. She is currently an Innovation Engineer at the Pacific Gas and Electric Company where she works on microgrid innovation and leads the deployment of the first renewable energy community microgrid in California.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director of the Regional GRID Alternatives
Elijah Perry is the Executive Director of the regional GRID Alternatives affiliate. Elijah directs the Workforce Development team and the implementation of Solar Works DC Training Program, as well as managing GRID Mid-Atlantic's communications, philanthropic and other fundraising, and various partnerships. Among other roles and responsibilities, Elijah provides strategic planning and direction; implements a variety of fundraising strategies; researches, identifies, builds, and tracks relationships and partnerships for funding and other goals; oversees program reporting and finances; and is the liaison for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) efforts. He has more than 25 years of experience in the civic, public interest, and social organization sector, including federal government service and academia.
Prior to joining GRID Mid-Atlantic, Elijah was Corporate Development Manager at PFLAG National, and has also worked in other organizations in the nonprofit sector including Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake, National Children's Hospital Foundation, and Feeding America. Elijah has a natural talent for making connections and cultivating long standing relationships with people from all professions and backgrounds, which he has brought to bear in mentoring and assisting Solar Works DC participants through the challenges they face. He attended University of Maryland in College Park, MD, where he studied and earned his B.S. degree in Paralegal Studies. He also received his Masters in Classical Music Composition from Berklee College of Music.
Job Titles:
- Workforce and Training Programs Manager
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Renewable Energy Finance at M & T Bank
Eric J. Heintz is an administrative vice president and the managing director of renewable energy finance at M&T Bank. In his current role, he oversees M&T Bank's renewable energy investments and strategy. He led M&T Bank's Solar Tax Equity Initiative in 2014 and 2018, which culminated in M&T Bank deploying the "partnership flip" as a new product. Mr. Heintz has additional experience providing complex dispute resolution supporting litigation concerning disposal of nuclear waste.
Mr. Heintz earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Economics and Management and a master's degree in Business Administration from Cornell University. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Co - Founder
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
Erica Mackie co-founded GRID Alternatives in 2001 and has developed it into a major national non-profit. Ms. Mackie has received numerous awards for her leadership of GRID Alternatives, including the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in 2008, the New Leaders Council Energy Leadership Award in 2009, the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award in 2010, the US Green Building Council's Green Building Super Hero Award in 2010 and the 2013 Clean Energy and Empowerment Award from C3E. Ms. Mackie's professional experience prior to GRID Alternatives included work in the social sector, first with survivors of domestic violence and then with youth at risk, as well as work in renewable energy and energy efficiency consulting and sales. She holds two bachelor's degrees from Southern Illinois University, one in Mechanical Engineering and the other in Physics.
Job Titles:
- Data Analyst
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
Job Titles:
- Workforce Programs Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Salesforce Operations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- President of the Board
- Board Chair of the Maryland Center Energy Center
- Co - Founder of Sol Systems
George Ashton, co-founder of Sol Systems, has been a critical contributor to Sol Systems' vision and strategic development. He has focused specifically on developing the SREC Services and Project Finance businesses. Prior to Sol Systems, Mr. Ashton worked in the capital markets for more than 10 years. At Fannie Mae, he managed more than $20 billion in asset purchases and cultivated and developed business relationships with some of largest banks and investment firms in the country.
Mr. Ashton is also the Board Chair of the Maryland Center Energy Center. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland and dual Bachelor of Science degrees from the College of William and Mary.
Job Titles:
- President
- Government - Sector Manager
George Puddephatt is a highly skilled nonprofit and government-sector manager with over 25 years experience. He was pivotal in developing solar workforce training programs with Riverside County Workforce Development Center as well as securing grant and investment funding for the development of special needs housing projects.
George graduated with a "Student of Distinction" award from Arkansas State University where he received a BS in Psychology with a Minor in Social Work. He completed his post-graduate studies in Education from California State University, San Bernardino.
Job Titles:
- Mexico Project Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Senior Outreach Coordinator
Herb Stevens is one of the nation's foremost authorities on financing community-based projects by leveraging public programs, including tax credits, with private capital development. His clients include the largest capital markets investors, local governments and for-profit and nonprofit developers of important projects. As Chief Innovation Officer, he has also helped attorneys at Nixon Peabody develop new, more responsive legal services.
Mr. Stevens has worked on a wide variety of solar energy projects, from utility-scale, ground-mounted plants for the military, to state-sponsored funds that result in solar panels on residences from Connecticut to California. Most recently, Herb helped in the financing of a 75-megawatt biofuel plant that has converted a 19th century wood-based local economy to a 21st century center creating both jobs and renewable energy.
Iffie Jennings works on the Community and Local Government Affairs team at Xcel Energy, where she responsible for managing the city and county political, business and company relationships on behalf of the company. Iffie Jennings brings a wealth of experience from the healthcare and strategic management setting in building key external partnerships with nonprofits, public and private sector clients. With over ten years of experience, she is adept at streamlining internal processes to bring innovative solutions to nationally recognized programs and projects. She earned her bachelor's degree from Colorado State University and her MBA from Regis University.
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Workforce Development Specialist
Job Titles:
- Director of Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
Job Titles:
- Marketing Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Program and Workforce Coordinator
Ivan is a GRID client and passionate community advocate of our program who was instrumental in getting solar installed on 40 homes in his neighborhood with GRID. He has twenty years of experience in social services with a Masters in Christian Ministry and is currently a substitute teacher with Fresno Unified School District working in low-income neighborhoods.
Job Titles:
- Project Designer / Site Visit
Jaime Alonso was born and raised in the Coachella Valley. Like many in this region, he came from a family of Mexican migrant farmworkers. Raised in a mobile home in an unincorporated area of Riverside County, Jaime recognized early on that access to adequate housing, safe drinking water and reliable energy sources were not readily available to all. This recognition motivated him upon his return to the Coachella Valley after graduating from the University of California in Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.) in 2005 to become active with Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC), a faith-based community organizing network. During this time, Jaime also joined local community leaders in Coachella, CA to form what would become Raices Cultura, an arts and culture organization committed to the empowerment of youth and adult residents through artistic self-expression and cultural inclusivity.
Jaime graduated from Brooklyn Law School (2009) with honors and spent ten years working as a legal and policy professional in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region. A California native through and through, Jaime has maintained strong ties with organizations and policymakers in the Inland Empire region. In his role as Executive Director for GRID Alternatives, Inland Empire (Riverside, CA), Jaime manages construction, workforce, outreach, development, tribal, communications and operations staff to install solar electric systems using both production and job training models and benefiting a mix of multifamily affordable properties, mission-aligned community facilities, and single family homes owned by income-qualified families.
Jaime works to grow GRID Alternatives' presence, policy influence, positive public image, mission impact, and financial viability in the region, including networking and speaking presentations. Jaime is a current board member (2022-2024) of Lift to Rise, a non-profit organization in the Coachella Valley focused on radically increasing the supply of affordable housing by creating, expanding, and underwriting the affordable housing pipeline in the region, among other transformational initiatives. Jaime is also a Member of Citizens Business Bank's Community Advisory Committee (2021-2023) where he helps advise the bank on how best to shape and measure performance of its Community Reinvestment Act activities in order to help meet the needs of low and moderate-income neighborhoods and individuals.
Jaime enjoys wilderness, the arts, and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Member of Covington 's Public Policy
Jake Levine is a member of Covington's Public Policy and Government Affairs Practice Group, and its Clean Energy and Climate Industry Group. Mr. Levine advises clients on a variety of public policy, legislative, regulatory, and business matters related to clean energy, climate, water, transportation, and technology. Prior to joining Covington, Mr. Levine held a number of senior positions at the intersection of clean energy policy and technology. Mr. Levine served most recently as Senior Counsel and Principal Consultant to California State Senator Fran Pavley, where he led a team focused on state policy related to climate change, electric vehicles, energy storage, drought and water policy. As part of his duties in the State Senate, Mr. Levine led the successful campaign to draft, design, and enact SB 32 (Pavley) and AB 197 (Garcia), new climate and environmental justice legislation in California.
Mr. Levine also served as Chief of Staff to the President of Opower, a software firm that uses big data and behavioral science technology to help consumers take control of their energy use. In this role, Mr. Levine managed a series of cross-organizational projects, including development of policy innovation, partnerships, and sales opportunities in Latin American and Asia, as well as federal and state-level regulatory reforms related to the U.S. utility sector. From 2009 to 2010, Mr. Levine served in the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change, where he worked on a host of innovative energy policies, including the most stringent fuel economy standards ever set and the first-ever greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks. He served as a member of President Obama's delegation to the U.N. Conference of Parties in Copenhagen, as a member of the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee, and during the 2008 presidential campaign, traveled with Senator Obama to more than 20 states and Europe, managing the national press corps.
Job Titles:
- Interim Construction Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Care, Clean Mobility
Janine has worked in the areas of non-profit community services and adult education for nearly 20 years. During that time, she discovered that serving others possessing multiple barriers to success is a great passion of hers.
Job Titles:
- Construction Assistant - Site Visit Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations and Maintenance
Job Titles:
- Senior Executive Assistant / Operations
Jeff is a US Army Veteran with over 11 years of construction industry experience. Jeff Is a NABCEP Certified Professional PV Installer who holds a degree in Power Technology with certifications as a Power and Wind Technician.
Jeff served as project manager and/or site supervisor on the solar jobs that include 2.85 MW CSG projects, State of Colorado, 4MW ground mount, Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA), Frankton, IN, 1.3MW ground mount, IMPA, Rensselaer, IN, 1.3MW ground mount, IMPA, Crawfordsville, IN, 1.2MW ground mount, IMPA, Richmond, IN and 480kW solar carport, Burk, Cincinnati, OH
Job Titles:
- President of the Board
- Managing Partner of the Los Angeles Office of Foley & Lardner LLP
Jeffery R. Atkin is a business lawyer and managing partner of the Los Angeles office of Foley & Lardner LLP. His areas of practice cover a broad range of business and financial matters, including renewable energy, project finance, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, real estate development and equipment procurement and leasing. Mr. Atkin is chair of the Solar Energy Team, co-chair of the Energy Industry Team, and a member of the Latin America Practice.
Mr. Atkin's experience in renewable energy and project finance includes representing developers, investors, lenders and landowners in the construction, project development, infrastructure acquisition and financing of renewable energy generation facilities, including wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and biomass facilities, and other non-energy related project development.
Prior to joining Foley, Mr. Atkin was a judicial extern with Judge Sidney R. Thomas of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of International Programs
Jenean joined the solar industry in 2007 to work for Mitsubishi Electric's Solar Division and later worked for Trojan Battery Company's Renewable Energy Division. She is the founder of Power to the People, a non-profit organization that helps bring renewable energy solutions to the developing world, and facilitated its acquisition by GRID Alternatives. Before working in the solar industry, she was the Youth Program Director for the Riecken Foundation in Honduras and was a Peace Corps in San Lorenzo, Nicaragua. Jenean holds a BA in Sociology from UMASS Boston, an MBA from Northeastern University and a Masters in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University.
Jeremiah has worked in solar and energy efficiency as both an educator and contractor-- having worked in many diverse communities throughout California and the greater Philadelphia area for 12 years. He has worked with and taught many contractors, homeowners, electricians, unemployed workers and just the curious, how to install and run solar safely.
He also sees the value in making solar and solar education available to everyone.
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Construction Assistant
Job Titles:
- Director of Institutional Partnerships
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Multifamily Fellow
Joe Karp is an energy lawyer at Winston & Strawn that focuses his practice on regulatory, transactional, and project development matters. He has consistently been named one of The Best Lawyers in America for Energy Law from 2006 - 2019. In his career, Joe has dealt with natural gas and electricity issues, electricity generation asset sale and project finance transactions, and renewable energy. In the renewable energy area, Joe has represented developers and power purchasers in matters involving wind, solar, biomass, landfill gas, geothermal, and other technologies. Joe regularly represents the California Wind Energy Association and investor-owned water utilities in regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission. He has previously been a member of the GRID Alternatives National Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Business & Project Development Manager
Job Titles:
- Communications Officer, Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund
Job Titles:
- Institutional Partnerships Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Central Valley Staff Member
- Co - Executive Director
Karina has always had a passion for the environment and science. Born in Selma California, she has spent much of her life in the Central Valley. Through the Fresno County office of education, she enjoyed providing enrichment, educational, and tutorial resources to low income families. Karina possesses a love of nature and is devoted to solar and pollution control. She previously led a group of middle school students in pursuit of the Change the World grant to eliminate pollution in surrounding neighborhoods. She has a fascination with sea life conservation and has spent 19 years studying sharks. She enjoys volunteering her time to speak with students about solar, the environment, ocean conservation, and creating awareness of shark finning practices.
Kathleen Pritchard is an attorney at Davis Graham Stubbs, where she counsels private and public clients on environmental and energy matters. In her practice, Kathleen pairs her technical knowledge of environmental science garnered in undergrad with the strategic thinking and risk assessment skills she has developed as a litigator. She currently represents clients in rulemakings regarding Colorado's evolving regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, and she's served as counsel to a local company that collects and recycles restaurant waste oil. For the past two years, Kathleen has served on the Development Committee for GRID Alternatives Colorado, where she's helped build and implement a comprehensive strategy to generate individual and corporate support. Kathleen earned her bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University and her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of People and Culture
Katie started at GRID as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer and has since transitioned into her role in HR building the department from the ground up. She graduated from Boston University with a BA in Sociology. She hails from sunny Philadelphia but now calls the Bay her home. She is deeply committed to creating an inclusive environment at GRID Alternatives where staff, clients, volunteers, and partners have a space to grow and feel heard.
Job Titles:
- Workforce Training and Service Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Workforce Training Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Senior Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Nepal Project Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Construction Operations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Tribal Program Construction Assistant
Job Titles:
- Senior Marketing Director
Laura Shapiro manages GRID's marketing and brand, creating and overhauling outreach, fundraising, and programmatic materials and our online presence. Before joining GRID, Laura was the Director of Digital Engagement at Global Fund for Women, where she first learned about environmental justice. Laura is a passionate advocate for climate solutions and loves improving the impact of nonprofits through smart systems and excellent design. She lives with her partner and two cats named after fonts.
Job Titles:
- Senior Workforce Operations Manager
Job Titles:
- Philanthropy Operations Manager
Job Titles:
- Vice President at Fluence
Lidija Sekaric is vice president at Fluence, a leading global energy storage technology and services company. She previously served as the director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), where she helped manage and balance the portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment programs in achieving DOE's SunShot goals. Before that, she served as a senior advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of Energy and as a technical and market advisor on the world's largest distributed solar generation projects.
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Communications Fellow
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
- Director, Shared Mobility
Job Titles:
- Community Development & Tribal Program Manager
Lisa is a long time resident and is one of the original staff of GRID Alternatives IE. Over the past 12 years, Lisa has been responsible for serving low income families, building GRID brand and promoting GRID programs throughout the IE. Lisa also helped develop GRID's national Tribal Program and works primarily with seven tribal nations, developing renewable energy projects.
Lisa has been instrumental in the success of many significant tribal projects such as; CA 1st Low Income Community Solar project sited on a reservation, tribal clean mobility pilot program, microgrid projects, tribal multi-family as well as serving over 800 single family residence in the IE.
Lisa is a hands-on person with a strong sense of advocacy in serving others in the renewable energy sector and protecting the environment. Lisa is committed to creating a healthier tomorrow for future generations by implementing the three R's: Renew, Reuse and Recycle.
Lisa enjoys spending time with her large family, walking with her dog and ocean sunsets.
Job Titles:
- Director of Outreach Marketing
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Technical Specialist
Luis Gonzalez currently oversees Community Relations and Philanthropic initiatives for Wells Fargo Bank for Los Angeles County. In his role, Mr. Gonzalez supports community development initiatives and oversees grant- funding efforts on behalf of Wells Fargo Bank and the Wells Fargo Foundation.
Mr. Gonzalez joined Wells Fargo in 2014 overseeing corporate communications and public relations efforts in the San Diego region. He brings over 19 years of experience working in community relations and community based initiatives. His efforts have aided in the implementation of various programs focused on education, health and human services, civic projects and economic development throughout Southern California.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Program Administration
Majok joined GRID CO as a trainee in August 2020. Read on to hear about his solar journey over the past year!
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
- Payroll Manager
Job Titles:
- International Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Clean Mobility Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Residential Program Manager
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Senior Program Manager
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Construction / O & M Fellow
Job Titles:
- Senior Community Services Officer With the Fresno Police Department
Marylen has been a Senior Community Services Officer with the Fresno Police Department for 35 years. Her current assignment is Court Officer in the Prosecution Liaison Office where she reviews criminal cases for prosecution and filing with Fresno's courts. In 2005, she retired from the US Air Force with the rank of Master Sergeant. During her 28 year career she served in three of the four military branches. She attended GRID CV's first Volunteer Orientation meeting in Fresno, 2009. Marylen lives with the four legged love of her life, Nick-e. She enjoys traveling in her spare time and working with GRID's Central Valley Board.
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Development
Matt McNearney leads GRID Colorado's Outreach Department and develops new projects and partnerships with government agencies, regional electric co-ops, local utilities, and public/private organizations throughout Colorado. He has an extensive solar background, including authoring two books on the financial viability of residential and commercial solar projects.
Job Titles:
- Public Relations Director
Maya Batres (she/her) has over a decade of experience in climate and energy research and advocacy, including leading programs at ClimateWorks Foundation and The Nature Conservancy. She has authored several papers on climate change, land use and environmental justice, is the recipient of an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship, and is an AmeriCorps VISTA alumni. Maya earned her J.D. and her B.A. from the University of Minnesota with a focus on the intersection of civil rights, justice, and the environment. She spends most of her free time running and hiking in the mountains with her dog, and believes outside is for everybody. Maya is Guatemalan-American and speaks Spanish and English.
Job Titles:
- Tribal Program Administrative Assistant
Job Titles:
- Director of Regulatory Affairs for the West Coast at Mainspring Energy
Melicia Charles is Director of Regulatory Affairs for the West Coast at Mainspring Energy. Previously, she was the Director of Legislative and Regulatory Policy at Silicon Valley Clean Energy. Melicia has over 15 years of experience developing, managing and advocating for a just transition to clean energy. Before working for SVCE, Melicia served as the Director of Policy covering California policy issues at Sunrun, the nation's largest residential solar and storage provider. Melicia also spent over a decade working at the California Public Utilities Commission where she oversaw the development of solar, storage, transportation electrification and equity policies and programs. Melicia has an MBA from the University of San Francisco and a B.A. from UC Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Construction Training Manager
Job Titles:
- Workforce Training Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Multifamily Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Corporate Partnerships Coordinator
Job Titles:
- National Corporate Partnerships Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Electric Vehicle Consultant
Michelle Pierce is an Electric Vehicle Consultant who formed her company, EV Nirvana, LLC, in 2016 to encourage the use of plug-in electric vehicles. EV Nirvana offers consulting and outreach services with plans to establish a retail sales location that sells battery-only plug-in electric vehicles exclusively with a focus on teaching customers about electric cars.
She has over 20 years of experience in the municipal electric utility industry. She received her BS in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Long Beach. Her experience includes project management, energy efficiency and renewable energy program management, and electric vehicle strategic planning. Her passion for electric vehicles dates back to the General Motors EV1. She leased a Nissan Leaf in 2012 and joined the ranks of the early adopters of Electric Vehicle technology.
Mikkela is an environmental enthusiast with a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in sustainable food systems from the University of Colorado - Boulder. Her professional experience includes 10 years as a copywriter and editor, as well as serving as the regenerative agriculture campaign coordinator for 350CO and the special projects director for the Colorado Local Science Engagement Network. She has been published by Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics as the lead author on a food system workers briefing booklet, acknowledged for her contributions to an article on ethics of food waste published in Physiology and Behavior, and co-led a project in collaboration with the Governors' Climate and Forests Task Force on impact investing to reduce deforestation. When she's not working, you can find her going on long (long!) walks with her husband, studying Spanish, and searching for the best food in the Denver area.
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Program Manager, Workforce Development
Job Titles:
- PV Designer / Inventory Manager
Job Titles:
- Workforce Training Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Intake Operations Manager
Job Titles:
- Project Manager - Strategic Initiatives
Job Titles:
- Outreach Operations Specialist
Nika's family arrived as refugees from then communist Romania when she was ten. Navigating life as an immigrant in San Diego and creating roots in the Inland Empire since, Nika is deeply committed to leveraging networks that build power in those communities that have been historically excluded.
Through her work at GRID, Nika seeks opportunities to connect philanthropic climate-champions, corporate and foundation change-makers, government initiatives and community leaders with GRID's ground-breaking work.
Nika contributes over 15 years of success in donor stewardship, communications, and strategic operations that span the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. Nika is passionate about building community as an active Rotarian, as an advocate for the creative arts in the Inland Empire, as a University of Redlands alumna, and by serving the mission of GRID to build community-powered solutions that advance economic and environmental justice.
Off-GRID, Nika is out volunteering, cooking her native Hungarian foods, and off the beaten path hiking or navigating an off-road trail with her husband and son.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- General Counsel for the KIPP Foundation
As General Counsel for the KIPP Foundation, Nolan provides legal counsel to the KIPP Foundation on a wide range of issues including strategic decisions, corporate transactions, human resources, governance, and real and intellectual property. Prior to joining KIPP, Nolan worked as an Associate in the Public Finance Department of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP. Before entering law school, Nolan was a Budget and Policy Analyst for both the Chief Administrative Office of Los Angeles County and the Office of Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. in the City and County of San Francisco. Nolan attended U.C. Berkeley where he earned a Bachelor's degree in International Political Economy and a Master's in Public Policy. He earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School and is a member of the California State Bar Association. He is a former board member of the "I Have a Dream" Foundation - Oakland, St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, Huckleberry Youth Programs in San Francisco, CA, and The Berkeley School. His all-time favorite movie is The Godfather Part II.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- President of the Greenlining Institute
Orson Aguilar is the President of the Greenlining Institute, one of the nation's largest and most successful multi-ethnic, advocacy and leadership development nonprofits. Greenlining envisions a nation where race is never a barrier to economic opportunity and communities of color thrive. Because people of color will be the majority of our nation's population by 2040, Greenlining believes that America will prosper only if communities of color prosper. Under Orson's leadership, Greenlining has become a leading voice in the movement to fight redlining by advocating for greenlining policies, particularly in the areas of the economy, the environment, health, energy, voting, and telecommunications.
Job Titles:
- Project Designer / Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Pete Dignan is the founder of Ever Better, a Colorado Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp. He is also an Adjunct Instructor for the CU Leeds School of Business, where he teaches the course Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility. Prior to his current work, Pete was the CEO of Renewable Choice Energy and ProtoTest, both Certified B Corps; and Executive Director of the nonprofit CORE (Connected Organizations for a Responsible Economy). He earned a BA in Environmental Science at the University of Virginia.
Peter Ton is an environmental attorney at Ton Law P.C. He has over 17 years of experience counseling clients on water quality, air quality, endangered species, hazardous substances and wastes, and environmental health and safety issues, and litigating cases in state and federal court. Peter received his J.D. from UCLA School of Law and B.A. from U.C. Berkeley. As an immigrant and former refugee, Peter is proud to support GRID Alternatives mission to ensure an equitable clean energy transition for all.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator, SOMAH Tenant Education & CBO Partnerships
Pilar Thomas is a partner in Quarles & Brady LLP's Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Practice Group. She focuses her practice on tribal renewable energy project development and finance, tribal economic development, federal Indian Law, and natural resource development.
Prior to entering private practice, Pilar was the Deputy Director for the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the US Department of Energy, where she was responsible for developing and implementing policy and program efforts within the department and federal government to achieve the office's policy objectives related to the promotion of energy development, electrification, and infrastructure improvement on tribal lands. She also is the former Deputy Solicitor of Indian Affairs for the US Department of the Interior; served as the Interim Attorney General and Chief of Staff to Chairwoman Herminia Frias of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe; and was a trial attorney in the US Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Indian Resources Section.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
- Clean Mobility Program Strategist / Accounting
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board
- Managing Director in KPMG 's Power & Utilities
Rahima Butler is a Managing Director in KPMG's Power & Utilities (P&U) practice and has worked extensively with energy utility clients for over 15 years. At KPMG, Rahima is responsible for providing advisory services to clients with their business and technology transformation journey, which includes - helping utilities navigate transformational risks, providing guidance on transformation leading practices, lessons learned and technology solutions to drive future state innovation and support successful business outcomes. Prior to KPMG, Rahima was a Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their P&U practice driving delivery of digital change for utility clients through technology and business transformations in North America that included multi-service, multi-jurisdictions, multi-company and in a Merger and Acquisition environment. Rahima is originally from Toronto, Ontario Canada, with a degree in Industrial Engineering and is proud to be on the Board of Directors for GRID Alternatives GLA and to help support the mission to make solar energy accessible to low income families.
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Office Manager
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Principal in KPMG 's Major Projects Advisory
Reid Tucker is currently a Principal in KPMG's Major Projects Advisory practice with over 19 years of project management, construction management, project accounting, and contract administration experience. Reid has performed all aspects of the construction process from performing project due diligence, planning, risk management, design, cost analysis, environmental analysis, contract negotiations, construction management, and construction administration. Reid has an engineering background and a passion for renewable energy solutions that goes back to his childhood. His father started a solar company in the 1970s and is still involved in the industry. Reid believes that we each have a responsibility to contribute as much as we can to support investment in our community and our future.
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Director
- Richard Lintin, Marketing & Communications Director
Richard was born and raised in the United Kingdom. Richard graduated from Brunel University in London with a degree in Engineering and Management.
Richard started his career as an Engineer at a large heavy industry company in Birmingham (UK). During his time there he realized that perhaps a career in Engineering was not his future. He pivoted to graphic design and communications, subjects he had previously excelled at during his education, and transitioned into the internal Communications and Training department.
In 2000 Richard accepted a promotion and emigrated to Riverside, California-beginning a 20+ year career in corporate communications. He built an internal Design and Ad Agency that became a full service Marketing and Communication department for an International materials and technology corporation. He was a key member of the IPO team that successfully launched the company on the New York Stock Exchange.
Job Titles:
- Country Manager - Nicaragua
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Office Manager
Rosemary grew up in Southern California and got her Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Riverside in Sustainability Studies.
Before joining GRID, she interned at a UCR student organization named the Green Campus Action Plan (GCAP) as a marketing intern, where her interest in renewable energies and passion for helping the environment grew. She is focused on fighting environmental justice issues through her work at GRID and hopes to make a positive change to the planet.
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Ryan Dulaney has been in the solar industry since 2007, and during that time he has been an installer, designer, project manager, and department lead in the residential, commercial, and utility sectors. He has been a NABCEP-certified Solar PV Installation Professional since 2009 and has held the PMP certification since 2018. He is currently Director of Project Delivery at Generate Capital, a leading renewable energy infrastructure investor. Ryan has taught solar electric courses within the Energy Department at Red Rocks Community College and was named the Energy Project Manager of the Year in 2014 by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Independent Electrical Contractors (IECRM). He is energized and inspired by the work Grid Alternatives-Colorado performs and enjoys supporting the organization in any way he can.
Job Titles:
- Business Strategist and Data Scientist
Salvador Núñez is a business strategist and data scientist who is passionate about data, sustainability, and bringing the world closer together. He holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University, as well as a M.Eng. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research and a Certificate in Engineering and Business for Sustainability from UC Berkeley. He works at Facebook as a Business Intelligence Manager in Entertainment Partnerships. Salvador is a Climate Reality Leader and co-chairs the Green@ employee group at Facebook Los Angeles. Prior to Facebook, he marketed energy efficiency and customer engagement software to Latin America at Opower (now Oracle Utilities). Salvador also developed software to optimize solar installations through predictive analytics and automate solar asset management at NRG Energy.
Sam Jammal is a regulatory attorney and policy advocate based in Los Angeles. He focuses on navigating regulatory environments for early growth companies seeking to bring innovative technologies into the market. Sam currently works as Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and Counsel for a smart cities and transportation advertising start-up. He spent several years working in clean energy and transportation sectors at leading solar and electric vehicle companies. In these roles, Sam worked with government officials and stakeholders to drive the adoption of new technology. Before entering the private sector, Sam held senior roles in government as a Chief of Staff in the United States House of Representatives, Legislative Counsel in the United States Senate and as a former Obama Administration official at the United States Department of Commerce. Sam began his career as a civil rights attorney at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). During the 2018 primary election, Sam was a candidate for Congress in California's 39th congressional district. In addition to serving on the board of Grid Alternatives Greater Los Angeles, Sam serves on the boards of the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA) and Voices for Progress. Sam received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and his law degree from The George Washington University Law School. He is licensed to practice law in California.
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator, Workforce Recruitment & Support
Job Titles:
- Tenant Education & CBO Partnerships Specialist
Job Titles:
- Workforce and Volunteer Program Specialist
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Sara Neff is Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation. Sara took Kilroy from having no sustainability program to being named the #1 publicly traded real estate company on sustainability in North America by GRESB, and under her leadership, the company committed to becoming the first carbon-neutral real estate company in North America by the end of 2020.
At Kilroy, she oversees all sustainability initiatives such as solar and battery dealmaking, the implementation of energy and water efficiency initiatives throughout the existing and development portfolios, the integration of sustainability standards into annual financial reports, and the launch of the Kilroy Innovation Lab. She holds a BS from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Program Development Fellow
Sarah Keane, an attorney at Kaplan Kirsch and Rockwell, represents public and private entities on a variety of regulatory, transactional and litigation matters involving energy and infrastructure project development around the United States. She assists energy project developers in securing approvals and entitlements, negotiating project agreements, and advocating before regulatory bodies. Sarah also represents environmental non-profits to promote clean vehicle policies in Colorado. Sarah joined the GRID Alternatives Colorado Board in 2018. Her full biography is available at https://www.kaplankirsch.com/People/Sarah-Keane.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships
Job Titles:
- SolarCorps Outreach Fellow
Job Titles:
- Director of Multifamily and Commercial Development
Job Titles:
- Workforce & Training Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Residential Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Program Administration Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Senior SOMAH Workforce Development Manager
Job Titles:
- Chief Policy and Business Development Officer
Stan directed the country's first low-income solar incentive program (California's SASH Program), and works closely with policy makers, regulators, utilities, solar companies, and community organizations throughout the country to expand solar access and jobs to underserved communities. Stan is a contributing author to lowincomesolar.org. Stan holds a bachelor's degree in bio-mechanical engineering from Marquette University, and a master's degree in philosophy and public policy from American University. Stan also has a professional background in mechanical engineering, contract manufacturing, and international development programming.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Business Development Project Manager
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Operations
Steven has a degree in International Relations with a minor in Geography from Florida International University. After college he returned to his hometown in Pennsylvania and worked for a law firm in downtown Philadelphia, but found a new passion in solar technology. He enrolled in a Photovoltaic program offered by the City University of New York and soon after found work with a small renewable energy company. His desire to help others, implement renewable technologies, and enjoy the great outdoors lead him to California in 2008, where he joined GRID Alternatives' San Diego office as an AmeriCorps VISTA. From that humble beginning he has worked in several different positions with GRID Alternatives, giving him a great understanding of the organization and more passion for GRID's mission. In 2010 he moved to San Luis Obispo County to establish and lead GRID Alternatives' Central Coast office. After helping to launch our New York Tri-State office, Steven went on to take a role as Director of Operations with the GRID Alternatives Headquarters team. Steven is a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional and licensed NJ Electrician.
Job Titles:
- Logistics and Facilities Manager
Job Titles:
- Community Care Specialist
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Controller
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
Job Titles:
- Director of Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
Job Titles:
- Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Access Clean California Project Director
Job Titles:
- Chief Operations Officer
- Co - Founder
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
Tim Sears co-founded GRID Alternatives in 2001 and has developed it into a major national non-profit. He has shared with Erica Mackie numerous leadership awards for this work, and in 2014 was honored by the White House as a "Champion of Change" for Solar Deployment. Tim is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and before starting GRID Alternatives managed consulting teams of engineers providing comprehensive energy efficiency retrofit recommendations and construction management of projects totaling over $3 million. Tim is also certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) as a Certified Solar PV Installer.
Job Titles:
- Director of Tribal Programs
Tim Willink joined GRID in 2014 to lead its new National Tribal Solar Program, bringing solar power and job training to tribal communities nationwide. Mr. Willink earned his B.A. in economics from Cornell University and worked as a lobbyist for the Navajo Nation Washington Office representing the tribe in economic development and education. After living and traveling throughout the United States and Canada, he settled in Colorado and spent six years with Namaste Solar as a Field Supervisor for commercial solar installations. A Navajo from Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, Mr. Willink has a deep understanding of energy issues on tribal lands, and aims to partner with tribes on both residential and commercial projects in order to bring solar to tribal communities across the country.
Tina Murray operates a voiceover services, marketing, and branding agency. For eighteen years she has partnered with global companies to help them communicate their vision and mission to clients and to their employees. She has also worked as a Sustainability Consultant developing the corporate social responsibility and environmental efforts of her client's businesses. Tina has been an advocate for solar since experiencing it's benefits first hand; in 2014 she qualified for no-cost solar through GRID Alternatives. In 2017 she participated in GRID's Women in Solar training program helping install over 35 kilowatts of solar on ten Bay Area homes. She has earned certificates in Clean Tech Energy Management and Sustainability Leadership from the Presidio Graduate School and is completing an EMBA at Saint Mary's College in global business and sustainability.
Tom has over 20 years of experience in affordable housing programs and has worked for local government agencies and non-profit organizations. Tom has lived in Fresno all but 38 months of his life and graduated from Fresno State University with a Business Marketing degree. Tom is proud to be a platelet donor of over 23 years, and averages 20 donations per year.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Solar
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clean Mobility Strategy Team
- Senior Accountant
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Clean Mobility Outreach Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Solar Installation Trainer
Troy moved to Colorado to attend solar courses at Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) during the solar boom of the 1980s. That boom ended abruptly upon his arrival, and he entered the construction world eventually becoming a General Contractor. Jump to 2008, Troy returned to solar, this time developing and teaching solar energy courses for Red Rocks Community College while installing solar PV and thermal systems on the side. While at Red Rocks, he helped develop a similar solar degree program for Al-Balqa' Applied University in Al-Huson, Jordan. Later he conducted an off-grid installation class with Madison Area Technical College, installing two off-grid power systems for medical clinics in the Blue Mountain area of Jamaica. The last few years Troy has taught certificate courses for RRCC to individuals serving sentences in the Colorado Department of Corrections facilities. In 2021, Troy began a new role as a Trainer for GRID Colorado. Troy, his wife, and two dogs enjoy spending time in the mountains. Troy continues to develop ways to have everything operate by solar alone. This all began with a solar automated chicken coop.
Job Titles:
- Solar Designer / Solar Installation Supervisor in Training
Job Titles:
- Tribal Program Construction Assistant
Job Titles:
- Community Development Officer
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Program Manager, Workforce Development
Job Titles:
- Talent & Acquisition Director
Yoselyn is a Southern California native, born in Los Angeles, CA and later moved with her family to the San Jacinto Valley. Yoselyn is a first generation graduate from the University of California, Riverside with a B.A. in Public Policy. Before joining GRID, Yoselyn interned with the City of Corona management services, supporting the city manager's office with programming and resident services. After graduating, Yoselyn served an AmeriCorps term with GRID's SolarCorps program and the rest is history. Hundreds of families served later, Yoselyn's goal remains to enhance the lives of those who need it most in the IE region and beyond.
Her favorite part about working at GRID is the community building she gets to support and the families she gets to know along the way. Yoselyn oversees the Outreach Department at GRID IE, bringing GRIDs mission and vision of a renewable future that includes everyone into Riverside, San Bernardino, and Inyo counties.
When she's not out on the field Yoselyn enjoys chasing her toddler, cooking, planning getaways, lifting weights, and watching British TV shows.
Job Titles:
- Warehouse & Purchasing Manager
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
Zach Franklin joined GRID Alternatives in 2006 and has helped grow it into a nationally recognized organization. Most recently, Zach developed, launched and leads the organization's expanding clean mobility equity work, first in California and now beyond. Prior to joining GRID, Zach worked in the affordable housing field in the areas of project development, fundraising, and community services. He holds a degree in Economics and History from Brown University and serves on the Board of Directors of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, a leading workforce development organization based in Oakland.
Job Titles:
- Workforce Policy Project Manager
Job Titles:
- SOMAH Technical Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Program Manager, SASH / DAC - SASH