Bob Archuleta

Senator Bob Archuleta, a former Presidential Appointee and Pico Rivera city mayor, has dedicated his life to serving his community and his country proudly.

Elected to the California State Senate in November 2018 to represent the 30th Senate District, Archuleta represents portions of Los Angeles County and Orange County.

He currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and sits on the following committees: Business, Professions and Economic Development; Governmental Organization; Transportation; and the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management.

In August 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Senator Archuleta to the Governor’s Military Council, which oversees more than 30 military bases in the state of California.

In 2012, Senator Archuleta was appointed by President Barack Obama to the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point. As part of the Board, he made recommendations on the operations of the Academy as they related to curriculum, equipment, and other matters.

Senator Archuleta has served on the Los Angeles County Military Veteran Affairs Commission; the United States Army Advisory Board for Military Recruitment; and the Los Angeles County Library Commission. He is an Army combat veteran and former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division and served with the Montebello Police Department.

Senator Archuleta is married to his wife, Rose, has five children, and several grandchildren.

Alberto Ayala

Alberto has nearly 30 years of professional experience in industry, government, and academia. He is currently Executive Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and Adjunct Professor at West Virginia University. He is also former Deputy Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board. Trained as a mechanical engineer with B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Davis, Alberto has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and reports.  He is a contributor to the book “Ambient Combustion Ultrafine Particles and Health” and is working on “Three Forks in the Road, the Volkswagen diesel cheating scandal,” an upcoming book about his role in the VW case.

Don Boyajian

Don Boyajian is Lead Government Affairs Counsel at Plug Power, where he focuses on state and federal government affairs, and provides counsel on a range of regulatory and project development matters. Prior to Plug, Don served as energy and environmental counsel to the New York State Senate, where he negotiated the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Don has also served as the Regional Attorney for the northern region of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as municipal counsel, and as a legislative assistant for Congressman Michael E. McMahon. In private practice, Don was previously an associate attorney at a multi-national law firm in the equity capital markets and leveraged finance practice groups. Don is a graduate of Cornell Law School and Colgate University.

Anna M. Caballero

Senator Anna M. Caballero is a woman of firsts. She was not only the first female Mayor elected in the 126-year history of the City of Salinas, but also the first Latina elected to represent the 28th Assembly District in 2006. In 2011, she was hired by Governor Edmund G. Brown to serve as a member of his cabinet where she served as the Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. Secretary Caballero’s mission mirrored her 34-year career fighting for working families. Caballero’s responsibility as Secretary included the oversight of departments charged with funding affordable housing, civil rights enforcement, banking and financial transactions, consumer protection, and the licensing of three million working professionals.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Caballero served as a member of the California State Assembly for four years, Mayor of Salinas, and Council Member for fifteen years. She carried with her local and state government expertise that made her uniquely qualified to help the Governor achieve his goals: to transform state government to be more efficient, open and transparent, and consumer, service oriented.

A graduate of UCLA law school and UC San Diego, Caballero has dedicated her professional life to families in rural California. She first put her legal acumen to work representing farm workers as an attorney for California Rural Legal Assistance. Dedicated to representing working families at a price they could afford, Caballero and two colleagues formed the law firm of Caballero, Matcham and McCarthy, opening offices in Salinas and Hollister. The firm received numerous awards for excellence during its 25-year history, and Ms. Caballero personally received the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce’s most distinguished award, the Athena, for Entrepreneurial Excellence and Commitment to the Community.

Born to a family of copper miners from Arizona, Caballero has dedicated her life to empower working families and to create opportunities for them and their children to be successful. While in the Assembly, she received numerous awards for her work in youth violence prevention, protection of local government, support for public school construction, and water reliability and sustainability.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Caballero established a non-profit organization dedicated to youth violence prevention. Partners for Peace helped parents and youth develop stronger family bonds and encourage healthy behavior. PFP focused on supporting literacy, after school activities, early childhood development, youth employment and high school dropout prevention strategies in partnership with other organizations.

Anna Caballero is a wife, mother of three adult children and grandmother of six. She is married to Attorney Juan Uranga who is currently enjoying retirement after representing farmworkers for over 30 years.

Juan Carrillo

Assemblymember Juan Carrillo was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 to represent the 39th Assembly District. He will represent portions of the northern Antelope Valley, including Palmdale, Lancaster, the eastern communities of Littlerock, Lake Los Angeles, and Sun Village, stretching into San Bernardino County to include Adelanto, Hesperia, Mountain View Acres and Victorville. 

Assemblymember Carrillo served as a member of the Palmdale City Council, advocating for affordable housing to address the homelessness crisis, increasing green space, and supporting local small businesses as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before entering public office, Carrillo served as a city planner for 15 years — 10 of which were with the City of Palmdale. 

Juan was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and immigrated to Los Angeles when he was 15. He earned his Associate’s Degree in Architecture from the College of the Desert, Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from California State Polytechnic University Pomona, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University Northridge. Juan lives with his wife in east Palmdale with their four children. 

Jason Caudle

Jason Caudle has been with the City of Lancaster since 2008 and was appointed City Manager in December 2018. Having served as the City’s Deputy City Manager for more than ten years, Mr. Caudle has championed many key initiatives, most notably the City’s groundbreaking alternative energy efforts, including hydrogen, playing an integral role in the creation of Lancaster Choice Energy, the Lancaster Power Authority, and the California Choice Energy Authority.

As City Manager, Mr. Caudle has set his sights on leading City staff to implement several innovative projects, from Smart City initiatives to public improvements. He aims to strategically incorporate new technology and innovation throughout the City’s foundation to keep Lancaster on the cutting edge, continuing its legacy as a “City of firsts.”

Mr. Caudle’s successes have been predicated on his wealth of knowledge forged by previous roles, including being the Vice President of Public Finance for an investment banking firm and serving as the City Manager of the City of Tehachapi for nearly a decade. The latter merited him as one of the youngest city managers in the State of California.

Mr. Caudle holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration, both from California State University Bakersfield.

A family man, Mr. Caudle values spending time with his wife Leslie and their two children, Jackson and Kennedy. He also enjoys fishing, skiing, golf, and anything outdoors

Bobby Cherian

Bobby Cherian has over three decades of global experience in engineering, purchasing, and sales. His entire career has centered around the transportation industry, focusing on heavy-duty trucks. He leads Hyliion’s Government Affairs team, driving regulatory and policy efforts at the state and federal levels. In 2020, Bobby joined Hyliion as Senior Vice President of Sales and Service, and shortly after, his responsibilities were expanded to include leading the Supply Chain team. Before joining Hyliion, he spent seven years at Ford Motor Company, ten at Meritor, and 11 at Dana, where he most recently led global electrification and North America OEM sales.

Bobby earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University, a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from Oakland University.

Tyson Eckerle

Tyson Eckerle serves as Senior Advisor for Clean Infrastructure and Mobility in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and Government Liaison for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES). In these roles, he collaborates with multiple stakeholders to streamline California’s efforts to accelerate our transition to a clean energy ecosystem, building on his experience as GO-Biz’s first Deputy Director of Zero Emission Vehicle Market Development.

Tyson holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Nuray Elci, D.M.

Nuray Elci is the Vice President of Renewables in Chevron’s Americas Products business, a position she has held since September 2022.

Renewables is responsible for the commercialization of lower carbon products including Renewable/Compressed Natural Gas, Hydrogen and Sustainable Aviation Fuel for transportation, serving commercial and passenger customers. This includes $1BB in capital spend to build and expand infrastructure development of compressed natural gas and hydrogen stations and renewable natural gas projects. Renewables has all Joint Venture and partnership management in the lower carbon space including CalBio, Brightmark, Iwatani, and the now recently acquired Beyond6 JV.

During her career at Chevron, Nuray has served in several roles of increasing responsibility, including Regional Manager for Fuels; Advisor to the President of Lubricants; Operations and Services Leader in Louisville, Kentucky; Regional Manager in Canada; Base Oil Business Development; Business Architect, as well as a variety of project management, mergers and acquisitions roles.

Nuray first joined Chevron in 2004. Through the Graduate Development Program, she completed rotational assignments within our commercial organizations, mergers and acquisitions and restructuring projects.

Nuray graduated from the University of Maryland in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and earned a Master of Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento, in 2004. She completed her Doctor of Management program in 2009 at the University of Maryland. Nuray also teaches Strategy and Marketing courses for the Dual MBA program at the University of Maryland as adjunct faculty.

Katrina Fritz

Katrina Fritz is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the California Hydrogen Business Council, the largest and longest established hydrogen trading association in the U.S. Katrina leads the organization as chief advocate and champion for advancement of hydrogen and renewable fuels sectors to achieve air quality and climate objectives.  

Over the past 20 years, Katrina has worked with business and government leaders around the world to champion air quality, decarbonization, and economic growth through the development and use of innovative technology.  She has advised global Fortune 500 companies and the public sector on business development and energy and environmental policy and regulation in distributed generation and hydrogen markets.  

She has also led U.S. state level energy policy and market development outreach for the Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative, with the guidance of state agencies.  Katrina was appointed to the New Jersey Governor’s Fuel Cell Task Force in 2021 and has served as an expert to the European Commission on clean energy programs. Katrina has worked as an executive at UTC Power and Plug Power in business development and government relations and as an Independent Director on the Board of Advent Technologies. She has held leadership positions in numerous clean energy trade associations and advisory boards. Katrina holds a BA degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. 

Angelina Galiteva

Ms. Galiteva has been leading California’s Statewide Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) initiative since 2021. In late 2023 she was officially appointed as CEO of the Alliance. ARCHES is focused on accelerating the decarbonization of the 4^th largest economy and creating a sustainable hydrogen ecosystem.  Angelina M. Galiteva is the Founder and Board Chair of Renewables 100 Policy Institute, an organization dedicated to accelerating the global transition to 100% renewable energy for all sectors.  In 2011 Governor Jerry Brown appointed Ms. Galiteva to the California Independent Systems Operator Board (CAISO), one of the largest transmission operators in the World.  On October 2020 Angelina became the first Female Chair of the CAISO Board of Governors and in March 2023 Governor Newsom reappointed Ms. Galiteva to serve her 4^th term on the Board.

Angelina also serves as Chairperson of the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) and is a Founding Board Member of the Global Clean Energy Desalination Alliance.  Ms. Galiteva is an expert in strategic issues related to renewable energy, new technology development and implementation, optimizing power system resiliency and efficiency, as well as overall sustainability and environmental policy programs for public and private entities. As such she is frequently sent as a US State Department representative expert on renewable energy and power grid resiliency and reliability issues.  In addition, Ms. Galiteva is founder and principal of NEOptions, Inc., a renewable energy product and project development firm. Previously, Ms. Galiteva was the Executive Director of Strategic Planning for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), overseeing the utility’s renewable energy program, she also worked at the New York Power Authority. Ms. Galiteva is an attorney with a JD Degree and Masters in International and Energy Law.

Angelina has overseen numerous utility scale renewable energy, bulk storage, combined heat and power project developments, including distributed generation and microgrid specific installations.  She has experience structuring electric vehicle to grid programs, accelerating the development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell infrastructure as well as financing large scale renewable power project development both in the US and abroad.

Ms. Galiteva holds a JD and LLM Degrees in Energy and Environmental Law from Pace University School of Law and is a globally recognized expert in the area of designing regulatory structures and programs to support the development of carbon free technologies and the transition to a reliable, resilient carbon free future.

Michael J. Galvin

Michael J. Galvin is the director of waterfront and commercial real estate at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s leading container port. The Port of Los Angeles is a landlord seaport, covering 7500 acres of land and water, with more than 300 leaseholders.

In this role, Galvin is responsible for development and management of the Port’s LA Waterfront including commercial development opportunities, cruise passengers, commercial fueling, recreational marinas, hotels and restaurants that create public access to the Port’s expansive waterfront amenities.

Galvin also oversees the Port’s energy business and related marine terminals which support regional refinery operations, LAX aviation fuel logistics, the San Pedro Bay bunker fuel market and advancement into renewable fuels required to create the zero-emission port of the future.

Galvin holds a bachelor of arts in U.S. history from the University of California, San Diego and received his Juris Doctor from Western State College of Law in 2015. Galvin is a licensed attorney in the State of California.

Siva Gunda

Commissioner Siva Gunda is serving his first term on the California Energy Commission.

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Gunda in February 2021 to serve as the CEC’s public member. Gunda was later appointed to Vice Chair. He is the lead commissioner on energy assessments.

Gunda served as manager of the Demand Analysis Office and deputy director for the CEC’s Energy Assessments Division which forecasts and assesses energy demands and supplies.

Before joining CEC, he served in a variety of capacities at the Energy Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, including as the director of research, where he directed the institute’s operations and research portfolio.

He holds a Master of Science in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Utah State University.

Patrick Harris

Patrick Harris is Director of Corporate Development of Carbon TerraVault (CTV), California Resources Corporation’s (CRC) carbon management business focused on capture and permanent geological sequestration of third-party carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in California.

Mr. Harris joined CTV from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company where he focused on developing the United Arab Emirates’ first carbon capture and storage platform and led several international transactions. He previously served as an Associate at Intrepid Financial Partners and Macquarie Capital in the US, and as a Drilling Engineer in his early career in Australia.

Mr. Harris holds a Master of Business Administration from China Europe International Business School, a Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Stavanger, and a Bachelor of Engineering with a focus on Petroleum Engineering from the University of New South Wales.

Seth Harris

Seth Harris is the director of sustainability in the Americas for Emerson, assisting customers in achieving their sustainability goals while growing the company’s sustainability initiatives and sales.

In his current role, Harris leads direct sales engagement in the Americas, establishing growth programs for the company’s sales channels, identifying opportunities to expand or enhance relevant product offerings based on customer needs, and forging partnerships in new technologies or adjacent industries that promote and advance Emerson’s sustainability strategy. Harris brings expertise in upstream oil and gas industry regulatory engagement and decarbonization initiatives, and now more broadly helps Emerson and its customers improve energy use, reduce emissions and develop and deploy innovative technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage that deliver on their sustainability goals.

Since joining Emerson in 2005, Harris has worked in numerous roles, including helping customers with their digital transformation initiatives and growing the company’s software and data management business. He also held several management positions, responsible for customer sales and engagement around Emerson’s product portfolio including measurement and flow, software and valves.

Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with emphasis in bioengineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Mike Hart

Mike Hart has been the CEO of Sierra Railroad Company for 30 years, leading its freight, passenger, and real estate divisions to significant environmental achievements, including the development of America’s first hybrid hydrogen locomotives in collaboration with the State of California. His company, Sierra Northern Railway, was named the “Most Environmental Railroad” in 2024. Additionally, as CEO of Sierra Energy, he collaborates with public agencies, academia, and industry on environmental and regulatory issues. Sierra Energy is working with Sierra Railroad Company to develop locomotives powered by hydrogen fuel cells and batteries using Sierra Energy’s zero-emission FastOx gasification technology. Sierra Energy’s FastOx gasification can take any type of waste and convert it to clean energy, including hydrogen, with no emissions. His work has earned him prestigious recognitions such as the “Environmental Hero” from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a Railway Age Influential Leader, and a “Champion of Change” from the Obama administration. Hart is an alumnus of the University of California at Davis, Singularity University, and Stanford Business School’s Advanced Management Program, and serves as an Edmund Hillary Fellow in New Zealand.

Austin Hastings

Austin Hastings serves as the Senior Director of Gas Strategy Execution and System Planning for Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Mr. Hastings has spent his entire 27 year career in PG&E’s natural gas business serving in a variety of engineering, operations, construction and business development roles. His current role is responsible for the strategic development of the natural gas system in PG&E and California, and how it will play a pivotal role in the storage and transportation of Hydrogen as part of a decarbonized economy.

Mr. Hastings graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering from California State University Fresno in 1997.  In 2000, he earned his professional engineering license from the state of California, also in mechanical engineering.

Alejandra Hormaza, Ph.D.

Alejandra Hormaza holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She completed her education at the University of California, Irvine where she focused on hydrogen-related research for over a decade under the guidance of Professor Jack Brouwer. Previously, Dr. Hormaza worked at the California Energy Commission, Environmental Defense Fund, and Hydroplane, a startup focused on developing a fuel cell-powered airplane. Her research has involved investigating gaseous fuel leakage of hydrogen and natural gas blends from natural gas infrastructure and the feasibility of using offshore wind and seawater for high-temperature electrolysis. Dr. Hormaza is passionate about sustainable energy systems and developing a pathway to clean energy.

Aaron Katzenstein, Ph.D.

Dr. Aaron Katzenstein is the Deputy Executive Officer of the Technology Advancement Office. The Technology Advancement Office oversees several mobile source incentive programs, technology review, and development and commercialization of clean air technologies.

He began his career at South Coast AQMD in 2003 where he worked in the laboratory prior to his role as the Climate and Energy Supervisor in Planning and Rules. He later became an Acting Planning Manager for Area Sources and most recently was the Laboratory and Source Test Manager. He has been heavily involved in numerous Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Studies, Air Quality Management Plans, policy development, research projects, air quality studies, and technology/infrastructure projects.

Dr. Katzenstein received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry with a minor in Physics from the University of Redlands.  He graduated with a M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry with a focus on Atmospheric Chemistry from the University of California Irvine where he studied regional and global air quality.

Joy Langford

Joy Langford is the Chief Community Benefits Officer of ARCHES H2 Hub where she oversees ARCHES commitment to $150 Million dollars in direct community investment and creation of over 220,000 jobs with a commitment to $220 million in workforce development within California’s new Hydrogen Infrastructure plan.

Joy has over 18 years’ experience as a public-private partnership liaison, assisting companies in becoming better corporate citizens through environmental and corporate responsibility initiatives.   With intricate knowledge of compliance issues as they relate to governmental agencies at the local, state, and federal government levels (such as OSHA, Cal EPA, AQMD, and CARB), Joy has helped some of America’s largest corporations face some of their toughest environmental and community problems.  She specializes in resolving complex environmental issues between companies and local communities; developing good corporate citizenship values while navigating various government rules and creating positive community initiatives.

Previously, Joy’s work included serving as the Senior Environmental Policy Advisor and Economist for a member of the Assembly for the State of California.  Prior to that, she originated and funded over $100 million worth of utility grade solar and alternative energy deals for a private equity fund, and managed and ran her own mortgage bank, facilitating a $10 million warehouse line of credit to fund home loans, primarily in the inner city of Los Angeles.

Joy was appointed by the Water replenishment District of Southern California’s Board of Directors to serve as Director of Division One in February of 2022.  She was subsequently elected to the board in an official government election in 2023 and as of 2024 is the President of Water Replenishment District, managing renewable water rights throughout Los Angeles, Long Beach and various parts of Southern California.

Joy’s most recent endeavors include consulting on light rail and energy efficient trucking solutions and implementing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations units in several California Municipalities, as well as working with local government agencies and local industry on rendering and renewable waste issues in Los Angeles County.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Joy has a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Joy sat on the advisory board for Air Quality Management District, currently sits on the boards of Young Professionals in Energy (Los Angeles and Orange County chapters), as well as the advisory board of Climate Resolve. She is a Milken Associate, specializing in social policy and legislation. Additionally, she sits on the board of The Children’s Museum of La Habra. Ms. Langford currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Julia Levin

Julia Levin is an attorney and expert on energy and climate policy.  She has served as the Executive Director of the Bioenergy Association of California (BAC) since its founding in 2012.  Prior to BAC, Julia served as the Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and Energy at the California Natural Resources Agency where she chaired the Governor’s Bioenergy Working Group and led development of California’s 2012 Bioenergy Action Plan.  Julia has also served as a Commissioner on the California Energy Commission, where she led the Commission’s work on renewable energy and energy efficiency.  Previously, Julia worked for the National Audubon Society, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the World Bank, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.  Julia has a B.A. from Brown University and a law degree from the University of California, San Francisco.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-levin-90654450/

Dan McGill

Dan McGill founded FASTECH in 1996 and has directed its growth from a start-up equipment supplier to the end-to-end energy solutions company it is today.

Dan has overseen FASTECH’s expansion into the alternative fuels industry, including the design and construction of hydrogen generation facilities, hydrogen fuel cell plants, and hydrogen, CNG, and LNG fueling facilities for light and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as the maintenance and compliance testing for petroleum and alternative energy facilities.

Dan has experience in the design, construction, maintenance, remediation, and regulatory compliance of conventional and alternative fueling systems.

Neil Navin

Neil Navin is senior vice president, engineering & major projects and chief clean fuels officer for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), a Sempra regulated California utility. He oversees SoCalGas’ comprehensive portfolio of clean energy strategies, innovations and projects to support the utility’s role as a long-term leader enabling California’s clean energy future. Navin’s focus is on delivering tangible innovations and projects in new and growing markets, including renewable natural gas, hydrogen and fuel cells, all of which are aligned to SoCalGas’ mission, strategy and sustainability plan.

Previously, Navin was vice president of construction for SoCalGas and SDG&E.

Since joining SoCalGas in 2014, Navin has served in a number of increasingly responsible management positions, including director of major projects and director of storage risk management. Prior to this, Navin held project management positions with the Fluor and Parsons companies. His previous experience included work on sulfur recovery, gas compression processing, oil and gas production, refining, pipeline engineering, chemical weapons destruction, biogas treatment, fuel cell power generation, and petrochemical plant projects throughout the United States, Middle East and Europe.

Navin sits on the boards of Housing Works and Friends of Ballona Wetlands. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from McGill University in Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Josh Newman

State Senator Josh Newman represents the 29th Senate District, which is comprised of portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties.

Senator Newman is Chair of the Senate’s Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response. He also serves on the Senate’s committees on Business & Professions; Budget & Fiscal Review; Budget Subcommittee 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation; Elections; Labor, Public Employment & Retirement; Transportation; and Veterans Affairs.

Senator Newman is a former United States Army officer, businessperson and veterans’ advocate, and lives in Fullerton with his wife and daughter.

Cottie Petrie-Norris

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris proudly represents California’s 73rd Assembly District, which includes the cities of Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Tustin.

Cottie Petrie-Norris is a businesswoman, mom, and community leader who was elected to the State Assembly in 2018. In the Assembly, Cottie has worked to secure millions of dollars in funding for projects across Orange County and has passed important legislation to protect the California coast, improve access to healthcare, keep our children and communities safe, and help local veterans and small businesses.

Cottie serves as the Chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Utilities and Energy and the Select Committee on Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Additionally, she serves on the Assembly’s Committees on Banking & Finance; Insurance; and, Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy.

Cottie and her husband, Colin are the proud parents of two sons, Dylan and Hayden, and their rescue dog, Flounder.

Tanya Peacock

Tanya Peacock is Managing Director at EcoEngineers, an international clean energy consulting firm with deep expertise in carbon life-cycle analysis. Based in Los Angeles, Tanya is responsible for expanding EcoEngineers’ energy transition practice in California. She is simultaneously leading the fast-growing hydrogen sector.

A well-known clean energy champion, Tanya currently serves as chairperson of the California Hydrogen Business Council. She has held board and leadership roles at the American Biogas Council, Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, California Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative, among others. Additionally, she is an expert in California’s cap-and-trade program and played a key role in the development of policies to support the production and use of clean energy in California.

Prior to joining EcoEngineers, Tanya led the California Policy and Government Affairs team at Bloom Energy focusing on decarbonization pathways, clean hydrogen opportunities, and distributed energy policy priorities. Before that, she led rates and policy teams at Sempra Energy and its subsidiary, SoCalGas.

Tanya earned a Master of Regional Planning degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and a Bachelor of Arts from Mills College in Oakland, California. She is a current board member at the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters.

Heather Rangel

Heather is a Principal in Deloitte’s Strategy Practice. She is a Silicon Valley-based leader focused on business transformation and sustainability. She is a change agent and trusted Executive Advisor, helping to shape C-Suite agendas toward a more sustainable future. She lived and worked in Japan for a number of years prior to her career in the Silicon Valley. She is a non-profit Board Chair and frequent public speaker. 

Heather connects and inspires Deloitte’s clients as they navigate change, innovation, and growth. Heather has built and led one of Deloitte’s largest global client teams. She serves as a strategic thought partner to support operational growth, innovation and compliance. She sets strategy, manages complex multi-business executive alignment, and fosters relationships across the enterprise. She leads contract management, navigates high visibility risk, and constantly anticipates the needs of the client. She thrives on inspiring diverse teams to deliver world-class solutions to Deloitte’s clients. 

Heather holds dual undergraduate degrees in Psychology and East Asian Studies with a focus on Japanese. She has an M.B.A in Int’l Management from the Middlebury Institute of Int’l Studies, where she focused on Japanese. She is a Certified Global Human Resources Professional and is a frequent public speaker on topics related to women in leadership and digital disruption. She is the Chair of the Board for the American Leadership Forum – Silicon Valley and an active committee member at SFJazz. 

Jason Rizzi

Jason Rizzi is a Deputy Fire Marshal with UC Davis Health, specializing in hazardous materials.  He has served on the International Code Council’s (ICC) Fire Service Exam Development Committee and is an ICC certified Fire Marshal and Fire Plans Examiner.   Prior to joining UC Davis Health, Jason worked in municipal fire protection for 24 years, most recently as the Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshal for the City of Roseville, CA.  Previously, Jason served in the US Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve as a Chief Warrant Officer, specializing in the response to hazardous materials incidents for the National Strike Force, Pacific Strike Team.  Jason is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and has a B.S. from Cogswell College in Fire Science.

Hydrogen Projects

• 1999-2011 West Sacramento Fire Department worked closely with the partnership on the fueling station.
• Several iterations of a portable fueling station in Roseville for the Toyota Dealership.

Rajinder Sahota

Rajinder Sahota was appointed as the Deputy Executive Officer for Climate Change and Research in spring of 2021. She is responsible for directing CARB’s scientific, technical, and policy teams as they develop and update the AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan to track progress and develop the pathways to achieve the state’s climate targets. She also oversees the economy-wide Cap-and-Trade Program, Low Carbon Fuels Standards, energy and climate policy, fuels programs, and critical research to advance action to improve public health and environmental protection. In Rajinder’s 19 year-career with CARB, she has worked on a variety of projects including analyzing data for children’s health studies, evaluating strategies and their impacts to reduce harmful diesel pollution from locomotives, developing the first comprehensive greenhouse gas reporting and verification regulation, developing the 2017 and 2022 Scoping Plan Updates, leading the development of the first Integrated Resource Targets under SB 350 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector, and overseeing actions to reduce emissions from the oil and gas sector and fuels sector. She has also served as a point of contact on CARB’s climate policies with other states, and subnational and international governments.

Rajinder received a B.S. and M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of California, Davis.

Tim Sasseen

Tim started work with Ballard over 20 years ago, leading the engine control software development team for the first Mercedes fuel cell buses that were deployed in public service across seven European cities.  Tim has served in Ballard’s Field Service team in Europe, coordinating field operations where these buses were delivered and deployed, and leading the Electrical Engineering design team for Ballard’s 6^th generation of fuel cell module.  Outside of Ballard, Tim has worked extensively in wind energy, where his teams designed mid-sized wind turbines, megawatt-scale power systems, and advanced power converters.

Tim earned his MBA at UCSD while working in microgrid design and renewable generation project development, before returning to Ballard in 2018 for his present position, where he directs Ballard’s market development and public affairs for North America.  In addition to the MBA, Tim has earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in electrical engineering from Michigan Technological University.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-r-sasseen/

Joe Sullivan

Joe Sullivan is the Director of Energy Solutions and Workforce Engagement for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and the National Electrical Contractors Association of Greater Los Angeles. In this role, he advances clean energy solutions paired with workforce standards that create high road careers. Prior to joining IBEW/NECA, Joe worked in the consulting and training industry. Joe is a graduate of the University of Southern California and received his MBA from the University of Texas in Austin.

Oleksiy Tatarenko

Oleksiy Tatarenko is a senior principal in the Climate-Aligned Industries Program at RMI. He leads the hydrogen initiative, which includes work on US clean hydrogen hubs, shipping, fertilizer, infrastructure, and international policy and trade. He also works on the Green Hydrogen Catapult, a joint initiative between RMI and the UN’s High-Level Champions for Global Climate Action, promoting the aggressive global adoption of green hydrogen at the scale needed to achieve a 1.5°C future.

Dawn Wehr

An experienced leader in strategic positioning and market-share growth, Dawn Wehr is Accelera’s General Manager, Fuel Cells and is responsible for leading the segment’s growth during the transition to zero emissions.

Dawn formerly led Corporate Strategy and Market Insights for Cummins, partnering with leaders and teams across the organization to position the business for growth and increased profitability. Since joining Cummins in 2016, Dawn has led Strategy for the Components segment, and served as a leader within the Corporate Strategy group where she focused on digital and portfolio strategy, advanced analytics, targeted growth initiatives and supply security.

Before joining Cummins, Dawn was a Principal at Bain & Company in their Industrial Goods practice. Over the course of a 10-year career in consulting, Dawn worked with Fortune 100, mid-market and financial investor clients to address market opportunities and improve internal operations.

Dawn earned an MBA from INSEAD (Fontainebleau, France) and a B.S. with High Honors in Business Economics from Indiana University. An Indiana native, Dawn is committed to supporting the development of the Midwest as an emerging player in the global economy. She lives on her family farm with her husband and three children and serves on the Board of Directors of the Ripley County Community Foundation.

Frank Wolak

Mr. Wolak is the President and CEO of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), representing leading international and domestic companies and organizations that are advancing innovative, clean, safe, and reliable hydrogen energy technologies.

Mr. Wolak has experience in all facets of energy including executive positions both within and outside the fuel cell and hydrogen industry, including at an international energy services company, a power development and investment company, public energy resources corporation, and as management consultant providing insight to clients in emerging technology and utility segments.

Mr. Wolak holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Western New England University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Hartford.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-wolak-71a4344/

William A. Zobel

William (Bill) Zobel is the Director of Alternative Fuel Strategy and Business Development for Pilot, one of North America’s leading providers of traditional and alternative transportation fuels. Bill is responsible for developing and executing the company’s alternative fuels strategy, focusing on Clean Hydrogen and Renewable Gas. Prior to joining Pilot, he served as VP of Business Development at Iwatani, assisting in the development of a fully integrated hydrogen value chain. He has also held leadership roles in Trillium, Sempra Energy, BP North America, and served as Executive Director of the California Hydrogen Business Council. He has served on several boards, including CalStart, NGV America, and the Conservation Corps of Long Beach.

Bill is a graduate of Columbia University’s executive business program and holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from California State University Long Beach.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-zobel/