Angelina Galiteva

Angelina Galiteva, serving in her third term on the California Independent System Operator (ISO) Board of Governors, works to advance the deployment of renewable energy and distributed energy technologies worldwide.
Ms. Galiteva is currently President for NEOptions, Inc., a renewable energy and new technology product design and project development firm. She has served as Exec Director of the LADWP and head of its Green
LA, Environmental Affairs and New Product Development Organization. Her career includes working with the California ISO and Power Exchange on their
initial launches and she also worked as a power analyst for the New York Power Authority. Ms. Galiteva graduated from Pace University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 1993 and a LL.M. degree in 1994 in Environmental and Energy Law. She specialized in electric utility strategic policy analysis and decision-making focusing on pending industry transition and deregulation issues. She also serves as Chairperson of the World Council for Renewable Energy.

Mike Levin

Congressman Mike Levin is proud to represent California’s 49th Congressional District, which includes North County San Diego and South Orange County. Currently serving his second term in the House of Representatives, Levin sits on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

Prior to being elected to Congress in 2018, Levin fought for climate action while working as an environmental attorney. He also served on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy, and co-founded Sustain OC, helping accelerate the transition toward more sustainable power generation and transportation alternatives.

As a member of Congress, some of Levin’s top priorities are combating climate change, protecting our natural resources, and capitalizing on the economic benefits of a sustainable energy future. He has led legislation to transition America to zero emission vehicles, ban new offshore drilling leases along the coast of Southern California, responsibly develop renewable energy on public lands, and much more.

Josh Newman

Josh relocated to California from Hawaii following the completion of his active duty military service obligation. His professional experience since then has included work in local government, public affairs and marketing, film and television production, and Internet media technology.
In 2012, he founded an initiative, ArmedForce2Workforce, to assist young military veterans in the pursuit of rewarding, career-oriented employment following the completion of their own military service and return to the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County area.
In 2016, he ran a successful grassroots campaign for the California State Senate, focused on a message of service, common sense, and accountability on behalf of the residents of California’s 29th Senate District. He successfully guided more than 20 pieces of legislation that supported veteran services and mental health resources, improved local schools, helped businesses create jobs, and protected open space.

Katrina Fritz

Katrina leads education and outreach activities at SFCC with the guidance of state agencies, local air districts and industry. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Advent Technologies, works with National Fuel Cell Research Center on state level clean energy policy and market development, and serves as an expert to the European Commission on Horizon 2020 programs for research and innovation.

Katrina has held leadership positions at ClearEdge Power (formerly UTC Power), Plug Power and Case Western Reserve University. She has held leadership positions with: California Hydrogen Business Council, International Energy Agency’s Fuel Cell Working Group; U.S. Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association; Alliance for Clean Energy New York; Pacific Clean Energy Application Center at UC Berkeley; and the Connecticut Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Coalition. Katrina has a BA degree from University of Michigan and an MBA from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

Andrew McAllister

Commissioner Andrew McAllister is serving his second term on the California Energy Commission. Commissioner McAllister has been working on energy deployment and policy since the early 1990s. He has worked across the world to deploy clean, cost-effective energy solutions with counterparts ranging from tiny remote communities to the largest of utilities. Commissioner McAllister administered two of California’s signature renewable energy programs (California Solar Initiative and Self-Generation Incentive Program), developed and operated energy efficiency programs for utilities, and performed a broad range of policy-related research for California and the federal government. He is chair of the board of directors of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and serves on the board of the Alliance to Save Energy. Commissioner McAllister’s deep grounding in technology, policy, and the marketplace provides him with uncommon insight on the accelerating changes taking place in California’s energy sector. Before joining the Energy Commission, Commissioner McAllister was managing director at the California Center for Sustainable Energy. He worked with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International, Ltd. in countries in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa on renewable generation, load management, utility planning, and remote power projects. He was a project manager at an energy-consulting firm and an energy efficiency analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Commissioner McAllister holds a master of science and a Ph.D. from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley. Commissioner McAllister also served as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Kim Okafor

Kim Okafor is the General Manager of Zero Emission Solutions for Trillium and Love’s Travel Stop. This includes the development and management of the EV charging, hydrogen fueling and solar businesses. She has been with Trillium since Love’s Travel Stop acquired the company in 2016. Kim also actively serves on the Board of Directors for the California Hydrogen Business Council. Kim has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston. Kim’s goal as the General Manager of Zero Emission Solutions is to develop sustainable business opportunities that provide economic advantages for our customers.

Doug Arent

Arent has worked in research on energy and sustainability for more than 30 years, publishing extensively on topics within clean energy, renewable energy, power systems, natural gas, and the intersection of science and public policy.

In addition to his NREL responsibilities, Arent is senior visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He serves on the World Economic Forum Future of Electricity Working Group and advisory boards for the Post Carbon Transition Program at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at Oxford University, U.K.; the Smart Electric Power Association; and the Energy Academy of Europe, Netherlands. He is also member of the Keystone Energy Board. Arent is the editor in chief for Renewable Energy Focus and is associate editor for the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Arent has a Ph.D. from Princeton University, an MBA from Regis University, and a bachelor’s of science from Harvey Mudd College in California.

Michael Koonce

Michael Koonce is a successful entrepreneur in the industrial and hydrogen gas industries. As the founder of IGX Group, NorAm Valves, and Gas Transport Leasing, Michael’s companies have become industry leaders in growing the high-pressure hydrogen market. He is known for his focus on customer service, innovative approach to solving customer needs, and ability to quickly bring new products and services to market.

Michael has an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and a BS in Economics and Finance from California State University, Sacramento.

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.

Dr. Tom Buttgenbach

Tom founded 8minute Solar Energy in 2009 with a vision for making solar the lowest cost, most reliable form of energy on the planet. With more than 20 years of executive management experience and a scientific, analytical approach, Tom has transformed 8minute from a boutique developer to a record-breaking technology leader shaping the clean energy transition with its smart power plants. Today, 8minute’s pipeline includes 18 GW of solar and 24 GWh of energy storage, enough to provide clean, reliable power for 20 million Americans – day and night, for less than the cost of fossil fuels.

Over his career, Tom has led transactions totaling over $10 billion in power purchase agreements and project finance deals.

Tom earned a degree in Physics and Mathematics from University of Cologne and a Ph.D. in Physics and Astronomy from Caltech, as a Fulbright Scholar.

Tim Lipman, Ph.D.

Timothy Lipman, PhD, is an energy and environmental technology, economics, and policy researcher with the University of California – Berkeley. He is currently serving as Co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center (TSRC), based at the Institute of Transportation Studies. He is also a Research Affiliate with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Dr. Lipman’s research focuses on electric vehicles, fuel cell technology, combined heat and power systems, renewable energy, and electricity and hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure.

Dr. Lipman has led many research efforts at UC Berkeley and LBNL over the past 20 years, including those related to electric vehicle technologies, energy and transportation policy, hydrogen and fuel cells, energy market transformations, distributed power generation, and household travel and charging/fueling behavior. His work focuses on the ability of emerging and transformative transportation and energy technologies to create new economic opportunities, provide for better and more equitable mobility and energy services for all economic sectors, and improve environmental and human health.

Rebecca Kaplan

Rebecca Kaplan has represented the entire City of Oakland as its Councilmember At-Large since 2009. She was unanimously appointed by her colleagues to represent the city as Oakland’s Vice Mayor. Prior to her service on the Oakland City Council, Rebecca served as At-Large Director on the AC Transit Board of Directors from 2002 to 2008. During this time, she helped bring AC Transit its first hydrogen fuel cell buses, improving active transportation and reducing harmful diesel pollution. Rebecca currently serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) where among several important region wide sustainable transportation improvements, she collaborated with several stakeholders to win a major State grant to launch a programs for zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell trucks and a hydrogen fueling station at the Port of Oakland. Rebecca Kaplan is an honors graduate from MIT and Stanford Law School.

Nikki Buffa

Nikki Buffa is counsel in the Orange County and Washington, D.C. offices of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Environment, Land & Resources Department. She has extensive experience in environmental policy and conservation, conventional and renewable energy, endangered species compliance, and crisis management.

As counsel, Ms. Buffa brings two decades of experience working on energy and environmental policy, and advises developers, utilities, and other clients on all aspects of project development from initial permitting and entitlement strategy through governmental approvals. She serves on the boards of Irvine Ranch Conservancy, National Parks Conservation Association, and the Advisory Board of the University at Berkeley Institute for Parks, People, and Biodiversity.

Ms. Buffa rejoined Latham after serving eight years in the Obama Administration, most recently at the Department of the Interior. As Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House, Ms. Buffa managed a diverse set of missions within the 70,000 employee, $12 billion department, including serving as a key player in President Obama’s success in conserving more lands and waters than any President in history.

Prior to that, Ms. Buffa was the Deputy Director of Cabinet Affairs at the White House and helped develop and implement the Administration’s policies on clean energy, transportation, and environmental and human health protection.

Jesse Marquez

Jesse N. Marquez is the founder and executive director of the non-profit community based Environmental Justice Organization the Coalition For A Safe Environment (CFASE). CFASE was established in April 2001 in Wilmington, California to eliminate, reduce and mitigate the public health, public safety and community socio-economic impacts caused by International Trade Marine Ports, Freight Transportation Corridors, Petroleum Industry and Energy Industry. Marquez has over 20 years electronic industry experience as a test technician, test lab manager, production supervisor, production manager, manufacturing engineer, quality engineer, quality project engineer, technical writer and operations auditor. Marquez’s non-profit organization experience includes community organizing, family assistance, public education, leadership development, community empowerment, urban planning, community sustainability, emergency preparedness, community economic development, public policy & program evaluation, public advocacy, public comment preparation, public right-to-know, protection of public health, public safety, environmental, social justice and civil rights. His professional experience also includes community-based science public health, public safety & air quality research, zero emission technology research, emissions capture & treatment technologies research, alternative renewable energy, environmental incident investigation, special investigative research & report preparation, CEQA & NEPA research, public comment & litigation, deposition preparation, professional photography and videography.

Jeff Gustavson

As president, Chevron New Energies, Gustavson is focused on lower carbon business prospects that have the potential to scale, including commercialization opportunities in hydrogen, carbon capture, and offsets and support of ongoing growth in biofuels. Prior, Gustavson served as the vice president of Chevron’s North America Exploration and Production Company overseeing its Mid-Continent Business Unit, and has also served as president of Chevron Canada Limited, and joined Chevron in 1999, holding positions in Finance, M&A, Corporate Strategic Planning, Supply and Trading, Investor Relations and Upstream, with numerous assignments in the United States, as well as Venezuela, the United Kingdom and Canada.
He sits on the external advisory boards for University of Colorado, and was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Chevron Employee Political Action Committee.
Gustavson received Bachelor’s degrees in economics and international affairs from University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Megan H. Berge

Based in the Washington D.C. offices of global law firm Baker Botts, Megan Berge supports clients in all applications of environmental law, including civil litigation, rulemaking and permit appeals, regulatory advocacy, and compliance counseling. She partners with companies to develop creative strategies for difficult sustainability, Clean Air Act and climate issues including navigation of fuels and emissions based credit regimes, and asset transitions.

Lauren Skiver

Ms. Lauren Skiver began her transit career 25 years ago as a Maintenance Clerk at Hillsborough Area Regional Transit. She went on to executive positions at the Maryland Transit Administration, CEO of Delaware Transit Corporation, and has served as CEO of SunLine Transit Agency since late 2013.
SunLine has contributed nearly 30 years to the research, development and execution of alternative fuel production and vehicle projects. As the largest producer of hydrogen in North America for transportation, SunLine continues to be a pioneer.
Prior to her transit career, Ms. Skiver served in the US Army specializing in Military Intelligence as an Imagery Analyst.

Janisse Quiñones

Janisse Quiñones is the Senior Vice President of Gas Engineering at PG&E. She has over 22 years of experience. Her civilian career is highlighted by several positions of increased responsibility in the utility industry, including customer service, energy efficiency programs, electric and gas distribution construction, planning and design, vegetation management and corrosion, meter shops, maps and records and gas engineering. Janisse was pivotal in the electric grid restoration for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, where she led distribution and transmission line crews directly responsible for energizing a significant portion of the island.

Quiñones is also a Commander in the US Coast Guard Reserves and is currently assigned to USCG District 11 as the USCG Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer supporting FEMA Region 9, which oversees federal emergency management for 150 tribal nations and 9 states/territories, including CA, HI, NV, and AZ. She has deployed in support of Deepwater Horizon, Hurricane Maria, and Operation Allies Welcome operations.

Quiñones was born and raised in Caguas, PR, and attended the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus, where she graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering (Magna Cum Laude). She holds advanced degrees in Business Administration and International Relations and is a licensed Professional Engineer in five states (MA, RI, TX, NY, CA).

Salim Rahemtulla

Salim Rahemtulla has over 30 years of experience in real estate development, asset management, banking/lending, operations and facilities management. A former US naval officer, he has managed and lead the execution of $2B in public/private sector residential construction projects primarily across Southern California, worked as a construction lender and in loan portfolio management at two major financial institutions, consulted on real estate/affordable housing projects in Los Angeles, and served as mission protection/land-use compatibility program manager at a major naval installation.

Salim has been involved in renewable energy start-up companies, most significantly, Foton Technologies, a renewable energy company that developed a green gasification technology to produce electricity using biomass feedstock and municipal solid waste. Salim has an undergraduate degree from University of Southern California in Economics with an emphasis in Social Sciences and Communication and an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business.

Thomas R. Brill

Thomas R. Brill represents clients in the energy industry, ranging from investors and developers of low/zero carbon hydrogen production facilities to developers of carbon sequestration and renewable natural gas projects and utilities implementing decarbonization policies.

Before joining Greenberg Traurig, Tom led legal, strategic planning, and policy departments at Sempra Energy, San Diego Gas & Electric, Pacific Enterprises, the Southern California Gas Company, and the American Gas Association. In these roles, he served as lead counsel in proceedings to implement state policies and legislation to introduce competition and reduce emissions in electricity and natural gas markets, developed strategies for Community Choice Aggregation, GHG and carbon reduction, electricity storage and smart grid, and more.

Tom has served as legal counsel on matters before FERC and CPUC, and lobbied before these organizations, as well as the California Legislature, Nevada legislature, and US Congress.