California Climate Policy Summit 2026
Join us at the fifth annual California Climate Policy Summit on Monday, April 13, 2026 in Sacramento.

As our federal government stages relentless attacks on climate progress, we’re gathering California leaders to discuss how to continue the state’s world-leading climate progress.


Join elected officials, climate activists, business leaders, environmental justice advocates, scientists, and policy experts to collaborate in support of science-based climate solutions that will help Californians thrive. Connect with professionals pioneering cutting-edge climate strategies in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Learn what policymakers are doing to accelerate a clean energy transition that gives all Californians a chance to prosper.

Agenda
Monday, April 13
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:00 AM - 11:15 AM
9:00 AM - 11:15 AM
9:05 AM - 9:10 AM
9:05 AM - 9:10 AM
9:10 AM - 9:20 AM
9:10 AM - 9:20 AM
9:20 AM - 9:25 AM
9:20 AM - 9:25 AM
9:30 AM - 9:40 AM
9:45 AM - 10:25 AM
9:45 AM - 10:25 AM
As California climate policies face fierce headwinds, experts will discuss how we address affordability and which bold policies will help the state make the clean energy transition.
10:25 AM - 11:05 AM
10:25 AM - 11:05 AM
Leading legislators will discuss what constitutes climate leadership now and which specific policies will help us achieve state climate goals.
11:05 AM - 11:10 AM
11:05 AM - 11:10 AM
11:10 AM - 11:30 AM
11:10 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
This session will highlight perspectives from advocates and organizers on how to make electricity more affordable in California.
Join us for a discussion about how California can navigate a smooth transition that protects consumers, the environment, and the oil and gas industry workforce.
Experts versed in CDR policy will facilitate conversations about the benefits and risks of CDR in small breakout groups.
Presenters will explore new financing solutions that require no public revenue, raise their own revenue, or incentivize business through public-private partnerships.
12:40 PM - 1:40 PM
12:40 PM - 1:40 PM
1:50 PM - 3:00 PM
1:50 PM - 3:00 PM
This session will cover recent reports highlighting how distributed energy resources make it possible to shift, store, and deliver clean energy during peak demand times, reducing stress on the grid.
Join us for a discussion focused on the economic and social dynamics of in-state and imported crude oil supply.
This session will provide an overview of existing mCDR projects, what effective community engagement looks like, and what research needs remain to responsibly scale mCDR in California.
This panel will discuss how to address data center challenges with forward-looking policies that prioritize clean energy and protect communities, ratepayers, and the environment while setting a standard for the entire country.
3:00 PM - 3:35 PM
3:00 PM - 3:35 PM
3:35 PM - 4:45 PM
3:35 PM - 4:45 PM
This panel will cover the status of bidirectional electric school bus adoption in California, including recent projects.
In this session, we will discuss the hazards of leaking oil wells and existing unenforced legislation, as well as prospective legislation to address them.
This session will explore emerging financing models for nature-based solutions, from consumer-driven contributions to carbon markets and insurance innovation.
Join us to explore how to develop advanced geothermal energy systems that benefit communities, workers, and the environment.
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Sponsored by Sunrun
Speakers
Secretary
California Natural Resources Agency
Wade Crowfoot has served as California’s Natural Resources Secretary since 2019. He oversees an agency of over 25,000 employees charged with stewarding California’s forests and natural lands, rivers and water supplies, and coast and ocean.
Anton Vonk Associate Professor
University of California, Santa Barbara
Leah Stokes, PhD, is Anton Vonk Associate Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has a doctorate from MIT and was recognized on the 2022 TIME100 Next and Business Insider Climate Action 30 lists.
Assemblymember
California State Assembly
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan represents California’s 55th Assembly District. He is Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and the Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Commissioner
California Energy Commission
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 Energy Commission’s public member.
Assemblymember
California State Assembly
Assemblymember Irwin represents California's 42nd Assembly District, which includes portions of both Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Assemblymember Irwin currently chairs the Joint Committee on Climate Change Policies.
Senator
California State Senate
Josh Becker is a California State Senator representing most of Silicon Valley. Senator Becker has authored landmark legislation on clean energy, affordability, data privacy and consumer protection, and justice reform.
Journalist and Founder
Climate-Colored Goggles
Sammy Roth writes Climate-Colored Goggles, a newsletter about climate and culture. Previously, he was the climate columnist at the Los Angeles Times, where he wrote the Boiling Point newsletter and hosted the Boiling Point podcast.
Senator
California State Senate
Senator Jerry McNerney has been working on renewable and clean energy and water issues for four decades. He serves on the Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and Budget Subcommittee #2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy.
Community Energy Resilience Policy Manager
The Climate Center
Pooja manages research projects, collaborates with stakeholders, drafts policy communications, and tracks relevant legislation and regulation.
Founder & Executive Director
UNIDOS Network Inc.
Miguel Alatorre Jr. is the Founder and Executive Director of UNIDOS Network Inc., an environmental justice organization serving farmworker and unincorporated communities across California's Central Valley.
Western States Associate Director
Union of Concerned Scientists
Daniel Barad is Western States Associate Director for the Union of Concerned Scientists. In his role, he advocates for science-backed climate solutions in California, Oregon, and Washington.
International Representative
United Autoworkers
Sam Appel is an International Representative for the United Autoworkers and leads policy work on industrial policy, climate, and manufacturing for UAW Region 6 in the western states.
Director of Operations
Zero Foodprint
Leo Beckerman serves as the Director of Operations for Zero Foodprint and the Vice President of the California Association of Compost Producers.
Executive Director
Model Climate Laws Initiative
Jon Binder is the Executive Director of the Model Climate Laws Initiative, a joint project of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School and Environmental Advocates NY.
Director Of Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation
Pittsburg Unified School District
Matthew led his current team in their quest for a green school bus fleet. To that end, most of the school buses are powered by alternative or renewable energy. Four Electric buses are included in this deployment, powered by a solar and wind farm.
Reporter
Capital & Main
Aarón Cantú reports on energy issues, including the fossil fuel industry’s influence in California government and the effects of pollution and climate change on marginalized communities.
Executive Director
Vote Solar
Sachu leads strategy to shape utility regulation and expand solutions like distributed energy resources and virtual power plants that can provide reliable, affordable power while reducing the need for major grid investments.
Director, Strategy & Policy
Caelux
Leslie Chang is the Director, Strategy & Policy for Caelux, a global leader in next generation perovskite solar technology. She has over ten years of experience working on energy policy and climate solutions in the United States and abroad.
President and Chairman of the Board
Consumer Watchdog
Jamie Court is an award-winning consumer advocate. He has led dozens of campaigns to reform oil and energy companies, insurance companies, financial institutions, political accountability, and health care companies.
Chief Executive Officer
The Climate Center
Ellie is a leader in catalyzing cross-boundary, collaborative and just solutions to climate change and environmental degradation. She has received numerous honors including the Beyond Duke Alumni Award for Service and Leadership (2019), and more.
Executive Director
Fossil Free California
Quinn is organizing climate allies to show up for climate aligned union priorities such as Waters Edge and halting Return to Office, while also uplifting labor voices in Make Polluters Pay and other key climate issues.
Director of Research & Policy
Communities for a Better Environment
For the past 18 years at Communities for a Better Environment, Bahram has managed research, policy, and planning projects and has provided technical assistance to CBE community members, organizers, and attorneys.
Senior Geothermal Associate
Clean Air Task Force
Ann Garth develops and advocates for policies to promote next-generation geothermal, including superhot rock geothermal – working towards efficient, safe, and widespread adoption of this transformational energy source.
Western Program Director
FracTracker Alliance
Kyle focuses primarily on extraction activities in California and Colorado and supporting the needs of grassroots organizations in these geographies. Kyle has worked on extraction related environmental justice issues since 2007.
Associate Professor
Notre Dame
Emily Grubert, PhD is an Associate Professor at Notre Dame. Dr. Grubert is a civil engineer and environmental sociologist working on enacting a just energy transition.
Co-Director
Reclaim Our Power
Travis co-leads a coalition of nearly 100 organizations fighting to transform California's energy system from one that centers shareholder profits to one that centers justice and the needs of the people and land.
Special Advisor on Biodiversity and Inclusive insurance
California Department of Insurance
Deborah advises the Commissioner and the Department on the development and implementation of strategic initiatives associated with protecting and restoring biodiversity, and promoting social and environmental justice via insurance regulation.
Director of Climate and Health Programs
Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles
Maro is also Co-Coordinator for the STAND-LA Coalition, where she leads local and statewide campaign strategies to confront the health harms of the fossil fuel and petrochemical lifecycle
Head of Government & Regulatory Affairs
GridCARE
Jessica C. Hogle is the Head of Government & Regulatory Affairs at GridCARE, an innovative company using advanced analytics and AI to unlock latent grid capacity and accelerate interconnection for utilities and large-load customers.
Program and Project Supervisor
California Public Advocates Office
Richard leads the Distribution Planning & Policy team, a team who consider how California’s electricity distribution grid should develop to meet the needs of load and other resources connected to it while also reducing the burden on ratepayers.
Chair
Bay Area Air District
Lynda Hopkins is Chair of the Bay Area Air District and on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, representing District 5.
Partner, Co-founder
New Leaf Climate Partners
Mike focuses on the research, development, and implementation of blended finance strategies that protect, restore, and grow natural capital.
Strategy Consultant
Conservation Innovations Group
Gary has 25+ years of conservation experience in a range of current cross-sector issues, including wildfire resilience and forest health across the west, enhancing adaptation action and finance in the context of climate change.
Vice President of Regulatory Affairs
Nuvve/Fermata Energy
Anna Bella Korbatov manages Nuvve/Fermata's policy and regulatory affairs strategy and leads the company’s collaboration with state agencies, utilities, and local jurisdictions on the design of Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI) rates and programs.
Policy Analyst
California State Senate
Alison Kostusak is a Policy Analyst in the California State Senate, where she manages a legislative portfolio for Senator Sasha Renée Pérez spanning energy, environmental quality, health, and previously housing and transportation.
Chief Operating Officer
California Forward
Nuin-Tara Key, COO at California Forward, has 20 years of experience in climate policy, climate finance, urban and regional planning, and social and environmental equity.
Chief Scientist
Ocean Visions
David Koweek, PhD, is the Chief Scientist at Ocean Visions, where he is responsible for ensuring scientific accuracy and integrity around the research, policy, and climate solutions developing at the intersection of ocean conservation and climate change.
Senior Manager
World Resources Institute
Michelle Levinson is Senior Manager with the World Resources Institute’s Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition. She brings expertise in electricity and transportation decarbonization, regulatory policy, and project finance
Energy Regulatory Manager for California and the Western US
Renew Home
Erik is the Energy Regulatory Manager for California and the Western US at Renew Home. Renew Home is a residential aggregator for demand response, virtual power plants, and distributed energy resources.
Head of Operations and Engagement
Hourglass Climate
Cheyenne's work focuses on building responsible research programs that integrate community engagement, regulatory coordination, and rigorous science. She has helped design and implement multiple coastal mCDR field trials.
Director of the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight
California Energy Commission
The division monitors the petroleum industry to identify irregular or illegal behavior and refer any violation of law – including industry misconduct or market manipulation – to the California Attorney General for prosecution.
Chief Economist at the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight
California Energy Commission
Dr. Gigi Moreno leads a team of economists focusing on data-driven analysis of California’s transportation fuels markets and the interplay with the clean energy transition.
Founder
Deploy Action
Arnab Pal is the founder of Deploy Action, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating hurdles to clean energy deployment in California and across the United States. He also serves as the CEO of Policy Pulse, an AI – regulatory technology company.
President & Rep
United Steelworkers - Local 5
USW Local 5 President & Staff Rep
Director of Climate and Nature-based Solutions
The Nature Conservancy, California
Michelle Passero has over 20 years of experience working in land conservation, environmental law, and policy with particular expertise in natural resources and climate change.
California Climate Organizing Director
Center for Biological Diversity
Jason (he/him) works with the Climate Law Institute to fight pollution from oil and gas extraction. Prior to joining the Center, he led CALPIRG’s advocacy and policy work on public health issues.
Energy Associate
The Brattle Group
Kate specializes in strategic planning and regulatory matters related to an increasingly decarbonized electric power system. She has supported utilities, renewable developers, research organizations, and technology companies
Senior Scientist in the Clean Transportation program
Union of Concerned Scientists
Dr. Reichmuth focuses on analyzing new vehicle technologies and advocating for policies that support the increased electrification of transportation.
Electric Utility Director
Silicon Valley Power
Nico Procos serves as the Electric Utility Director of Silicon Valley Power, where he is focused on meeting rapidly growing energy demand, and advancing reliable, affordable, and clean power solutions.
Senior Attorney
Sierra Club
Katie Ramsey is a Senior Attorney with Sierra Club, where she works to accelerate California’s transition to clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the power, building, and transportation sectors.
Senior Policy Associate
Central California Asthma Collaborative (CCAC)
At CCAC, Jenna connects her background in bioengineering and policy to address the intersection of air quality, energy systems, and public health. She advocates for policies that reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Professor
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Gaurav Sant is a Professor and the Pritzker Endowed Chair in Sustainability at the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Director of Stakeholder Engagement
XGS Energy
Caity Smith is a climate and energy policy leader at XGS Energy, where she focuses on advancing policy pathways for next‑generation geothermal technologies.
Climate Policy Director
Jobs with Justice San Francisco
Julia Sebastian is the Climate Policy Director at Jobs with Justice San Francisco and lead legislative staff for California Labor for Climate Jobs, a statewide coalition of 17 labor unions advancing a worker-led transition to a just, climate-safe economy.
Political Director
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 3
Chris has over 25 years of experience and is a graduate of the Harvard Law School Labor & Worklife Program. Chris’s public service includes serving as a Director for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway Transportation District.
Senior Policy Researcher, Green Economy Program
UC Berkeley Labor Center
Josh Sonnenfeld is a Senior Policy Researcher with the Green Economy Program at the UC Berkeley Labor Center where he researches and advises on climate and economic transition policies and projects
Affordable Energy Campaign
Executive Director
José Torres is the Executive Director of the Affordable Energy Campaign, a campaign of consumer advocates, environmental organizations, and environmental justice groups focused on improving the affordability and fairness of CA's energy system.
President and Cofounder
WeaveGrid
John is a leading expert in the arena of electric vehicles and their emissions and grid impacts. John previously worked at Tesla in the Office of the CTO and Special Projects and at Nissan Motors’ Futures Lab.
Executive Director
The Utility Reform Network
Mark Toney, Ph.D. has held utility and telecom corporations accountable for delivering clean, safe, and reliable energy and phone/broadband service at affordable prices, saving ratepayers billions of dollars, prioritizing underserved residents.
President/CEO
AltaSea
Terry Tamminen is the President/CEO of AltaSea. In 2003, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and later Cabinet Secretary, the Chief Policy Advisor to the Governor.
Consumer Advocate
Consumer Watchdog
Liza Tucker is a Consumer Advocate for Consumer Watchdog, following everything from California’s regulation of oil and gas to toxic substances. She has been an editor and producer for Marketplace Radio and a staff writer for the Washington Post.
Deputy Director
Native Dads Network
Albert G. Titman Senior is Deputy Director for the Native Dads Network and formerly Associate Director of Cultural Integration and Development at Sprenger behavioral Medicine for the TeleWell Indian Health MAT project.
Indigenous Justice Network
Albert Titman Jr. is a proud member of the Nisenan, Miwok, Maidu, and Madesi band of the Pit River Nation, raised in his ancestral homelands of Sacramento.
Executive Director
Affordable Energy Campaign
José leads a statewide campaign of consumer advocates, environmental organizations, and environmental justice groups focused on improving the affordability and fairness of California's energy system.
Senior Science Officer
California Ocean Science Trust
Kevin strengthens the bridge between scientific research and sound ocean management. As a science-policy professional, he ensures California’s decision-makers have access to the best available science to address complex ocean-climate issues.
California Organizer
Oil and Gas Action Network
Ilonka's role as an organizer involves tracking statewide oil and gas policy and translating it into accessible action for individuals to participate in the phase out of fossil fuels in California. She has a Master's degree in natural resources science.
Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Michael's team conducts multidisciplinary, policy relevant research on issues related to wildfire, insurance, electric utilities, the energy transition, and food systems.
VP of Public Policy
Sunrun
Walker Wright is the VP of Public Policy for Sunrun, the leading distributed solar, energy storage, and energy services company in the United States. Over the years, Walker has held numerous leadership positions in the clean energy space.

Wade Crowfoot

Wade Crowfoot has served as California’s Natural Resources Secretary since 2019. He oversees an agency of over 25,000 employees charged with stewarding California’s forests and natural lands, rivers and water supplies, and coast and ocean.

Dr. Leah Stokes

Leah Stokes, PhD, is Anton Vonk Associate Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has a doctorate from MIT and was recognized on the 2022 TIME100 Next and Business Insider Climate Action 30 lists.

Isaac Bryan

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan represents California’s 55th Assembly District. He is Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and the Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

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 Energy Commission’s public member.

Jacqui Irwin

Assemblymember Irwin represents California's 42nd Assembly District, which includes portions of both Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Assemblymember Irwin currently chairs the Joint Committee on Climate Change Policies.

Josh Becker

Josh Becker is a California State Senator representing most of Silicon Valley. Senator Becker has authored landmark legislation on clean energy, affordability, data privacy and consumer protection, and justice reform.

Sammy Roth

Sammy Roth writes Climate-Colored Goggles, a newsletter about climate and culture. Previously, he was the climate columnist at the Los Angeles Times, where he wrote the Boiling Point newsletter and hosted the Boiling Point podcast.

Jerry McNerney

Senator Jerry McNerney has been working on renewable and clean energy and water issues for four decades. He serves on the Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee and Budget Subcommittee #2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy.

Pooja Agarwal

Pooja manages research projects, collaborates with stakeholders, drafts policy communications, and tracks relevant legislation and regulation.

Miguel Alatorre Jr.

Miguel Alatorre Jr. is the Founder and Executive Director of UNIDOS Network Inc., an environmental justice organization serving farmworker and unincorporated communities across California's Central Valley.

Daniel Barad

Daniel Barad is Western States Associate Director for the Union of Concerned Scientists. In his role, he advocates for science-backed climate solutions in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Sam Appel

Sam Appel is an International Representative for the United Autoworkers and leads policy work on industrial policy, climate, and manufacturing for UAW Region 6 in the western states.

Leo Beckerman

Leo Beckerman serves as the Director of Operations for Zero Foodprint and the Vice President of the California Association of Compost Producers.

Jon Binder

Jon Binder is the Executive Director of the Model Climate Laws Initiative, a joint project of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School and Environmental Advocates NY.

Matthew Belasco

Matthew led his current team in their quest for a green school bus fleet. To that end, most of the school buses are powered by alternative or renewable energy. Four Electric buses are included in this deployment, powered by a solar and wind farm.

Aarón Cantú

Aarón Cantú reports on energy issues, including the fossil fuel industry’s influence in California government and the effects of pollution and climate change on marginalized communities.

Sachu Constantine

Sachu leads strategy to shape utility regulation and expand solutions like distributed energy resources and virtual power plants that can provide reliable, affordable power while reducing the need for major grid investments.

Leslie Chang

Leslie Chang is the Director, Strategy & Policy for Caelux, a global leader in next generation perovskite solar technology. She has over ten years of experience working on energy policy and climate solutions in the United States and abroad.

Jamie Court

Jamie Court is an award-winning consumer advocate. He has led dozens of campaigns to reform oil and energy companies, insurance companies, financial institutions, political accountability, and health care companies.

Ellie Cohen

Ellie is a leader in catalyzing cross-boundary, collaborative and just solutions to climate change and environmental degradation. She has received numerous honors including the Beyond Duke Alumni Award for Service and Leadership (2019), and more.

Quinn Eide

Quinn is organizing climate allies to show up for climate aligned union priorities such as Waters Edge and halting Return to Office, while also uplifting labor voices in Make Polluters Pay and other key climate issues.

Bahram Fazeli

For the past 18 years at Communities for a Better Environment, Bahram has managed research, policy, and planning projects and has provided technical assistance to CBE community members, organizers, and attorneys.

Ann Garth

Ann Garth develops and advocates for policies to promote next-generation geothermal, including superhot rock geothermal – working towards efficient, safe, and widespread adoption of this transformational energy source.

Kyle Ferrar

Kyle focuses primarily on extraction activities in California and Colorado and supporting the needs of grassroots organizations in these geographies. Kyle has worked on extraction related environmental justice issues since 2007.

Dr. Emily Grubert

Emily Grubert, PhD is an Associate Professor at Notre Dame. Dr. Grubert is a civil engineer and environmental sociologist working on enacting a just energy transition.

Travis Gibrael

Travis co-leads a coalition of nearly 100 organizations fighting to transform California's energy system from one that centers shareholder profits to one that centers justice and the needs of the people and land.

Deborah Halberstadt

Deborah advises the Commissioner and the Department on the development and implementation of strategic initiatives associated with protecting and restoring biodiversity, and promoting social and environmental justice via insurance regulation.

Maro Kakoussian

Maro is also Co-Coordinator for the STAND-LA Coalition, where she leads local and statewide campaign strategies to confront the health harms of the fossil fuel and petrochemical lifecycle

Jessica C. Hogle

Jessica C. Hogle is the Head of Government & Regulatory Affairs at GridCARE, an innovative company using advanced analytics and AI to unlock latent grid capacity and accelerate interconnection for utilities and large-load customers.

Richard Khoe

Richard leads the Distribution Planning & Policy team, a team who consider how California’s electricity distribution grid should develop to meet the needs of load and other resources connected to it while also reducing the burden on ratepayers.

Lynda Hopkins

Lynda Hopkins is Chair of the Bay Area Air District and on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, representing District 5.

Mike Kent

Mike focuses on the research, development, and implementation of blended finance strategies that protect, restore, and grow natural capital.

Gary Knoblock

Gary has 25+ years of conservation experience in a range of current cross-sector issues, including wildfire resilience and forest health across the west, enhancing adaptation action and finance in the context of climate change.

Anna Bella Korbatov

Anna Bella Korbatov manages Nuvve/Fermata's policy and regulatory affairs strategy and leads the company’s collaboration with state agencies, utilities, and local jurisdictions on the design of Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI) rates and programs.

Alison Kostusak

Alison Kostusak is a Policy Analyst in the California State Senate, where she manages a legislative portfolio for Senator Sasha Renée Pérez spanning energy, environmental quality, health, and previously housing and transportation.

Nuin-Tara Key

Nuin-Tara Key, COO at California Forward, has 20 years of experience in climate policy, climate finance, urban and regional planning, and social and environmental equity.

Dr. David Koweek

David Koweek, PhD, is the Chief Scientist at Ocean Visions, where he is responsible for ensuring scientific accuracy and integrity around the research, policy, and climate solutions developing at the intersection of ocean conservation and climate change.

Michelle Levinson

Michelle Levinson is Senior Manager with the World Resources Institute’s Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition. She brings expertise in electricity and transportation decarbonization, regulatory policy, and project finance

Erik Lyon

Erik is the Energy Regulatory Manager for California and the Western US at Renew Home. Renew Home is a residential aggregator for demand response, virtual power plants, and distributed energy resources.

Cheyenne Moreau

Cheyenne's work focuses on building responsible research programs that integrate community engagement, regulatory coordination, and rigorous science. She has helped design and implement multiple coastal mCDR field trials.

Tai Milder

The division monitors the petroleum industry to identify irregular or illegal behavior and refer any violation of law – including industry misconduct or market manipulation – to the California Attorney General for prosecution.

Dr. Gigi Moreno

Dr. Gigi Moreno leads a team of economists focusing on data-driven analysis of California’s transportation fuels markets and the interplay with the clean energy transition.

Arnab Pal

Arnab Pal is the founder of Deploy Action, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating hurdles to clean energy deployment in California and across the United States. He also serves as the CEO of Policy Pulse, an AI – regulatory technology company.

Nick Plurkowski

USW Local 5 President & Staff Rep

Michelle Passero

Michelle Passero has over 20 years of experience working in land conservation, environmental law, and policy with particular expertise in natural resources and climate change.

Jason Pfeifle

Jason (he/him) works with the Climate Law Institute to fight pollution from oil and gas extraction. Prior to joining the Center, he led CALPIRG’s advocacy and policy work on public health issues.

Kate Peters

Kate specializes in strategic planning and regulatory matters related to an increasingly decarbonized electric power system. She has supported utilities, renewable developers, research organizations, and technology companies

Dr. David Reichmuth

Dr. Reichmuth focuses on analyzing new vehicle technologies and advocating for policies that support the increased electrification of transportation.

Nico Procos

Nico Procos serves as the Electric Utility Director of Silicon Valley Power, where he is focused on meeting rapidly growing energy demand, and advancing reliable, affordable, and clean power solutions.

Katie Ramsey

Katie Ramsey is a Senior Attorney with Sierra Club, where she works to accelerate California’s transition to clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the power, building, and transportation sectors.

Dr. Jenna Roper

At CCAC, Jenna connects her background in bioengineering and policy to address the intersection of air quality, energy systems, and public health. She advocates for policies that reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution.

Dr. Gaurav Sant

Gaurav Sant is a Professor and the Pritzker Endowed Chair in Sustainability at the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Caity Smith

Caity Smith is a climate and energy policy leader at XGS Energy, where she focuses on advancing policy pathways for next‑generation geothermal technologies.

Julia Sebastian

Julia Sebastian is the Climate Policy Director at Jobs with Justice San Francisco and lead legislative staff for California Labor for Climate Jobs, a statewide coalition of 17 labor unions advancing a worker-led transition to a just, climate-safe economy.

Chris Snyder

Chris has over 25 years of experience and is a graduate of the Harvard Law School Labor & Worklife Program. Chris’s public service includes serving as a Director for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway Transportation District.

Josh Sonnenfeld

Josh Sonnenfeld is a Senior Policy Researcher with the Green Economy Program at the UC Berkeley Labor Center where he researches and advises on climate and economic transition policies and projects

Jose Torres

José Torres is the Executive Director of the Affordable Energy Campaign, a campaign of consumer advocates, environmental organizations, and environmental justice groups focused on improving the affordability and fairness of CA's energy system.

John Taggart

John is a leading expert in the arena of electric vehicles and their emissions and grid impacts. John previously worked at Tesla in the Office of the CTO and Special Projects and at Nissan Motors’ Futures Lab.

Dr. Mark W. Toney

Mark Toney, Ph.D. has held utility and telecom corporations accountable for delivering clean, safe, and reliable energy and phone/broadband service at affordable prices, saving ratepayers billions of dollars, prioritizing underserved residents.

Terry Tamminen

Terry Tamminen is the President/CEO of AltaSea. In 2003, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and later Cabinet Secretary, the Chief Policy Advisor to the Governor.

Liza Tucker

Liza Tucker is a Consumer Advocate for Consumer Watchdog, following everything from California’s regulation of oil and gas to toxic substances. She has been an editor and producer for Marketplace Radio and a staff writer for the Washington Post.

Albert G. Titman, Sr.

Albert G. Titman Senior is Deputy Director for the Native Dads Network and formerly Associate Director of Cultural Integration and Development at Sprenger behavioral Medicine for the TeleWell Indian Health MAT project.

Albert Titman, Jr.

Albert Titman Jr. is a proud member of the Nisenan, Miwok, Maidu, and Madesi band of the Pit River Nation, raised in his ancestral homelands of Sacramento.

José Torres

José leads a statewide campaign of consumer advocates, environmental organizations, and environmental justice groups focused on improving the affordability and fairness of California's energy system.

Kevin Travis

Kevin strengthens the bridge between scientific research and sound ocean management. As a science-policy professional, he ensures California’s decision-makers have access to the best available science to address complex ocean-climate issues.

Ilonka Zlatar

Ilonka's role as an organizer involves tracking statewide oil and gas policy and translating it into accessible action for individuals to participate in the phase out of fossil fuels in California. She has a Master's degree in natural resources science.

Dr. Michael Wara

Michael's team conducts multidisciplinary, policy relevant research on issues related to wildfire, insurance, electric utilities, the energy transition, and food systems.

Walker Wright

Walker Wright is the VP of Public Policy for Sunrun, the leading distributed solar, energy storage, and energy services company in the United States. Over the years, Walker has held numerous leadership positions in the clean energy space.

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LOCATION
Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1230 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Location: Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1230 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814