Kelly Blynn | EV Tech Strategist, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Kelly serves as a technical and policy advisor on transportation electrification and other sustainable transportation initiatives to cities in the American Cities Climate Challenge. Previously, she worked with Cadmus' strategic electrification team where she project managed or led the analytical work on over a dozen building and transportation electrification projects for cities, states, and utilities. Her career has also included cofounding and working as an international campaigner at 350.org, and working as a sustainable transportation advocate with the Coalition for Smarter Growth in the Washington, D.C. region. She holds a Master of City Planning and Master of Science in Transportation from MIT, and undergraduate degrees in Geography and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College.
Eric Campbell | Program Analyst at The Department of Energy and Environment
Experienced Program Manager working on transportation electrification and supporting program management with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. Skilled in Database, Environmental Awareness, and Policy Analysis. Strong operations professional with a Master of Science (M.S.) Masters of Public Affairs (MPA) focused in Energy and Water from Indiana University Bloomington.
Geert de Jong, Air Quality & Electric Mobility Program Manager, City of Amsterdam
With my team we work on realizing the goals stated in the Clean Air Action Plan to make the city a cleaner and healthier place for residents and visitors to the city. We focus our efforts on sources where its measures will have the greatest impact: road traffic, passenger vessels and pleasure craft, mobile machinery and the burning of biogass and wood. Our aim is to be a zero emission city by 2030. We support and promote sustainable mobility by introducing new environmental zones, promoting zero-emission driving and implementing measures that stimulate and facilitate the use of green mobility. For example, by purchase subsidies, exemptions for electric transport and implementing a good and fast charging network. In this way, the city will become as emission-free as possible in 2025 and we aim to meet all the standards of the World Health Organization in 2030.
Dr. Shelley Francis | Co-Founder, EVNoire Mobility Intelligence Consulting Group
Dr. Francis, a former Medical School Faculty member, is an entrepreneur and transportation disruptor. Dr. Francis is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of EVNoire Mobility Intelligence Consulting Group (EVNoire). EVNoire, a national, award-winning organization, works at the intersection of transportation, energy, and environmental health equity. The EVNoire Team specializes in providing engagement to next-generation vehicles (electric vehicles) through equity mobility models, education and outreach, expanding the charging infrastructure, facilitating vehicle marketing/launches, workplace charging, workforce development and public policy advocacy. Dr. Francis's vision led to the Co-Founding of the Nation's largest network of diverse EV drivers and enthusiasts, EVHybridNoire, a 501c3 Nonprofit with thousands of members across the U.S. and abroad. EVHybridNoire, is a national multicultural organization focused on increasing EV adoption and awareness in under-represented communities. ▾
In addition, the EVHybridNoire Team is intentional about providing resources and access to underserved and diverse communities and Frontline communities, around affordable, clean and sustainable energy vehicles and platforms. Dr. Francis and fellow Co-Founder, Terry Travis, are recognized as national thought leaders in the E-Mobility space. EVNoire works with Utilities, Non-Profits, Transit Agencies, Government Agencies, Public Health Organizations, and Regional and National organizations to expand this market share. EVNoire also engages communities on workforce development opportunities in the alternative fuel/electric vehicle economy.
Adam Gromis | Global Sustainability Lead, Policy & Communications Team, Uber
Sustainability and cross-disciplinary engagement are running themes throughout his work experience in the nonprofit, government, and for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Uber, he worked for five years helping investors build impact investing portfolios with positions at Goldman Sachs Wealth Management, Imprint Capital (a boutique investment advisory firm acquired by Goldman), and the Global Impact Investing Network (a research and advocacy nonprofit). Before impact investing, he spent seven years engaged in efforts to commercialize zero emission vehicle technologies with positions at the California Fuel Cell Partnership (a public-private partnership), the California Air Resources Board, and UTC Fuel Cells (a United Technologies Company). He holds an MBA from NYU Stern, an MPA from NYU Wagner, and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and materials science from UC Davis. Adam is proud to sit on the board of Veloz, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the shift to electric cars through public-private collaboration, public engagement and policy education innovation.
Petter Haugneland | Assistant Secretary General, Norwegian EV Association
Mr. Petter Haugneland is Assistant Secretary General at the Norwegian EV Association. The NGO represents around 80.000 Norwegian EV owners and cooperates with policy makers, the electric car industry, charging operators and other organizations for the successful introduction of electric vehicles. Haugneland has a master's degree in political science from the University of Oslo. He has worked in the Norwegian EV Association since 2012 and Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in Oslo (CICERO) before that.
Nathan Hill | Team Lead, Charging Infrastructure, Daimler Trucks North America
Nathan (Nate) Hill is part of the global Daimler Trucks Infrastructure team with responsibilities for the North American region. Together with his team of engineers and consultants, Hill uses Daimler-developed tools, processes, partners, and suppliers to help Daimler customers "bring power to the truck" in a cost-optimized way. Many of the methods and knowledge offered to customers were developed during Hill's prior role as the project lead for charging infrastructure deployed in support of the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet; an ongoing 7-site, 30 electric truck pilot project supported with funding from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. ▾
Hill has been with DTNA for 11 years with a variety of engineering design responsibilities, including vehicle aerodynamics, cab design, chassis design, electric truck prototype development, electric truck energy optimization, battery development, and others. Hill has always had a passion for alternative power systems and for trucks. Hill received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Brigham Young University before studying alternative-power systems as a graduate student at the University of California, San Diego.
Simon Horton | Senior Project Manager in the Transportation Electrification Department of Transmission & Distribution, Southern California Edison
Senior Project Manager in the Transportation Electrification department of Transmission & Distribution, Southern California Edison. Lead Project Manager for the assessment, design and construction of all utility-led electric vehicle infrastructure programs. Extensive utility interconnection design and construction experience including both utility driven and customer requested project types. SCE subject matter expert for infrastructure deployment at medium and heavy duty vehicle sites. Construction design, permitting and implementation experience in both the public and private sectors.
Sergio Lopez | Program Manager, Forth
Sergio leads the delivery of pilot projects that advance sustainable and socially equitable transportation. He previously worked at BIKETOWN as a Customer Relations Specialist/Brand Ambassador and as an assistant researcher at Portland State University helping develop green spaces. Sergio was born in Southern California and spent his childhood summers in Mexico, where both of his parents are from. Growing up in a low-income household, Sergio is passionate about the work Forth delivers. He holds a B.S. in Cultural Anthropology from Portland State University.
Terea Macomber | Electric Vehicle Project Director at Grid Alternatives
Terea Macomber is GRID's first Electric Vehicle Project Manager as part of the new Clean Mobility team. She has her MBA from Mills College, and is an alum of Coro Northern California's Fellowship in Public Affairs. She is committed to creating sustainable energy futures that challenge the current norms of our built environment. Terea has a passion for history and data, which she uses to further embed her work in equity and justice.
Tegan Molloy | Senior Program Manager, Forth
Tegan's working on the Demonstration Projects team to design and implement new mobility electrification projects. She runs programs to advanced ride-hailing electrification across the country including in Portland, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles. She's also worked as a sustainability consultant and holds an MBA in Sustainable Systems from Presidio Graduate School.
Patty Monahan | Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Patty Monahan is one of five Commissioners on the California Energy Commission. Commissioner Monahan was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in April 2019. She fills the Commission's Science/Engineering position, and is the lead commissioner on transportation. Prior to joining the Energy Commission, Commissioner Monahan was the transportation program director at the Energy Foundation, where she funded campaigns across the U.S. to advance electric transportation and cleaner, more efficient vehicles. She held several positions with the Union of Concerned Scientists from 2001-2010, including director of the California office, deputy director of clean vehicles, and senior analyst. She worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, as lead for the Toxic Release Inventory Program from 1997 to 2001 and as an environmental protection specialist from 1990 to 1992. She was a research associate with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory International Studies Program from 1992 to 1994. Commissioner Monahan received a bachelor of science from the University of California, Berkeley and she holds a master's degree in energy analysis and policy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Beth Morley | Mobility Project Manager, Cenex
Beth has over ten years of experience working in community engagement and environmental behaviour change. She is experienced in project management and skilled in building partnerships and both customer and stakeholder relationships. With many years for experience working with community and charitable organisations, leading on partnership management, organisation development and customer consultation. Beth has delivered programmes at a local level and worked with cities at a European level. Beth is an ardent advocate of how - are communicated to enable people to make real life changes and live more sustainably.
Andrew Papson | Advisor in the eMobility group, Southern California Edison
Andrew Papson is an Advisor in the eMobility group of Southern California Edison, dedicated to accelerating the deployment electric trucks and buses. His work in the Charge Ready Transport program contributes to SCE's goal of building deploying over 200,000 EV trucks and buses by 2030. Andrew's role focuses on building partnerships with industry and agency stakeholders in truck and bus sectors. Through coordination with public sector partners, establishing industry working groups, and participating in industry events, Andrew is a conduit for engaging stakeholders in how to partner on large EV infrastructure projects and socializing information on technology and market readiness.
Margarita Parra | International Program Director, Clean Energy Works
Margarita is the International Program Director at Clean Energy Works. Trained as an engineer with a masters in Environmental Engineering and a diploma in Sustainable Development, Margarita has worked for two decades in Latin America, China, India, and the United States to reduce local air pollution and global carbon emissions from the transport sector. Margarita also advises GRID Alternatives in their clean mobility equity work in California and serves on the board of directors of the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition.
Román Partida-López | Environmental Equity Legal Counsel, The Greenlining Institute
As Legal Counsel with the Environmental Equity team, Román works to ensure that lower-income communities of color have a seat at the table in order to drive climate investments to help improve air quality and economic opportunities within their communities. He believes that communities and their members must be prioritized, engaged and heard. Román grew up near San Diego in National City, two blocks away from the freeway and across the street from a car body shop that regularly violated city codes by sanding, chroming and painting vehicles out in the open. His exposure to these toxic chemicals and pollution inspired him to work on addressing environmental concerns in his community.
Karl Popham | Manager, Electric Vehicles & Emerging Technologies, Austin Energy
Karl Popham is the Electric Vehicles & Emerging Technologies Manager at the 3rd largest city-owned utility in the country and leads one of most comprehensive utility EV programs in the nation. Karl has been the Principal Investigator on over 10 grants to include U.S. Department of Energy funded initiatives advancing transportation electrification and grid modernization. Karl is co-author of "Smart Cities" a book published by Springer. He was a core team member of the Mayor's Smart City Challenge Team and is the electrification lead for Austin's Smart Mobility Roadmap that enables shared, electric, and autonomous transportation in the city. Previously he served as Austin Energy's interim Chief Information Officer and Division Manager, a Managing Director at Hewlett-Packard Services, Director at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, and a Captain in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
Sara Rafalson | Senior Director, Market Development, EVgo
Sara Rafalson is a Senior Director of Market Development at EVgo, America's largest public EV fast charging network, with over 800 locations in 66 metropolitan markets and 34 states. Prior to joining the EVgo team, Ms. Rafalson led public policy and market strategy efforts for Sol Systems, a national solar energy development firm based in Washington, D.C. She previously served as Vice President of the Maryland-D.C.-Delaware-Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association (MDV-SEIA) and led national initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of women in cleantech industries. Ms. Rafalson holds a BA in International Studies, Sustainability, and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
Mike Salisbury | Transportation Energy Lead, City and County of Denver
Mike started at the City and County of Denver as their Transportation Energy Lead in February of 2018. His focus is on promoting electric vehicles in all aspects of Denver's work both within City operations and among the general public. Initiatives underway in Denver include expanding publicly available charging stations on City and private properties, electrifying rideshare vehicles, electrifying carshare vehicles and meeting the goal of 200 EVs in the City fleet by 2020. Mike began working in the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project's Transportation program as a Program Associate in early 2009. In 2008, Mike received a Masters' degree from the University of Delaware's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy.
Jon Walker | Sustainability Policy Manager, Lyft
Jon manages Lyft's sustainability policy for Lyft, including environmental and electric vehicle programs. Externally, Jon works with public officials, the private sector, NGOs, and utilities to advance mutual environmental and EV goals. Internally, Jon works with Lyft's operations and product teams to help design, deploy, and scale Lyft's new electric vehicle program. Most recently, Jon was a manager at Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in Colorado where he ran RMI's autonomous and electric vehicles program. In this role, RMI partnered with several cities, including Denver and Austin, to deploy shared electric vehicles and to pave the way for autonomous vehicles and automated mobility services.
Sean Yentsch | Director of Facilities, Penske Truck Leasing
Sean Yentsch is Director of Facilities for Penske Truck Leasing. In this role, he is responsible for the capital planning, engineering, site selection and construction for the company's Northeast, Western and North Central regions, which includes Canada. His duties also entail design, contract negotiation, project implementation and facility management. Yentsch served as Facility Project Manager and Senior Regional Facility Manager for 13 years before his promotion in 2013. Prior to joining Penske, Yentsch's portfolio for a leading civil engineering consulting firm included several Fortune 500 companies. He earned a bachelor's degree in structural engineering and construction management from Penn State University.
View past speakers here: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013.