Our People

Aaron draws on more than 12 years of energy program operations to oversee our equipment supply chain. In his role, Aaron negotiates equipment pricing and availability with vendors and distributors to ensure that our program participants receive the highest quality equipment at the lowest cost. He also analyzes and develops retrofit specifications.

Aaron Worthy, moved to Santa Cruz from long list of destinations cities working throughout US, Canada and Alaska.  He earned a B.S. in Bioenvironmental Science from Texas A&M University and multiple accreditations in the green building, energy efficiency and building performance arenas.   Aaron brings an extensive array of experiences to Ecology Action from working with an International Certifying Body on large industrial projects, to leading a team of fly-fishing guides in remote outpost in Alaska, and most recently the owner of a successful building performance construction company.

Aaron keeps our engineering programs, projects and staff operating smoothly, and safely to produce high-quality energy efficiency projects and outstanding customer satisfaction.  Aaron’s exceptional skills in project management and workflow development support him in handling extensive coordination between clients, customers, utilities, program staff, engineering staff, and management.

Aaron is steward of the environment, passionate of the outdoors, an avid fisherman, and traditional archer. When not working with his wonderful team at Ecology Action, you will likely find him embracing time with his newly born son.

As Energy Efficiency Consultant, AJ’s primary focus is providing energy efficiency field audits and LED lighting specification for medium to large commercial businesses, nonprofits, and government facilities in California. AJ employs technical analysis to offer an analysis of no-cost and low-cost energy alternatives for his customers.

As HR Representative, Allison works with Ecology Action’s prospective, new, and current employees to assist in the recruitment, hiring, administration, and training processes. She supports the organization’s personnel-related goals, and provides benefits evaluation, consultation, and reporting.

Anna has been with Ecology Action since 1997 and currently acts as the Marketing Production Manager implementing public relations and marketing strategies while also providing in-house graphics and desktop publishing support. During her tenure at Ecology Action, Anna has worked as a Project Manager for the Safer Technologies in Fabricare Program, and has managed various Used Oil Recycling grants. She has also assisted the agency with grant writing, research, office administration, MIS support, graphic design and desktop publishing. In 2002-03, Anna took a break from Ecology Action and worked for Outward Bound West’s sailing and kayaking program as a Logistics Manager in Washington State. Anna holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She is an avid traveler, deriving her passion for environmental work from experiencing natural ecosystems and diverse cultures worldwide.

Bonnie Low runs Ecology Action’s Operations, Policy and Analytics teams. Her teams are responsible for delivering high quality energy efficiency projects across California and informing key regulatory, utility and industry decisions. She has contributed invaluably to several of Ecology Action’s major development projects and helped launch new programs, including SMUD’s innovative Complete Energy Solutions program. Bonnie brings more than 23 years of development, project management and outreach experience to Ecology Action, including 18 years in local government sustainability programs. After a long career in the public sector, Bonnie founded and served as principal of Greenleaf Project Management, a sustainability consulting firm serving municipal, non-profit and private sector clients. Bonnie is committed to helping people make practical changes in homes, businesses and communities that go a long way toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a sustainable future for all.

Bruce Whitehill draws on more than  15 years of materials, planning, and operations management experience to oversee Ecology Action’s Supply Chain and Contractor Management Team. In this role, he oversees all recruitment, training, and management of installation contractors. Bruce also oversees the development of project specifications and relations with equipment vendors including the negotiation of availability and pricing. He holds a LEED AP BD+C certification and is certified by the American Production and Inventory Control Society with a CPIM (Certified Production and Inventory Management).

Carlos has been with Ecology Action since 2011. As Senior Energy Consultant, Carlos Carlos uses his understanding of market fundamentals and technical analysis to offer an analysis of no-cost and low-cost energy alternatives for his customers. He is responsible for sales,  territory management, account management, and providing energy efficiency solutions to commercial customers in California.

Chuck Tremper brings a broad range of experience and expertise to Ecology Action that he utilizes to oversee accounting, human resources, information technology, communications, compliance, risk management, facilities, governance and strategic planning for the organization. Over the past 30 years, Chuck has helped launch the AmeriCorps national service program, been a professor of both Law and Psychology, served as Chief Information Officer for large nonprofit organizations, held administrative, marketing and technical positions for software companies, provided management consulting services and conducted a variety of policy research and evaluation projects. However, his greatest fulfillment is in helping individuals and businesses take actions that benefit themselves, their businesses and the planet.

Chuck is best known as the author of As the Oceans Rise: Meeting the Challenges of Global Warming, playing doubles beach volleyball, and entertaining the staff at all-hands meetings.

As Applications Analyst & Assoc. Developer of Ecology Action’s Salesforce-based data management platform, Courtney Faulkner ensures that we track and report accurate, up to date information on energy program performance. Courtney draws upon exceptional skills in database management, technical reporting, and project management to support forecasting and reporting for our energy programs.

Darren Nix ensures that our programs offer the newest energy efficient technology at the highest quality and lowest price. To this end, Darren identifies, vets, secures, and on-boards new products and methodologies.  Darren also provides software support and ongoing training for our field staff so that new technologies are seamlessly integrated into our programs. Darren joined Ecology Action in 2007 as an Energy Efficiency Specialist, working in the field to identify energy efficiency measures and support customers through installation. Darren holds a B.S. in Neuroscience from UC Santa Cruz.

As Energy Consultant, David’s provides energy efficiency field audits and LED lighting specification for hospitality customers throughout California, through Ecology Action’s Hospitality Program. David’s career has focused on lighting, energy efficiency, water efficiency, recycling, and waste management. David holds an M.B.A. in Sustainable Management from Presidio School of Management.

With over 29 years of experience in environmental management, David brings to Ecology Action his expertise and management acumen with a focus on environmental business aspects. David has worked for several high technology companies including Texas Instruments, Seagate Technology, and as a consultant to Google. Currently he works in the pharmaceutical industry for Genentech, a Roche Group Company. David taught at the University of California Santa Cruz Extension for over 17 years. He has served his community on multiple boards and commissions including Leadership Santa Cruz County, the City of Santa Cruz Water Commission, and the County of Santa Cruz Hazardous Materials Advisory Commission. David holds a M.S. in Environmental Management from University of San Francisco and a B.S. in Earth Science from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Doug Mahone joined the Ecology Action Board after retiring from a forty year career in energy efficiency. After completing his architecture degree at MIT, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor to research and teach solar energy and building science subjects. He then left MIT to join a pioneering solar energy firm in New Hampshire, which lasted until Reagan discontinued their research funding. That precipitated a move to California. Once here, Doug worked for several Bay Area energy firms, getting involved in energy simulations, daylighting design, and energy codes. In 1994, he and his wife, Lisa Heschong, started the Heschong Mahone Group in the Sacramento area. HMG grew to 40 employees and three offices, becoming known for their work in energy codes, program evaluation and implementation, and building science research. Along the way, Doug helped form the New Buildings Institute, the Cool Roofs Rating Council, and the California Energy Efficiency Industry Council. In 2013, HMG was sold to TRC Energy Services, so Doug and Lisa retired and moved to Santa Cruz. In addition to joining the Ecology Action Board, Doug serves on the California Technical Forum. When not working, Doug is a bluewater sailor, horseman, hiker, and granddad. He has undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in architecture from MIT.

As Project and Contract Manager, Elise draws on her experience in environmental education, fund development, community engagement, and team management. She is responsible for contract management and reporting for Ecology Action’s Transportation Team Division. She also provides leadership and oversees implementation for various Ecology Action programs including the Monterey Green Business Program, Used Oil Recycling Program, Bi-Annual Bike to Work Day, and the Employer Transportation Membership Program. Elise earned her M.Ed. in Environmental Education from Western Washington University.

As a Program Specialist in the Community Programs Division of Ecology Action, Emily manages media and communications outreach for Community Programs including multiple electronic newsletters, websites, and social media accounts. She also oversees incentive and encouragement education programs at K-12 schools, works on advocacy campaigns including Friends of the Rail & Trail, and manages the yearly Bike to Work and School events for Ecology Action. Emily earned her M.S. in Community and Regional Development from UC Davis, and her B.S. in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz.

Evan has been with Ecology Action since 2000, and has performed many critical functions for the organization in that time. Currently, he acts as Senior Accounting Administrator and is responsible for performing various accounting and administrative support work to meet the business needs of the organization.

Garvin has been with Ecology Action since 2014. As Engineering Sales Consultant, Garvin uses his understanding of market fundamentals and technical analysis to offer an analysis of no-cost and low-cost energy alternatives for his customers participating in San Mateo County and Silicon Valley Energy Watch programs, and Ecology Action’s Hospitality program. Garvin uses his technical expertise to implement low-cost, no-hassle solutions to dramatically cut energy bills for his customers. Garvin earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies Magna Cum Laude from University of San Francisco.

Greg works to ensure that Ecology Action leads the industry in quality retrofit specification, customer service, and installation standards. To this end, Greg performs in-depth on-site project evaluations, reviews calculators for accuracy, tracks customer and installation issues to resolution, and implements new procedures when necessary. Having reviewed more than one thousand projects, Greg offers an incredible command of efficiency measure specifications and measure codes; utility and regulatory requirements and approval processes; and code compliance. Greg joined Ecology Action in 2009 and has continued to push our QA/QC standards to the highest level.

Heather Henricks is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of Ecology Action’s marketing strategies, marketing communications, and public relations activities. She also oversees the development and implementation of support materials in the service areas of energy, transportation, and water conservation. Heather leverages her expertise in hands-on digital project management, accountable for leading the ‘big idea’ development, execution, and management of innovative, results-oriented, cross-channel digital marketing campaigns.

Heather’s work focuses on community-based natural resource advocacy and research with a focus on drinking water access and watershed management. She is currently the Director of Community Solutions at the Community Water Center’s new Watsonville office, where she connects small, disadvantaged communities with technical and financial resources to address persistent water contamination. Her previous experience has included working as a research consultant for Stanford University focusing on projects related to the environment and education, as well as working for the National Parks Conservation Association as Program Manager and Facilitator of the New River Clean Water Alliance in West Virginia. Heather is a published author of many journal papers on water research topics, and has received numerous awards recognizing her work and leadership. Heather holds a PhD in Environment and Resources from Stanford University, as well as a Masters of Environmental Engineering and Water Resources, and a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from MIT.

Prior to retiring in 2008, Ms. Lopes was the Director of Physical Plant at University of California Santa Cruz. In her role as Director she was responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the facilities including buildings and grounds as well as overall utilities management. She oversaw conservation programs including energy conservation, recycling, integrated pest management, water conservation, “green” cleaning and was instrumental in creating the office of sustainability and overseeing the first campus sustainability assessment in 2007. Before assuming the position of Director of Physical Plant in 2001 she served as Director of Health and Safety at UCSC for ten years.

Before joining UCSC she worked for Santa Cruz County Environmental Health Service as the Program Manager for the Hazardous Materials and Solid Waste programs. In this capacity she implemented the first hazardous materials ordinance for the County, and created the first ongoing household hazardous waste collection center and countywide 24-hour spill response program.

Jack has been with Ecology Action since 2007. As Energy Consultant, he provides energy efficiency field audits and LED lighting specification for medium to large commercial businesses, nonprofits, and government facilities throughout California. Jack earned his B.S. from San Francisco State University.

Jane leads Solutions Design at Ecology Action. Her team designs and develops energy savings solutions for commercial customers and also oversees our strategic partnerships across the supply chain. Jane has spent over 15 years working in the built environment: leading energy efficiency product and program teams; conducting public outreach for transportation infrastructure projects; and marketing in the architecture, engineering, and construction management industries. Prior to Ecology Action, Jane led the Commercial Energy Efficiency Programs at Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) including Core, Third Party Programs, and the Trade Professional Alliance. She was responsible for the commercial portfolio strategy as well as the commercial business plan. Her other roles at PG&E included product and program management on the Residential, Government, and Community Partnership teams. She received her MBA from UC Davis and her BA from Georgetown University.

As IT Manager, Jed is responsible for the management, strategy and execution of IT infrastructure for Ecology Action. He oversees technical projects in alignment with organizational goals, directs the effective delivery of networks, development, and disaster recovery systems and processes. Jed earned his B.S. in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley.

As Director Customer Solutions, Jennifer is responsible for managing Ecology Action’s sales team delivering energy efficiency upgrades to Sacramento Municipal Utilities District customers thru the SMUD Complete Energy Solutions program. Jennifer earned her M.B.A. in Sustainable Energy Management from Marylhurst University.

Jennifer Smith Grubb worked with colleagues to found Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV) as a non-profit, spinning it off from a California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) project in 2004. Jennifer served as the Founding President and Executive Director, and later as Chair of the Board. During her tenure, SSV received the Governor’s Environment and Economic Leadership Award, a Climate All Stars award and the US EPA Environmental Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Jennifer worked with Next 10 and the Los Angeles region to establish the LA Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability, helping government, academic, environmental, labor and community groups build their own climate action network. She has been recognized for her sustainability leadership work by the Multi-State Working Group on Environmental Performance (MSWG), and also by the Pacific Industrial Business Association. Jennifer has participated internationally with the United Nations Environmental Program Best Practices Network. She has served on the Ecology Action Board since 2005.

Jim Murphy leads Ecology Action as Executive Director and CEO, overseeing the implementation and delivery of all of the organization’s programs. Jim has led Ecology Action through extensive and successful growth since 2012, using his ability to hold the long-term vision while also providing immediate practical solutions. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director/CEO, Jim served as Vice President of Energy, a role in which he grew Ecology Action’s energy division contracts to more than $50 million in a single year. Before joining Ecology Action, Jim spent more than 20 years marketing, managing and developing strategic growth products and services for businesses and organizations across California. Jim has also provided management consulting services to energy efficiency, renewable energy and green building businesses.

Jim is best known for marathon meetings, tracking radio tagged venomous snakes at night in the jungles of Costa Rica and spending his limited free time coaching young people in swimming and soccer.

Joe teaches solar and renewable energy courses at San Jose State University and Cabrillo College, and provides green-jobs training (particularly in photovoltaics, or solar electricity) for a variety of corporate and non-profit organizations around the country. Joe has been a space and atmospheric scientist at NASA Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute in Mountain View. He holds a B.A. in Physics from Oberlin College and an M.S. in Computer/Information Sciences from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Joe served as a Public Works Commissioner for the City of Santa Cruz and as a science/math consultant on the Life Lab Science Program curriculum. He also serves as an astronomy/natural sciences teacher and hike leader for the California Academy of Sciences, the Santa Cruz City Museum, local schools, UCSC, and the Lyceum of Santa Clara Valley. Joe is an occasional contributor to the local radio series “Field Notes.” Joe’s passion is positioning Ecology Action for regional leadership in tapping the vast wealth inherent in our own clean, renewable energy resources (such as solar and wind) — which he calls “sky power”.

Joel Kauffman draws on 20 years of experience in sales and marketing to lead Ecology Action’s sales team in continually high program participation rates and performance. He has been working with residential, commercial, government and nonprofit clients on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for over a decade. Prior to joining Ecology Action in 2013, Joel founded Independent Energy Systems, one of California’s top solar companies (now part of Real Goods Energy). Joel is a North American Board Certified Energy Practitioner (NABCEP) and sits on the Board of Directors of the Solar Living Institute.

Joel is best known for family surf sojourns, insane multitasking and his extreme love for all things solar.

As Vice President of Innovation, John designs, directs and manages processes for innovation and strategy development that lead to new growth opportunities for the organization. John has been with Ecology Action since 2008, where he began his career as an Energy Efficiency Specialist.

As Sales Manager for Ecology Action, Josh is responsible for managing a sales team delivering energy efficiency upgrades within SMUD and PG&E programs throughout California.

Josiah Adams leads Ecology Action’s technical team to ensure that the organization’s programs incorporate the latest best practices in program design and calculation of energy savings. Josiah is responsible for tracking codes and regulations and ensuring that the methodologies Ecology Action uses to generate savings calculations are accurate, verifiable, and persistent. He also oversees the identification and analysis of new energy efficient technologies for Ecology Action’s programs. Josiah regularly represents Ecology Action at national conferences and has presented its savings calculation methodology at leading industry symposiums, including ACEEE. Josiah earned his M.B.A. in Energy Sustainability from UC Davis Graduate School, and his B.A. in Environmental Studies from Oberlin College.

Kat is responsible for the coordination and execution of multiple marketing projects across our Energy Division. She collaborates with both internal teams and clients to keep projects on track and moving forward. Kat holds an MBA in Sustainable Business Management from Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco.

As Director of Human Resources, Kathy is responsible for managing the HR functions for Ecology Action, including organizational development, employee relations, employee training and development, compensation and benefits, recruitment, and retention strategies.

Kirsten Liske directs the development, fundraising and implementation of Ecology Action’s community programs. Since joining the organization in 1999, Kirsten has propelled Ecology Action to become the go-to-partner for environmental programs serving communities across California. Prior to joining Ecology Action in 1999, she was a leader in the development of household hazardous waste (HHW) programs across the State of California. Driven by her personal mission to make California’s communities healthier and more sustainable places to live and work, Kirsten is dedicated to creating programs that help communities thrive. Kirsten earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies with Honors from UC Santa Cruz.

Kisha draws upon 14 years of technical sales and client relation experience to lead Ecology Action’s Energy Consulting team to exceptional participation rates in the programs we run for our clients. Before rising to her role as Vice President, Kisha first distinguished herself a successful Energy Efficiency (field) Specialist and then as an exceptional Sales Director. Kisha has contributed to our programs by developing new territories, building client base, increasing sales, attaining and surpassing energy reduction goals, designing and positioning new products, and managing a successful and highly motivated team. Before joining Ecology Action in 2008, Kisha honed her sales management skills at Verizon Wireless and eBid Mortgage. Kisha earned her BS in Business Management in 2007.

Kyle Maxwell brings 20 years of creative development experience to Ecology Action. Hailing originally from San Jose, Kyle studied graphic design at San Jose State University, then dove headfirst into the agency world, building brands for start-ups and Fortune 500 tech companies in Silicon Valley. A deep passion for cycling and snowsports eventually led Kyle build a design company and pursue working with outdoor sports brands, creating campaigns and marketing collateral that better aligned with his own love for adventure and simplified living. In 2014, Kyle consulted with Ecology Action’s marketing team to create a new identity for the organization which led to four years of ongoing work and then ultimately a full-time position leading creative direction on all aspects of program marketing at EA. A recent transplant from “over the hill”, Kyle lives with his family in Scotts Valley and can be frequently seen on two wheels carving turns on backroads and shredding Santa Cruz’s finest trails.

Ms. Heschong was a founding Principal of the Heschong Mahone Group (HMG), VP and Chief Building Scientist at TRC Energy Services, and a licensed architect for 30 years. Ms. Heschong is recognized in the building energy efficiency industry as expert on daylighting, lighting energy use, and human factors in building design. As an energy consultant, she participated in the development of energy efficiency codes and standards in California and at the national level, including helping to pioneer the outdoor lighting codes for California’s Title 24.

As a writer and educator, Ms. Heschong is author of Thermal Delight in Architecture (MIT Press), and a co-author of Residential Windows: A Guide to New Technologies and Energy Performance (WW Norton), along with numerous web and journal publications. She is a frequent invited speaker at international conferences, and has repeatedly served as a conference panel leader for the ACEEE Summer Study. She taught architectural design at UC Berkeley for a number of years, has spent decades educating design professionals on energy efficiency, and most recently taught a Green Building course at UC Santa Cruz.

Ms. Heschong is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and has also served on the Board of Directors of IES, the (window) Attachments Energy Rating Council, and as Chair of the IES Daylight Metrics Committee. Ms. Heschong was awarded her B.Sc. at UC Berkeley, Summa Cum Laude, and her Master of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the AIA Medal. In 2011 she received the Haecker Award for lifetime achievement from the Architectural Research Centers Consortium.

As Executive Assistant, Liz provides support to Jim Murphy, the Executive Team and the Board of Directors. In addition to administrative support, Liz is also responsible for Contracts Administration, and assisting with Ecology Action’s Business Development efforts. Liz has more than 15 years of experience in Executive Administrative and Marketing work.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts from San Jose State University, and has worked in a variety of industries including high tech, financial, architectural and engineering, and natural medicine. Liz spends her free time gardening and designing handmade clothing and costumes.

As Program Manager, Lore is responsible for managing a wide range of operations projects and ensuring that operations deliverables are completed consistently and on time, and that they meet quality standards and the client’s requirements. Lore consistently strives to improve business operations and process efficiency for Ecology Action. Lore earned her MA in Urban Planning with an environmental focus from San Jose State University, and her BA in Horticulture and Botany from Chico State University.

Mahlon Aldridge heads Ecology Action’s strategic road-mapping and product development initiatives. He also leads development of strategic partnerships with top firms from across the energy and finance industries as well as with public agencies and foundations. With Ecology Action since 1993, Mahlon founded Ecology Action’s energy efficiency consulting practice and led the team through its start-up and early rapid growth stages, building to a team of 35 professionals and $6M in revenue per year in three years. Prior to working with Ecology Action, Mahlon ran an independent consulting practice designing and establishing multiple community-based initiatives focusing on ocean protection and solid/hazardous waste reduction. Mahlon earned a BA in Environmental Policy from UC Santa Cruz, and sits on the Board of the California Energy Efficiency Industry Council.

As Accounts Payable Coordinator for Ecology Action, Meggan is indispensable in keeping the office running smoothly, working with the building association leads to help manage Ecology Action’s facilities. She also assists with processing energy rebate and credit card accounting, and takes on a variety of other projects and duties.

As Director Delivery Services, Michelle helps develop and coordinate processes and procedures to promote quality assurance, and oversees regulatory compliance requirements applicable to the Energy Efficiency industry. In her previous role as Senior Program Manager, Michelle provided program and client management for an array of utility programs within Ecology Action’s Energy Division. Offering comprehensive management of all program design, marketing, sales, delivery, and closure, she supervised and prepared budgets and the implementation of energy efficiency upgrades for both commercial and residential customers ranging from small to medium businesses to large industrial.

As Sales Manager for Ecology Action’s Hospitality Program in coordination with PG&E, Mike is responsible for managing Ecology Action’s sales team delivering energy efficiency upgrades to hospitality customers throughout California.

As Senior Technical Support Specialist, Nicholas identifies, analyzes and develops solutions to meet information system requirements, and develops tools for support of desktop systems and users. He is our primary web developer and go-to person for anything technical. Nicholas troubleshoots and problem-solves to ensure that Ecology Actions IT infrastructure is running smoothly.

As Compliance Manager for our Energy Division, Noelle manages energy efficiency client relationships including utility and municipal program partners, she is responsible for financial analysis, monthly reports, and program metrics.

Oren joined Ecology Action in 2010 as an energy efficiency specialist for the Right Lights Plus program in the City of Palo Alto. Since that time he has excelled in the specialty of lighting efficiency retrofits and has provided comprehensive lighting audits, specification and installation oversight services to hundreds of commercial customers. Prior to joining Ecology Action, Oren worked as an energy efficiency consultant for a home performance company in the east San Francisco Bay Area helping residents to make their homes more comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient. Over the years and with continued training he has become the go-to professional within Ecology Action for lighting retrofit projects in the municipal and commercial markets. Before pursuing his career in the energy efficiency field, Oren left his home in Israel and spent several years traveling and living with rural communities around the world. This inspired him to pursue a BA degree in International Development Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Oren also worked in microfinance, successfully promoting an innovative domestic micro-lending program for small businesses, recruiting participation from several micro-credit organizations around the US.

Patrick Testoni has more than 18 years of experience in the implementation of energy efficiency and renewables projects, and brings his leadership in education, research and environmental stewardship. Currently an Energy Manager with the University of California, Santa Cruz, he is responsible for delegating policy authority in the development, interpretation, and implementation of the campus Strategic Energy Program. Patrick has a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences from UCSC, certification from the UC Berkeley Extension Construction Management Program, and has received training from the PG&E Pacific Energy Center. He has been a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), and a Certified Measurement and Verification Professional since 2006, and earned his Energy Management Diploma Certification from NC State University in 2003. Patrick has received five Best Practice Awards from the Green Building Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley.

Pete started his career as an Industrial Engineer after graduating from Penn State University. He moved to California to start the Green MBA program at Dominican University, where he graduated in 2009. While attending school, he put his resource efficiency and analytical skills to use helping to develop business opportunities around recycling for Native American tribes in Northern Nevada and developing a business plan for a waste and recycling transfer station for the La Jolla Indian Reservation. While at Ecology Action, Pete has worked in Zero Waste for multifamily residences and for the tourism industry in the Monterey Bay area as both a program coordinator and an operations analyst. He then worked on the Energy Upgrade California program as an operations analyst, tracking program metrics and expenditures. He currently serves as a Business Operations Analyst, where he builds processes, tracks metrics and forecasts budgets for Ecology Action’s energy efficiency programs.

Piet Canin oversees Ecology Action’s sustainable transportation programs, which emphasize healthy, money saving, and environmentally friendly means of travel. Piet has helped implement several innovative programs at Ecology Action, including Bike to Work Day, the Electric Bike, and Folding Bike Incentive programs. Piet has been active in advancing sustainable transportation programs over the past 30 years. He has extensive experience working with a diversity of partners including schools, businesses, public health, safety, and transportation agencies, community groups and individuals.

Piet has actively advocated for the Coastal Rail Trail since 1998 and leveraged diverse partners to move forward such projects as the Beach Street Bikeway, Arana Gulch and increased funding for the Rail Trail. Piet is a long-time member of the Regional Transportation Commission’s Bike Advisory Committee, FORT Board Member and a Bike Santa Cruz County Lifetime Achievement award recipient.

As Director of Engineering, Richard Ma is an integral member of Ecology Action’s Energy Team. In addition to heading up the Engineering team, Richard has performed robust investment-grade audits for commercial and industrial buildings for our energy efficiency programs since 2013. With over 9 years of experience in energy efficiency, Richard is an expert at developing comprehensive customized measures and calculating savings using eQuest and Bin analysis. A licensed Professional Engineer and a LEED Accredited Professional, Richard earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

As a Channel Manager, Robb leverages his sales expertise to build enduring relationships to clients with diverse size and backgrounds. With characteristic authenticity, he works diligently with distributors and partners to provide them with specific tools to seamlessly complete a multitude of projects.

Sarah is an independent consultant with a distinguished career of more than 30 years of international experience in policy and advocacy within government, the private sector, and philanthropy. Her recent experience includes acting as VP and Center Director for the Center for Policy and Advocacy in Washington DC, and Director for USAID’s Health Policy Project. She also worked for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as Director of the Population Program where she led one of three emblematic grantmaking programs for the foundation. During her long career, she has been active as a development professional in many countries including Haiti, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Yemen. Sarah holds a PhD in Sociology from Brown University, and an MA and BA in Sociology from the University of Tennessee.

Shane draws on 18 years of experience in sales account management, customer service, consulting and training in his role at Ecology Action. As Senior Energy Consultant, Shane is responsible for sales, territory management, account management, and providing energy efficiency solutions to commercial customers throughout California.

As Program Manager for Ecology Action’s Water Division, Sherry manages, plans and implements a suite of programs designed to promote water conservation in Santa Cruz County and throughout California. These programs include WaterLink, Ecology Action’s Greywater and Rainwater programs, and the Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape program. Sherry is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and holds a BA in Environmental Studies, with an Agroecology emphasis.

As Energy Efficiency Consultant, Susie is an integral part of our Energy team, providing energy efficiency field audits and LED lighting specification for medium to large commercial businesses, nonprofits, and government facilities in California. Susie employs technical analysis to offer an analysis of no-cost and low-cost energy alternatives for her customers.

Tracy draws on 17 years of experience encompassing development, operations, strategic planning, communications, fundraising, leadership, and marketing for design firms and nonprofit entities. In her current role as Director Project Office, she works cross-functionally within the organization, coordinating with the internal team, marketing staff, and other managers to increase sales opportunities and maximize revenue for the organization.

As IT Support Manager, Victor is responsible for the coordination of technical and information systems for Ecology Action. He works with staff to resolve technical issues, determines necessary technology advances, and educates employees on the use of software and hardware used in the organization’s day-to-day operations.