Summit Series Speakers

Welcome

Josh Boone

Josh's Pick

Josh Boone is the founding executive director of Veloz.  Josh has worked in the zero-emissions vehicle field for more than 10 years, bringing the public and private sectors together to advance awareness, understanding and consideration for electric cars.  He creatively brings his policy and technical background to grow engagement across a variety of networks to passionately implement Veloz’s Electric For All mission.

Previously, Josh was the deputy executive director of the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative upon which Veloz was founded.  He led all Veloz development efforts to foster the initial concept, including directing work efforts to give the organization a name, brand, visual identity, philosophy and workplan while also spearheading board development.

Josh holds MS and BS degrees from the University of California, Davis, and has authored several scientific publications.  He and his wife have three children and drive electric.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: WHY ELECTRIC FOR ALL IS KEY TO ACHIEVING THE 2035 GOAL

David Hochschild

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David Hochschild has enjoyed a long career in public service, environmental advocacy and the private sector.  Most recently, he was appointed to the California Energy Commission by Governor Brown in 2013 as the environmental member, and is a boardmember of the Langeloth Foundation.

As Special Assistant to San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, he launched a citywide $100 million initiative to put solar panels on public buildings.  Hochschild co-founded the Vote Solar Initiative, a 60,000-member advocacy organization promoting solar policies.  He worked for Silicon Valley solar company Solaria; as executive director of a national consortium of leading solar manufacturers; and commissioner at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

Hochschild was awarded the Sierra Club’s Trailblazer Award, American Lung Association’s Clean Air Hero Award, and DOE’s Million Solar Roof True Champion Award.  He earned a B.A. degree from Swarthmore College, and Masters of Public Policy degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Patricia Poppe

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Patricia K. Poppe is the Chief Executive Officer of San Francisco-based PG&E Corporation.

Poppe joined PG&E in January 2021 after five years as President and CEO of CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy, where she focused on connecting the utility more closely with its customers and adapting lean operating system principles throughout the business. In her decade-long career with the Michigan company, she also served as Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations, Engineering and Transmission; Vice President of Customer Experience, Rates and Regulation; and Vice President of Customer Operations.

Previously, Poppe served as a Power Plant Director at DTE Energy. Prior to joining DTE Energy, Poppe held a variety of plant management positions in the automotive industry.

Poppe serves on the executive committees for the Edison Electric Institute and the American Gas Association. She is also a member of the Whirlpool Corporation Board of Directors.

Poppe earned a master’s degree in management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University.

Discussion: All the Way Back to the Grid

Maryline Daviaud Lewett

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Maryline leads sales and partnerships in distributed infrastructure and sustainable transportation for Black & Veatch’s Transformative Technologies business. The group has extensive experience in design and engineering, procurement, and construction of electric vehicle charging infrastructure networks, fuel cell vehicle filling station networks, and behind-the-meter energy storage. Maryline has over 20 years in the CleanTech, Life Sciences, and Software industries. Her previous experience includes Management positions in the Electric Vehicles division of Schneider Electric, Akamai Technologies, and TechSoup Global. Maryline holds a BA in Economics from Nantes University, France, and an MBA in Sustainability Management from the Presidio Graduate School, San Francisco.

Tom Ashley

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Tom leads Greenlots policy, regulatory, and government affairs strategy and engagement, with a focus on growing the electric vehicle and electric vehicle charging markets by increasing investment in charging infrastructure. Other priorities include expanding connectivity between electric vehicles and the grid, growing EV equity, and exploring the electric fleet and new mobility future.

Tom has extensive experience in clean energy and transportation policy and planning. Prior to joining Greenlots, he served as the Director of Utility and Regulatory Affairs at PlugShare, where he focused on the policy frameworks necessary for vehicle-grid integration, and has consulted for the Electric Drive Transportation Association. He has also worked for numerous government bodies, including the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Office of Energy and Environmental Industries of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, the Vermont Department of Public Service’s Energy Efficiency Division, and the California Public Utilities Commission. Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts – Fine Arts from the University of Southern California and a Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.

Lisa Arellanes

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Lisa Arellanes is a Senior Manager of e-Mobility Business Development and Partnerships at Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. In her role, Lisa leads a team responsible for business development activities supporting SCE’s Charge Ready Programs, which support the deployment of charging infrastructure for light, medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles throughout SCE’s 50,000 square mile service area. With a planned budget of over $800M, these programs serve the mission of helping California electrify 75% of transportation, which translates to getting 26 million passenger EVs on the road by 2045. With her prior experience in SCE’s Business Customer Division Lisa has over 13 years of experience helping utility customers achieve their energy management and sustainability goals.

Lisa holds a Master’s of Business Administration from Claremont Graduate University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She also proudly serves on the board of META (Making Education the Answer), a nonprofit organization that provides college scholarships and mentorship to Latinx youth from Southern California with the vision of increasing the opportunities for Latinos to become successful business and community leaders. Additionally, she is on the advisory board for LEAD (Latinos for Engagement, Advancement and Development), a nationally recognized employee resource group at SCE.

Munni Krishna

Moderator

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Munni Krishna is the Strategic Partnerships Director for Veloz. She is leading Veloz’s ambitious new strategic phase of revenue growth to realize the full potential of current members, expand Veloz’s membership base and build new relationships and funding partnerships in philanthropy.

Previously, Munni has worked in the electric vehicle industry for a decade, developing partnerships with local government entities, building electric highways throughout California, and most recently in a global business development role for electric vehicle manufacturers. Throughout her career, she has partnered with state entities to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles and access to charging for all Californians.

Munni holds a BA in English Literature from UC Santa Barbara. She is a proud Bay Area resident and has driven electric since 2015.

Scott Briasco

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Mr. Briasco is a 36-year employee of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and currently manages their Electric Transportation and Utility Built Solar programs. He is responsible for overseeing efforts to support the growth of the electric transportation industry and to provide effective, low-cost infrastructure for electric vehicle users in addition to spearheading the development and launch of several highly visible electric transportation projects.   He has served on a number of committees related to the commercialization of electric transportation technologies and is actively involved in regulatory and legislative activities in support of the LADWP’s Electric Transportation Program.  Prior to his tenure of over 30+ years working on electric transportation issues, Mr. Briasco worked as an Air Quality Engineer at LADWP. Mr. Briasco holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Northridge.

Discussion: Jobs! Chargers! And More—Expanding Charging & How Communities Benefit

Nancy Sutley

Moderator

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Nancy Sutley is LADWP’s Senior Assistant General Manager of External and Regulatory Affairs, and the Chief Sustainability Officer. In this role, Ms. Sutley oversees the Department’s customer service operations, energy efficiency and water conservation programs, environmental regulation, public affairs and legislative teams. Over the course of her tenure with the Department, Ms. Sutley has initiated LADWP’s corporate sustainability programs, spearheaded LADWP’s La Kretz Innovation Campus, promoted the electrification of the transportation network and coordinated the Clean Grid LA plan.

Prior to joining LADWP in 2014, Ms. Sutley served as Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Under her leadership, the Council played a central role in shepherding the Obama Administration’s signature environmental projects and was one of the chief architects of President Obama’s 2013 Climate Action Plan.

Ms. Sutley has an extensive background in public service that includes posts as Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment for the City of Los Angeles, Board Member of the Metropolitan Water District, Member of the California State Water Resources Control Board, Energy Advisor for California Governor Gray Davis, Deputy Secretary for Policy and Intergovernmental Relations at the California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Senior Policy Advisor for the US EPA during the Clinton Administration.

Ms. Sutley holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard University.

Evette Ellis

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Evette Ellis is co-founder, and chief workforce officer at Charger Help Inc. Her ten-year career with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps where she served as a career transition specialist has allowed both an internal and external understanding of how to develop workforce alongside of actual work, specifically, Black and LatinX communities. During this time, Evette led teams that placed over 3000 workers in the workforce with salaries ranging from 40K to 100,000K. She has worked with major OEM’s, ensuring clear understanding of their needs to successfully produce ideal candidates qualified for immediate hire.
Evette is an impactful, thought provoking and candid industry expert, championing technology, innovation, and eco-conscious workforce development. She is dedicated to empowering decision-makers to take massive action towards impactful, equitable and lasting change through the lens of workforce development.

Analisa Bevan

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Analisa Bevan is Assistant Division Chief of the Sustainable Transportation and Communities Division at the California Air Resources Board. She oversees the development and implementation of light duty vehicle regulations including the Advanced Clean Cars and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Regulations and the programs and policies that support their implementation. She has been with the Board since 1992. Ms. Bevan holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego.

Hannon Rasool

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Hannon Rasool is the deputy director of the California Energy Commission’s Fuels and Transportation Division.

Rasool, who joined the Energy Commission in July 2020, has more than 10 years of experience in the energy industry in the regulated utility space. He has an extensive background in regulatory affairs and electric vehicle infrastructure. Rasool’s work focused on clean transportation, renewable energy, energy storage, net energy metering, and zero-emission technologies.

Rasool graduated from the University of Iowa in 2002 with a business degree. In 2005, he graduated from the California Western School of Law. Rasool is an active member of the California State Bar. He enjoys backpacking, camping, and spending time with family and friends.

Jonathan Changus

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Jonathan Changus, Director of California Transportation Programs, supports implementation of California statewide ZEV rebate and EV infrastructure programs, including the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project and California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project.  He serves as CSE’s strategic lead and primary liaison to the California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission on transportation issues.  Previously, Jonathan worked for six years at the Northern California Power Agency supporting publicly owned electric utilities develop, implement and report on their customer energy efficiency, distributed generation and electric vehicle charging incentive programs. He also spent more than five years working on promoting clean energy and environmental protection issues in the California State Legislature as policy director for Dr. Sam Blakeslee, who represented the Central Coast in both the Assembly and Senate. Jonathan holds a Master of Public Policy and B.S. in Social Sciences from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Dr. Shelley Francis

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Dr. Francis, a former Medical School Faculty member, is a public health executive, entrepreneur and transportation disruptor. Dr. Francis is a Co-Founder and Principal at EVNoire.  EVNoire’s work focuses on two pillars: E-Mobility Best Practices and E-Mobility Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The EVNoire Team specializes in providing business solutions to enhance electrification strategies for Utilities, Non-Profits, Auto manufacturers, Municipalities, 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.

The EVNoire Team provides opportunities to engage with multi-modal, clean transportation through education and outreach, expanding charging infrastructure, marketing/launches, workplace charging, workforce development and beneficial policies. Dr. Francis and Terry Travis’ vision led to the Co-Founding of the nation’s largest network of diverse EV drivers and enthusiasts, EVHybridNoire, a 501c3 Nonprofit. EVHybridNoire, is a national, award winning, multicultural organization focused on increasing EV adoption and awareness in diverse communities.

DISCUSSION: It’s Not All About Driving Fast—Automakers, Charging and Hydrogen

Alexander Keros

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As the transportation landscape continues to change, Alex Keros, Lead Architect – EV Charging, is helping General Motors improve the electric vehicle consumer experience. In his role, he identifies and facilitates partnerships with key stakeholders such as EV charging companies, utility companies, policymakers and others to find the best solutions. Having joined the team after his role as Smart Cities Chief at Maven, Alex has extensive experience bringing together various stakeholders to create mobility solutions. His unique skill in balancing energy policy, environmental engineering and business strategy has given him an innovative toolbox to tap into to electrify mobility.  Alex earned a B.S. in Natural Resource Management and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

Matt Stover

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Matthew Stover manages the Charging & Energy Services team for Ford Motor Company with responsibility to develop products and solutions which make it easier to embrace ownership of an electrified Ford vehicle and benefit from the additional utility an EV can offer consumers beyond just a mobility solution.   Ford has developed a suite of products and services that leverage the connected capabilities of our EV’s to meet the needs of our retail and fleet customers whether they charge at home, on the go or in a depot.  Additionally, Ford is developing capabilities to integrate our EV’s into the broader energy ecosystem for the benefit of our customers and other stakeholders.

Stover joined Ford after a 25 year career in the financial services industry.

Jan Freimann

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As the Head of Connected E-Mobility, Jan Freimann, leads BMW’s E-Mobility engineering team in North America and the successful rollout of BMW’s smart charging and sustainability projects. Jan brings over a decade of E-Mobility expertise to his work. Previously, Jan served as Innovation Manager E-Mobility for BMW, where he developed the future E-Mobility product portfolio for the company. As a board member of Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), Jan serves in the Executive Committee, representing the vehicle segment. EDTA, promotes battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric drive technologies and infrastructure. Before joining BMW, Jan was a Senior Consultant at P3 Group, where he led several strategic and technical projects for automotive clientele in Germany. An industrial engineer by training, he holds a Diploma from the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein (Germany).

DISCUSSION: Charging Everywhere!

Giovanni Palazzo

Moderator

Giovanni Palazzo is the President & CEO of Electrify America, LLC and President of Electrify Canada. Giovanni is an e-mobility veteran with over 15 years of operational experience. Prior to joining Electrify America, he spent seven years working at Volkswagen AG, most recently serving as the head of e-mobility strategy, leading all relevant e-mobility activities on a global scale. Giovanni also served in several roles related to electric transportation and charging at Mercedes-Benz and Daimler AG. He serves as the vice-chair of the board of directors for Veloz, a California-based non-profit organization committed to driving electric vehicle adoption. He also serves as a commissioner on the 50Ă—50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency.

Mark Pastrone

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Mark Pastrone is COO for SemaConnect, Inc. Mark joined SemaConnect in 2010, just prior to the start of the new mass market EV industry, and led the market launch of SemaConnect’s EV charging solution designed for commercial applications such as multifamily, workplace, retail and hospitality charging services. Today SemaConnect is a leading developer, producer and supplier of networked charging solutions in North America. Prior to SemaConnect, Pastrone worked in the aerospace industry, and led the development of several commercial space ventures at Orbital Sciences Corporation including GeoEye, acquired by DigitalGlobe. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, and a MBA from Harvard Business School.

Laurie Giammona

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Laurie Giammona is Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Giammona leads PG&E’s Customer Care organization as well as Information Technology, Cyber and Corporate Security, Ground Transportation and Aviation. She is also the company’s Chief Privacy Officer.

Giammona is dedicated to improving customer service and satisfaction by putting the needs of PG&E’s customers and communities first.

PG&E’s 23,000 employees serve 16 million people across Northern and Central California. The company has one of the greenest fleets in the utility industry and participated in the development of hybrid-electric bucket trucks. PG&E is committed to electrifying the transportation sector with infrastructure programs that bring EV chargers to customers with light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles across the service area, including sites in disadvantaged communities.

A native of the Bay Area, Giammona joined PG&E in 2012 and previously held executive positions at Comcast and United Airlines.

Cory Bullis

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Cory Bullis is the Senior Public Affairs Specialist, U.S for FLO. Cory has worked extensively on environmental and clean tech policy in multiple states, advising all levels of government and multiple industry associations on progressive climate, EV and EV charging policies, among others. Cory leads FLO’s west coast and national policy work to reduce barriers to and increase consumer confidence in EVs and charging station technology. Cory currently serves as a board member of the EV Charging Association.

Elise Benoit

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Elise Benoit is the Head of Commercial Communications at Enel X – North America, as well as the VP of Marketing for the company’s e-mobility division. She supports advertising and branding for Enel X’s advanced energy services and drives the e-commerce, product marketing and go-to-market strategies for its residential and commercial smart EV charging solutions.

For the past 25 years, Elise has been designing successful business strategies for energy startups and high-growth technology companies including AutoGrid (a predictive analytics and flexibility management platform), ICE Energy (a thermal energy storage startup), Opower (a behavioral energy efficiency platform acquired by Oracle), CivicSolar (an online solar distributor acquired by CED Greentech), Autodesk, and Ask Jeeves.

Elise has an MBA from ESCP Europe, a leading European business school, as well as a master’s degree in Communications and Media Management from the Sorbonne University.

DISCUSSION: Get the Big Trucks on the Electric Road

Alycia Gilde

Moderator

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Alycia Gilde oversees CALSTART’s Clean Fuels and Infrastructure Initiative and is responsible for leading the organization’s efforts to advance infrastructure solutions to enable the adoption of clean transportation technologies. Ms. Gilde oversees a wide portfolio of activities that include spearheading the nation’s largest initiatives to deploy alternative fuel corridors, developing a first-of its-kind incentive program for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission infrastructure, and supporting research and demonstration of zero-emission ecosystems that deploy hydrogen, electric charging and innovative resiliency solutions that promote transportation and community sustainability. Ms. Gilde excels and bringing together diverse and strategic partnerships to drive innovation and change for a clean and healthy environment. CALSTART project experience includes; California Energy Commission’s medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission infrastructure incentive project – EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles, Northeast Clean Freight Corridor Coalition, Northeast Diesel Collaborative, New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) New York Truck – Voucher Incentive Program, High Efficiency Truck Users Forum, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), CARB’s Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s West Coast Collaborative Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Corridor Coalition (WCC-AFFIC), West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative, and Federal Highway Administration’s National Alternative Fuel Corridor Convenings.

 

Since 2003, Ms. Gilde has been working hard to promote clean transporation for clean communities. Prior to CALSTART, Ms. Gilde managed some of the nation’s largest vehicle and freight emission reduction programs including The Port Authority of NY and NJ Regional Truck Replacement Program, the South Bronx Hunts Point Clean Trucks Program, and San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan and Clean Truck Programs. Ms. Gilde graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in Global Environmental Mass Media and served in the United States Peace Corps as an Environment Volunteer and National Gender and Youth Development Coordinator in Ghana, West Africa. In 2017, Ms. Gilde received an Environmental Champion Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and The Responsible 100 CSR Award for Sustainability from City and State NY.

Dan Bowermaster

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Dan Bowermaster is the Senior Program Manager for Electric Transportation at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), an independent non-profit center for public interest energy and environmental research.

EPRI’s electric transportation program provides research critical to the development of technology, infrastructure, and analytics necessary to support the advancement of electric transportation.

Prior to joining EPRI in 2011, Bowermaster worked at Pacific Gas & Electric Company where he led PG&E’s customer-facing Electric and Natural Gas Vehicles team. He joined PG&E in September 2008 as part of the MBA Leadership Program, working in various departments across PG&E.

Bowermaster completed the Wharton-Lauder dual graduate degree program, earning an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an MA in international studies from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he holds a BS in mechanical engineering and a BA in international relations from the University of California, Davis.

Bowermaster and his wife live in San Francisco with their three young kids. He passions include old cars, big dogs, and hiking.

Closing Keynote

Gia Brazil Vacin

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Gia Brazil Vacin serves as the Assistant Deputy Director of ZEV Market Development at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). She focuses on accelerating the ZEV market in pursuit of Governor Newsom’s ZEV targets: 100 percent of all in-state new passenger cars and trucks sales by 2035, all medium and heavy duty vehicles by 2045, with drayage and off-road by 2035 by coordinating state efforts, collaborating with public and private partners to expedite ZEV infrastructure, and identifying opportunities for business engagement and growth. Previously, Gia was an environmental management and strategy consultant helping mission-driven organizations expand their impact. Gia holds a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara.