Panama Bartholomy
Executive Director
Panama previously was the European Director of the Investor Confidence Project on behalf of the Environmental Defense Fund and has worked for the California Legislature, the California Energy Commission, the California State Architect and California Conservation Corps. He has worked on climate solutions in over 30 countries, and presented at and collaborated on products from the United Nations, the International Energy Agency and the European Commission.
Executive Director
Panama previously was the European Director of the Investor Confidence Project on behalf of the Environmental Defense Fund and has worked for the California Legislature, the California Energy Commission, the California State Architect and California Conservation Corps. He has worked on climate solutions in over 30 countries, and presented at and collaborated on products from the United Nations, the International Energy Agency and the European Commission.
Johanna Partin
Deputy Director
Prior to her appointment as Deputy Director, Ms. Partin was the Founding Director of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance. She is the former North American Regional Director of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and Senior Environmental Policy Advisor to former San Francisco Mayors Gavin Newsom and Edward Lee.
Deputy Director
Prior to her appointment as Deputy Director, Ms. Partin was the Founding Director of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance. She is the former North American Regional Director of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and Senior Environmental Policy Advisor to former San Francisco Mayors Gavin Newsom and Edward Lee.
Lisa Dix
New York Director
Prior to joining the BDC, Ms. Dix served as the Senior Campaign Manager of the Sierra Club’s groundbreaking ‘Beyond Coal,’ campaign, where her leadership was instrumental in ending the use of coal fired power plants in New York State. A longtime and vigorous advocate for renewable energy, Ms. Dix helped launch the state’s Offshore Wind Master Plan, committing New York State to generate 9,000 gigawatts of electricity from wind, the nation’s largest amount of wind generated energy.
New York Director
Prior to joining the BDC, Ms. Dix served as the Senior Campaign Manager of the Sierra Club’s groundbreaking ‘Beyond Coal,’ campaign, where her leadership was instrumental in ending the use of coal fired power plants in New York State. A longtime and vigorous advocate for renewable energy, Ms. Dix helped launch the state’s Offshore Wind Master Plan, committing New York State to generate 9,000 gigawatts of electricity from wind, the nation’s largest amount of wind generated energy.
Jose Torres
California Director
Prior to BDC, Mr. Torres worked as California Environmental Justice Alliance's Energy Equity Program Manager, where he oversaw their energy legislative, regulatory, and implementation work. He also worked at the California Energy Commission’s Office of Governmental Affairs and at both the California State Assembly and Senate. His career in public service started as a California Senate Fellow in the Office of Senator Alex Padilla.
California Director
Prior to BDC, Mr. Torres worked as California Environmental Justice Alliance's Energy Equity Program Manager, where he oversaw their energy legislative, regulatory, and implementation work. He also worked at the California Energy Commission’s Office of Governmental Affairs and at both the California State Assembly and Senate. His career in public service started as a California Senate Fellow in the Office of Senator Alex Padilla.
Luis Amezcua
Senior California Policy & Campaign Manager
Prior to joining BDC, Mr. Amezcua served as a Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in California, where he provided leadership on local and state policies that increased renewable energy development to phase out gas-fired power plants. This work included shepherding projects through the approval and permitting process, while working with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure the projects fostered community benefits. Separately, Mr. Amezcua has served on various boards and public commissions on issues relating to energy, housing, and land use. He currently lives in Los Angeles.
Senior California Policy & Campaign Manager
Prior to joining BDC, Mr. Amezcua served as a Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in California, where he provided leadership on local and state policies that increased renewable energy development to phase out gas-fired power plants. This work included shepherding projects through the approval and permitting process, while working with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure the projects fostered community benefits. Separately, Mr. Amezcua has served on various boards and public commissions on issues relating to energy, housing, and land use. He currently lives in Los Angeles.
Bryce Butler
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Mr. Butler is the former VP of Operations and Business Development for Proposal Lab, a corporate consulting and advisory firm. Prior to his tenure at Proposal Lab, Mr. Butler served as an Administrator for St. Paul's Senior Services and Executive Director with Bridgestone Senior Living. A U.S. Veteran, Mr. Butler served as a Green Beret, U.S. Army Special Forces.
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Mr. Butler is the former VP of Operations and Business Development for Proposal Lab, a corporate consulting and advisory firm. Prior to his tenure at Proposal Lab, Mr. Butler served as an Administrator for St. Paul's Senior Services and Executive Director with Bridgestone Senior Living. A U.S. Veteran, Mr. Butler served as a Green Beret, U.S. Army Special Forces.
Ashleigh Spurgeon
Associate Director of Partnerships
Ashleigh plays a critical role in supporting the Coalition's growth, including the execution of a comprehensive membership and fundraising strategy, engaging and expanding the Coalition's membership base. Ashleigh is passionate about member engagement, ensuring that Coalition members have authentic opportunities for learning, connection and collaboration. Prior to joining the Coalition, Ashleigh was the Manager of Marketing and Member Services for a major energy industry trade organization. In addition to her work with the Coalition, Ashleigh currently serves on the Board of the International PTen Haratoma Tumor Syndrome (PHTS) Foundation.
Associate Director of Partnerships
Ashleigh plays a critical role in supporting the Coalition's growth, including the execution of a comprehensive membership and fundraising strategy, engaging and expanding the Coalition's membership base. Ashleigh is passionate about member engagement, ensuring that Coalition members have authentic opportunities for learning, connection and collaboration. Prior to joining the Coalition, Ashleigh was the Manager of Marketing and Member Services for a major energy industry trade organization. In addition to her work with the Coalition, Ashleigh currently serves on the Board of the International PTen Haratoma Tumor Syndrome (PHTS) Foundation.
Richard Harris
Director of Communications
From 2015-2020, Mr. Harris served as the Strategic Communications Advisor to the Chairman and Senior Leadership of Afghanistan’s Bayat Group, Afghanistan’s largest company, and to Bayat Power, Afghanistan’s largest Energy Exploration, Development and Production Company. Prior to the Bayat Group, Mr. Harris served as Strategic Communications Counsel to Energy, Cleantech, Finance, Technology, and Public Policy Enterprises located in the U.S., EU, MENA, and India.
Director of Communications
From 2015-2020, Mr. Harris served as the Strategic Communications Advisor to the Chairman and Senior Leadership of Afghanistan’s Bayat Group, Afghanistan’s largest company, and to Bayat Power, Afghanistan’s largest Energy Exploration, Development and Production Company. Prior to the Bayat Group, Mr. Harris served as Strategic Communications Counsel to Energy, Cleantech, Finance, Technology, and Public Policy Enterprises located in the U.S., EU, MENA, and India.
Jessica Leader
Director of Strategic Outreach
Prior to joining the BDC, Ms. Leader served as the Corporate Communications Manager for Sunrun, the national leader in home solar and energy services. Prior to Sunrun, Ms. Leader served as the Communications Director for FreeWire Technologies and as the Director of Eco, Wellness and Social Responsibility Partnerships for the HuffPost Partner Studio.
Director of Strategic Outreach
Prior to joining the BDC, Ms. Leader served as the Corporate Communications Manager for Sunrun, the national leader in home solar and energy services. Prior to Sunrun, Ms. Leader served as the Communications Director for FreeWire Technologies and as the Director of Eco, Wellness and Social Responsibility Partnerships for the HuffPost Partner Studio.
Rebecca Rothman
Senior Project Manager for the Switch Is On
Rebecca is a licensed Civil Engineer who began her career working on an assortment of building projects across California. This work led her to Pacific Gas and Electric Company where she spent 6 years working with Gas and Electric Operations and Project Management. There she stood up and lead the statewide enterprise municipal permitting organization, served on the companies Ethics Council, W-STEM Board, and acted as electric operations regional emergency center Logistics Chief for the 2020/2021 Heat, Fire, PSPS & Storm events.
Senior Project Manager for the Switch Is On
Rebecca is a licensed Civil Engineer who began her career working on an assortment of building projects across California. This work led her to Pacific Gas and Electric Company where she spent 6 years working with Gas and Electric Operations and Project Management. There she stood up and lead the statewide enterprise municipal permitting organization, served on the companies Ethics Council, W-STEM Board, and acted as electric operations regional emergency center Logistics Chief for the 2020/2021 Heat, Fire, PSPS & Storm events.
Noah Cordoba
Program Coordinator, Kitchen Electrification
Prior to joining BDC, Noah was a fellow with Easy Bay Community Energy where he supported community energy efficiency. He designed and implemented kitchen electrification programs to expose people to the idea of electric cooking and match them with incentive dollars to help them make the move. Noah has a background in nonprofit communications, fundraising, and environmental psychology. Outside of the electric kitchen, Noah loves traveling to new places, hiking, surfing, and eating a questionable amount of tofu.
Program Coordinator, Kitchen Electrification
Prior to joining BDC, Noah was a fellow with Easy Bay Community Energy where he supported community energy efficiency. He designed and implemented kitchen electrification programs to expose people to the idea of electric cooking and match them with incentive dollars to help them make the move. Noah has a background in nonprofit communications, fundraising, and environmental psychology. Outside of the electric kitchen, Noah loves traveling to new places, hiking, surfing, and eating a questionable amount of tofu.
Kristin George Bagdanov
Senior Research Associate
Kristin is a PhD candidate at University of California, Davis, where she researches the relationship between energy transitions, cultural production, and social movements. She has previously worked for non-profit housing and healthcare organizations that serve vulnerable communities. She is also a published author, an editor, and an educator. She currently lives in Sacramento, CA.
Senior Research Associate
Kristin is a PhD candidate at University of California, Davis, where she researches the relationship between energy transitions, cultural production, and social movements. She has previously worked for non-profit housing and healthcare organizations that serve vulnerable communities. She is also a published author, an editor, and an educator. She currently lives in Sacramento, CA.
Lawrence Garber
Program Associate
Prior to joining BDC, Lawrence worked with the Sustainability Program at the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG). He has served as an environmental science educator in Yosemite National Park, a high school teacher in Austin, Texas, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone and Namibia. He has a Masters in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a BS from the University of Michigan. He currently lives in Irvine, CA.
Program Associate
Prior to joining BDC, Lawrence worked with the Sustainability Program at the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG). He has served as an environmental science educator in Yosemite National Park, a high school teacher in Austin, Texas, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone and Namibia. He has a Masters in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a BS from the University of Michigan. He currently lives in Irvine, CA.