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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Romy Banks
Director of Operations Prior to joining BDC, Romy was the Chief Operating Officer for the Waters Center for Systems Thinking, a gold standard provider of systems thinking resources worldwide. Prior to Waters Center, Romy worked for a variety of nonprofit organizations where she developed an extensive background in nonprofit operations, financial management, board governance, HR Management, fundraising and event management. |
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Matt Rusteika
Director of Market Transformation Matt comes to the BDC from leading the Buildings Initiative at Acadia Center, a Northeast regional clean energy research and advocacy nonprofit based in Maine. Matt has also worked with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where he helped to integrate electrification into the Mass Save programs for the first time, and was a candidate for public office. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife, two sons, and dog. |
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Amy Rider
Director of Policy Acceleration Prior to BDC, Ms. Rider was a Principal at Archamy Consulting, a sustainability consulting firm. She has held positions with local government agencies, an electric utility, and consulting firms. Her work has focused on advancing building science and optimizing climate action through policy, knowledge sharing, behavior change, and technology implementation. |
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Friday Apaliski
Director of Communications Prior to BDC, Mrs. Apaliski ran her own consulting business Sustainability Concierge helping people update every aspect of their home life toward sustainability. Previous to that she was the head of marketing at the San Francisco Department of the Environment where she worked with multiple sectors to develop measurable campaigns big and small. Before focusing on the environment, she spent eight years in the advertising industry working to help brands reach and engage their desired audiences. |
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Luis Amezcua
Senior California Policy & Campaign Manager Prior to joining BDC, Luis 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, Luis has served on various boards and public commissions on issues relating to energy, housing, and land use. He currently lives in Los Angeles. |
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Robin Tung
California Communications Manager Prior to joining BDC, Robin served as Communications Manager for the Santa Monica Conservancy where she developed and implemented strategic communications for advocacy, fundraising, membership, and programs. She has also taught college-level writing and contributed to contemporary arts publications. She holds a MFA in writing from the Johns Hopkins University and a BA in literature and writing from UC San Diego. She lives in Los Angeles with her daughter. |
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Brian Barnacle
Senior Manager of Strategy and Development Brian is the Coalition’s Senior Manager of Strategy and Development. He focuses on the intersection of technology, policy, and supply chain strategy, working closely with internal teams and industry experts to improve existing initiatives, expand into new markets, and forge new partnerships. Prior to working with the Coalition, Brian managed business development and sales operations at Energy Solutions, an employee-owned clean energy consulting company. |
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Ashleigh Spurgeon
Membership Manager 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. |
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Jasmine Graham
New York Senior Policy and Campaign Manager Prior to joining the BDC, Jasmine served as the Energy Justice Policy Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, where they were responsible for strengthening and advancing the organization's energy policy to ensure a just and equitable clean energy transition in New York. Prior to WE ACT, Jasmine managed New York State's first and largest Community Choice Aggregation at Sustainable Westchester. Jasmine is currently appointed to New York City's Climate Mobilization Advisory Board, which presents implementation recommendations for NYC's landmark building decarbonization legislation, Local Law 97. |
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Andrea Diaz
Communications Associate Andrea grew up in Honduras and Costa Rica surrounded by a family deeply immersed in conservation and the environment. She later spent eight years in Los Angeles, California before moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue a career in Communications. She was previously a Communications Manager at a conservation non-profit focused in Latin America and a Communications Designer at the Mexican Cultural Institute of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC. Andrea enjoys traveling, film photography and petting every dog in the city. |
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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. |
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Kristin George Bagdanov
Manager of Policy Research and Knowledge Sharing Kristin helps build the relational infrastructure for the broader building decarbonization movement. She holds a PhD from University of California, Davis, where she studied the relationship between energy transitions, cultural production, and social movements, and an MFA from Colorado State University. She has previously worked for non-profit housing and healthcare organizations that serve vulnerable communities. She is also a published author and currently lives in Sacramento, CA. |
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Lawrence Garber
Local Government 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. |
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Justin Pearson
Development Associate Justin's professional background spans development, policy communications and international relations. He holds a BS in International Relations and an MS in Government from the University of the West Indies in his native Jamaica, in addition to an MA in Urban & Public Affairs from the University of San Francisco. His approach to climate change is rooted in environmental justice and the importance of local community voices to equitably embrace the future. |
Nicole Schiller
Operations Associate
Prior to joining the BDC, Nicole spent the last several years in the tech startup world working in Human Resources and as an Executive Assistant. She worked most recently at cybersecurity startup Semperis, where her focus was on new hire onboarding and employee experience. Nicole recently earned a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HRCI. She resides in Queens, NY and enjoys spending time with her family, making natural homemade soap, and volunteering at a local animal shelter.
Operations Associate
Prior to joining the BDC, Nicole spent the last several years in the tech startup world working in Human Resources and as an Executive Assistant. She worked most recently at cybersecurity startup Semperis, where her focus was on new hire onboarding and employee experience. Nicole recently earned a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HRCI. She resides in Queens, NY and enjoys spending time with her family, making natural homemade soap, and volunteering at a local animal shelter.
Justin Gundlach
Senior New York Regulatory Policy Manager
Justin was previously a Senior Attorney at NYU Law School's Institute for Policy Integrity, where his research and advocacy covered a range of issues relating to energy transition, including transmission development, distributed energy resources deployment, and gas system decarbonization. His work at BDC focuses on utilities and regulatory policy.
Senior New York Regulatory Policy Manager
Justin was previously a Senior Attorney at NYU Law School's Institute for Policy Integrity, where his research and advocacy covered a range of issues relating to energy transition, including transmission development, distributed energy resources deployment, and gas system decarbonization. His work at BDC focuses on utilities and regulatory policy.
Chef Rachelle Boucher
Culinary Events & Programs
Chef Rachelle Boucher is a celebrated cooking appliance expert and event producer. After years of adventure as a top-tier private chef, Rachelle was recruited into the luxury appliance industry, creating her own position as an influential Culinary Events and Marketing Manager for brands such as Miele, SubZero & Wolf and many others. It was there that she found her calling as a leading advocate for induction cooking and what she calls “today’s super-powered, safe and sustainable electric kitchens”. She has been featured in numerous videos, podcasts and publications including on the front page of the New York Times Food Section, converting legendary food journalist Melissa Clark into an induction cooking fan. When she unplugs, you will likely find her whale watching, hiking and reveling in the wonders of nature in her beloved town of Pacifica, CA.
Culinary Events & Programs
Chef Rachelle Boucher is a celebrated cooking appliance expert and event producer. After years of adventure as a top-tier private chef, Rachelle was recruited into the luxury appliance industry, creating her own position as an influential Culinary Events and Marketing Manager for brands such as Miele, SubZero & Wolf and many others. It was there that she found her calling as a leading advocate for induction cooking and what she calls “today’s super-powered, safe and sustainable electric kitchens”. She has been featured in numerous videos, podcasts and publications including on the front page of the New York Times Food Section, converting legendary food journalist Melissa Clark into an induction cooking fan. When she unplugs, you will likely find her whale watching, hiking and reveling in the wonders of nature in her beloved town of Pacifica, CA.
Nicole Abene
Senior NY Legislative & Regulatory Manager
Before joining BDC, Nicole served as the Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability, where she worked to pass priority legislation, including bills to electrify buildings and school buses. Prior to the Mayor’s Office, Nicole worked as a senior legislative attorney at the New York City Council. At the City Council, Nicole worked on legislation including Local Law 97, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in large buildings, and legislation creating commercial waste zones and advancing waste equity.
Senior NY Legislative & Regulatory Manager
Before joining BDC, Nicole served as the Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability, where she worked to pass priority legislation, including bills to electrify buildings and school buses. Prior to the Mayor’s Office, Nicole worked as a senior legislative attorney at the New York City Council. At the City Council, Nicole worked on legislation including Local Law 97, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in large buildings, and legislation creating commercial waste zones and advancing waste equity.
Shweta Sanjeev
Switch Is On Project Manager
Shweta's professional experience is in the Aerospace industry where she worked as a Power Systems Engineer on Electric Aircraft technologies. Prior to joining BDC, she pivoted her career into Climate, working as a Program Manager for Cool Irvine to support the City of Irvine achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030. Shweta is currently pursuing her Master's in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas. She was born in Bangalore, India and currently lives in Irvine, California.
Switch Is On Project Manager
Shweta's professional experience is in the Aerospace industry where she worked as a Power Systems Engineer on Electric Aircraft technologies. Prior to joining BDC, she pivoted her career into Climate, working as a Program Manager for Cool Irvine to support the City of Irvine achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030. Shweta is currently pursuing her Master's in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas. She was born in Bangalore, India and currently lives in Irvine, California.
Jacqueline Ramirez
California Policy Senior Associate
Prior to joining the BDC, Jacqueline served as Housing California’s Policy Associate, where she engaged in statewide legislation and coalition work around housing instability, homelessness, and intersecting policy areas. Jacqueline is passionate about building collaboration and comprehensive solutions for vulnerable communities. This interest has led her to work on various issues, including health equity, economic development, and resource instability. A Los Angeles native, Jacqueline holds an undergraduate degree in Anthropology with a minor in Global Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and graduate degrees in Public Administration and Social Work from the University of Southern California.
California Policy Senior Associate
Prior to joining the BDC, Jacqueline served as Housing California’s Policy Associate, where she engaged in statewide legislation and coalition work around housing instability, homelessness, and intersecting policy areas. Jacqueline is passionate about building collaboration and comprehensive solutions for vulnerable communities. This interest has led her to work on various issues, including health equity, economic development, and resource instability. A Los Angeles native, Jacqueline holds an undergraduate degree in Anthropology with a minor in Global Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and graduate degrees in Public Administration and Social Work from the University of Southern California.
Ashley Besic
Market Transformation Senior Associate
Ashley comes to the BDC from leading the Net Zero Imperative at ULI, a nonprofit education and research institute that focuses on issues of land use, real estate, and urban development. She got her start as a Sustainability Project Manager at LivCor, a Blackstone Portfolio Company where she was instrumental in laying the foundation for the multifamily firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) department and driving their sustainability programming forward. A Chicago native, she now lives in Texas with her small but growing family.
Market Transformation Senior Associate
Ashley comes to the BDC from leading the Net Zero Imperative at ULI, a nonprofit education and research institute that focuses on issues of land use, real estate, and urban development. She got her start as a Sustainability Project Manager at LivCor, a Blackstone Portfolio Company where she was instrumental in laying the foundation for the multifamily firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) department and driving their sustainability programming forward. A Chicago native, she now lives in Texas with her small but growing family.
Jessica Yap
Kitchen Electrification Events Associate
Jessica's background spans climate change and food security research, landscape design, marketing, and meal prep. She draws from these experiences to cook up events rooted in an ethic of imagination, solidarity, and care. Jessica holds a BA in Earth and Planetary Science from Harvard University. In her free time she enjoys mobile photography and shopping for plants she doesn't have space for.
Kitchen Electrification Events Associate
Jessica's background spans climate change and food security research, landscape design, marketing, and meal prep. She draws from these experiences to cook up events rooted in an ethic of imagination, solidarity, and care. Jessica holds a BA in Earth and Planetary Science from Harvard University. In her free time she enjoys mobile photography and shopping for plants she doesn't have space for.
Daniella Kelley
Program Associate - Switch Is On
Before joining BDC, Daniella served as the Operations Coordinator at Climate Jam Project, where she worked on climate narrative building and communications strategy. Prior to that you could find Daniella at The Climate Reality Project, Community Healing Gardens and Greenpeace. When she isn’t working, Daniella loves taking photos, traveling, vegan cooking and a good book.
Program Associate - Switch Is On
Before joining BDC, Daniella served as the Operations Coordinator at Climate Jam Project, where she worked on climate narrative building and communications strategy. Prior to that you could find Daniella at The Climate Reality Project, Community Healing Gardens and Greenpeace. When she isn’t working, Daniella loves taking photos, traveling, vegan cooking and a good book.