Staff, Board, and Council

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I am proud that Rising Sun connects the relationship of environmental and economic challenges to create solutions otherwise not identified as interrelated.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the fact that working at Rising Sun enables me to be an environmentalist full time without compromising my beliefs, and to be proud of the work I am helping accomplish. I also love that I am part of an evolving organization focused on helping our planet, our community, and our futures.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I started with Rising Sun’s youth program, CYES, for two summers in high school which enables me to understand the importance and positive effects Rising Sun has on its participants. From there, I earned my Environmental Studies degree from San Francisco State University, which provides me with the foundation and drive to combat climate change – something Rising Sun works towards every day. My willingness to adapt, learn, and lead adds an element of flexibility, crucial to reaching organizational goals.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

While not at Rising Sun, you can find me watching my siblings play baseball and softball, camping and hiking with friends, and cooking and gardening with my boyfriend.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

If I could grant the world a wish, I would wish that everyone has easy access to affordable, fresh, and healthy food options and that everyone can learn and understand where their food comes from.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

I am inspired and grateful for the idea that taking time to better yourself is not selfish, it is a way for you to more selfless towards those that need your support.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I love that Rising Sun provides high-paying job opportunities and professional development for youth to conduct water and energy efficiency services in their own communities. Our youth today are the future leaders of tomorrow and this organization allows them to make a significant impact in their communities and the environment. I look forward to spreading awareness of these services and job opportunities to the Latinx and African-American communities.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Climate change and environmental issues affect Communities of Color and low-income communities the most. I love that Rising Sun dedicates to provide equitable access to high efficient energy and water measures and youth development opportunities for those disinvested communities. I love to be part of a team that loves what they do and works hard to make an impact in people’s lives and the environment.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

Becoming the first in my family to go to college and being the only Latina in my graduating class to major in Chemistry at Mills College, I bring resilience and passion to motivate and support Stockton youth in building career pathways. During my college years, I was a student advisor for TRIO Talent Search program where we advocated for college access for first-generation and low-income Oakland youth. In summer 2019, I fell in love with Rising Sun’s mission while working as a Summer Program Manager for the Tracy/Manteca site. Since 2019, I gained experience working in job placement, community outreach, professional development and program management. I am so excited to be back!

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I am not at Rising Sun, I can be found managing the sale and preparation of delicious beef birria and other mexican recipes with my partner and family.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

Dismantle the mass incarceration of Black and Brown bodies AND provide the economical reparations to all Black Americans that they have yet to receive for the immeasurable state-sanctioned racial discrimination they have faced.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.”

–Dolores Huerta

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I appreciate that Rising Sun’s work is equitable, impacting different age groups and people of backgrounds. Our organization has a model that can be recognized in disadvantaged communities to give meaningful jobs, allowing members of the communities to be economically sustainable and gain useful knowledge.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I deeply appreciate the sense of community amongst all staff. Here we are a family of diverse backgrounds, working together to positively impact our communities.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

My experience here is a great model of how Rising Sun provides a chance for employees to grow within the organization. I started off as an outreach intern, became a Summer Outreach Manager and now I’m the Outreach Lead for San Joaquin County.

Also, I am a Stockton native, and since we have a satellite office in Stockton, I’m able to come up with creative ways to outreach to the community I’m from and in which I live.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I’m not at Rising Sun, I’m being a complete “foodie”. I love cooking, baking, binge watching cooking shows, and eating!!!!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

Accessible education to all.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“We rise by lifting others.”

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

The part about Rising Sun’s vision and mission statement that resonates with me the most is the company’s mission to serve disadvantaged and reentry populations and women. I love how this program promotes career opportunities that lead to self sufficiency for lower-income persons. This program provides hope to the hopeless.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the opportunity to learn new resources and utilize these resources in a way that will remove barriers for our students and help them obtain their goals. In other words, I like being able to help people every day within my own community.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have a strong background in barrier removal and career and employment development. I specialize in career services and have a vast knowledge of resources in multiple counties.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I am not at Rising Sun, you can find me at home spending time with my family.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I would wish that everyone gets to experience genuine, unconditional, non-contingent love.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

Darwinian adaptation theory, also known as survival theory or survival of the fittest: those who can adapt will survive.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun aims to build career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience through providing job opportunities for underserved communities, including low-income youths. As someone who has spent the majority of their professional career in youth development and workforce development, this resonates on many levels. I value providing underserved young people the professional experiences and training that they face barriers to accessing because access is a key part of equity. As a social enterprise that focuses on climate resilience, Rising Sun is also a privilege to work at because of its social justice driven enterprise.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

The people and the culture! I love how collaborative all of the meetings I have been in are. Everyone is very comfortable working from the same databases and platforms. Everyone is very communicative with one another about projects and expectations, and there are multiple touch points for checking in on one another’s progress and needs. I love how much enthusiasm and support there is when someone joins or is promoted, and I feel like Rising Sun represents a very healthy work environment.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have experience in coaching, management, and facilitation that can be helpful for my role. I have been trained through best practices from the International Coaching Federation and have attended trainings on appreciative inquiry, which can support me in building relationships and trust with my staff and team. I have experience managing folks directly and being a dotted line manager for team members in the past, and can navigate being both a source of support and accountability for my reports. I am a Senior Certified Trainer with the California School-Age Consortium and have often led meetings for our national program team at my last agency, and am very comfortable with facilitating trainings and meetings.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I’m not at Rising Sun, you can find me up well before the crack of dawn for sunrise photography at Battery Spencer, driving 30 minutes to a trendy new boba cafe, or constantly refreshing my tennisrecord.com profile to see if my dynamic rating as a tennis player went up. What all of that means is I love doing photography, drinking boba, and playing tennis outside of work!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I’m very tempted to say I’d wish for three more wishes, but that’s a tired cop-out. If I had to choose one, it would be to give everyone the ability to see possible futures. I think inaction often comes from not understanding the consequences of slow burn disasters like climate change. Being able to see both what the world would look like down the road if we did nothing and if we did what was necessary might inspire greater urgency. 

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

This was my quote in high school, and it hasn’t changed. “Yesterday’s history, tomorrow’s a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”

–Kung Fu Panda

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I love that we work at the intersection of social justice and the environment. I think these are the two most pressing issues of our time, and our programs address them in tandem.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Working with a supportive, collaborative and highly capable team of people who are all personally committed to our mission.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

With 20 years of experience working in nonprofits, I’ve done a bit of everything, but my specialties include writing and communications, strategy, program development, program evaluation, and partnership development, with a side of policy, facilitation, and event planning, Prior to working here I spent 12 years working in the world of food systems for the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, where I developed programs to support local farmers, teach young people to grow their own food, empower the next generation of healthy eaters, and deepen people’s understanding of how food relates to equity, environment, and the economy, I also did a lot of grant writing, which brought me to this work at Rising Sun.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Gardening, cooking, hiking, biking, dancing, creating mosaics with stained glass, practicing Spanish as a volunteer with La Colectiva, and honing my newfound skills as a community mediator.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

That everyone’s basic needs be met. This is a prerequisite for tackling our next challenges as a civilization — learning to respect one another, to create laws that truly serve the people, and to be good stewards of our planet.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“Work is love made visible.”

–Kahlil Gibran

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I love Rising Sun’s emphasis on economic equity as a key part of achieving climate resilience and climate justice. It is precisely these principles that are at the heart of achieving lasting sustainability. I believe that empowering communities that are at the forefront of climate change is a crucial step in ensuring an equitable and just transition to a sustainable future.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love working with passionate people that champion climate justice and equity which are values that align with my own. I also love working closely with other community based organizations and community members.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

As a recent college graduate, I have a strong background in environmental justice through participating in international research projects focused on water equity. Through these experiences, I have gained some exposure to community engagement and outreach. I also worked as a server and bartender through college, which sharpened my customer service skills and my ability to talk to people in my community.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I am not at Rising Sun you can find me urban foraging, enjoying a meal with friends, and going on hikes.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

My wish for the world is for everyone to be able to have a warm meal and people to share it with.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

When you do anything ask yourself is this feeding your soul or your ego? Feed your soul not your ego.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun’s mission to address inequities and to take action to help people and all communities is what resonates with me. Being a program alum, I’ve seen firsthand how impactful our work truly is.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the work culture at Rising Sun. We all come from different backgrounds yet we are able to work collaboratively towards the same goal, and empower each other along the way.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have been in and out of the Climate Careers program since 2017. I was an Outreach Associate, Site Program Manager and now sit on the Admin/Ops team. Through my various roles, I’ve learned many valuable skills that can be applied as I work with cross functional teams and departments.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

I am probably at home binge watching shows/movies!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

Equality and world peace.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

Say yes, then figure it out later.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun’s commitment to equity and climate resilience for all communities in the Bay Area and San Joaquin County is what resonates with me. I am committed to working alongside all of our staff to be part of the programs and initiatives that link back to the broader mission and vision of the organization.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the people and staff and how welcoming and gracious they are. I love how we all come from different backgrounds and experiences and we draw from that to make a dynamic team. I believe it only enhances our organization and strengthens it.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have previously worked at a college access nonprofit, working with youth gain information and build their pathway to higher education. For the past five years, I have worked at SF State University where I connected youth to community opportunities and civic engagement initiatives. I love connecting all stakeholders to resources and talk about how each can benefit from each other.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

I am outdoors! I love hiking, picnics, exploring new food. When we are able to again, I would love to travel and see the world. I love getting to know new cultures and meeting new people.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I wish collective healing in the various trauma and/or challenges we’re going through.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”

–Don Miguel Ruiz (author of book “The Four Agreements”)

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I have worked with other pre-apprentice programs and I just felt that Rising Sun was sincere in what they were offering. Just in the short time I’ve been here, all of my expectations have been achieved.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

The students; seeing them come in and, when they finish, achieve what they went after.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I worked 30+ years in the field, first as a carpenter and then as a Surveyor, and it was all on the job training. I did not do well in college because I hated it, but I was able to make a great living and raise my son alone. With a very good retirement package, now I can give back.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

I’m bowling or hanging out with my granddaughter—and I read a lot, mostly mysteries.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

To not have any hungry or abused children in the world.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.”

–Author Unknown

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I admire the way that Rising Sun approaches climate justice and workforce development. Rising Sun’s approach to this is multimodal as it integrates well-paying jobs for youth, professional development opportunities, and a social enterprise model that aims to address barriers across the communities we serve.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the people! From my first day here I was met with a team that is dedicated to serving others, empowering youth, and ensuring a just transition towards the clean economy.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

My work spans a wide range of experiences and skill sets. I have worked in outdoor education and youth leadership as a backpacking instructor for underserved youth teaching English, poetry, and outdoor skills; workforce development across the Greater Sacramento region’s major industry clusters; and did work on regional economic development strategies under the California Jobs First program (formerly CERF). I have a background in research (both qualitative and quantitative), policy, and regional strategy development.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I am not at Rising Sun, you can catch me powerlifting at my local gym, backpacking through the Sierra Nevadas, or touring the best local restaurants around me.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I would wish for there to be no more greed. Unfettered greed and our society’s history of rewarding it has exacerbated many of the problems we face today. If we could all come together under a collective understanding of how we can help each other out as a community, we could tackle many of the issues that we face with much more ease.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“We must dare to invent the future.”

–Thomas Sankara

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

The dedication to equity and economic advancement for people who experience barriers to access is super important to me and a major reason why I decided to join the Rising Sun team.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love that everyone I work with is committed to the Rising Sun mission and that we are a very diverse group of people with different backgrounds and experiences.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I think my skills in contracts will help alleviate some of the administrative burden on those working directly with participants so that they can focus their energy on providing the best direct service programs.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Traveling the world, listening to some live music, enjoying the great outdoors.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I’d grant the wish for world peace.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

What resonates with me most is Rising Sun’s dedication to achieving equity and climate resilience for the communities in the Bay Area and San Joaquin County. I am inspired by my fellow co-workers and am committed to working and learning alongside them to achieve these goals. 

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love how the culture here is truly one that prioritizes a supportive and collaborative working environment. Everyone is so passionate about their work and the mission of the organization which makes every day, even the hard ones, fulfilling. 

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

For the past five years, I have worked as an experienced Program Manager for environmentally-centered nonprofit organizations whose missions were focused on providing equal access to no-cost, high-quality, and engaging programs for youth. I began my career as an educator and whole-heartledly believe that access to information and resources should always be non-negotiable. I am excited to bring my passions for youth development and using education as a means to fight climate change to Rising Sun! 

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I am not at Rising Sun you can find me spending time with my partner and pup Franklin, trying new restaurants, bird watching, or catching up on all my favorite shows. 

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

My wish for the world would be to rectify the wrongs that have been done to the environment, indigenous communities, communities of color, and to achieve a genuine level of love, peace, and happiness for all.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

–The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

When I tell people about the work that Rising Sun does – how we provide job training for individuals with barriers to employment; about our mission at the intersection of economic equity and climate resilience; how we specialize in serving women, youth, and individuals in reentry – the response is almost always, “Oh, so you’re doing EXACTLY the work that needs to be done right now.” And I have to agree with them. The most pressing issue of our time, in my opinion, is climate change – but that conversation is meaningless unless your solutions start with climate justice. At Rising Sun, we start with workforce development because we need accessible, high-road, equitable career pathways in an economy that will be dominated by our changed climate, and because workers can help drive a just transition to a clean economy.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

It’s a privilege to come here each day and do something that I love and care about, and to contribute to work that matters. For me personally, it’s crucial that I do something in my professional life to help mitigate the effects of climate change, and I’m equally concerned with economic, gender, and racial equity – and our work focuses on that, as well. There’s also a lot of intentionality built into the work we do and how we do it – that really resonates with me. And it’s FUN to work here! Rising Sun gives me a chance to learn and grow every day, and working here has changed what I pay attention to and what I see in the world.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

Over the past fifteen years, I’ve worked across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, focusing on workforce and economic development, energy, and environmental justice. Through the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs program, I worked in a union, in state electoral politics, at a green home developer, and in county government. I’ve held positions in healthcare IT consulting and project management, regional economic development, and at a gas and electric utility. Right before Rising Sun, I developed the nation’s first utility-funded healthy homes and weatherization program for low-income families in Connecticut. I love strategy, new program development and improvement, policy, development, and cross-sector collaboration.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I’m not at Rising Sun, I’m playing with my family – my husband, my daughter, and our pug. I love cooking and eating, reading, watching good TV, being outside, and traveling.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I’d wish for everyone to have the opportunity to be the best version of themselves.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“My authenticity is my rebellion.”

–Viola Davis

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun’s mission and vision of bringing climate resilience and economic equity to communities most impacted by climate change and systematic oppression resonates with my values and vision for Oakland and the entire Bay Area. 

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love working at Rising Sun because I love working with people who are passionate and extremely supportive. It is enriching to work alongside people who share the same visions for our communities and are constantly working towards a more equitable and climate-resilient Bay Area. 

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have many years of experience doing outreach in hard-to-reach communities in Alameda County. Having a presence in the community allows me to share the knowledge I acquired from my climate change and sustainability degree with community members who haven’t been included in those conversations before. In addition, as a bilingual person, I am proud to be a resource for both English and Spanish speakers. 

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I’m not at work, I enjoy hiking the beautiful trails in the Bay Area, eating amazing local food,  exploring new hobbies, and spending time with my family. 

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

If I could grant the world a wish, I would make borders disappear so everyone can travel freely.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

“We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are put on the earth for.”

–Dolores Huerta

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

What really resonates with me about Rising Sun’s mission and vision is how it not only serves communities, but how it is the community. Specifically related to my work with Climate Careers Bay Area, Rising Sun isn’t some group of external actors that help communities with energy efficiency, but rather employs members within the community to serve each other. I think that this is incredible because these programs not only provide a service for its recipients, but help communities become more resilient and self-sufficient by empowering communities with jobs and professional development.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love working at Rising Sun because of the passion of the people I work with, day in and day out. Everyone really cares about the mission and values of Rising Sun, and everyone really believes in what we are doing. In turn, I love the scale of Rising Sun’s work. Working at the community level is incredible because I get to feel and witness the impact that we are making on people’s lives. I feel very grateful to be at a place where I feel truly excited about the work I am doing.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I think my strongest skill that I bring to Rising Sun is my adaptability. While I am a recent college grad with a degree in Environmental Studies and have experience working with community-based environmental non-profits, I have done a plethora of other things, all of which have allowed me to work with diverse groups of people and gain different skills from each of these different jobs. I have worked in journalism, with a team of conservation researchers in French Polynesia, at a television network, and I even worked a harvest season at a winery! Though a little all over the place, this background has allowed me to interact and work on teams with so many types of people, developing strengths that I get to use every day at Rising Sun, especially in my outreach within communities in the Bay Area.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Like my work experience, I do a little bit of everything! I have several hobbies that I am really passionate about, and my biggest challenge is finding hours in the day to do them all! As a former collegiate cross country and track runner, I still love to run, albeit a bit slower than I did in my heyday. I also love music. I play the drums and guitar, and have played in bands my whole life. Hailing from Santa Monica, California, I am also an avid surfer and skateboarder. Oh, and I love to rock climb! There’s always more that I want to jump into, but my plate is currently feeling pretty full!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

Something that I have really grown to appreciate through college and now living in San Francisco is access to green spaces. I really value green spaces as a way to democratize access to the outdoors and as important focal points for developing strong, healthy, and interactive communities. So, if I could grant the world a wish, it would be for everyone to have access to green spaces!

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

Not a quote, but something that inspires me is always striving to keep an open mind. I feel that as people get older they often become more and more shrouded in their beliefs and convictions, and therefore stagnate and shut out opportunities to learn new things. I strive, especially as I get older, to always find ways to challenge my knowledge and beliefs and to always be seeking new ways to look at and conceptualize things. This not only goes for my career and professional life, but something I want to maintain in my personal life and my hobbies. The more we can keep our door open for new ideas, the more we can learn about our world!

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I am a big believer in the idea that great jobs with strong pay and pathways to career growth make for a better quality of life, and that these types of jobs should be available to everyone. Rising Sun’s focus on workforce development in the green economy is so important and gives folks opportunities to address the pressing issues of climate change that impact all of us.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Rising Sun’s staff make it an amazing place to work. My colleagues are fiercely dedicated to their work, compassionate, funny, and inspiring! It’s a true environment of growth and support, and is reflected so well in experiences of our Climate Careers and Opportunity Build participants. 

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I previously worked for many years as a program manager at a Bay Area art college, collaborating closely with educators, students, administrators, and artists, on all kinds of creative programs and projects. I’ve also worked in production, sales, and retail in the natural wine industry, doing everything from leading wine tastings to sorting grapes by hand before pressing them into oak barrels. I enjoy both the customer service facing and administrative systems aspects of my work, especially when those two halves meet and I can best support successful program operations. 

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

You can probably find me hiking on trails in the Bay Area or in the Sierra, cooking with friends and family, or taking a beach walk with my dog. I also love a good game of Yahtzee!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I would wish to live in a world where everyone has access to good paying jobs that they like (or love), and still have free time to spend with family and friends or explore other passions and interests outside of work.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

“Anyone fighting for freedom does not want to totally lose their freedom.”

–Ai Weiwei

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I like the idea of our work being a vehicle that empowers others to achieve stability for themselves and their community.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

The work I do at Rising Sun allows me to effect change and be an activist.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I believe that my understanding of those we serve is valuable, as well as my ability to communicate our mission and vision in the community.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

I’m into healthy living so I’m usually lifting weights or outside working in my garden.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

End racism, classism, and all of the negative attitudes that some people display towards those that are different.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

Never give up and stay strong!

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

My education and passion center around environmental justice, so I value Rising Sun’s focus on workforce development, first, and on climate change, second. I love that we create climate resilience by preparing young people and people with barriers to employment to be successful in both the economy of the present and the clean economy of the future.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love that my first job out of college is with an organization working on the most pressing and important issues of our time (and doing so with such an intentional and value-oriented approach). I also appreciate how welcoming, smart, passionate, and caring all of my coworkers are.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

Before Rising Sun, I worked for a solar co-op in North Philadelphia similarly focused on promoting a just transition and workforce development in the clean economy. I have also led a large project to transform my college’s town center into a more environmentally-friendly and economically-viable space. Beyond my environmental expertise, I bring plenty of customer service, outreach, and education experience as a former summer camp director.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Outside of work, you can find me playing basketball and golf, hiking, cooking, or cuddling with my dog. I also love trivia and board games!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I would love to see a world with the political will to inspire meaningful and just climate action in the next 10 years.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

In high school, I joined JYCA, a youth group with a philosophy centered around the Hebrew principle of “tikkun olam” or repairing the world. My experience with JYCA and tikkun olam inspired me to pursue a career at the intersections of environmental work and social justice, and I even have the phrase tattooed on my left arm.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I love how Rising Sun’s mission is directly addressing the intersectionality of climate, equity, and workforce through building green, equitable career pathways for underserved communities. Low-income and underrepresented communities often bear the brunt of climate change, and supporting them in this time of uncertainty will not only propel us to meet climate goals, but change their lives for the better as well. We need a just transition to a climate resilient future—and Rising Sun is providing an avenue for that.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I appreciate the willingness and eagerness of my coworkers to champion the mission of Rising Sun. Seeing all of these passionate and knowledgeable change agents who I get to work with daily is inspiring. I am grateful I get to come to work every day excited to work and knowing I am helping make a difference—I feel very fortunate to be here!

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have a strong educational background in social sustainability; urban and environmental policy and planning; and community development with my 5+ years of higher education. I possess skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, professional report writing, and technological tools like ArcGIS and Stata. I bring my curiosity, drive, and passion for social sustainability work to Rising Sun, and I hope my experience can make a difference for the people and communities in the Bay Area!

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Anything food related or outdoors! I love to cook, peruse farmers markets, find new restaurants and bars, hike, sightsee—you name it! I also love to garden with my father back in Concord. He has about 10 fruit trees plus four raised garden beds, so I always get the freshest produce.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

This can be a very philosophical question but I want to have fun with it! If I could grant the world a wish I would want everyone to be able to take their dream vacation for however long they want, and completely free of charge! 

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn.”

–Anthony Bourdain

It reminds me to keep asking questions, be curious, and be open to learning new things from new people! We can learn so much from each other, and we’ve only scratched the surface.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I value that Rising Sun helps build opportunities for people living in challenging communities. I also admire how actively Rising Sun works to adhere to its mission and vision.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I can truly say coming to work feels like I’m working with my family. The culture of a safe space and friendly people makes my work very exciting every day.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and am currently continuing my education to obtain a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at California State University Stanislaus. I came to Rising Sun with over 10 years of experience working in the non-profit sector, catered to youth intervention programs.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

I enjoy spending my free time traveling, with family, and cheering on my favorite sports teams. Go Chargers and Warriors!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

I wish the world could provide endless employment opportunities to everyone and anyone that wants to work!

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

When you think positive good things happen.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I love the environmental impact that we have by spreading energy efficiency and teaching youth participants and clients to be more sustainable. I also love the dual environmental/job training mission of Rising Sun, which draws far more people to our organization with many different backgrounds for a wide variety of reasons.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Everyone is treated with equal respect in our organization because everyone knows that the mission cannot be accomplished without each person’s piece of the puzzle. It feels so good to hear how Rising Sun’s work has changed a participant’s life and that I had a part in that.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

As the data manager, I bring a background of working with various databases, spreadsheets ,and other forms of organizing information. I also have experience working with a lot of big personalities successfully by bringing a calm presence, which has proven to be very helpful while managing inventory, logistics, and data requests from inside and outside the organization

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Climbing with my friends right by the Rising Sun office! I also love playing golf, tennis, and trivia.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

Making high-quality education universal for all people because it would enable us to solve many other problems.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“This is what a feminist looks like.”

–Barack Obama

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I love how Rising Sun offers opportunities in residential sustainability and career advancement for individuals from low income and/or disadvantaged communities to spread awareness of climate resilience in the greater Bay Area.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I appreciate how all staff truly care for one another in working together to accomplish the same goal for our community and planet. Everyone is super friendly, self-driven, and I love having my colleagues’ fur babies around the office.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I began working for my university’s not-for-profit organization to provide opportunities in strengthening students’ interpersonal relationships. I obtained my degree in Business Marketing and shortly started as a Program Assistant for our Climate Careers program. Therefore, I was able to contribute my knowledge in broadcasting Rising Sun’s brand awareness to the Asian American community.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

You can find me at a boba shop, eating with my friends/family, cooking and baking new recipes, and attending concerts.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

To find a cure for cancer.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”

–Mulan

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun’s mission for economic equity resonates with me the most as a reminder that most of us are in the fight to not only help ourselves during the climate crisis, but also look out for one another.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love working with Rising Sun because of the variety of different faces that come with their own stories to tell and different life experiences. At the same time, Rising Sun helped cultivate my personal and professional skills.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

Coming from a military charter school out of Oakland inspired many of my career experiences in leadership, management, and mentorship. After the pandemic, I became a PE coach for grades 1-8. I believe this is one experience that showed me how to become a role model and mentor for youth. At the same time, joining Climate Careers (then CYES) taught me how to articulate for myself, my peers, and community when faced with universal challenges.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

When I’m not a Rising Sun, you can find me spending time with my family, riding motorcycles, and drinking good coffee. I also aspire to travel the world!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

My one wish for the world would be financial freedom for everyone.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

I never live day to day on singular quote, but two these two always get me out of bed every morning

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

–Charlie Chaplin

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing.”

–Edmund Burke

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I’ve always found the possibility of linking climate solutions with equity impacts to be one of the most hopeful and inspiring parts of the green transition that needs to happen over the next decade. Rising Sun’s work at the intersection of economic justice and sustainability gives me the chance to be a part of that work and see firsthand how to excel at on-the-ground implementation of climate-oriented workforce development.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

The truly genuine, supportive, and passionate work environment! Everyone on staff is so kind and so driven. It’s great to be working with people who care so much and it really reflects in the programs Rising Sun offers and the deep, life-changing experiences participants share.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

Having worked a variety of jobs before joining Rising Sun, I feel I offer a great balance of marketing and communications expertise with deep sustainability knowledge. As a Climate Corps Fellow working on zero-waste programs at the City of San Rafael, I learned a lot about the opportunities and challenges facing Bay Area jurisdictions in their steps towards a green economic transition. Working with the development and communications team, I hope to use that knowledge coupled with experience gained from previous design, marketing, and community engagement jobs to help Rising Sun get the attention and funding it needs to become a prominent resource and force in California’s development of equity-centered climate justice work.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Outside of work, you can find me at kickboxing training, visiting an art museum, grabbing boba and ice cream on Clement Street, or curled up on my couch with a book. I also love talking to people about films and sustainable urban design while taking a stroll through the park!

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

That climate justice be centered in all sustainable initiatives being launched over the next decade! And that we can actually keep warming below 1.5°C.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

Reading Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si: On the Care of Our Common Home while at university had a huge impact on me, especially given what for me at the time was the eye-opening way he wrote about the fundamental shift that needs to happen in how we value people and the planet on an economic and systematic level. Our governing structures centering dignity, love, and the flourishing of human beings within a healthy natural environment is what I want to dedicate my life to working towards.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I’m drawn to Rising Sun’s mission and vision as showcased on the website, which clearly conveys the organization’s hunger and ambition to make a sustainable positive impact on the individuals and communities of the Bay Area. What resonates with me is our commitment to supporting individuals as they embark on their careers, a testament to our dedication to fostering personal and professional growth. Rising Sun’s emphasis on community welfare and empowering individuals in their career beginnings is not only inspiring, but also reflects a genuine commitment to creating lasting positive change.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the subsistence of the work as the Program Associate of the Opportunity Build program. I have the privilege of being able to get to know the program participants and to witness their progression towards a high road career. Being this close to the impact of the work that Rising Sun is doing is what I look forward to every day!

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

My background is in public policy and public affairs with an emphasis on racial economic equity. I bring the perspective of a born and raised South Berkeley resident who is also an alumni fellow of the Public Policy and Internal Affairs Program and the Coro Public Affairs program which has given me the opportunity to work on education, housing, labor and food security issues at local city and state levels. 

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

You can find me in Berkeley! I worked in the Berkeley restaurant ecosystem before Rising Sun so you can find me enjoying fried cheese grits at Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen or Thai brunch at the Thai Temple on Sunday.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

The wish I wish I would grant is for everyone to have an opportunity at high quality education and for educators to be paid more!

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

“If it is to be, then it is up to me.”

–Stetson Mitchell

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

We all have a duty to help each other. Some people need support in finding an equitable job and everyone needs a safe and sustainable place to live. It is wonderful to be a part of an organization that works to support both.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

It was abundantly clear from the first day that everyone cares. They care about the mission, about the organization, about the participants, about each other.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I am grateful to have spent nearly a decade in New York City working in Development at a large homeless services organization, specifically I focused on securing private and public funding for their workforce development department. I’ve been able to spend time with program participants to understand their needs and the impact that others’ support can have on their lives.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Dragging friends on unexpected excursions! I love exploring places and having new experiences, whether that be trying a restaurant in my neighborhood, taking a weekend trip to go camping, or immersing myself in a totally different culture across the globe.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

For everyone to feel that they bring value to the world.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“Changing the big picture takes time…and the best things to do is focus on the things that we can make in our lives if we’re doing all that. That becomes the collage of real change.”

–Michelle Obama

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I appreciate Rising Sun’s commitment to its work at the intersection of multiple landscapes: workforce development, environmental justice, and equity. Rising Sun truly finds the nuance in these intersections and works toward creating positive change within it.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the sense of community, the transparency, and the commitment to the mission.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I bring a decade of experience in the nonprofit space. The bulk of my experience is in nonprofit development (including grant management, program development, and strategy) and the environmental justice movement (with a particular emphasis in policy advocacy and research). I have also combined my background in social work and public health to better understand the structural and systemic dynamics that impact communities of color. I am so excited to have found Rising Sun, a place where I can fully integrate my nonprofit development skills with my passion for environmental justice.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

I love spending my spare time outdoors with my kids, partner, and chocolate lab. We love exploring all that the Bay has to offer. Whenever I get the chance, you can also find me off on a run or curled up with a good book and getting in some solo time.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

The capacity for more empathy.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

Dale tiempo al tiempo.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun’s commitment to serving underrepresented communities really resonates with me. Coming from a minority background myself, I know first hand how organizations like Rising Sun can make a world of difference in a person’s life. 

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

What I love about working at Rising Sun is the support and resources that they provide for staff and participants that make it incredibly easy to keep learning and developing not only as individuals, but also as a community. 

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have been involved in nonprofit work since 2015, when I worked with the RYSE Youth Center to secure funding for preventative services for youth in Richmond. This work was able to continue through my participation in the Climate Careers program at Rising Sun where I had the chance to work my way up from an Energy Specialist Driver to Regional Manager. Before that, I was doing case management to help families receive subsidized child care to improve their quality of life. All this work has been informed by my lived experiences as a first generation immigrant and my degree in political science and minor in Chicano Studies. 

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

In my free time I enjoy trying new things. This can be anything from traveling to a new country to trying new food or getting a new hobby. I like going on adventures no matter what shape they take! 

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

My wish for the world would be for everyone to have all their basic needs met and get the resources they need to thrive in life. 

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

“You should enjoy the little detours to the fullest. Because that’s where you’ll find the things more important than what you want.”

–Ging Freecss

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I appreciate that Rising Sun is at the intersection of building economic equity through high-road careers, while also addressing environmental justice and climate resiliency. I believe this work is critical for this moment.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Being part of an organization that successfully places people in careers that allow them to remain in the Bay Area and sustain a family is incredibly meaningful to me. Plus all the staff are so dedicated and committed to this work.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I bring a passion for building and sustaining relationships, an eye for program design, and a love for creative facilitation, training and curriculum development. With a curvy career path, I’ve had the opportunity to work for nonprofits, schools, and even helped start up a restaurant. Before joining Rising Sun I served as the Associate Director of the Mayor’s Youth Employment & Education Program and founded a business teaching service providers tools to support their healing and wholeness through the power of plants.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

You can find me baking muffins with my daughters, walking under the redwoods or crafting a healing herbal potion to share with my community.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

To alleviate poverty and for folks to have access to a job that is meaningful to them.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“The only thing constant in the world is change, that’s why today I take life as it comes.”

–India Arie

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I was originally drawn to the sustainability and climate resilience aspect of Rising Sun. After learning how deeply social justice is integrated into environmental issues, I am proud that the work I do addresses both.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love the environment (work and planet)! I appreciate that I get to collaborate on several projects, but that I am also given autonomy to approach my work in my own way. Everyone is really genuine and striving to grow individually and as a team.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

My background is in marketing and community outreach with a bit of sales. I enjoy identifying new opportunities to join forces with folks striving for similar goals and brainstorming solutions together. I’ve always been attracted to “boots on the ground” work that allow me to collaborate directly with the community.

As a daughter of immigrants, one of my areas of expertise is breaking the language/cultural barrier with Spanish-speaking communities by offering translation and building relationships.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

In my free time, I like to dance—whether in a class, in my kitchen, or out doing my grocery shopping. You can also find me hanging out with my senior kitty, Nova, searching online for plant-based baking recipes, or perusing the aisles at Target (I have a problem).

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

My wish for the world would be to allow us to see the core similarities with each other and with our home, Earth.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

I like to think of my life as a story I will tell someone in 50+ years. This allows me to reflect on what would bring me the most joy or what impact I will be proud to share. It guides me to be the best version of me.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

What is exciting is that I am part of an organization that continues to make our community a priority in helping to build resilience through workforce education and training to propel individuals’ more sustainable career paths.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Working with like-minded colleagues who are all kind, driven, and passionate about bridging economic equity and climate resilience through our work.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I’ve promoted services through education for community awareness and can apply my abilities in organizing, advocating, and research as a detailed-oriented person.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

You can find me dedicating my time with friends, family, and dog. I enjoy the outdoors in all its forms or participating in more leisure activities like thrifting or playing board games.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

For people to allow more patience, kindness, and understanding into their world and themselves.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

–Maya Angelou

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

I appreciate the cross-sector nature of our work, that we connect leaders from varying backgrounds and organizations to confront the Gordian knot of issues encountered in pursuit of environmental and economic justice.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

I love that Rising Sun is never stagnant. So often, I feel that we are hovering on the cusp of something momentous and wonderful—the feeling of genuine opportunity.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I grew up in the Bay Area and began volunteering with environmental stewardship organizations at a young age. During college, I worked with peers to consult for early-stage green start-ups in Boston. Later I joined the federal government in San Francisco, facilitating a fellowship program and assisting environmental sustainability projects. Having previously contributed to Rising Sun as a Summer Program Manager, I was ecstatic to join the team full time in 2019.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Outside Rising Sun, I can generally be found hiking, baking, reading, running, or visiting art museums.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

The capability and willingness to truly consider other perspectives, however far removed from our own.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you?

“Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.”

–Robert Benchley

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Rising Sun deeply resonates with me due to the organization’s unwavering commitment to forging economic equity and climate resilience career pathways. The specialized workforce development programs, specifically tailored to empower youth, adults, women, and individuals in reentry for high-road careers and green pathways, align seamlessly with my past professional experiences and core values. The organization’s dedication to addressing systemic inequities through policy initiatives at the juncture of equity, climate, and quality jobs, coupled with its strong support for a comprehensive framework for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) embedded into its programs, activities, and operations, underscores its thorough and proactive approach to community capacity building. This philosophy strongly resonates with me.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

Reflecting on my initial days at Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, I find immense joy in several aspects that make Rising Sun special. There is a warm, welcoming environment with dedicated and talented team members committed to the organization’s mission. There is a culture of collaboration, and the shared commitment to positively impacting our clients and the communities we serve is evident and forms the core of our work. Our challenges are opportunities to innovate, improve, and ultimately make a more significant difference in the communities we serve. There is a commitment to open communication. Doors are always open, and staff are available for questions, discuss ideas, or just to connect—this commitment to transparent communication fosters a culture of trust and collaboration. This incredible team forms the backbone of Rising Sun.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

I have over 35 years of background in addressing challenges faced by frontline communities, both rural and urban; I bring a unique perspective to Rising Sun. My expertise lies in developing and executing programs that empower youth, adults, women, and returning citizens—programs that foster high-road career pathways, skills development, and securing family-sustaining wages. I am skilled at navigating the complexities of program and organizational growth, competing needs, and diverse stakeholder interests is a challenge I embrace. As a leader, I foster a culture of innovation, excellence, and belonging within teams. I take pride in nurturing the growth of colleagues, empowering them to achieve their full potential, and cultivating a sense of shared purpose and camaraderie that inspires success. I am adept at forging strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with key stakeholders, including funders, community partners, local and state officials, and union leaders. I bring a strong business sense to the organization, collaborating closely with development teams to support program and regional expansion and sustainability. I am well-versed in developing and managing strategic plans aligned with organizational imperatives and initiatives.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

Outside of my time at Rising Sun, I enjoy diverse activities. Cycling, scuba diving, kayaking, and hiking are my go-to outdoor activities. I spend time with my two canines, Cassie and Olive, taking them to the dog park and on adventures in the redwoods and at the beach. I also enjoy cooking, traveling, and collecting and listening to jazz music, building a growing vinyl album collection that spans the rich history of this genre. Beyond my personal interests, I am actively involved in volunteering and serving on the Housing Action Coalition (HAC) board of directors.

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

A world nurturing empathy, open-mindedness, and a collective dedication to fostering peace.

A world embracing sustainable practices, concerted conservation efforts, and a worldwide commitment to combat climate change, guaranteeing the well-being of the planet for both present and future generations.

A world wherein individuals from diverse walks of life, irrespective of cultural, background, or belief differences, coexist harmoniously, guided by mutual understanding.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

Bringing out the best in others is where you find the best in you.

1. What is it about Rising Sun’s mission and vision that resonates with you?

Seeing that we are one people on our only begotten planet we must continue to find ways to allow it to continue to sustain us as we sustain each other. Having strong economic pathways that lead to attainable and sustainable life-stabilizing incomes will surely lead to more of us feeling free enough to care about the sustainability of the planet.

1. What do you love about working at Rising Sun?

It’s all about the people both staff and students and I love it when a team becomes family and we are quickly becoming just that.

1. What expertise, skills, and experience do you bring to the organization?

Over 4.5 decades of carpentry, woodworking, drafting, and design skills plus being a pretty good person in possession of a quick wit.

1. When you’re not at Rising Sun, what can we find you doing?

That depends on when and where you find me, if I am at home I might be engaged in my ethnographic studies or at my electronic drawing board working out some construction details or learning more about the built environment. On three weekends a month, I’m either with my grandkids, friends, or family in that order but that 4th or 5th weekend…

1. If you could grant the world a wish, what would it be?

To experience its highest and best wishes here now always.

1. What is a quote or an idea that inspires you? 

Good design doesn’t cost, it pays.

Paul is a Strategic Account Executive at Schneider Electric working with utilities in California on deploying energy and smart grid technologies. Previously, he led a Business Development team focused on fleets at EVgo, the nation’s fast charging EV infrastructure company, and Business Development for Trellis Group (formerly GreenBiz), an Oakland-based media company focused on sustainability and climate change initiatives. Paul’s career has focused on deploying energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart grid technologies working for Pacific Gas & Electric, U.S. Department of Energy, Honeywell International and FirstFuel Software. Prior to that, Paul served in the Peace Corps in West Africa and worked as a staff member for House Leader Nancy Pelosi. Paul has a BA from the University of Michigan, an MBA from the Presidio Graduate School and lives in Oakland with his wife and two kids.

EJ Cire is a proud member of Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104, where he has spent almost six years. His current role is the Political and Public Relations Representative, which essentially means that he focuses on policies for working families and building political relationships in areas from local school boards up to County Boards of Supervisors. He covers the coastal counties from the Oregon border down to Ventura County. EJ has really found a passion on the political side because he sees the relevance and impact of politics and policies on his union membership as well as on local residents.

Jane is a longtime social sector leader with a deep commitment to dismantling systems perpetuating poverty. From 2009-2020 she served as the President and CEO of Rubicon Programs.  Under her leadership, Rubicon evolved into a high performing organization well regarded for its whole-person approach, recognized for its establishment of an unequivocal antiracism stance, and having a strong financial position. Jane led the organization through several major changes including development of its first theory of change, sharpening its focus on ending poverty, and undertaking the work to dismantle the characteristics of white supremacy.

Since 2021, she has been doing equity focused leadership coaching, especially with white-identifying CEOs who are striving to create an environment and practices to advance BIPOC leadership in their organizations and are eager to delve into how their own leadership can best advance these efforts.  

Jane received a BA from Williams College and an MPA from San Francisco State University, with additional training at Stanford Business School and at Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Leadership.

Jane enjoys exploring the East Bay’s hiking paths and staircases, practicing yoga, cooking and eating good vegetarian food and spending time with beloved friends and family.  She lives in the East Bay, is kept in line by her two high maintenance cats, and is proud of her adult son who never fails to make her laugh. 

Phel is a Director in the Alliances and Channels team at Salesforce. In this role, he manages Salesforce’s sustainability partnership with Accenture, bringing the best of Salesforce’s sustainability technologies and Accenture’s sustainability solutions jointly to market. Previously, Phel spent 10 years at Accenture, most recently as a Senior Manager in Accenture’s Talent & Organization practice leading change enablement and adoption efforts for High Tech clients throughout the Bay Area.

Phel led the Accenture/Rising Sun non-profit partnership from 2017-2021, coordinating a team of Accenture consultants who provided support to Rising Sun as volunteers on a wide range of activities from strategy projects to staffing fundraising events. He has enjoyed every minute of his experiences working with Rising Sun, and considers himself fortunate to be part of such an impactful comunity of leaders and changemakers.

Phel previously worked in the waste industry and once launched a waste-focused startup. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two baby girls, and spends his free time outdoors enjoying nature or indoors baking chocolate desserts.

Phil Miller is the Chief Operating Officer with the California Water Environment Association. Recently, he was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer with Camp Tawonga, where he led the organization’s operating and capital budgets, investments, endowment portfolio, and financial systems and initiatives. He was also responsible for Tawonga’s human resources and administrative systems. Phil sat on Tawonga’s Senior Management Team and was the staff lead of the Finance, Audit, and Financial Aid Committees. Phil is also a Rising Sun staff alum! He worked at Rising Sun from 2015-2019, serving as the Director of Operations and Interim Co-Executive. He has over 15 years of experience in the non-profit and public education sectors. Phil holds a bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego, a master’s degree in education from UC Berkeley, and an MBA from Saint Mary’s College of California. Phil is excited to rejoin Rising Sun and support the organization’s outstanding mission. Outside of work, Phil enjoys spending time with his wife, Sonya, daughters Nayezca, Adayah, and Yaelah, and their dog Reggie. Phil lives in Berkeley, enjoys playing sports, loves the Oakland A’s, hates kale, and is in dogged pursuit of the perfect burrito.

Melanie Parker, MD grew up in Newark, New Jersey and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with a degree in biomechanical engineering. She received her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and completed her Urology residency at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. Upon completion of residency in 1993, she moved to Stockton, CA to work for The Permanente Medical Group. As a Kaiser Permanente physician, she has served as the Central Valley Chief of the Department of Urology, Assistant Physician in Chief for Risk, and since 2016 has served as the TPMG Regional Medical Director for Risk and Patient Safety, developing strategy for the Risk and Patient Safety Program. This has allowed her to enjoy the excitement of spending time in the city of Oakland, while continuing to practice Urology part-time in the Central Valley. Mel has a passion for community service, and is a member of The Stockton Chapter of The Links, Inc., and the Progressive Community Church in Stockton, where she serves on the Children’s Church Ministry. In her spare time, she enjoys running, travel (when not sheltering in place), and spending time with her husband and two adult children.

Fahim is the CEO of Motivated 2 Help Others, a nonprofit that he created in 2019, born out of an idea he had when he was incarcerated. Fahim also co-leads 1Hundred Years Enterprise, which works to reduce recidivism among youth and vulnerable individuals and help steer them away from early death decisions through 1-on-1 mentorship with youth, family and community support groups, workshops, partnerships, storytelling (including a podcast), and more. Fahim graduated from Opportunity Build in 2018, joined the Laborers union, and now contracts to Rising Sun as an Assistant Construction Instructor and Physical Fitness Instructor for Opportunity Build.

Tommy has been a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades for 22 years. As a Drywall Finisher by trade, he spent over 20 years in the field before becoming a Business Representative for the Union. Through the years he not only learned how to be a skilled tradesman, he learned how to problem solve, be a team player, work ethic, and become a leader. As a Union Representative, Tommy assists members with issues, works with signatory contractors, and is currently learning how to navigate the world of politics. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a Business Representative is being in a position to connect underrepresented people to the construction industry. Tommy believes this is why he feels such a connection to the Rising Sun program.

Outside of work, Tommy enjoys spending time with his family and two Persian cats, Katniss and Mochi. He loves to travel. So far, Tommy has been to all but one of the Hawaiian Islands and last year he took his first trip to the French Polynesian Islands.

David Siddiqui has been working since 2000 on sustainability issues including climate, energy, waste, water, and transportation. His international experience includes executive leadership, business development, and operations for sustainable companies, consulting for utilities and government agencies, program design and management, policy, and workforce development. David founded the sustainability consulting business Green Evolution in 2008 and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Power TakeOff, using data analytics, software, and personalized support to help businesses save energy and money. David has held a variety of green building certifications and is an energy efficiency expert with deep experience using both building science and behavioral science to motivate actions with environmental, social, and financial benefits. He serves on advisory groups related to resource conservation initiatives and has appeared in dozens of speaking, writing, and media engagements.

Sharla is the Outreach and Partnerships Manager at Webcor and a California Bay Area native. Sharla is a mom of three who is passionate about workforce development and supplier diversity. In her current role with Webcor, Sharla works to increase small and diverse business participation, local hiring, and community engagement on private and public works to further Webcor’s mission to build solutions and better lives. Webcor is a general contractor building structures all over California that bring exceptional value to public and private clients while operating in a safe, quality-driven environment.

Before Webcor, Sharla was the Community Affairs Representative for EBMUD (and Cheryl’s co-worker!). She also worked on various communications projects for BART capital projects.

Sharla holds a Bachelors in Sociology from Tufts University and has spent the last 15+ years of her career building mutually beneficial relationships throughout the construction industry. She’s worked in multiple regions of California and enjoys connecting new diverse suppliers to contracting opportunities and championing their growth and success through mentorship. Sharla truly believes that small and diverse business creation and growth start with our local workforce. She aims to strengthen relationships through strategic planning designed to foster this growth wherever possible.

Peter Wasserman lives in Oakland, CA, with his wife, toddler, and fierce Chihuahua, and is currently the Senior Director of Innovation and Partnerships at healthcare technology company Aledade. Peter first became involved in Rising Sun as an Accenture strategy consultant working with its leadership team to develop its strategic plan in 2020 and to develop its alumni engagement strategy in 2021. Since then, Peter has remained engaged with Rising Sun as a member of its Advisory Board on its Policy and Communications committee.

Peter is excited to deepen his engagement with Rising Sun because of its commitment to expanding high-road career opportunities while improving the climate resilience of local communities in California. Peter believes this multi-faceted approach uniquely positions Rising Sun to improve the health and lives of underserved individuals and communities in the face of climate change. Peter believes that his background as a strategy consultant and innovation professional working across functions and organizations to define and scale impactful programs will enable him to add value to Rising Sun as it scales its offerings.

Delrisha White is a dynamic social impact leader who confronts educational inequity, racial, and socioeconomic injustice through education and storytelling. She is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Equity Erudition, an online anti-racism education firm focused on designing racial-equity learning experiences for organizations and families. She’s also a proud alum of Rising Sun’s California Youth Energy Services (now the Climate Careers program), which she first participated in when she was 14 years old.

Her life’s work is a culmination of her experience growing up in a family impacted by poverty, as well as the criminal justice and child welfare systems.

Leveraging her multimedia platforms, Delrisha uses storytelling to facilitate critical conversations that promote healing, as well as personal and community growth.

Delrisha has consulted and worked with a range of national and local organizations. She leads keynotes and workshops for diverse audiences in higher education and the private sector including HBCUs, Ivy League institutions, and large public research universities. Her work is published domestically and internationally and can be found in publications at Harvard University, New York University, The Huffington Post, and Bennett College’s award-winning Belle Magazine. Her work has been featured on local and national media including UNCF, Black BET, CSPAN, and NBC.

Delrisha holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Media Studies with a minor in Global Studies from Bennett College in Greensboro, NC. In 2019, she earned her master’s in Education Policy & Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was awarded the Intellectual Contribution award. She sits on the board of Pact Adoption Alliance, where she supports transracial-blended families experiencing the foster-adoption system(s).

Eddie Alvarez is the Business Representative for the Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council. He has worked labor politics for many years. Most recently, he was the Iowa State Director for Eric Swalwell’s Presidential campaign, where he was the first Mexican State Director in caucus history. He comes from a strong union household where his father is a 50-year member of the Elevator Constructors, Local #18, and the grandson of proud union members. He has worked in education in a variety of roles, as a baseball coach, and is a proud protector of our right to collective bargaining and open and free public lands.

Stephanie Chen serves as Senior Policy Counsel for MCE, a local government agency formed to address climate change through renewable energy, energy efficiency, and local job creation in Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano Counties. Prior to joining MCE, Stephanie led the Energy Equity team at The Greenlining Institute, a racial justice advocacy organization dedicated to building economic opportunity in California’s communities of color. Stephanie’s work has driven investments in solar, energy efficiency, and other clean technologies into environmental justice communities, and promoted meaningful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for people of color in California’s clean energy economy.

Stephanie is a member of California’s Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group, which advises the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission to ensure that clean energy policies benefit environmental and social justice communities. Additionally, Stephanie serves on the board of directors for Vote Solar, the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), and the Clean Energy Group. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Lara Ettenson coordinates NRDC’s energy efficiency policy and clean energy workforce activities. She collaborates with a wide array of stakeholders to ensure that efficiency is the first option utilities use to serve customers and that clean energy programs lead to high-quality careers that are accessible to all. Prior to joining NRDC, Ettenson worked on clean energy projects for the New York City Economic Development Corporation. She was also an elementary school science teacher. Ettenson holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental studies from Oberlin College, as well as a master’s degree in environmental science and policy from Columbia University, and another in education from San Francisco State University. She is based in NRDC’s San Francisco office.

Elizabeth Geller is a consulting professional, engineer, and project manager with over six years of experience in the corporate sustainability and environmental compliance fields. Elizabeth has supported clients in a wide variety of industries including technology, consumer products, power generation, natural gas transmission, manufacturing, mining and more. Her experience includes corporate climate goal setting and renewable energy strategy, emission quantification, air quality regulation, and corporate environmental management. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and currently serves as a Director on the Energy and Climate Practice consulting team at 3Degrees.

Sekita Grant is the Vice President of Programs with The Solutions Project, overseeing their grantmaking, policy research, and impact strategy support for more than 100 frontline leaders innovating in models for a regenerative economy. Sekita worked as the Policy and Impact Strategy manager for the Emerson Collective, a philanthropy and investment collaborative. Sekita also worked at The Greenlining Institute as Legal Counsel for their Environmental Equity team after working as a policy advisor at the California Energy Commission in Sacramento.

Melissa joins the Advisory Council of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity after serving as a member of the board from 2014-2020. She is a community leader who cares deeply about social justice and focuses her time volunteering with non-profits that serve individuals experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. She chaired Congregation Emanu-El’s Tzedek Council for the past four years, engaging congregants in social justice work through partnering with Hamilton Families, Larkin Street Youth Services and the Homeless Prenatal Program.

Tyi joins the Advisory Council of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity after serving as a member of the board from 2015-2021. She graduated from the second Berkeley cohort of the Green Energy Training Services (GETS) program (which is now Opportunity Build), and is the first program alumnus to serve on the Board. She has served as Board Secretary, Vice Chair, and now as Chair. She also previously served as a crew member and office assistant for Rising Sun Energy Services, the organization’s social enterprise.

As Chief Operating Officer, Erin is responsible for executing the vision and strategy of Global Citizen Year in partnership with the Senior Leadership Team and the Board of Directors. Prior to joining Global Citizen Year, Erin served as VP of School Partnerships for Revolution Foods where she led the expansion of Revolution Foods from five schools to over 1,200 nationwide. Prior to Revolution Foods, she served as the Bay Area Director for Playworks. Erin was instrumental in expanding this small, Bay Area organization into one that now partners with over 350 public schools nationwide. For the past 17 years, she has served as the Head Varsity Coach of the girls’ basketball team at Emery High School and for nine years, Board Chair for Oakland Leaf, a non-profit dedicated to empowering Oakland youth in their search for social justice. Previously, Erin worked for NICRO Women’s Support Centre in South Africa developing and implementing policy that worked to prevent gender-based violence in major school districts. Erin holds a B.A. from the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon.

Jennifer represents private and public employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies regarding discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, wrongful termination, and numerous other types of employment law matters. Jennifer also handles complex wage and hour class action litigation in both federal and state courts, as well as other representative and collective actions under the California Private Attorneys General Act and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Willie Joe Marquez is passionate about creating innovative, comprehensive and sustainable solutions that uplift communities and are founded on data, practicality, and equity. Born and raised in South Stockton to Filipino immigrants, Willie has experienced how under-resourced communities and communities of color have been marginalized and restricted in socioeconomic mobility. As a Digital Marketer for his consulting agency, Astro Optimized, and with more than 10 years of experience executing global and cross-functional projects in ecommerce, Willie brings his expertise in data-based decision making and track record of community advocacy to Rising Sun’s Advisory Council. Willie’s goal is to advance economic and environmental equity in Stockton and the Central Valley through his commitment to Rising Run.

Alana Mathews is an impact attorney, experienced litigator, public policy expert and equity champion who has a demonstrated record of leadership in public service. She began her legal career as a prosecutor in the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office where she tried over 50 jury and court trials to verdict. In 2012, she was recruited to start the enforcement unit of the California Energy Commission and the following year appointed Public Adviser of the agency by Governor Jerry Brown. In this role, she led organizational change through the development of the agency’s Equity Initiative. This effort included implementing legislative mandated programs, coordinating a multi-agency Disadvantaged Community Advisory Group, leading all public outreach and engagement strategies, and creating the Summer Institute in Energy Law and Policy, a two week program that exposed ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged high school students to key energy issues and career paths.

In 2019, Ms. Mathews was appointed Chief Consultant to the Joint Legislative Committee on climate Change Policies where her equity work was expanded to include reviewing all climate change legislation and coordinating oversight hearings for the state’s climate policies, programs, and investments. Most recently, she wrote a joint resolution introduced by California lawmakers urging specific action for the Biden Administration to address the global plastic waste crisis by ratifying the Basel Convention Amendments.

Today, Ms. Mathews is an adjunct Professor at McGeorge School of Law where she teaches Implicit Bias and the Law and is the founder of the Racial Justice and Equity Fellowship Practicum. She is also a director with the Prosecutors Alliance of California, an organization that supports prosecutors committed to criminal justice reform.

Ms. Mathews is also a leader on a number of regional and statewide boards and commissions including current Chair of the Heart of Central California Girl Scout Council, Vice Chair for the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation of the State Bar of California and Chair of the Florin High School Law Academy Advisory Committee, Co-Chair of the Sacramento County Bar Association Summer Diversity Fellowship program and the founder of the Community Justice Collaborate, a grassroots organization which provides free community legal clinics in response to the protests against systemic racism in the summer of 2020.

Carmelita Miller was born in the Philippines and grew up in South San Francisco, California. She graduated from Sacramento State University, where she became a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and earned a B.A. in History with a minor in Greek studies. After a graduating from UC Hastings College of the Law, she became a Greenlining Legal Fellow in 2013-14, focusing on telecommunications policy.

While at UC Hastings, she served as the President of the Pilipino American Law Society and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal. Inspired by her personal experiences living in low-income, immigrant, and working-class communities, she dedicated her free time in law school to providing legal assistance to the low-income population by interning and volunteering at various pro bono organizations such as Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, UC Hastings Civil Justice Clinic, Legal Aid of San Francisco’s Workers Rights Clinic, the Veterans Equity Center, and the Filipino Community Center.

When she is not studying or fighting for justice, Carmelita enjoys lounging, hiking, and playing with her two black Labrador retrievers named Maximus and Athena.

Devin T. Murphy is a seasoned government affairs professional, strategic communications consultant, and the Mayor of the City of Pinole, California. A collaborative leader and social entrepreneur, he is focused on building a regenerative economy that engenders increasing prosperity while maintaining the natural systems that sustain us. Devin served as a planning commissioner before being elected to the Pinole City Council in 2020. He is a champion for democracy reform, co-governance, participatory budgeting, economic development, climate mitigation and adaptation, financial planning, and disaster planning.

Devin currently serves on numerous boards and committees, including the City of Pinole Finance Subcommittee, Technology and Communications Committee, and Committee on Memorials. Devin also serves on the Board of Directors for MCE Clean Energy, a clean electricity provider to more than 540,000 customers in Marin, Napa, Solano and Contra Costa counties and California’s first community choice aggregator, where he sits on both the Executive and Technical Committees respectively. Additionally, he represents Pinole on the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), WestCAT Transit Authority, West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, and the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore).

As the founding CEO and President of DTM Strategies, Devin has over a decade of business development and marketing experience delivering strategic communications, public affairs, paid advertising, and digital communications consulting services to numerous companies, foundations, and civic advocacy organizations. In 2018, Devin was appointed as a Technology and Democracy Fellow by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

He is a member of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group, 350 Contra Costa, and Friends of the Pinole Library. In his free time, he likes reading, long distance walking, and spending time with his nieces and nephews and his dog, Miles. Devin is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and holds a Certificate in Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

Janaya L. Nichols has more than 10 years of experience developing programs and supporting systems change efforts in areas such as health equity, policy, homelessness, and community advocacy. She is passionate about enhancing the capacity and impact of organizations in the nonprofit sector and promoting the leadership of women and girls. Janaya has worked for entities such as Well Being Trust, First 5 LA, Dignity Health, and The Greenlining Institute. She holds a MSc in Sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science. In her spare time, Janaya is an avid reader, budding painter, and sometimes photographer. She is excited to help Rising Sun become a model for good jobs in a green economy.

Padmini Parthasarathy is a social sector leader with a proven record of success in philanthropy, nonprofits, and local government, and expertise in economic, racial, and gender justice, and public health. Her strengths and passions include creating and launching innovative strategies and initiatives, learning continually and applying insights gained, gathering and utilizing data and research to change policies and systems, building and sustaining meaningful relationships, and collaborating across sectors to advance social justice. Padmini is the Principal & Founder of Sāmya Strategies, an independent consulting firm serving the philanthropic and nonprofit sector. The firm helps social justice organizations and leaders to help them achieve their missions through strategic planning, research, coalition development, and other capacity building services.

Prior to launching her consulting practice, Padmini served for eight years in various roles in philanthropy, including as strategist for justice, equity, and learning and senior program officer for economic security at the Walter & Elise Haas Fund; and program director at The California Wellness Foundation overseeing statewide grantmaking to advance the Affordable Care Act and health care reform, and promote employment and asset-building opportunities. Before that, Padmini was a program manager for Kaiser Permanente, where she managed its nationwide Community Health Needs Assessment, and she worked for Contra Costa Health Services’ Family, Maternal and Child Health Programs, leading an initiative to incorporate asset building and social determinants of health approaches into maternal and child health programs.

Padmini’s leadership and volunteer experience includes currently serving on the board of directors of Cardea Service and having served on the boards of Asset Funders Network, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, and March of Dimes. She was 2020-21 Council on Foundations Career Pathways fellow, a fellow in Grantmakers in Health’s Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health
Philanthropy, and an inaugural member of the Justice Funders’ Harmony Initiative leadership program.

Padmini earned her master’s degree in public health from UC Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social behavior, with a minor in sociology, from UC Irvine.

For over 20 years, Jodi Pincus has worked in non-profit management, workforce development, social justice, and sustainability, specifically working at the intersection between climate, equity and jobs. She served as the Executive Director of Rising Sun Center For Opportunity for 12 years and is currently working as a consultant, specializing in green workforce development, strategic planning and leadership coaching. Jodi holds a Green MBA from the Presidio Graduate School, a BA in Peace and Conflicts studies from UC Berkeley, and is trained in the resiliency framework that has inspired her work. She has a commitment to social, racial, and environmental justice that is informed by being born in Apartheid South Africa. Her connection to the environment and understanding that our survival is dependent on how we walk on the earth is steeped in her early years living on a Native American Reservation and spending summers at a Jewish camp in Yosemite. She recently moved to San Miguel De Allende, Mexico, with her husband, two boys, and dog, so that her children could become bilingual and learn about their Mexican heritage. In San Miguel, she serves on the Board of Ojala Ninos, a non-profit, focused on providing education to children in rural Mexico so that they can reach their full potential.

Michelle is the Principal and Founder of Common Spark Consulting, working to advance boldly inclusive policymaking processes as the foundation for a clean energy future for all. She facilitates public and stakeholder engagement, and provides research and strategic advocacy on behalf of her clients. Common Spark Consulting also supports organizational development and strategic planning efforts for not-for-profit organizations.

With over a decade of experience in energy law and policy, Maria’s work is dedicated to personal and systemic transformation in service of just, regenerative economies. Maria is currently a Program Director with the Initiative for Energy Justice. Prior to that role, Maria served as Climate Equity Director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she fostered strategic partnerships to support the integration of racial and social equity into local government climate work as well as developed equitable building decarbonization frameworks. Maria has co-led coalition-based advocacy campaigns before the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the California State Legislature, which collectively resulted in $200 million invested in affordable housing upgrade programs. Maria holds a B.A. from Oberlin College and received her J.D. and M.A. in Energy & Resources from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law & the College of Natural Resources. Maria currently serves as vice-chair of the California Utility Low-Income Oversight Board.

Walker Wright is the VP of Public Policy for Sunrun, the leading distributed solar, energy storage, and energy services company in the US. Over the years, Walker has held numerous leadership positions within industry trade associations and coalitions in the clean energy and energy storage space, including SEIA, The California Solar & Storage Association (CalSSA), California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA), and The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC). From 2016 to September 2020, Walker was VP of Policy for ENGIE Storage (formerly Green Charge Networks), one of the nation’s top energy storage software and development companies, which was acquired by ENGIE (the world’s largest independent power producer). At ENGIE, Walker also provided policy and market strategy advice to various ENGIE investment arms and subsidiaries, including ENGIE Services US, the leading public sector and school solar and energy efficiency contractor in California. ENGIE Services is also a major energy services provider to universities across the US. From 2011 to 2016, Walker was a Sunrun policy team leader focusing on helping Western state markets attain long-term rooftop solar growth. Prior to joining the renewable energy space in California, Walker focused on policy and business development for Petra Systems, the New Jersey-based utility and smart grid solutions provider which in 2009 signed the largest distributed energy contract in the world. He holds a BA from Princeton University and an MSc from The London School of Economics and Political Sciences. He resides in Oakland, California.