Contributions

Since 2007, I’ve led policy and program initiatives to develop large-scale climate solutions with public agencies, mission-driven nonprofits, and companies across a wide range of industries and settings. Here are some things I’ve contributed to:

1. Climate investments

Launched and led dozens of coalition initiatives to effect major allocations of resources to sieze climate opportunities.

Programs and policy
  • Securement of $2.1B for transportation-focused climate investments including $700M “rate-based” by utilities, reauthorization of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and Cap and Trade, passage of numerous legislation (2015-21). As CALSTART lead.
  • Estbalishment of climate chance as a strategic focus of the 300+ company member and corporate sustainability leadership organization BSR, contributing in part to meaningful support of the Paris Agreement (2007-15). As BSR lead.
  • Adoption of early standards and norms around climate disclosure and carbon markets that eventually becom public policy through FTC, SEC, and California legislation (2007-15). As BSR lead.
  • Ongoing guidance to help executives stay focused on next-level climate strategies (2007-25). As BSR lead and CALSTART lead.
Research and communications

Impact: Commitments of public, private, and collaborative resources to deeply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to a more energetic climate, make life better for everyone, and catalyze timely, equitable transitions.

2. Community strategies

Launched and led pioneering efforts to elevate community-based action as a path to accelerate widespread climate solutions while developing resident-supported methods to drive replicable municipal change at scale.

Programs and policy
  • Creation of city-based climate action plans that meaningfully incorporate equity, compact development, multimodal transportation options, an whole-of-government approach, and storytelling (2019-2025). As city councilor in Boulder and mayor-appointed member of Equitable Climate Action Plan stakeholder advisory group in Oakland.
  • Development of municipal management practices to accelerate and integrate climate commitmentsin the city organization, including redesign of the city council memo packet to include climate considerations at every substantive item and maturation of the city’s use of outcome-based budgeting (2023-25). As city councilor in Boulder.
  • Development of city planning procedures to reduce the “vetocracy” inhibiting pro-climate safe streets initiatives and significantly reduce the time to project approvals (2024). As city councilor in Boulder.
  • Creation of Clean Mobility Options, a zero-emissions incentives program for equitble community options regradtung more than $50M to 60 communities throughout California, establishing a promising new equitable climate investment model in local communities to stimulate co-investment, encourage local policy change, and offer new methods for equitable engagement including a Community Transportation Needs Assessment (2018-23). As CALSTART lead.
  • Establishment of a new strategic focus of the nation’s top consortium for clean transportation technologies and 200-member organization, CALSTART, on mobility options grounded in local-level community projects and engagement (2018-21). As CALSTART lead.
Research and communications

Impact: Acceleration of climate solutions and quality of life through towns and neighborhoods providing people of all ages and needs housing, transportation, and amenities to be successful, delivering shared infrastructure and services efficiently and equitably, and helping residents to be collectively resilient in the face of increasing heat, extreme weather, and other shocks and stress.

3. Transportation, access, and urbanism

Launched and led various multi-stakeholder projects to advance public policy and services evolving the transportation ecosystem to be more equitable and efficient while harnessing electrification for the greatest benefit.

Programs and policy
  • Measures to increase safe and welcoming streets for all, including approval of multiple protected bikeways and street calming projects, new automated traffic enforcement in Boulder, and public reporting dashboard for serious injury and fatality traffic crashes (2023-25). As city councilor in Boulder.
  • Evolution of public transit service models through new route development, restoration or services, and major policy and deployment initiatives for electrification, automated, and other transit technologies (2015-25). As city councilor in Boulder and CALSTART lead.
  • Methods to stimulate the deployment and use of e-bikes, including funding for individual bikes and shared models, and greater capacity for more bike parking (2015-25). As city councilor in Boulder and CALSTART lead.
  • Development of mobility management strategies (2015-25). As city councilor in Boulder and CALSTART lead.
  • Practical development of local policy to reorient transportation around compact land use including access, 15-minute neighborhoods, and zoning to center infill middle housing and connectivity with transit (2015-25). As city councilor in Boulder and CALSTART lead.
  • Development of the transportation electrification industry in all vehicle classes alongside the growth of equitable, multimodal approaches (2015-25). As city councilor in Boulder and CALSTART lead.
Research and communications

Impact: Mobility choices that are freeing and affordable for all ages and abilities, providing compelling alternatives to cars, a driving experience that is calm and safe, and electrification to make vehicles and their surroundings work better.

4. Energy technologies

Launched, led, and supported numerous public-benefit-focused initiatives to formulate, test, and commercialize innovative energy models.

Programs and policy
  • Adoption of a municipal energy code that requires all-electric equipment in new buildings, with measures to avoid higher costs that might stand in the way of new middle housing near where people need to go and rewards smaller footprints, multifamily dwellings, and electric vehicles (2024). As city councilor in Boulder.
  • Design of public investment programs to drive electric vehicle adoption with increasing commitments to equitable, multimodal strategies and integration with building and grid energy management through the investment plans of California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission (2015-21). As CALSTART lead.
  • Design of $700M+ novel utility rate design approved by the California Public Utilities Commission to build the early market for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles while supporting cost-effective neighborhood electrification upgrades(2016-19). As CALSTART lead
  • Design of offical California state plans to use waste streams of dairy digesters to develop battery-electric and fuel cell vehicle pathways and in support of reducing agriculture methane by 40% (2016-19). As appointed co-chair of the state’s digester committee commissioned by SB 1383.
  • Creation of the nation’s first smog check for heavy-duty trucks as California legislation SB 210 (2019). As CALSTART lead.
  • Creation of the first renewable energy purchasing collaborative of the data center industry, Future of Internet Power, which led in part to the development of the Clean Energy Buyer’s Association and corporate movement to directly invest in renewables (2008-15). As BSR lead.
Research and communications

Impact: Energy systems driving the large-scale transitions to electrification, prioritizing efficiency and avoidance of waste first, escalating commitments to renewables, integration of energy management across traditional boundaries, and concrete benefits for users.