Masood Ahmad

Resource Planning Manager, Platte River Power Authority

Masood Ahmad is Resource Planning Manager with Platte River Power Authority, a community owned wholesale power supplier to the cities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. His responsibilities include planning for the implementation of Platte River’s Resource Diversification Policy. This policy calls for the supply of 100% noncarbon, financially sustainable, environmentally responsible and reliable electricity by 2030. Masood holds a Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology and has over two decades of global experience in electric power business. Prior to joining Platte River, he worked with two large Southeastern utilities; Virginia power and the Southern company. His overseas experience includes working in the energy sectors of Saudi Arabia, Brazil, UK, Turkey and Pakistan.

Session II | Energy Storage, April 27, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Quinn Antus

Executive Director, Signal Tech Coalition

Quinn Antus has supported the social impact of hundreds of tech entrepreneurs. After being engrossed in the world of innovation and impact, she realized that she could leverage this community to make a difference. At the same time, the reality of our changing climate set in: a dire issue beginning to disproportionately affect low income communities around the world. And so she created Signal Tech Coalition to elevate a previously underrepresented voice on the climate advocacy scene. Quinn is the curator of the Boulder Hub of Global Shapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.

Session VI | Funding Innovation, April 28, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Maritza Arizaga

Senior Sustainability Specialist, City of Fort Collins

Maritza Arizaga recently joined the City of Fort Collins as a Senior Sustainability Specialist in the Environmental Services Department. Her role focuses on equitable outreach, engagement, and communications. Prior to joining the City, she spent four years at The Nature Conservancy in silo-busting roles coordinating complex projects and initiatives in partnership with Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities to drive long-term conservation outcomes for people and nature. Most notably, Maritza volunteered with the City of Fort Collins as a Plan Ambassador to represent the voices of her community in the development of the Our Climate Future Plan.

Session VIII | Racial Justice & Climate Change, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Christine Berg

Senior Policy Advisor for Local Government, Colorado Energy Office

Christine Berg is the Senior Policy Advisor for Local Government for the Colorado Energy Office. She provides resources and support for communities to reach their clean energy goals for a more sustainable future. Prior to the energy office, she served for five years as the mayor of Lafayette and led the expansion of the city’s renewable energy portfolio, sustainability goals and environmental education.

Session III | The COVID Effect, April 27, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Justin Brant

Utility Program Co-Director, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

Justin Brant is a Senior Associate in the Utility Program with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, where he works with utilities and consumer groups to advance energy efficiency in SWEEP’s six-state region. His work also includes appearing before public utility commissions and state legislatures, and collaborating with utilities and other stakeholders. Before joining SWEEP, he worked at The Cadmus Group, a nationwide energy and environmental consulting firm. At Cadmus, he advised Fortune 500 companies, state and local governments, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on policies and programs that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as encouraging energy efficiency and renewable energy use.

Session IV | Grid Resiliency, April 27, 11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Darren Buck

Director of Power Delivery, Platte River Power Authority

Darren Buck, a 30-year veteran in the electric utility business, is Platte River Power Authority’s Director of Power Delivery; he has been in this position since January 2021. In this role, he is responsible for the real-time operation of transmission, engineering and construction, and telecommunications. Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit, community-owned public power utility that generates and delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, for delivery to their utility customers. Prior to his position at Platte River, Darren served in numerous positions responsible for maintenance, construction, and operations for 8000 miles of transmission across eight states. He has been active in electric industry organizations including NERC, WECC, and NATF. Darren has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Session IV | Grid Resiliency, April 27, 11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Mac Burns

Director of Product Management, Lightning eMotors

Mac Burns is the new Director of Product Management at Lightning eMotors. Prior to joining the team at Lightning eMotors, Mac worked with other Medium and Heavy-Duty EV companies such as Proterra. Lightning eMotors manufactures and sells zero emissions powertrains and the associated technology solutions for fleet trucks and buses, including powertrains for battery electric trucks and buses, fuel cell vehicles, telematics systems, analytics systems, and charging and energy solutions. Lightning eMotors was founded in 2008. Its investors include BP Ventures, Aravaipa Ventures, and CoorsTek, and its customer list includes Amazon, DHL, Google, and ACE Parking. Mac has a degree in Business Finance from Colorado State.

Session II | Energy Storage, April 27, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Andrew Bush

Founder & Managing Principal, Morgan Creek Ventures

Andrew Bush is the founder and Managing Principal of Morgan Creek Ventures LLC, a real estate development and consulting group based in Boulder, Colorado. The firm specializes in urban infill projects with a focus on design and sustainability. Working primarily in the Western United States, Morgan Creek Ventures has managed the development and redevelopment of over 750,000 square feet of office, residential and mixed-use projects. The firms’ focus on sustainability has resulting in several pioneering efforts including the first LEED Platinum TI in the country in partnership with Rocky Mountain Institute and the first privately developed Green Roof in Colorado and one of the first Net Zero multi-tenant buildings in the Country. Over the past decade, the firm has developed a variety of LEED Silver, Gold and Platinum designs, expanding their experience base in energy management, material science and user experiences, pushing the envelope to Net Zero Energy.

Session VII | Designing High-Performance Districts, April 28, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Colette Crouse

Director of Client Services, Optera

As Director of Client Services, Colette is responsible for leading client engagements and software support at Optera. Colette has helped numerous Fortune 500 clients establish and implement leading sustainability management practices from emissions accounting to science-based target strategy. She has played an integral role in Optera’s thought-leading work with the World Economic Forum. Prior to Optera, Colette worked in social responsibility and external relations at Newmont Mining, and for the City of Boulder where she managed climate and sustainability communication and engagement initiatives. She holds an MBA from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and a BA in International Relations and Spanish from the University of Oregon, Clark Honors College.

Session V | Beyond Paris, April 28, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Adam Crowe

Economic Development Manager, Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development

Adam Crowe is the Economic Development Manager for the Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development Department (LCEWD). LCEWD connects people to meaningful work and businesses to talent and resources, improving our community’s economic wellbeing. Adam grew up in Northern Colorado and settled in Fort Collins where he received a BA in history and master’s degree in education from Colorado State University. In his free time Adam enjoys time the mountains and trying to keep-up with his busy family. Passionate about building a community that fosters business growth and meaningful employment for its residents, Adam is grateful to live in an area where so many other people share the same passions.

Session III | The COVID Effect, April 27, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Joel Danforth

Energy Programs & New Business Director, United Power

With over 15 years of experience in the energy sector, Joel Danforth serves as the Energy Programs & New Business Director for United Power. Prior to joining United Power, Joel worked on Distributed Energy Resource projects and programs including stints with the United States Department of Energy working on Recovery Act projects and with the Advanced Vehicle Testing and Evaluation program developing grid-connected battery storage and electric vehicle battery performance testing. Joel holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Energy Infrastructure from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and a certificate in Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies from Stanford University.

Session II | Energy Storage, April 27, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Rich Freeh

Programs Director for Climate Strategy, Urban Sustainability Directors Network

Rich Freeh joined USDN in February 2020 as the Programs Director for Climate Strategy. In this role he supports USDN members and partners on strategic thinking around climate planning, action, and reporting. Prior to joining USDN, Rich led climate reporting and building energy programs in the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability. Rich received a Master’s in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, where he is now an adjunct instructor. He currently resides in Philadelphia.

Session VIII | Racial Justice & Climate Change, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Berenice Garcia Tellez

Economic Sustainability Specialist, City of Longmont

Berenice Garcia Tellez, a Mexican native and travel enthusiast, received her master’s degree in Environmental Engineering in Saudi Arabia. Other countries she has lived in include Turkey, Italy, and Norway, where she worked researching climate change. Berenice currently manages the Sustainable Business Program at the City of Longmont and works with the business community on implementing sustainable and equitable business practices that will lead to a more thriving economy. She has supported 95 businesses through the COVID-19 crisis and included sustainability and equity aspects in economic recovery efforts, such as putting together COVID-19 relief grants specifically tailored for minority-owned organizations.

Session III | The COVID Effect, April 27, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Milton Geiger

Energy Resource Director, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association

Milton Geiger is the Energy Resource Director at Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA). Working on behalf of PVREA’s member-owners, he leads distributed energy resource projects and programs, including a unique microgrid project located in Red Feather Lakes, CO. Prior to working at PVREA, he earned his master’s degree from the University of Wyoming and then worked for UW Extension and the School of Energy Resources as an applied energy educator and researcher. He also currently serves as a lecturer at the University of Wyoming, teaching a course on the cooperative business model.

Session IV | Grid Resiliency, April 27, 11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

André Gouin

Business Technology Consultant, Xcel Energy

André Gouin is a Certified Energy Manager with over 20 years’ experience in the energy industry encompassing product and project management, technical consulting, and strategy development. Through his role within the Product Development group he has been responsible for developing various energy efficiency, renewable energy, and demand response programs for Xcel Energy’s customers. Most recently he led a cross functional team to develop and deploy the first battery storage microgrid in Colorado. Currently he works within the Strategic Partnerships organization, focusing on developing custom solutions to meet specific needs of Xcel Energy’s customers.

Session IV | Grid Resiliency, April 27, 11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Wayne Greenberg

CEO, E Source

Wayne Greenberg is the chief executive officer of E Source; he leads the company in its mission to build a sustainable future with utilities and cities. He is a seasoned senior executive with more than 35 years of business management in the energy information sector and a track record of transforming organizations, motivating teams, and driving sales growth. Wayne was one of the founding board members of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association. On the association’s behalf, in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, he was the founding director of the Cleantech Fellows Institute.

Session II | Energy Storage, April 27, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Danielle Henderson

CEO, Dream Energy Solutions

Danielle Henderson is a Colorado native who began working in solar in 2016. Once she began to learn more about the industry she knew that she could deliver a life changing, money saving product to homeowners and help the environment all while supporting her family. She knew this industry was special and was excited to be part of such a unique field. After two years and huge professional growth, Danielle created Dream Energy Solutions LLC in 2018. When she created Dream Energy, she knew this would be an uphill battle and she is one of the first woman minority renewable energy companies. She has since moved into multiple states with hundreds of happy customers, majority of Dream Energy customers speaks with Danielle individually. Danielle is also one of the first WMBE (Woman Minority Business Enterprise) in the renewable energy sectors.

Session VIII | Racial Justice & Climate Change, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Tom Hootman

Principal, Form & Flow

Tom Hootman is an architect, engineer, designer, and author. He is the founder of Form & Flow, a building performance design consultancy for next-generation architecture. He works with clients to achieve healthy, resilient, zero energy buildings, and regenerative outcomes with positive social, environmental, and economic impacts. Tom brings over 25 years of industry experience and has experience leading integrated design within architecture, MEP engineering, and energy modeling practices. He is an early pioneer in zero energy and worked on over 15 zero energy projects. Tom has also authored “Net Zero Energy Design,” published by Wiley.

Session VII | Designing High-Performance Districts, April 28, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Ramsay Huntley

Sustainable Finance Strategist, Wells Fargo

Ramsay Huntley is the sustainable finance strategist for Wells Fargo and a founding member of the Wells Fargo Sustainable Finance Center of Excellence. In this role, he works with business partners across the bank to develop business strategies and client solutions that support Wells Fargo’s net zero ambition, including its $500 billion sustainable finance commitment, while positioning the bank to lead the transition to a low carbon economy. He also has responsibility for the bank’s clean tech philanthropy programs, including the award-winning Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In this role, he is responsible for Wells Fargo’s leadership in the clean tech ecosystem, with a particular focus on bringing early stage technologies and companies rapidly to scale. IN2 has supported nearly 50 early stage clean tech and ag tech companies who have collectively raised nearly $400MM.

Session VI | Funding Innovation, April 28, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

John Kefalas

Commissioner – District 1, Larimer County

John Kefalas was elected by a county-wide vote in 2018 as Larimer County Commissioner representing District 1, the northern section of the County. This area encompasses Fort Collins (north of Drake Road), where he lives, LaPorte, Wellington, Waverly, Red Feather Lakes, Livermore, Buckeye and surrounding areas. He took office January 8, 2019.

Session VIII | Racial Justice & Climate Change, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Chuck Kutscher

Fellow and Senior Research Associate, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute

Chuck Kutscher is a Fellow and Senior Research Associate of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, a joint institute between the University of Colorado-Boulder and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). He served as the Director of the Buildings and Thermal Sciences Center at NREL from 2013 until his retirement in July 2018. For over four decades, he has led research in a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. He is a Fellow of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and served as the Society’s chair in 2000 and 2001. He led the ASES study, Tackling Climate Change in the U.S., a 200-page report detailing how energy efficiency and six renewable energy technologies can greatly reduce U.S. carbon emissions by 2030. He is the lead author of the third edition of the college textbook, Principles of Sustainable Energy Systems, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Colorado School of Mines.

Session VII | Designing High-Performance Districts, April 28, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Diego Lopez

Executive Director, Northern Colorado Clean Cities

Diego Lopez joined Northern Colorado Clean Cities (NCCC) in August 2018 and now serves as the executive director for NCCC. Available to assist coalition stakeholders with project development, technical advising, workshops, funding opportunities and proposals. With 7 years of experience in the energy and transportation industry with a demonstrated history of working with consumers, businesses, municipalities, utilities, and fleets.

Session VI | Funding Innovation, April 28, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

John LoPorto

President & CEO, Starfire Energy

John LoPort has both entrepreneurial and Fortune 500 executive management experience. John began advising Starfire Energy in 2019, became a member of the Board of Directors in 2020 and took the helm as CEO in January of 2021. Previously, he was a founder and CEO of SunTech Drive a manufacturer of solar and grid hybrid power electronics. Prior to that he was the founder and CEO of Power Tagging, an energy technology firm serving the electric power industry. From securing initial research funding from the National Science Foundation to multiple rounds of growth capital from Fortune 250 strategic investors John created a game changing technology movement within a traditionally staid industry. He is currently serving on the Executive Committee and Board with the Colorado Cleantech Industries Association and has been an Energy Industry Advisor to the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network for many years.

Session VI | Funding Innovation, April 28, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Wes Parham

Director, Regional Government Affairs, Xcel Energy

Wes Parham serves as Director, Regional Government Affairs for Xcel Energy. Since joining the Company in 2015, he has played an instrumental role in the development and implementation of legislative and public outreach initiatives, setting the stage for a transformative dialogue with energy consumers and decision makers on the advancement of clean energy, new technology and economic development throughout Colorado. He volunteers his time serving non-profit organizations promoting entrepreneurship, workforce and community development, youth mentorship, and public education. Wes began his career as a congressional staffer and has a background working with statewide trade associations and political campaigns.

Session I | Legislative Initiatives, April 27, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Jared Polis

Governor, State of Colorado

Governor Jared Polis, born and raised in Colorado, is an entrepreneur, education leader, environmentalist, and public servant. After launching several successful companies, including one out of his college dorm room, Polis committed himself to making sure other Coloradans had the opportunity to pursue their dreams and preserving our Colorado way of life. Prior to serving as Governor, Polis served on the State Board of Education and represented Colorado’s 2nd Congressional district where he introduced historic public land conservation legislation, worked to reduce our carbon emissions, and pushed for increased usage of renewable, clean sources of energy. Governor Polis has laid out a bold agenda to move Colorado to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2040, which means cleaner air and water, creating good-paying green jobs that can never be outsourced, and combating the harmful effects of climate change. Since becoming Governor, Polis enacted laws to prioritize health and safety first when it comes to oil & gas drilling operations and empowered local communities to regulate oil & gas activities within their borders. He also signed legislation and an executive order to support a transition to electric vehicles, enacted landmark Public Utility Commission reform, and is supporting various efforts to expand energy efficiency, increase community solar and encourage our public utilities to transition to renewable sources of energy through the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction roadmap. The Governor has also championed a just and equitable focus and through engagement in addressing climate change with his administration’s Climate Equity framework.

Governor Remarks, April 27, 10:50 to 11:00 a.m.

Josh Radoff

Zero Carbon Cities Advisor, ICLEI

Josh Radoff is a sustainability and decarbonization consultant and educator working across the clean energy and built environment spectrum. He is currently working with ICLEI as a Zero Carbon Cities advisor supporting their Cities Road to Zero program, and with CU Boulder as the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Specialization lead within the Masters of the Environment (MENV) program where he teaches and advises. He also works an as an independent consultant on various district scale sustainable development projects with a focus on electrification, distributed energy, and grid interactivity. Josh was recently the head of WSP’s Built Ecology practice and has worked on a range of horizontal and vertical sustainable buildings and infrastructure projects across the US and internationally, pursuing high level sustainability goals such as Net Zero Energy and Carbon, WELL, and LEED certification. Josh was co-chair of the ULI Colorado Healthy Places Committee and is a LEED Fellow.

Session VII | Designing High-Performance Districts, April 28, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Emerson Reiter

Senior Director Energy Storage, Pivot Energy

Emerson Reiter has 10 years of diverse energy experience across utility, research, startup, and development sectors. Prior to joining Pivot Energy in 2020, Emerson analyzed wholesale power and greenhouse gas markets for Pacific Gas & Electric, led multi-million-dollar programs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and developed solar+storage modeling and controls software at Nikola Power, a Denver-based startup. At Pivot Energy, Emerson leads all aspects of energy storage execution for behind-the-meter and front-of-meter projects, including market analysis, revenue modeling, hardware and software procurement, and project financing. He holds both an MS in Atmosphere & Energy and BS in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.

Session II | Energy Storage, April 27, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Shayle Sabo

Project Manager, Larimer County

Shayle Sabo is an Emergency Management Coordinator and Program Manager with the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management, and is currently navigating the COVID-19 environment as the Pandemic Recovery Manager coordinating the Larimer Recovery Collaborative. Shayle has resided in Colorado with her husband for about 4 years, and spent most of her life in Idaho and Montana. She holds a B.A. in International Studies from Idaho State University and a M.S. in Disaster Resilience Leadership from Tulane University. Shayle loves all things outdoors, running, hiking, and loves hobbies such as herbalism, reading, and gardening. She is deeply passionate about working with community to build social connections, long-term resilience, and working together to create thriving, inclusive communities.

Session III | The COVID Effect, April 27, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Molly Saylor

Senior Sustainability Specialist, City of Fort Collins

Molly Saylor is a Senior Sustainability Specialist with the City of Fort Collins. She works in the Environmental Services Department and leads planning and policy efforts. Molly recently co-led Our Climate Future – a joint update to the City’s climate action, energy, and zero waste plans and the City’s first major planning process to center equity, leading with race.

Session VIII | Racial Justice & Climate Change, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Paul Scharfenberger

Executive Director, Colorado Clean Energy Fund

Paul Scharfenberger is the Executive Director of the Colorado Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) – CO’s recently incorporated nonprofit “Green Bank”. Paul is responsible for identifying unserved and underserved clean energy opportunities in Colorado and working with a variety of stakeholders to structure creative and attractive finance solutions to bring those opportunities to fruition. Prior to joining CCEF, Paul was the Chief Operating Officer of the Colorado Energy Office where he developed various public private partnerships that deployed >$150M towards clean energy projects. Most notably, Paul was the lead author on multiple pieces of legislation that enabled Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) in Colorado and he Chaired the Board of Directors that created and launched the successful Colorado C-PACE program.

Session VI | Funding Innovation, April 28, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Sam Shriver

Partner & Director, Signal Tech Coalition

Sam Shriver is a partner and director at Signal Tech Coalition, where he is responsible for messaging the complex climate reality to engage a wider audience. He is an experienced communicator and immerses himself in each story, brand or issue he represents. After writing for a number of different organizations, including copywriting for Ogilvy Shanghai, Sam moved to Colorado to write about climate policy. There, he quickly learned that while we desperately need national leadership, climate advocacy starts with local community response.

Session III | The COVID Effect, April 27, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.

Zac Swank

Manager, PACE – Boulder

Zac Swank supervises PACE’s team of expert advisors and works with PACE’s partners to collaboratively set the strategic direction of the organization. Zac has an MBA and BA in environmental politics. Before coming to Boulder County, Zac served as operations manager of eGo CarShare and worked at Natural Capitalism Solutions, where he helped a $1.8 billion restaurant chain establish its first sustainability program.

Session V | Beyond Paris, April 28, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Will Toor

Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office

In January 2019, Will Toor joined the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) as its Executive Director appointed by Governor Jared Polis. Will’s background spans transportation electrification, sustainable transportation, smart growth, electric vehicle policy, clean energy finance, green building policy, local government policy and regional planning. Prior to CEO, Will was Transportation Program Director at the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP). Before SWEEP, Will served as Boulder County Commissioner for eight years where he led the effort to create and adopt a countywide Sustainable Energy Plan, the BuildSmart green building code, the EnergySmart program, and the ClimateSmart Loan Program. Prior to being elected Boulder County Commissioner, Will served as Mayor of Boulder for six years where he developed Boulder’s community transit network, EcoPass unlimited access transit pass programs, and policies for denser, mixed-use urban infill development as an alternative to sprawl.

Session I | Legislative Initiatives, April 27, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Hollie Velasquez-Horvath

Senior Director of State Affairs and Community Relations, Xcel Energy

Hollie Velasquez-Horvath currently holds the role of Senior Director of State Affairs and Community Relations at Xcel Energy – Colorado. She leads a team who are responsible for managing the state and local government relations, business and community relationships, and local economic development activities for Colorado. She also manages the philanthropic arm of the company to support Colorado non-profit organizations with foundation grants, employee volunteerism and corporate sponsorships. She holds several board positions around the Colorado community. She sits on the Downtown Denver Partnership Board, Visit Denver Board, Aurora Economic Development Board, The Colorado Latino Community Foundation, and Denver Health Authority.

Session VIII | Racial Justice & Climate Change, April 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Rudy Verner

Partner, Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP

Rudy Verner’s practice focuses on complex commercial disputes, federal and state appeals, and privacy and data security law. As a litigator he has successfully handled matters relating to insurance coverage, business torts, contractual disputes, employment, construction, real estate, land use and natural resources. He is an experienced appellate practitioner as well as a trial lawyer. In the appellate arena, Mr. Verner has appeared before numerous federal and state appellate courts, briefed issues of first impression under Colorado and other states’ law, and served as local advisory counsel in significant matters before the Tenth Circuit.

Session V | Beyond Paris, April 28, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Jon Walker

Sustainability Policy Manager, Lyft

Jon Walker manages sustainability policy for Lyft, including environmental and electric vehicle programs. Externally, Jon works with public officials, the private sector, NGOs, and utilities to advance mutual environmental and EV goals. Internally, Jon works with Lyft’s operations and product teams to help design, deploy, and scale Lyft’s new electric vehicle program. Prior to Lyft, Jon was a manager at Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in Colorado where he ran RMI’s autonomous and electric vehicles program. In this role, RMI partnered with several cities, including Denver and Austin, to deploy shared electric vehicles and to pave the way for autonomous vehicles and automated mobility services. Jon also co-authored Peak Car Ownership – The Market Opportunity of Electric Automated Mobility Services , which projects that mobility services like Lyft, performed by electric, autonomous vehicles, will overtake personally-owned vehicles in market share in the next decade.

Session V | Beyond Paris, April 28, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Sarah Zaleski

Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office

Sarah Zaleski serves as a senior advisor for the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office, where she leads the Commercial Building Integration zero energy efforts, multibuilding solutions, and a portfolio of various other projects. In previous roles at DOE, Sarah led local government clean energy innovation programs. Sarah has more than 15 years of experience in sustainability and energy work. She helped create the first comprehensive sustainability planning initiative in Teton County, Wyoming, designed and marketed energy-efficiency programs for government and utility-sponsored initiatives in North Carolina, researched economic implications of expanding global biofuel markets while with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and developed comprehensive energy-efficiency and sustainability programs for large commercial real estate portfolios.

Session VII | Designing High-Performance Districts, April 28, 9:50 to 10:50 a.m.