John Carlson is Clean Air Task Force’s Senior Northeast Regional Policy Manager on the U.S. State Policy team. John works across all CATF programs to advocate for pragmatic economy-wide decarbonization policies that are needed to reach net-zero emissions at the state level across the U.S. Northeast in a way that is equitable and builds resilient communities. Prior to his work with CATF, John worked for Ceres utilizing the unique perspective and resources of the business community to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation policies in states throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. In that role he supported the design, adoption and implementation of regional transportation policies, the development of the offshore wind industry, advancements in energy efficiency and building decarbonization, passage of environmental justice provisions, and design of carbon trading programs.
Josh Newman is a United States Army veteran, community activist, non-profit founder, and State Senator for the 29th Senate district of California. He successfully guided more than 20 pieces of legislation that supported veteran services and mental health resources, improved local schools, helped businesses create jobs, and protected open space. He served as an artillery officer in the United States Army, with duty assignments with a nuclear weapons unit in South Korea and a conventional artillery battalion in the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. At Yale University, he majored in History with a focus on 20th Century politics and government. In 2012, he founded an initiative, ArmedForce2Workforce, to assist young military veterans in the pursuit of rewarding, career-oriented employment following the completion of their own military service and return to the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County area. Josh is a member of Elected Officials to Protect America's California Leadership Council.
Partner & Investment Committee at Regeneration.VC Katie founded and operated environmental investment firms, policy projects and entrepreneurial initiatives. She has advised over 15 startups in clean tech, agriculture, fashion and fintech. Katie played an instrumental role in directing a global investor coalition to reallocate $12 trillion-plus assets under management (AUM) to low carbon and ESG opportunities. As a Managing Director at Etho Capital, Katie led strategic development, facilitated the market introduction of Etho’s Climate Leadership Index and ETF, and scaled AUM. Katie built green incubator and accelerator programs with the University of California, California Clean Energy Fund and Nexus Global. She has supported over 100 green projects through the programs and policies she co-created. Additionally, she is a lead developer of a venture fund with New Energy Nexus investing in clean technology innovation in Southeast Asia. Katie currently sits as a trustee of the American Renewable Energy Institute and the World Ethics and Leadership Foundation.
Piana has served as an elected official representing Ferndale for more than 12 years — with 11 years as a member of the City Council, and two years as mayor. Her commitment to Ferndale includes prioritizing a culture of belonging and well-being. In her professional capacity working across municipal borders with public service, initiatives have included advances in inclusive neighborhood economic development, mobility and non-motorized street transformations, and community engagement advances. Melanie is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Climate Change Professional (CC-P) from the Association of Climate Change Officers. She earned a certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Leadership in Local and State Government in 2018. In 2020, she continued her executive education by completing the course Public Narrative: Storytelling, Leadership, and Action at Harvard University.
Milti Chryssavgis is the CEO and Founder of Drashta Ventures. He previously worked at Drashta Capital as a CEO & Founder. Chryssavgis attended UNSW. Drashta Impact was founded to solve the key pain points impact investors face, developing a unique de-risking tool and liquidity solution to empower investors to substantially amplify their impact securely.
Park Elizabeth Cannon is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 58th district. After graduating from high school in 2009, Cannon enrolled at Chapman University, but encountered racism and chose to transfer to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[5] She graduated from UNC in 2014 with a degree in Hispanic Linguistics, and a minor in women's and gender studies. Cannon is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. After completing college, Cannon worked at the Feminist Health Center of Atlanta. In 2018, Cannon completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow. Cannon was named to Fast Company's Queer 50 list in 2021. Park is a member of Elected Officials to Protect America's National Leadership Council.
Paul Evans has served in the Oregon House of Representatives, (HD-20) since 2015. He is the Co-Chair of Elected Officials to Protect America’s National Leadership Council. At age 18, Paul was elected as a city councilor, and went on to become mayor of Monmouth from 1999 to 2002. Evans served in the Oregon Air National Guard and United States Air Force for 20 years before retiring in 2013. He participated in combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He worked with Governor Kulongoski as a senior advisor for Emergency Management, Military, and Veterans’ Affairs for over three years. In the private sector he became Chief of the Protection and National Security Division for High Impact Technology. He earned a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, has taught at Western Oregon University and Oregon State University, and has volunteered as a senior firefighter with Polk County Fire District. Now, he continues to serve as a State Representative and a Speech Communication Professor at Chemeketa Community College.
Raaheela is currently serving as the elected representative for the Prince George's County Board of Education, District 5, representing over 80,000 people. This lifelong Prince Georgian and proud product of Prince George's County Public Schools first ran for the position in 2012 as an 18-year old, anti-establishment, grassroots candidate....and nearly won. She was subsequently elected with votes of support from 32,000 people, and re-elected with support from over 56,000 people.
Brigid Shea is a Travis County, Texas Commissioner. Previously, Brigid was an award-winning reporter at NPR stations who has proved her grit by fighting climate change in Texas since 1988. As a former Austin City Council member, she helped create the first wind project in Texas. Since being elected to the Travis County Commissioners Court in 2014, her work to reverse climate change and better prepare residents for climate impacts has won 3 NACo Achievement Awards; one for creating a neighborhood wildfire drill, the second for dramatically improving the reach of emergency warning systems, and the third for significantly reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions through an ambitious remote work policy at the County. Currently, Brigid serves as the US Board Chair of ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability; Vice Chair of NACo Environmental Energy Land Use Steering Committee; Vice Chair of NACo Resilient Counties Advisory Board; member of NACo Large Urban Counties Caucus; Executive Committee member of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council, Compact Co-Chair for the Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance; and member of FEMA’s Resilient Nation Partnership Network.
Robin Wilt is currently the Principal/Owner of a proprietary real estate brokerage firm located in Brighton. In January 2018, Ms. Wilt began serving as the second African American ever elected to Brighton Town Council. Robin’s entrée into politics was as the co-founder of the Genesee Valley chapter of Progressive Democrats of America, a grassroots organization dedicated to working inside and outside the Democratic Party to advance progressive causes. Robin is a member of Elected Officials to Protect America's New York Leadership Council.