MyGBCE 2023 Speakers

Bobby Almeida
Bobby Almeida
Director of Commissioning
Verdical Group
Bobby is the Director of Commissioning at Verdical Group, where he heads up all commissioning and energy auditing efforts. He is a Professional Engineer (PE), Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP), and Certified Energy Manager (CEM). Bobby is an expert in optimizing HVAC controls to minimize energy use without compromising user comfort or ongoing maintenance needs.

Bobby earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California and volunteers for the USGBC-LA Long Beach Branch.

Frances Anderton
Frances Anderton
Author
Frances Anderton Projects
Frances Anderton is the author of Common Ground: Multifamily Housing in Los Angeles. She co-produced 40 Years of Building Community, a short film about the nonprofit housing developer Community Corporation of Santa Monica. For many years Anderton hosted KCRW’s DnA: Design and Architecture radio show, and produced the current affairs shows Which Way, LA? And To The Point. She writes a regular newsletter for KCRW and she consults on programming at Helms Bakery District. Honors include the Esther McCoy Award, from the Architectural Guild of USC School of Architecture, for her work educating the public about architecture and urbanism.

Cassy Aoyagi
Cassy Aoyagi
President
FormLA Landscaping
Cassy Aoyagi is president of FormLA Landscaping, a full-service firm committed to sustainable practices. An advisor of USGBC-LA, and accredited in both LEED and SITEs standards, Aoyagi believes more sustainable landscapes can save LA from drought, fire, floods and slides, all while improving our health, equity and economic resilience. During her more than 25 years in business Aoyagi has replaced more than 200,000 square feet of thirsty lawn and added millions of square feet of authentic, native habitat. Her work now saves the city more than 10 million gallons of water and 2400 lbs. of pollutants each year.

Ada Arevalo
Ada Arevalo
Founder and CEO
iimpact
Ada Arevalo has an established 20-year career in real estate investments with executive roles in Finance, Fund Management, Capital Raising, and Impact Investments, and now serves as the Founder and CEO of iimpact, a real estate fund manager co-investing with women-led operators and developers.

Throughout her career, it became evident that women, especially women of color, did not share the same opportunities to have a seat at the table. Understanding the privilege that her hard work has afforded her, in 2021 Ada sought to develop an investment strategy that applied her experience and expertise to remove the barriers to entry that women operators and developers encounter in the industry. Applying an innovative three-pronged approach, iimpact's mission is to create equitable access to capital and opportunity as a driver for innovation, impact, and performance of real estate investments.

Ada began her career in public accounting which, combined with a personal mission to advance disadvantaged communities created a strong foundation from which she built success in impact investing and affordable housing, including a long tenure at Avanath Capital. In addition to her leadership at iimpact, Ada is also committed to serving various mission-driven private and non-profit boards and mentoring mission-aligned organizations through the Terner Housing Innovation Labs, Multifamily Impact Council, and the Real Estate Association of Latinx Professionals (REAL), among others.

Aravind Batra
Aravind Batra
Vice President
P2S

Matt Berbee
Matt Berbee
Vice President, Facilities Operations, Engineering & Sustainability
NBCUniversal
Matt leads Sustainability programs for NBCUniversal in support of Comcast’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2035 in Scope 1 and 2 emissions. In this role Matt is responsible for Sustainability Data Solutions, Strategy & Implementation, Production & Content. In addition, Matt serves as Head of Facilities for NBCU’s West Coast Studio Operations. Matt has 20 years of experience in Sustainability, Energy Management and Facilities Operations & Engineering. Prior to joining NBCU, Matt served as the Director of Operations & Energy Services at the California Institute of Technology and started his career as the Energy Manager for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Matt holds a master’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University Pomona. Certifications include, Facilities Professional, Certified Energy Manager and LEED GA. Matt has been recognized by NASA with the Blue Marble award for excellence in environmental & energy programs, the U.S. Department of Energy as an Energy Champion, the State of California as a leader in the Flex Your Power program and by the Association of Energy Engineers as an engineer of the year.

Mel Bergsneider
Mel Bergsneider
Executive Account Manager
Allume Energy
As the first US-based employee at Allume Energy, Mel leads the Australian-born startup’s expansion across target markets such as Florida and California. Mel works closely with affordable housing providers, solar installers, and real estate developers to provide solar energy benefits to participating tenants. Previous experience includes working in energy efficiency in San Francisco, installing solar at a Women's Cooperative in Nicaragua, and supporting sustainable development in the Amazon Rainforest.

Myrna Bittner
Myrna Bittner
CEO and Co-Founder
RUNWITHIT Synthetics
Myrna Bittner, CEO, has led RWI since its inception. Under Myrna’s leadership, RWI has won the United Nations Global Award for Decarbonising Growing Urban Environments, the SET100 top 100 global companies in energy transition and mobility, and became finalist in the Toyota Mobility Foundation's City Architecture of Tomorrow Challenge. RWI has also been a 2 times winner of the IncubateEnergy Labs Challenge with EPRI in Phoenix and Nashville. Myrna was recently invited to present with NREL at the Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver and speak at VerdeXchange in Los Angeles.

Marla Blow
Marla Blow
President and Chief Operating Officer
Skoll Foundation

Glen Boldt
Glen Boldt
Director of Residential Sustainability
ZC Sustainability
Partner, Senior Project Manager, Director of Residential Sustainability. Glen is the Senior Project Manager for LEED, CHPS (Collaborative High Performance Schools), Green Globes, and DoD Guiding Principles projects, and a LEED for Homes Green Rater, providing third-party project verification. Glen advised the Green Business Certification Institute on the development of the LEED for Homes Green Rater credential program. His LEED for Homes achievements include the first residential mid-rise project certification, the first multi-unit modular certification and the first LEED v4 residential certification. He has worked on multiple affordable housing projects targeting Los Angeles’ unhoused population including affordable net-zero energy projects.

Jessie Buckmaster
Jessie Buckmaster
Director of Sustainability
Hathaway Dinwiddie

Genaro Bugarin
Genaro Bugarin
Director of Energy Innovation
The Energy Coalition
Genaro Bugarin is the Director of Energy Innovation at The Energy Coalition. He focuses on programs at the intersection of decentralized energy, decarbonization, and community engagement, working to make clean energy affordable and accessible to everyone. Genaro’s background is in mechanical engineering, real estate, commercial retrofits, and energy management. He graduated from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and obtained an M.B.A. from USC’s Marshall School of Business. Genaro is a Certified Energy Manager, a LEED Accredited Professional, and Vice Chair of the Community Advisory Committee representing Los Angeles County at the Clean Power Alliance.

Casey Castor
Casey Castor
CEO + Founder
Mack Research
Casey grew up in the Midwest with most of his young life being in rural Wisconsin. Spending
much of his time outdoors camping, hiking, and fishing he then moved to urban Milwaukee to
pursue an undergraduate in Architecture + Design. Through many comprehensive design studios,
he found his passion for design and retained his love for the environment through sustainability in
architecture. This led to the early development of urban wind module through a kinetic facadeʼs
studio where he developed the first mock-up iteration of a wall assembly that could produce
energy through wind and rain. Then moving to southern California in 2016 to join GGA Architects,
he spent multiple years learning the architectural profession while working on affordable housing
projects. After 1-year away from academia he decided to attend USC to pursue a Masters in
Building Science + Sustainable design while continuing his architectural work full-time. During his
thesis he learned refined practices for building design, construction and sustainability. Focusing
much of his time understanding energy modeling, building analyses such as daylighting and solar
analysis, it allowed him to come back to GGA and take over as their resident Building Science
Analyst/ Environmental Designer. While working at GGA, Casey has continued the development
of the technology with the Mack Research team. Spending nights sketching ideas and
workshopping the components with 3D modeling and 3d printing, the early-stage prototype is
gaining further traction with a DOE grant. Casey is well nestled into the world of sustainability
and looking to steer his career further into the cleantech community.

Julie Castro
Julie Castro
Assitant Director
The Energy Coalition
Julie Castro provides oversight and direction on TEC’ energy services, including SoCalREN’s engagement and enrollment activities. She oversees the coordination and management of SoCalREN’s regional partnerships with COGs and other local organizations. She also provides direction and guidance on SoCalREN’s energy resiliency initiatives and has extensive experience delivering energy projects for public agencies. Julie has experience developing benchmarking tools to enhance data-driven insights and decision-making. She has a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and a B.A. in Global Studies and International Studies from UCSB.

Amanda Cavallo
Amanda Cavallo
Design Project Manager
SweisKloss
Amanda Cavallo is an Architectural Designer, LEED BD+C accredited professional, Artist, and Sustainability Activist in Santa Monica, California. She is deeply passionate about reconnecting our built environment with the natural environment in order to improve our health, sustainability, quality of life, and social justice. She believes that we each have a responsibility to educate ourselves and make more mindful choices every day, and each accumulating small action is what will lead to the big changes and paradigm shift we need. Currently pursuing a zero-waste and regenerative lifestyle, Amanda hopes to educate and encourage others to do the same.

Amanda became a USGBC-LA member in the summer of 2022, and has been an active participant in the Legacy Committee, Wildfire Defense Committee, and Green Homes Committee. Joining this community of genuine and motivated individuals has been truly rewarding and empowering, and I’m thrilled to be a part of these impactful projects. She has experience in residential design, commercial interiors, lighting design, project management, general contracting, natural building, and experiment in many different artistic mediums using upcycled materials – she's determined to put these skills to meaningful use by supporting projects that are part of the solution.

Tony Chang
Tony Chang
Director of Strategic Partnerships
ChargePoint
Tony Chang is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Chargepoint, with 30+ years of experience in the public and private sectors. He focuses on forming long-term strategic partnerships via high-profile networking, bringing together end-users, buyers, and sellers locally and nationally. Chang is an effective leader with specific expertise in green-related initiatives, fleets, and government agencies. His career began at Denso, where he played a key role in increasing department sales from $63 million to $268 million. Chang is skilled at identifying and integrating key market trends, showcasing new and innovative technologies, and bringing parties together in meaningful forums.

Leigh Chirsty
Leigh Chirsty
Managing Principal FAIA
Perkins&Will
Leigh Christy, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a Principal in the Perkins&Will Los Angeles studio, where she leads public- and private-sector projects that focus on benefiting communities, ecosystems, and occupants. She co-chairs the global design firm's Research Board, sits on its Technology Council, and leads the firm's Innovation Incubator micro-grant program. Leigh is a member of the AIA California's ArcCA Digest Editorial Board and the Climate Action Committee, as well as leads the ULI Los Angeles Innovation Council. Working at the interface of architecture and urban design, she collaborates with clients and project teams to reach beyond what seems achievable.

Patrick Chopson
Patrick Chopson
Co-founder and CPO
cove.tool

Lance Collins
Lance Collins
Director
Partner Energy
Mr. Collins is a licensed architect and LEED Accredited Professional with over 20 years of experience in architecture, urban design, and sustainable design consulting. He is currently a Principal at Partner Energy and Director of the Sustainability/Green Certifications team, providing design consulting and project management for green certification projects such as LEED and GreenPoint Rated. He is also experienced in building energy and water benchmarking, analysis, and green certification project management. Mr. Collins has been an adjunct professor at Long Beach City College and a guest speaker at many professional organizations and national conferences. He graduated from Cornell University and UCLA School of Architecture and Urban Design and currently resides in Long Beach, California.

Fernanda Craig
Fernanda Craig
Environmental Initiatives Manager
County of Los Angeles
Lujuana manages/operates environmental initiatives programs administered by LA County: Southern California Regional Energy Network (a portfolio of energy efficiency programs) and SoCal EVen Access (a portfolio of EV infrastructure programs). She has 15 years of experience in various capacities related to energy and leads policy and grant development regarding energy efficiency, distributed energy resources, clean energy programs, and the electrification of transportation. Lujuana has served as Energy Policy & Regulatory Manager for various clients, Energy Efficiency Policy Lead Advisor for SoCalGas, Regulatory Case Manager in the Power Procurement Department for SCE, Generation Resource Planner and Utility Finance Advisor for SDG&E