August 5th & 6th, 2025
NCAP
An influential thought leader in clean energy and environmental advocacy, McKenna Dunbar is renowned for their unwavering commitment to environmental justice and equitable clean energy transitions. As a key figure and social entrepreneur in the non-profit sector, Dunbar spearheads initiatives dedicated to reducing fossil fuel dependence and advancing the electric sector by championing building electrification. Dunbar's exceptional advocacy and social impact initiatives prioritizes frontline and rural communities, skillfully navigating the complex interplay between environmental justice, green workforce development, and net-zero building policy initiatives. Their impactful work has garnered numerous prestigious accolades, including the 2023 Aspen Institute Future Leader, 2022 Truman Scholarship Finalist, 2022 ACEEE Linda Latham Scholar, 2022 BECC Fellow, 2022 Greenbuild Host Committee Scholar, 2022 LinkedIn Top Voice in Social Impact, 2022 + 2023 EPA Environmental Justice Video Challenge Winner, and 2021 Udall Scholar, among others.
Ecotope
Shawn Oram leads business development for Ecotope’s design and engineering line. His work at Ecotope since 2002 focuses on energy efficiency and its relationship to building systems design. He has a deep knowledge of buildings, systems and energy use gained through field studies, research, energy audits, code compliance analysis, extensive energy modeling, commissioning, and design of HVAC and plumbing systems. He assisted in creation of the guidelines for the Design for Off ™ approach to creating low energy buildings. Shawn stays current in the latest emerging technologies, product and building trends and is active in local and national ASHRAE and ASPE chapters. He specializes in resource efficient HVAC and plumbing systems for a diverse array of commercial buildings constructed under California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska building codes. He has developed construction documents delivering over $1 million in utility incentives for his projects. Shawn ensures that our team of highly specialized engineers deliver the most cost effective and energy efficient buildings while meeting clients’ budget, project and timeline goals. He has played key roles in the design of innovative mechanical and plumbing systems.
Architect
Avideh Haghighi is a Registered Architect with a passion for transforming the built environment towards a net positive impact. She has a decade of experience and a diverse portfolio of work spanning public and private sectors, such as public schools, large mixed-use developments and institutional projects, including the State’s largest Net Zero Carbon building currently under construction. Recently she has turned her attention to the single family housing market, recognizing the need for resources and innovation to decarbonize the existing housing stock. She is applying her knowledge from designing and constructing zero energy commercial buildings to the all-electric deep green retrofit of a 99 year old house dubbed 'Zerohouz'.
Managing Principal at Redwood Energy
Sean Armstrong is the Managing Principal of Redwood Energy, founded in 2011 as the nation’s first all-electric design consultancy. Between 2007 and 2020, Sean led the design of half the ZNE residences built in California, and 1/4th the ZNE residences in North America. Following his mother-in-law’s death in the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, CA, Sean hired leading environmental lawyers in 2018 to devise municipal, county and state legal strategies to ban gas in buildings that were adopted by 80+ governments nation-wide and led California from 1% all-electric construction in 2019 to 80% in 2023; co-authored 7 practical guides to building electrification; and created specifications for “retrofit ready” 120V heat pump water heaters, 120V cold climate window heat pumps, and 120V induction stoves. Sean has received two Innovation prizes for his ZNE projects from the Department of Energy, and Grand Prizes from the California Building Industry (2016) and the United Nations (2017). Sean was inducted into California’s Clean Energy Hall of Fame in 2022 and served the the U.S. State Department in 2023 as a Speaker on Net Zero to Malaysia.
Sean Armstrong is the Managing Principal of Redwood Energy and has worked for 28 years in building electrification, designed the retrofit and new construction of more than 25,000 all-electric residences for disadvantaged populations, co-authored 7 "pocket guides" to building electrification, provided legal and technical support to building gas bans nationwide, and has received Grand Prize awards from the United Nations and the California Building Industry Association. Sean was inducted into California's Clean Energy Hall of Fame in 2022, and in 2023-2024 is working with other nations on their Net Zero goals on behalf of the U.S. State Department.
Founder of Home Energy Academy
Spencer Rosen is a 20-year veteran of California’s clean-energy movement and the founder of Home Energy Academy, where his dynamic trainings have equipped tens of thousands of homeowners and professionals with practical, zero-carbon strategies. A certified building-science expert and licensed general contractor, Spencer has completed 1,000-plus home energy audits and more than 100 deep-retrofit projects, developed patented battery-sizing software, and built custom calculators and checklists that translate complex data into clear action plans. He previously led the functional design of an industry-leading optimization engine that orchestrates solar, storage, EV charging, heat pumps, and smart appliances behind the meter. Earlier, as CEO of Energy Integrity Inc., he steered full-service retrofit teams from concept through rebate documentation, honing a rare end-to-end perspective that spans audit, design, installation, and QA/QC. Known for turning dense building-science concepts into engaging, actionable insights, Spencer now channels his technical depth, product-design experience, and passion for electrification into next-generation software tools and high-impact education that accelerate the transition to zero-carbon homes.
Climate Community Director and Environmental Justice Consultant at San Diego Urban Sustainability Coalition
Tanisha-Jean Martin is an Afro-Latina San Diego native, where she has worked for over a decade battling Environmental injustices and climate change issues. She was appointed by San Diego’s Mayor to The City of San Diego’s Climate Advisory Board where she serves as the Chair and is a member of the Mayor’s International Delegation team. She graduated as a McNair Scholar from San Diego State University, triple majoring in Geography, Sociology, and Political Science; she cares about people and places, and makes a difference through her research for policy changes. As the Black Graduate Student President, Tanisha-Jean earned her Master’s degree at University of San Diego's School of Leadership and Education Sciences with a certification in Life Coaching, she holds the record for most awards received by a graduating student which includes “The Best Capstone Project Award Winner of the 2018 graduating cohort” and several Trailblazer, Leadership, and Changemaker Awards. Due to Tanisha-Jean’s dedication to equity, research, and policy activism, Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards are now accepted at California State Universities and other states, with the support of California’s Secretary of State Dr. Shirly Weber to introduce her own California Legislative Bill (AB832-2013). Her award winning paper, “Segregation of Student Financial Aid in Higher Education: The Effects on Low-Income Students When EBT is not accepted at University Campuses” has been downloaded nearly 500 times all over the world to promote equity for college students. At San Diego Urban Sustainability Coalition, Tanisha-Jean is the Climate Community Director and Environmental Justice Consultant, where she creates curriculum and Facilitates the Climate Ambassador Workshops leading in the certification of over 100 Climate Ambassadors in California and 9 other states that are taking action to battle Climate Change, Environmental and Social Justice, and promote resilience in Communities of Concern. Tanisha-Jean Martin is launching her nonprofit organization, ECOfirmative, which focuses on building cooperative ecosystems through co-designed community projects, nature-based action solutions, and economy uplift through policy advocacy education.
California Energy Commission
Stephen Becker is a Professional Mechanical Engineer and Residential HVAC Subject Matter Expert with the California Energy Commission's Building Standards Branch. His interests in decarbonization and building energy efficiency began during his undergraduate years at UC Davis, where he worked at the UC Davis Air Quality Research Center, studying air quality monitoring techniques and particle deposition in lungs, and the UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center, where he helped develop energy models for unique ZNE buildings. Soon after graduating from UC Davis, Stephen joined Frontier Energy's Building Research and Energy Consulting group, focusing on building energy modeling, decarbonization, technology testing and evaluation, energy code development, and utility rate analysis. In 2023, he joined the CEC, where, in addition to serving as the Residential HVAC Subject Matter Expert, he supports building energy modeling projects, the development of CalGreen's voluntary building energy efficiency standards, and the adoption of Reach Codes by local jurisdictions across California.
Director of Sustainability at LRS
Joy Rifkin is an innovator and educator who has devoted nearly a decade to transforming the waste and recycling sector. Her passion for sustainability began at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she championed climate action and environmental policy. After teaching science in Chicago Public Schools, she moved to NYC to launch the nation’s largest Zero Waste Schools Program with the NYC Office of Energy and Sustainability. Today, as Director of Sustainability at LRS—the nation’s fifth-largest private waste and recycling company—Joy continues to develop strategies that reduce environmental impact, elevate industry standards, and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders.
Senior Policy Manager at San Diego Community Power
Aisha serves as Senior Policy Manager at San Diego Community Power, California’s second-largest community choice aggregator and lead administrator of the San Diego Regional Energy Network (SDREN). She leads regulatory strategy for energy efficiency and building decarbonization policy. With over a decade of experience in local government energy, Aisha previously worked at Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Humboldt County’s community choice aggregator and lead administrator for the Northern Rural Energy Network. Her policy work has spanned the legislature and key agencies—including the CEC, CARB, CAISO, and CPUC—covering clean energy procurement, reliability, resilience, and offshore wind. She has also managed sustainable energy initiatives, including climate action planning and clean transportation. Aisha is a strong advocate for Community Choice Energy and Regional Energy Networks as tools to deliver an equitable and clean energy future. She champions policies that expand energy efficiency, accelerate decarbonization, and support workforce development in underserved and hard-to-reach communities across California.
Department of Energy
Ram (he) is the Technical Executive of EPRI's Decarbonization of Buildings and Communities division. EPRI supports electric utilities world-wide, and Ram specializes in supporting electrification technologies that provide grid services, low-GWP refrigerants and leading edge efficiency. He has been instrumental in advancing California’s goals for Net Zero Energy and zero carbon buildings, developing one of the first Zero Net Energy neighborhoods of houses, and developing zero energy affordable housing communities in the Central Valley and Southern California.
Executive Director at the Mid-Hudson Energy Transition
Jasmine Graham (she/they) is a passionate advocate for a healthy, sustainable, and just world. She is currently the Executive Director at Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, where she is advancing an equitable, local renewable energy transition in the Hudson Valley of New York. Prior to that, she served as the Senior Equity and Affordability Advisor at the Building Decarbonization Coalition, the Energy Justice Policy Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and the Program Manager for New York’s first and largest Community Choice Aggregation at Sustainable Westchester. Jasmine was also appointed to New York City's Climate Mobilization Advisory Board and Sustainability Advisory Board, where she provided recommendations to the City on their building decarbonization laws and climate plans.
Energy Engineering Manager at the Association for Energy Affordability, Inc.
Jack Aitchison is an Energy Engineering Manager at the Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. (AEA) in Emeryville, CA. Jack has provided engineering and technical support for various comprehensive energy efficiency and decarbonization retrofits of existing multifamily buildings. Additionally, Jack is an implementor of energy efficiency multifamily rebate programs in California, including the Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancement (BAMBE) program, the Tri-County Regional Energy Network Multifamily Energy Efficiency program, the California TECH Initiative, and the Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP).
CEO of QuitCarbon
Cooper Marcus is the Chief Quitter and CEO at QuitCarbon. QuitCarbon helps homeowners gain the confidence and clarity they need to electrify their homes - and helps contractors grow their businesses by being part of the clean energy transition. Cooper believes that society’s move away from fossil fuel presents an incredible opportunity to respond to the climate crisis while improving the quality of life for homeowners, renters, and the small businesses that help maintain their homes. Cooper has led high-impact projects and products at high-growth startups and large enterprises. He recently spent 2.5 years at PG&E, guiding the development of an industry-leading wildfire risk machine learning model that is used to prioritize over $1B in annual spending on risk reduction.Cooper has a BA in Environmental Studies, with a focus on Urban Planning, from UC Santa Cruz, where he received college honors, highest honors in the major, Dean’s Award, and Chancellor’s Award. He has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he was awarded Top Student in Technology and E-Commerce.
Community Energy Labs
Summit Appliance
Director at TRC
Amruta Khanolkar is a Director at TRC in the Advanced Energy, Research and Consulting group where she leads teams on technology deployments and program adoption pilots and projects. With 17+ years of experience in the building industry in the private and nonprofit sectors, she combines technical expertise in electrification, demand response management, and net zero energy design. Amruta founded a national market transformation initiative Advanced Water Heating Initiative in 2019. Her areas of expertise are tech-market commercialization, product development, deployment at scale, new products and program pilots.
Building Decarbonization Coalition
Beckie oversees political strategy to advance climate policy and equitable building decarbonization in California. Prior to joining the BDC, Beckie developed and implemented demand side management programs for CCAs, such as MCE and East Bay Community Energy. Beckie has also worked at both the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission, in addition to overseeing Distributed Energy Resources Programs at the Center for Sustainable Energy. Beckie started her career in Arcata, CA where she pursued a masters degree in the Energy, Technology, and Policy program while serving as the City of Arcata Climate Specialist. She counts among her strongest accomplishments her time as a Co-Director at the Campus Center for Technology and her brief stint as a KHUM radio DJ.
TRC
Kelly Lyndon is a Decarbonization Leader and Climate Justice Advocate. With a background in high-tech engineering, she has recently pivoted to a new career at TRC where she is leading field pilots to equitably & cost-effectively electrify homes across California. She is active in her community as the Co-Chair of the San Diego Building Electrification Coalition, Vice-Chair of the City of San Diego’s Climate Advisory Board, and Treasurer of the San Diego 2024 Flood Long Term Recovery Group.
