August 30th & 31st, 2026
Director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition
Panama Bartholomy is the Director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a highly effective team of 70 staff working with industry, elected officials and regulators to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment. Previously Panama worked as the Advisor on Energy and Natural Resources to California Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, served as Deputy Director of the California Energy Commission’s Efficiency and Renewables Division, and then as an Advisor for Chairwomen Douglas and Pfannenstiel. Panama has worked for the California Conservation Corps on vocational environmental education, ran the Sustainable Schools program for the Division of the State Architect, served on the City of Sacramento Planning Commission and the County of Sacramento Environmental Commission, and is a former board member on the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and past president of the Northern California Chapter of the USGBC.
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.
Summit Appliance
Experienced in consumer goods, household appliances with years of vast experience in product management, product development, regulatory compliance, brand management and marketing functions in various positions since 1995. Sazi has spearheaded the exponential growth of two brands in the US by introducing unique product solutions with energy conservation and preservation of natural resources being prioritized. Introducing the first compact heat pump dryer in the US following years of development with both safety and regulatory work with various agencies including DOE, EPA and NEEA back in 2015 with superb energy efficiency was one of the successful launches of the Blomberg branded appliances in multifamily residential projects across the US and Canada. Sazi Bugay’s recent work to enable 120V induction cooking range project is another commitment to global decarbonization initiative with the many stakeholders, manufacturing partners combined with Summit Appliances’ strength in developing the product with many forms and sizes to enable a smooth transition from gas to electric on many communities which are budget and time challenged. Sazi has earned his Mechanical Engineering degree from Boston University, and he holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Project Manager at the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Jennifer Gottlieb Elazhari is the Project Manager for the New England Heat Pump Accelerator at the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Prior to joining DEEP, Jennifer was the HUD Director for Public Housing at the CT Field Office and the Assistant City Manager of Norwich, CT. In addition to overseeing housing programs, Jennifer championed energy efficiency programs and programs to support the homeless and working families within these positions. She has a BA in architecture from Columbia University, a JD from Quinnipiac and a certificate in Financing and Deploying Clean Energy from the Yale School of Business and the Environment.
Principal Consultant at Artemisia Energy
Greg's career began at Redwood Energy in 2013, studying real-world performance in state-of-the-art all-electric multifamily buildings in California. He has continued to work with Redwood as a partner in various other endeavors while at Build It Green, Franklin Energy, and now as principal at Artemisia Energy which provides research services, data analysis, modeling, and general consulting services for the energy industry. Greg lives in Reno, NV with his partner and two dogs.
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.
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.
Certified Induction Systems Engineer at Ucook Foodservice Equipment Co
As a Certified Induction Systems Engineer, I deliver turnkey solutions for foodservice enterprises.
Newsletter Writer for Climate-Colored Goggles
Sammy writes Climate-Colored Goggles, a newsletter about climate and culture. If we want climate progress in energy, transportation and agriculture, we also need progress in pop culture, media and sports. I'm encouraging America's most influential storytellers to get in the game, and helping them figure out how.
Architect and Certified Energy Manager at SoCal Edison
Licensed Architect with a broad range of skills and experience in both commercial and residential projects. Special focus on sustainable design strategies and implementation, including building decarbonization, energy efficiency, water-use reduction, healthy indoor environments, and environmentally responsible materials use. Has overseen projects through Green Building certifications, including LEED and GreenPoint Rated.
