Breakout Session Presenters: (alphabetical, by last name) Keynote Presenter bios are located under their respective keynotes, on the CONFERENCE PAGE.
Scott Aycock is the Community and Economic Development Manager for COIC, Central Oregon’s regional council of governments.
He has spent the past 20 years working on community and economic development, transportation issues, natural resource management, renewable energy, strategic planning, collaborative process, and public policy at the local, regional, and statewide scale. Scott has a B.A. in Public Policy Analysis from UNC-Chapel Hill and an M.A. in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia. Scott’s work passion is sustainable community development but in his free time he’s listening to or playing music and getting outside with his kids.
Jeff Beaman, Central Electric Cooperative
During his 26-year career in the electric utility industry, Central Electric Cooperative Member Services Director Jeff Beaman has worked under three-different business models: investor-owned, a public utility district, and now as part of a member-owned, non-profit cooperative. Jeff worked with others to develop the Central Electric’s community solar project in Bend, the largest project of its kind in Oregon. He will share his plans to increase the affordability and participation in Community Solar.
Casey Bergh, OSU Transportation Program Manager
Jeff Bissonnette, MBA, Executive Director, Oregon Solar Industries Industrial Association.
Jeff Bissonnette comes to OSEIA after more than 17 years as the organizing director then policy director for the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon, the state’s residential utility ratepayer advocate organization. He campaigned for progressive energy policy while coordinating the Fair and Clean Energy Coalition and directed CUB’s legislative advocacy program since 2001 where he led numerous successful campaigns, including the creation of Oregon’s Renewable Energy Standard. Jeff has worked for community groups and campaign organizations in Washington, DC, Illinois and New York. He has dedicated both his work life and volunteer time to community organizing and advocating for public interest issues. Jeff currently serves on the board of Renewable Northwest, the region’s leading renewable energy advocacy organization. He is also a board member of the NW Energy Coalition, a regional collaboration of organizations working for a clean and affordable energy future.
Michele Crim: Climate Action Programs, Policy Manager, City of Portland, Planning and Sustainability.
Michele Crim’s 20-year history includes expertise in the areas of climate action, pollution prevention, environmental management systems and resource conservation.
Michele is responsible for the development, and implementation of the City of Portland’s Climate Action Plan, and is responsible for tracking and reporting on local carbon-reduction efforts. Michele has also facilitated the development of Portland and Multnomah County’s Climate Change Preparation Strategy that outlines priority actions to build resiliency into local government operations, services and infrastructure. This also includes advancing equity in all of the city’s climate programs and policies to ensure that all Portlanders have access to the opportunities necessary to satisfy their essential needs, advance their well-being, and achieve their full potential. Michele has a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Washington State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geology and Technology from the University of North Dakota.
Greg Delgado
Greg has a long history of advocacy working for social justice organizations. He is currently the Democratic candidate for Senator in District 27.
Robert Del Mar, Central Oregon Field Energy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy
Rob Del Mar is a senior policy analyst for solar technologies at the Oregon Department of Energy. Previously he has worked as a project manager in the solar programs at Energy Trust of Oregon and as a design engineer for a renewable energy engineering firm in Massachusetts. He has worked in the solar industry for more than 15 years in the public and private sectors and has been directly involved with many renewable energy projects throughout the country.
Shari Harris Dunning
Shari Harris-Dunning oversees eight counties in Central and Eastern Oregon. Her work involves; routine compliance inspections of solid waste facilities (such as landfills, transfer stations and compost facilities), issuing solid waste permits, providing technical assistance to the regulated community and public, assisting counties with their recycling goals (and reviewing annual Opportunity to Recycle Reports), being a local coordinator for DEQ sponsored Household Hazardous Waste Collection events, being a regional contact person for the DEQ materials management/solid waste planning grant opportunities (and also serving on the review committee) and more recently being a member on the DEQ strategic planning committee for preventing wasted food.
Cylvia Hayes, CEO, 3E Strategies MS, Environmental Studies.
Cylvia has 23 years of professional experience in sustainable energy, economic development, green jobs, green building and sustainable forestry and agriculture. Cylvia co-chaired the Oregon Renewable Energy Working Group which developed Oregon’s Renewable Energy Standard, Renewable Fuels Standard and other clean energy policies. She is a Fellow and former member of the Board of Directors of the American Leadership Forum Oregon.
Cylvia has been honored as aTop 50 Leader in Oregon by OregonBusiness Magazine, a Top 40 Under 40 by Cascade Business News and as a Central Oregon Earth Star.
Zach Henkin, MBA, Sustainable Business, Program Manager, Drive Oregon
Zach supports workplace charging, electric vehicle deployment, and helps further the adoption of electric vehicles by municipalities and businesses. An automotive and multi-modal transportation enthusiast, Zach came to Drive Oregon after spending time growing his energy aptitude while working in the solar energy industry building relationships and leading several Solarize programs in Clackamas and Multnomah County.
Diane Hodiak, MBA, is co-founder of 350Deschutes.
Diane hosts CarbonFreeda’s Power up at KPOV Central Oregon, 88.9. High Desert Community Radio.
Jesse Holland, ICF International, Energy Trust of Oregon
Jesse Holland is the Central Oregon Account Manager for Energy Trust of Oregon’s Existing Commercial Buildings Program. Jesse has worked in energy efficiency programs for 13 years, primarily out of Portland before moving to Bend in 2014. He has served utility clients throughout the Pacific Northwest and California within the commercial, grocery and residential sectors.
Marilyn Lohmann , Service Hydrologist, NOAA, National Weather Service
Marilyn has been the service hydrologist at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Pendleton, Oregon for the last 17 years. Previously, she was an operational forecaster at Norfolk Nebraska and Elko Nevada and has been able to experience a wide variety of weather and forecasting challenges.
Matt McRae, Climate PolicyAnalyst, Our Children’s Trust.
Formerly with the City of Eugene. Matt managed the development of Eugene’s first community Climate and Energy Action Plan and since its completion in 2010, his work has centered on implementing Eugene’s Community and Internal Climate Action Plans. He manages Greenhouse Gas Inventories, oversees the update and implementation of Eugene’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, and developed Eugene’s 20-minute neighborhoods assessment. The assessment identifies the most walkable areas of the city and provides tools to citizens and decision makers as to how to improve access to services. Matt has worked for the City of Eugene since 2002 and prior to that worked for the National Park Service for nine years. Matt has a B.S. from the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University. He will share lessons learned from a decade of implementing Eugene’s Climate Action Plans and measuring progress toward Eugene’s aggressive climate goals. He will describe the importance of community partnerships and how Eugene has accrued cost savings while leveraging existing investments. He will also describe an important tool, the triple bottom line, which includes the social, economic, and environmental impacts of policies and programs.
Kristen McBride
Kristen has worked for the US Forest Service for 15 years, both in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest Regions. As a Staff Officer, Kristen has oversight for all of the program areas in natural resources including Botany, Wildlife, Invasive Plants, Silviculture, Timber, Genetics, Soils, Hydrology, Fisheries, Ecology, Range and Forest Health. Her background includes plant ecology, botany, riparian systems, range and vegetation inventory and monitoring. Kristen has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Master of Science in Rangeland Science and Management. She and her family spend most weekend outdoors and they love camping, hiking, skiing and boating on public lands.
Michael Murphy, Meteorologist, NOAA, National Weather Service, Climate Leader
Michael leads the climate program and is a member of the Severe Weather Assessment Team at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Pendleton, Oregon. He is also the climate sciences liaison for the Umatilla County Climate Focus group, based in Pendleton, Oregon. This group collaborates with the National Weather Service to assure sound science is used in the educating the local community on climate related issues.
Joseph O’Donnell, Business Manager, Ameresco, Inc.
An authority on energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) and renewable energy in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest, Ameresco performs energy audits and designs, builds and commissions energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that generate guaranteed savings for public and private organizations.
Jeffrey Rola, Go Bio Community Fuels
As long time Oregon resident, Jeff has worked in both the public and private sectors.He seeks and prefers work that sustains, conserves, and enhances the quality of life in Central Oregon. That was his motivation behind the founding of Go Bio Co in 2008 and starting “Go Bio Community Fuels”. A waste-to-fuel company. This drop-in fuel, which is bio-diesel, can be used in all vehicles that currently run on diesel, including busses, cars, and trucks. This is vastly greater than traditional diesel in that it contributes little to pollution and cancer causing Diesel soot. Jeff will address the growing opportunities for innovation and new business that are now available in alternative fuels.
Denise Rowcroft, Sustainability Educator, The Environmental Center,
As a sustainability educator at Bend’s Environmental Center since 2006, Denise’ roles have included managing the Youth Education program, building the Kansas Ave Learning Garden, and managing our Rethink Waste program. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Outdoor Education from Prescott College and has experience as an educator in a variety of settings, from the wilderness to the classroom. She enjoys creating jewelry, art, and furniture using found and reclaimed materials, and it’s this particular passion that drives her interest in Rethinking Waste.
Bruce Sullivan, Base Zero.
Bruce Sullivan has been helping people improve the energy efficiency and reduce their environmental impact for more than three decades. He recently completed a zero energy home in Bend that proves the investment in energy efficiency generates immediate financial returns that exceed the cost
Jon Skidmore, Assistant Bend City Manager
