SR-08-23-2019 13A 13.A
August 27, 2019
Council Meeting: August 27, 2019 Santa Monica, California
1 of 1
CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk, Records & Elections Services
Department
Date: August 27, 2019
13.A Appointment to one unscheduled vacancy on the Task Force on the
Environment. (Continued from August 13, 2019)
13-A
August 13, 2019
August 27, 2019
13-A
August 13, 2019
August 27, 2019
SPECIAL VACANCY APPOINTMENT WORKSHEET
TASK FORCE ON THE
ENVIRONMENT TERM ENDING
SPECIAL
QUALIFICATIONS
REQUIRED
Unscheduled Vacancy
(Mark Gold resignation
accepted 06/25/2019)
N/A
Must have significant
expertise in one or more
areas of environmental
policy and must reside or
work in Santa Monica
and may not hold paid
office/employment in the
City government.
City of Santa Monica
Board and Commissions Applicants
Task Force on the Environment
Name Application Date
Jeff Bush 08/5/2019
Dean Kubani 07/09/2019
Jane Richards 08/21/2019
Alexandra Sokol 08/21/2019
TOTAL APPLICANTS: 4
Task Force on the Environment Applicant
Jeff Bush
Application Date: 08/04/19
PROFILE
jeffbush836@me.com
836 Princeton Street
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Business: (310) 315‐4912
Home: (310) 829‐3054
INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE
Current or prior service on city boards/commissions:
I have not previously served on City Boards/Commissions
Community activities:
I coached various Santa Monica youth sport teams during the time my children were participants. I am a
Partner (Member) of Social Venture Partners Los Angeles Chapter.
Qualifications, experience, education, and technical or professional requirements:
I have many years of utility/energy industry experience in multiple disciplines including rate analysis,
forecasting, regulatory filings, energy procurement and risk management. I have worked closely with
regulators, community choice aggregators, suppliers and large energy users. I’ve managed interactions
with third‐party engineers, financial officers, supply chain professionals and corporate executives. I build
good working relationships with internal stakeholders. I have an undergraduate engineering degree from
UC Davis and an MBA (finance) from UCLA.
Demonstrated expertise in the areas of: 1) Sustainability: municipal sustainability, performance
management; 2) Energy: efficiency, conservation, generation; 3) Water: efficiency, conservation,
quality; 4) Climate: transportation, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation; 5) Watershed:
stormwater, wastewater, coastal issues; 6) Waste Reduction and Public Health: solid waste, recycling,
hazardous materials, procurement issues; 7) Urban Planning: land use, greenbuilding, environmental
law; 8) Engagement: public education, community outreach.
As discussed above, I have expertise and understanding with respect to the electricity markets (retail and
wholesale), energy efficiency programs, load management, renewable energy incentives and challenges.
I have general knowledge of performance metrics and municipal sustainability plans.
Goals:
I intend to offer my risk management, analytical skills and business insights to help Santa Monica meet
its environmental objectives in a fiscally sound and a socially equitable manner. I understand that the
policies and progress demonstrated toward environmental objectives are important to the City residents
and businesses and also the surrounding communities which benefit both directly and indirectly from
Santa Monica’s economic growth and recreational opportunities.
Vision:
I would help the Task Force develop and monitor performance metrics that would track Environmental
Task Force objectives consistent with health, education, community, economic, governance and
environmental objectives.
Personal Qualities:
I have succeeded in quasi‐governmental, regulated business structures by balancing the objectives of
multiple stakeholders. I lead by example and focus on learning, innovation, results and integrity. I have
demonstrated these skills in my career by launching new products and services in a highly regulated
business environments.
Will you be able to commit the necessary time to perform your duties if appointed to the board?
yes
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Occupation: Business Development
Business name: Calpine Energy Solutions
Business address: I report to my Company headquarters in San Diego; however most of the time, I work
from my Home Office in Santa Monica or travel domestically for business.
Business phone: 3103154912
Task Force on the Environment Applicant
Dean Kubani
Application Date: 07/03/19
PROFILE
dean.kubani@verizon.net
2207 14th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE
Current or prior service on city boards/commissions:
I have no prior experience serving on a City Board or Commission
Community activities:
Board of Directors, Co‐opportunity Natural Foods
Qualifications, experience, education, and technical or professional requirements:
I have 25 years of experience developing and implementing environmental and sustainability policy with
the City of Santa Monica, including expertise in the areas of water efficiency, energy efficiency,
sustainable building, sustainable purchasing, sustainable food, toxics use reduction, watershed
management, greenhouse gas inventories and climate policy, and municipal sustainability. I most
recently served as the City's Chief Sustainability Officer and Assistant Director of Public Works. Prior to
my work with the City I worked on environmental policy at several non profit organizations and was a
senior project geologist for an environmental geology consulting firm and oversaw the characterization
and remediation of environmental contaminants in soil and groundwater.
Demonstrated expertise in the areas of: 1) Sustainability: municipal sustainability, performance
management; 2) Energy: efficiency, conservation, generation; 3) Water: efficiency, conservation,
quality; 4) Climate: transportation, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation; 5) Watershed:
stormwater, wastewater, coastal issues; 6) Waste Reduction and Public Health: solid waste, recycling,
hazardous materials, procurement issues; 7) Urban Planning: land use, greenbuilding, environmental
law; 8) Engagement: public education, community outreach.
1) Served as Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Santa Monica through July 1, 2019. Oversaw
development of the Santa Monica Sustainable City Report Card; oversaw performance management for
the Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan from 1994 through 2019. 2) Participated in the development and
launch of the Clean Power Alliance which began providing 100% renewable energy to Santa Monica
residents and businesses in 2019; oversaw development and growth of the Solar Santa Monica program,
which has resulted in the installation of over 5 MW of solar energy projects in the city over the past
decade; 3) oversaw staff team that achieved a 20% city‐wide reduction in water use in Santa Monica
since 2013 and has maintained record low levels of water use following the end of the drought; lead the
team that developed Santa Monica's Sustainable Water Master Plan to achieve water self sufficiency by
2023. 4) . Completed Santa Monica's first greenhouse gas inventory in 1995 and oversaw development
and implementation of every climate action plan since that time. 5) Managed Santa Monica's watershed
management and compliance efforts from 2007 until 2019; participated in the development of the City's
Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) which will capture and treat up to 1 million gallons per
day of stormwater and wastewater for beneficial reuse. 6) Developed many of Santa Monica's
sustainable purchasing policies which focus on producer responsibility, waste reduction and the use of
reclaimed and recycled materials. Developed policies in Santa Monica to ban single use plastic bags and
non‐recyclable food containers which became models for the State of California. 7) Oversaw
development and ongoing implementation Santa Monica's green building programs, policies and codes;
developed internal sustainable building policies for City buildings and infrastructure; and provided
guidance to the Planning Department on sustainable building requirements for private developments
throughout the city. 8) Managed a team of staff who coordinated the Office of Sustainability and the
Environment's many successful public education and community outreach efforts focusing on water
conservation, climate change, and sustainable living.
Goals:
Simply to ensure that Santa Monica continues to be on the leading edge, and continues to push the
boundaries, with regard to municipal sustainability.
Vision:
Personal Qualities:
Will you be able to commit the necessary time to perform your duties if appointed to the board?
yes
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Occupation: Retired
Business name: City of Santa Monica
Business address: 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Business phone:
Task Force on the Environment Applicant
Mrs Jane M Richards
Application Date: 08/19/19
PROFILE
jane.em.richards@gmail.com
1254 24th Street Apt 4
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Home: (310) 498‐5402
INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE
Current or prior service on city boards/commissions:
None
Community activities:
Since 2013, I have been involved with the non‐profit Cleantech Open, a business accelerator for
cleantech entrepreneurs. Since moving back to Santa Monica in 2018, I regularly volunteer at their HQ
based in the LA Arts District at La Kretz Innovation Center.
I am the co‐organizer of the Meetup group Cleantech and Sustainability Los Angeles, which holds
monthly meetups in Santa Monica and the Los Angeles area. I am a member of the Los Angeles Climate
Reality Chapter – Al Gore's non‐profit that spreads awareness of the issue of climate change. I also
participate in Santa Monica Recscape tennis programs on a weekly basis.
I regularly attend 'green' community events such as the recent Santa Monica Sustainability Quality
Awards and last week's Women in Green Forum, often writing a blog on my experiences at
www.greeneatz.com.
Qualifications, experience, education, and technical or professional requirements:
Having lived in the UK, Australia and across the States, I have a cosmopolitan background giving me an
expansive world‐view. With a long and varied career, I am adaptable, creative and very organized with a
diverse set of skills. Since 2013, I have been associated with the non‐profit Cleantech Open, a startup
incubator for cleantech entrepreneurs. Initially, I worked as an outreach ambassador but then moved on
to include responsibilities for social media and website development. More recently, I have been
mentoring in corporate sustainability and pitching techniques.
I am a passionate advocate for sustainability and clean technology as showcased by my long‐running
environmental blog Green Eatz. I studied Sustainability at UCLA Extension and graduated with distinction
in March 2017. In August 2018, I completed the Climate Reality Project Leadership training, led by Al
Gore. As another string to my bow, I am also a qualified nutritionist.
I started out in the UK as a software developer, initially in analysis and programming. I showed my
potential as a leader and moved on to project coordination roles. I then started my own one‐woman
software consultancy, Beach Computers, specializing in financial legacy systems.
Climate Reality Project Leader Climate Reality Project 08/2018
Sustainability Associate's Degree UCLA Extension 03/2017
DipHE Nutrition University of West London 04/2009
Please describe your demonstrated expertise in the areas of: 1) Sustainability: municipal sustainability,
performance management; 2) Energy: efficiency, conservation, generation; 3) Water: efficiency,
conservation, quality; 4) Climate: transportation, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation; 5)
Watershed: stormwater, wastewater, coastal issues; 6) Waste Reduction and Public Health: solid
waste, recycling, hazardous materials, procurement issues; 7) Urban Planning: land use, greenbuilding,
environmental law; 8) Engagement: public education, community outreach:
1) Sustainability ‐ Associate's Degree in Sustainability from UCLA Extension
2) Energy – many years involvement with cleantech accelerator and exposure to entrepreneurs in energy
generation and storage.
3) Water – researched water impact of food production
4) Climate – trained as Climate Reality Leader under Al Gore, published an environmental blog Green
Eatz for last 9 years, knowledge of innovations in smart and electric transport
5) Watershed ‐ none
6) Waste/Public Health – keen recycler and zero waste advocate
7) Urban Planning – studied topic Green Buildings at UCLA, researched a paper on the WELL certification
buildings program.
8) Engagement – long‐running blog along with associated Facebook, twitter and Linked In postings,
outreach as an ambassador for Cleantech Open
Goals:
My goal is to help make Santa Monica a greener, more sustainable and even more beautiful city to live,
visit and work in, for ALL people regardless of ethnicity, gender or status.
Vision:
My vision is to increase engagement of our community in planning and implementing all aspects of
sustainability in our city. We need to make it easy for every resident, business and visitor to live and work
in a sustainable and equitable way.
Personal Qualities:
I'm mature but young‐at‐heart, a leader when needed but happy to work in a group, funny and lively,
hard‐working, and committed to the cause of sustainability.
Will you be able to commit the necessary time to perform your duties if appointed to the board?
yes
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Occupation: Metro Ambassador
Business name: Cleantech Open
Business address:
Business phone:
Task Force on the Environment Applicant
Alexandra Sokol
Application Date: 08/20/19
PROFILE
alexandra@envirodynamix.com
1112. Montana Ave., 125
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Mobile: (310) 500‐7722
INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE
Current or prior service on city boards/commissions:
Not City specific, but I serve and have served on the Advisory Board to US Green Building Council, three
MIT Sustainability Advisory Boards, and served on two Stanford University based research boards.
Community activities:
I am a Steering Committee member of US Green Building Council Westside Branch (along with members
including Julie DuBow and Sarah Neff to name a few). I am a speaker and member of Climate Reality
Leadership Corp (since 2013) and an LA chapter member involved in climate advocacy and education. I
have also in the past been invited to be a member of brainstorm groups for LA Waste Management
department, including helping on a Living Challenge grant group in reusing waste for temporary disaster
shelters.
Qualifications, experience, education, and technical or professional requirements:
I am currently the Chief Sustainability Strategist for EnviroDynamix, Inc. (An international consulting
group on whole systems environmental solutions for cities and municipal governments). I have been
working at the intersection of cross‐industry climate impact and resilience solutions for over 15 years
and run a group of over 500 international experts working in multiple areas that range from climate
impact and disaster resilience to carbon mitigation, alternative energy, water security, waste
management, coastal restoration, sustainable neighborhood development and sustainable built
environments (to name a few).
My areas of expertise are in whole system sustainable and resilience strategies (I am have deep cross‐
industry and fields knowledge and experience), water security, flood solutions and coastal resilience ‐‐ I
am currently a member of SWRR (Sustainable Water Resilience Roundtable) ‐ A sub‐committee of the
National Water Advisory Group to the US Government.
Additionally I work in disaster resilience that includes flood, fire, earthquake and climate impact and I
have been working also in sustainable neighborhood development. I also am leading a Zero Waste Lab
for EnviroDynamix....working on projects to help create waste solutions and industrial symbiosis zones.
I am additionally very knowledgable on other aspects of sustainable cities solutions such as integrated
and alternative energy systems, food security and urban agriculture (including CEA Farming), urban
planning, green building, transportation and I have extensive outreach and communications experience
(having a prior career in MarCom in Silicon Valley and serving on the National Outreach Committee for
USGBC for 2 years).
I guess you could call me an unusual hybrid of skills and knowledge born of also having been the child of
an environmental journalist and activist who grew up entrenched in it all and after years of working with
world renown leaders across these multiple environmental and sustainability fields.
Please describe your demonstrated expertise in the areas of: 1) Sustainability: municipal sustainability,
performance management; 2) Energy: efficiency, conservation, generation; 3) Water: efficiency,
conservation, quality; 4) Climate: transportation, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation; 5)
Watershed: stormwater, wastewater, coastal issues; 6) Waste Reduction and Public Health: solid
waste, recycling, hazardous materials, procurement issues; 7) Urban Planning: land use, greenbuilding,
environmental law; 8) Engagement: public education, community outreach.
Per Above:
1) Sustainability: My entire career has centered primarily on urban and municipal sustainability, climate
resilience and a cross‐industry and nexus solutions. I have worked in many regions in the US, including
the Gulf States, S. East, as well as California and Nevada, and have additionally worked in Australia on a
variety of consulting projects. I have worked with colleagues from C40 Cities and 100 Resilient Cities as
well as been on a number of governmental advisory and organizational boards.
2) Energy: While I have not concentrated my work in energy, I actually began in solar energy and thermal
energy work at the beginning of my career and have been trained by the experts I have worked with in
hybrid energy systems utilizing combinations of solar, thermal and wind energy to create a more efficient
energy system. My mother worked for Puget Power and I also was involved in working with her on a
variety of hydro‐energy solutions and have tracked global energy innovation (including an ARUP
colleague's project of skinning a building in Germany in a working algae farm, NASA colleagues algae
energy projects and Korea and Singapore's use of water energy generation).
3 & 5) Water: As stated, I service on a US National Advisory group on water /SWRR, working with the
Rand Corporation, Water Institute of the Gulf and other organizations on a variety of water security
solutions and coastal restoration projects. I have also worked with a colleague from FEMA on beach
restoration, a reef restoration project in Australia involving 3D printed reef structures and am very
knowledgable about storm water and flood solutions as part of my running a disaster resilience group. I
span all areas of water from conservation to your #5 category, as my work touches all areas of WATER.
4) Climate: Trained by Al Gore for Climate Reality Leadership Corp, I have been speaking on climate
impact and greenhouse gasses and resilience internationally since 2013 and I have spent years focused
on the issues of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Zero Carbon, Carbon sequestering solutions, climate impact
adaptation and resilience and it is a huge piece that drives every other aspect of my career. I have
worked with members and ex‐members of the EPA, SF Air Quality Board (back around 2000/ 2001) and
am very knowledgable about air quality although it is not my current primary focus as a stand‐alone
category. I am above all a full‐picture, whole systems sustainability expert and seeing how everything is
integrated makes this a very large piece of every project I am involved in. Air quality folds into
neighborhood adaptation and resilience work I have done and in that respect I have worked with several
colleagues on air quality and health, though I am admittedly not schooled in the technical measurement
side of air pollution testing. What I am is someone who can take the data, look at the issues and holes
and identify the proper solutions with the highest rate of success and value to implement.
6) Waste Reduction: As stated I am currently running a newly formed Zero Waste Lab for EnviroDynamix
based on a number of solutions that are being implemented in Europe and the Netherlands, as well as in
multiple countries (and a few in the US). I have been primarily involved in reuse of waste such as a river
and ocean plastic, paper and fiber waste, dealing with plans for how to cope with recycling waste
overload and turning waste into viable products and projects. I do not work in the field of hazardous
waste, though can tap a number of our company's experts when needed to fill in the knowledge gaps
there if needed. We did work on a potential oil‐spill mitigation technology a few years ago, but I am
more involved in taking over‐abundance of recycling waste and creating zero waste solutions that benefit
both the environment and people.
7) Urban Planning: While not formally trained (my degrees are in Applied Anthropology with a focus on
environment anthropology and urban habitats), I have been working as an Urban Planning Conceptualist
on multiple eco‐villiage projects, turning closed forts into sustainable developments along with
colleagues at EnviroDynamix who were high‐level executives at AECOM, ARUP and Honeywell as well as
several Urban Planning colleagues. Over the past 10 years I have gained a wealth of knowledge in urban
planning by working with these experts across many challenging issues to help find solutions for cities. I
have also been a member of USGBC for many years, an Advisory member of both the National
Organization and the LA organization since 2013, though I also acted as an advisor and helped write the
USGBC Operations Plan in 2010 along with then director Lance Williams. I have been involved in green
building and sustainable city environments throughout my career and currently am working on
sustainable pocket neighborhood and affordable housing projects using waste material solutions. I am
LEED GA credentialed (also LEED ND credentialed, but will be expanding to LEED for Cities once that
credential has been established ‐‐ I am an adjunct advisory to that working group). And while I have
served on USGBC's Policy Committee and touched areas of policy, I am not trained in environmental law,
just knowledgable as my career has dictated.
8) Public Outreach and Communications: My first career was as a Brand Strategist MarCom executive so I
am well versed and entrenched in every aspect of outreach and communications. The first USGBC
committee I was part of was to help create a national outreach program for the organization and I was
instrumental in helping them create the plan in 2010 and in 2012, as well as 2014. My past clients in
communication included Fortune 500 Companies (Apple, Intel, Visa, Coca Cola, Make‐A‐Wish
Foundation, Green World City Organization, Toyota Synergy Drive & Hybrid division, to name a very few)
and top marketing agencies George P. Johnson, Jack Morton WorldWide, Ketchum Advertising and
Saatchi.
I additionally worked for a social networking technology company as I was transitioning my career and
completing my degree acting as Brand Communications Director for Make‐A‐Difference Network ‐ a
social media platform for Jessica Beal centered on raising funds for charities, environmental and social
projects.
You can see more at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrasokol
Goals:
I have been looking to get more involved on a local level since moving to Santa Monica and I feel I have a
great deal to contribute to the board and the city I live in. I have been working primarily out of state and
country, but I feel a passion for this wonderful place I live and want to contribute my knowledge to
making it the poster child for sustainability that is has been and should be now. I feel that as a whole
systems architect/ solutionist I have a a unique perspective that most of my colleagues don't given they
are niched in single fields or one or two touch points of sustainability.
My primary goal is to add my knowledge to the mix and help Santa Monica achieve it's highest goals for
being the sustainable, livable, climate adaptive and disaster mitigated healthy place to live as we move
into the future.
Vision:
I would love to see this Task Force be the bridge between the niched disparate segments of
environmental sustainability that often do not work in tandem as a whole systems solution and to be the
catalyst to help integrate solid solutions and plans as the city moves forward on its sustainability goals.
Personal Qualities:
I have a solid track record of working in leaderships roles, including running companies, groups and
leading campaigns.
I LOVE inspiring innovation and at the same time ensuring there are solid implementation plans. I am
known as a team player as well as a leader able to balance the end goals with solid plans and the input of
disparate groups and team members. (And I do my best always to use my diplomacy skills at every turn).
On the creativity front...well, I think my career and what I do on a daily basis...looking at news ways to
problem solve, somewhat speak for themselves. But when needed, I have lead/ run charettes, created
brainstorm sessions and been part of creating a variety of projects and campaigns and always based on
solid data, understand the goal and needed outcome and paying attention to ROI as well. I am on the
USGBC Westside Steering Committee and have created a number of events to help with outreach (I am
currently working with Walker Wells on creating an event around LEED for Cities along with UCLA) and in
a past career as an environmental journalist I have tracked innovations globally, as well as in my career
and I LOVE bringing proven innovative solutions that might not have been used in the US or in the
localized area to the mix.
I have co‐chaired and produced a variety of events, including being part of USGBC's original group that
created the first WaterBuild Conference as part of GreenBuild Expo ‐‐ I was responsible for working with
a few committee colleagues to shape the event and the content for the event, as well as bringing in
expert speakers. I also co‐chaired and executive produced Green Leaders Summit in 2013‐2015 in
tandem with UNEP, UN‐Habitat, C40 Cities, 350.Org, Climate Reality project and the City of Sydney,
Australia.
I am currently in position with EnviroDynamix responsible for creating the project plans, conceptualizing
integrated solutions, I run several teams and projects (and yes, I DO still have time for this Task Force!)
giving direction and cohesive planning to my teams and projects.
And in my earlier career in Experiential Marketing and Brand Strategy, I had to balance the creative
components of delivering campaigns that grabbed the audience while satisfying the needs of the client
companies with running teams of up to 400 people and producing high‐level projects that ranged from
corporate media campaigns to live events and online campaigns.
And mostly....I believe we're all a team and at the end of the day we're here to help save this planet we
live on and create a better quality of life for all.
Will you be able to commit the necessary time to perform your duties if appointed to the board?
yes
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Occupation: Chief Sustainability Strategist
Business name: EnviroDynamix, Inc.
Business address: Corp Headquarters: 7435 West Richmar Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89178
**Note: I work from my Santa Monica home office and we have offices in Atlanta and San Francisco, as
well as satellites in NY and D.C.
Business phone: 310‐500‐7722
City of Santa Monica
Board and Commissions Applicants
Task Force on the Environment
Name Application Date
Jeff Bush 08/5/2019
Dean Kubani 07/09/2019
Jane Richards 08/21/2019
Alexandra Sokol 08/21/2019
TOTAL APPLICANTS: 4