Team
Alexander Gershenson, Ph.D. (Principal, Founding Member) received his B.S. in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University and has a doctoral degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. His expertise is in the fields of biological carbon sequestration in agricultural and forest systems, as well as U.S. and international environmental law and climate change policy implementation. He currently holds an Adjunct Professor position at San Jose State University and was a Research Fellow at the Mineta Transportation Institute.
Dustin Mulvaney, Ph.D. (Principal, Founding Member) received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Environmental Policy Studies from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and has a doctoral degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He previously worked as the engineering group leader for a venture capital start-up that designed and produced environmental remediation technology, as well as for a Fortune 500 specialty chemical manufacturer as a process engineer. His research and consulting experience includes policy analysis in alternative energy and agrifood systems, life cycle assessment (LCA), and projects that utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
James Barsimantov, Ph.D. (Principal, Founding Member) is a leading expert in corporate sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions. He received his doctorate in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a focus on environmental economics, policy, and natural resource management. Dr. Barsimantov’s work focuses on developing sustainability reporting and certification frameworks, including defining appropriate protocols, metrics, and tools. This work has led Dr. Barsimantov to support a wide range of private and public organizations in implementing sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction programs. He has written multiple Climate Action and Sustainability Plans, developed client-specific tracking tools, and worked to define best-practices for industry-specific sustainability efforts. He has led trainings and workshops in life cycle analysis, energy efficiency assessment, and carbon reduction strategy. He currently sits on the energy advisory committee for the Santa Cruz desalination plant, and leads the Monterey Bay Regional Climate Action Compact. Dr. Barsimantov also teaches environmental policy and economics, and sustainability project design in the Environmental Studies and Electrical Engineering departments at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Ben Weil, Ph.D. (Senior Energy Efficiency Consultant)
received an M.A. from Syracuse University and a doctoral degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz where his research focused on renewable energy technology, policy, and economics. He is a building scientist and energy analyst with training from the Building Performance Institute and is a member of the Northeast Home Energy Rating System Alliance. Until recently he held the position of Advanced Diagnostic Auditor with the Center for Ecological Technology where he worked on utility energy conservation programs and private consulting. As an independent energy analyst, he has conducted research for the World Future Council, Earth Action, and several other environmental non-profit organizations. Currently, Benjamin holds the position of Extension Assistant Professor at UMass Amherst, where he teaches and conducts research on commercial and residential energy efficiency and building science.
Alison Edwards, M.A. (Senior Strategy Consultant)
received a B.A. from UC Santa Cruz and a M.A. in Communications from UC Berkeley. Over the last 20 years, Alison has worked to help build sustainable systems for corporations, communities, local and regional government agencies, and large nonprofits. With an extensive background in production, processing, purchasing, distribution, supply chain, strategy development, communications, and business development, Alison offers clear and effective value to clients looking to build sustainability into their business, organization, service, or product. A serial entrepreneur, she has first-hand experience in building successful enterprises and, as a result, she has a thorough understanding of business.
Maxwell T. Boykoff, Ph.D. (Senior Climate Change Communication Consultant)
is an Assistant Professor in the Center for Science and Technology Policy, which is part of the Cooperative Institute for
Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He teaches in the Environmental Studies program and is Adjunct faculty in the Geography Department. In addition, Max is a Senior Visiting Research Associate in the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of California-Santa Cruz and Bachelor of Sciences in Psychology from The Ohio State University. Max has ongoing interests in climate adaptation, cultural politics and environmental governance, science-policy interactions, and political economy and the environment, and he has experience working in North America, Central America, South Asia and Europe. Among his writing, he has authored the book ‘Who Speaks for Climate? Making sense of media reporting on climate change’ (to be released in November 2011 with Cambridge University Press), as well as the co-edited and edited volumes ‘Contentious Geographies: Environmental Knowledge, Meaning, Scale’ (2008), ‘The Politics of Climate Change: A Survey’ (2009), ‘The New Carbon Economy: Constitution, Governance and Contestation’ (forthcoming in 2012) and ‘Successful Adaptation: Linking Science and Practice in Managing Climate Change Impacts’ (forthcoming in 2012). Max’s research has been mentioned in a range of outlets such as Science, Nature, Financial Times, the Guardian, the New York Times, Forbes, Columbia Journalism Review, the Los Angeles Times, BBC Worldservice and (US) National Public Radio. He has also appeared on CNN International and France24 television.
Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He teaches in the Environmental Studies program and is Adjunct faculty in the Geography Department. In addition, Max is a Senior Visiting Research Associate in the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of California-Santa Cruz and Bachelor of Sciences in Psychology from The Ohio State University. Max has ongoing interests in climate adaptation, cultural politics and environmental governance, science-policy interactions, and political economy and the environment, and he has experience working in North America, Central America, South Asia and Europe. Among his writing, he has authored the book ‘Who Speaks for Climate? Making sense of media reporting on climate change’ (to be released in November 2011 with Cambridge University Press), as well as the co-edited and edited volumes ‘Contentious Geographies: Environmental Knowledge, Meaning, Scale’ (2008), ‘The Politics of Climate Change: A Survey’ (2009), ‘The New Carbon Economy: Constitution, Governance and Contestation’ (forthcoming in 2012) and ‘Successful Adaptation: Linking Science and Practice in Managing Climate Change Impacts’ (forthcoming in 2012). Max’s research has been mentioned in a range of outlets such as Science, Nature, Financial Times, the Guardian, the New York Times, Forbes, Columbia Journalism Review, the Los Angeles Times, BBC Worldservice and (US) National Public Radio. He has also appeared on CNN International and France24 television.
Tiffany Wise-West, P.E., B.S. (Environmental Engineer)
possesses nearly 15 years of practical work experience in the management of utility infrastructure projects, specializing in environmental planning, design, permitting and construction administration. Her primary areas of expertise are water treatment, storage and distribution, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and general site improvements. She earned a B.S. in civil/environmental engineering from Purdue University and holds a professional civil engineering license in the state of California.
Stuart Davis, B.S. (Renewable Energy Specialist)
is a California certified electrician with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been working in energy efficiency and solar photovoltaic system design for the last six years. Stuart is a NABCEP certified specialist, holds a C-10 contractor’s license, and has broad expertise in commercial energy solutions.
Stacey Kennealy, B.S.(Sustainability and Green Purchasing Specialist)
received her dual bachelors degrees in Natural Resource Management and Human Ecology from Rutgers University, and is currently the director of sustainability at GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental organization located in New Jersey. Stacey is a specialist in green purchasing, waste management, sustainable building operations, and environmental education, and has worked with multiple educational organizations on institutional sustainability issues.
Tara Zagofsky, M.S.(Facilitation and Training Specialist)
has over ten years of experience working with small, medium and large organizations around the world. Tara has artfully led effective group work through mutual learning and has a reputation of engaging all types of participants, across different cultures and languages. She is bilingual in Spanish and English and holds a Master of Science in Community Development from the University of California at Davis.
