We are a collaboration of local government, businesses, and residents helping
Menlo Park become climate neutral
WHO WE ARE
We are a nonprofit collaboration of local government, businesses, and residents helping Menlo Park become climate neutral by 2025 as we advance community prosperity, economic vitality, and strong civic heritage.
MenloSpark began when a small group of community members with diverse interests and experience joined together to explore opportunities to promote long-term economic vitality, equity, and quality of life in Menlo Park while addressing the urgent threat of climate change.
Menlo Park, with its highly engaged citizenry and unique resources in the heart of Silicon Valley, can be a national leader in sustainability and climate action, generating massive local benefits while serving as an example to similar cities and towns across the country.
Moreover, a large-scale community-led movement, including partnerships with business, government, and philanthropy, has the potential within a decade to put Menlo Park well on the path towards achieving the bold goal of climate neutrality.
MenloSpark is a nonprofit initiative that collaborates with the city government, businesses, and residents to ensure the success of the community’s efforts on climate and sustainability-related issues. By helping to weave together the network of projects and initiatives in the city that may contribute to sustainability, MenloSpark supports a more unified strategy for progress towards the ultimate goal of climate neutrality.
STAFF
DIANE BAILEY
Executive Director
Diane is a climate and clean air advocate with a background in environmental science. She comes from the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she spent almost 14 years working at the local, state, federal and international level promoting improved air quality and public health through reduced fossil fuel use, advances in clean transportation, and pollution prevention in industry. Previously, Diane worked at Citizens for a Better Environment in Chicago and a local transportation planning agency in Houston. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Washington University and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Rice University.
EXPERT ADVISORS
Cecily Harris
Strategic Advisor
Cecily is a development and marketing consultant for nonprofit organizations and public agencies. She brings over 30 years of experience as staff, consultant and volunteer primarily with San Francisco Bay Area-based environmental, community development and civic engagement organizations and land managing agencies. She enjoys work that combines fundraising, program design, marketing communications and strategic planning. Cecily served as Vice President on the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors. She holds a M.B.A with an emphasis in Marketing from Golden Gate University and a B.S. in Renewable Natural Resources from the University of Arizona.
ERIK FOWLER
Strategic Advisor
Erik is an energy & environment consulting professional with strong business acumen and proven leadership in strategy and business development. He brings 20+ years work experience including successful startup, regional nonprofit, large public consulting firm, and industry think-tank. Erik has a broad yet substantial knowledge of residential & commercial energy efficiency projects, renewable energy policies & programs, clean-tech evaluation, green building practices, and broader sustainable organizational strategy.
He holds a graduate degree in energy & environmental policy from Duke University’s Nicholas School and a B.A. from UC Berkeley. Erik served in the Navy in the SF Bay Area in the early 1990s, and his grandfather owned a home in Menlo Park while flying for Transocean Airlines in the 1940’s out of Oakland, during the “early” years of commercial aviation.
ADINA LEVIN
Sustainable Mobility Advisor
MICHAEL MEYER
Transportation Advisor
TOM KABAT
Energy Advisor
2017 UPDATE
BOARD
JOSH BECKER
Chief Executive Officer, Lex Machina
Founder and Chairman of The Full Circle Fund
Josh Becker is a recognized clean energy business and policy leader. As Founder of New Cycle Capital, Josh was a seed investor in cutting-edge companies such as: OPOWER, Renew Financial, People Power, and TerraPass. He started his career at ICF International, a DC-based environmental consulting and engineering firm. There he helped launch the first Clean Air Marketplace conference back in 1992 and consulted on energy strategy for companies like General Electric. Josh co-founded IntraACTIVE a pioneering groupware company in 1994 and was also one of the first employees at EarthWeb/Dice (NYSE:DHX), which went public in 1998. After joint degrees from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Law School, Becker joined Brentwood Venture Capital and then joined Brentwood’s technology partners in founding Redpoint Ventures. Josh was a long time Board Member of the Clean Tech Open. Becker Founded The Full Circle Fund in 2000, and remains on the Board. He also is project lead for the group’s Energy and Environment Circle. www.fullcirclefund.org,
SUSAN BELL, FINANCIAL ADVISOR
Principal, Susan Bell and Associates
Susan Bell provides strategic counsel to private philanthropies and nonprofit organizations to address environmental and social issues. She is also Managing Director of the Water Funder Initiative, a collaborative effort to activate promising water solutions through strategic philanthropic investments in the U.S., starting in the West. Susan served as Vice President of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for over twelve years. Her career includes work in strategic planning, development, and communications at Stanford University, the Sierra Club, and Northwestern University. Susan is vice chair of the National Audubon Society, board member of the McCall MacBain Foundation, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Water Foundation.
MICHAEL CLOSSON
Principal, Local Climate Solutions
Retired Executive Director, Acterra
Michael Closson is an environmental consultant who lives in Menlo Park, CA, with past clients including the Sierra Club, and current work with the Center for Climate Protection. Michael is also Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Peninsula Clean Energy. His previous professional experience includes: Executive Director of Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth in Palo Alto, CA (2003-2013), Executive Director of Biodiversity Northwest in Seattle, WA (2000-2003), Programs Director for the Earth Day Network in Seattle, WA (1998-2000), Executive Director of the Center for Economic Conversion in Mountain View, CA (1983-1998), Co-Director of New Ways to Work in Palo Alto, CA (1976-1982), and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Stanford University in Stanford, CA (1972-1976). He holds a Ph.D. (Sociology) and a M.A. from Cornell University and a B.A. from Middlebury College.
CHRIS DECARDY, VICE-CHAIR
Vice President and Director of Programs, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Former Menlo Park Environmental Quality Commissioner
Chris DeCardy recently completed two terms on the Menlo Park Environmental Quality Commission, where he focused on climate change and water management issues. He has been active in his community since moving to Menlo Park in 2003. He has worked on climate change issues throughout his professional career in running an environmental policy and advocacy non-profit in Washington, DC and currently as Vice President and Director of Programs at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
KATIE FERRICK
Menlo Park Planning Commissioner
Head of Community Relations, LinkedIn
Katie Ferrick was formerly the Chair of the Menlo Park Planning Commission and is currently serving her second term, and was former President of the Parent Teacher Organization at her younger child’s school. In recent years, she has worked for Congresswoman Jackie Speier in her district office as a Field Representative and Caseworker. Katie earned a master’s of science degree in Counseling from San Francisco State University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon. She has focused her professional life on public service and community engagement.
BRENT HARRIS
Facebook
Brent helped author the Redstone Strategies Report for Menlo Spark. In the process, he became a major supporter of Menlo Spark, donating significant personal time. After moving to the Willows neighborhood of Menlo Park with his wife and two dogs, he joined our Advisory Board. Before joining Facebook, Brent led the California office of Redstone Strategy Group, where he provided guidance on strategy and policy advocacy to several of the nation’s leading foundations and philanthropists. Brent was also the vice president for operations at ClimateWorks Foundation. Prior to ClimateWorks, Brent served as counsel to the Presidential Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. Earlier in his career, he was a fellow at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
MATT JAMES
Visiting Scholar, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Matt James oversees a team of professionals who promote solutions to two of the biggest challenges confronting the next generation of Americans: the risk of dangerous climate change, and the threat of diminished prospects for children and families. Prior to co-founding Next Generation, Matt was an integral part of the Menlo Park-based Kaiser Family Foundation’s leadership team for 20 years, serving most recently as executive vice president. Prior to joining Kaiser, he worked in national politics as a senior aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York, Senator Dale Bumpers of Arkansas, and Representative Morris K. Udall of Arizona. Matt was appointed by President Clinton to the board of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, is past-chairman of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and serves on the President’s Advisory Board of the National Wildlife Federation and on the board of the CDC Foundation. Matt and his wife Donna have long been active in Menlo Park as volunteers and sent both of their children through the Menlo Park public school system.
KRISTIN KUNTZ-DURISETI
Former Menlo Park Environmental Quality Commissioner
Kristin is transitioning to a new career as a math and science teacher to prepare our youth to apply their talents and passions to address complex problems, like climate change. Previously, Kristin was Managing Editor of Climatic Change, an international journal publishing interdisciplinary research on the description, causes, and implications of climate change. A former Environmental Quality Commissioner for Menlo Park, she has served as Chair and as the commission representative to the Menlo Park General Plan Advisory Committee. As a consultant on municipal energy policy, Kristin has contributed to the development of the Peninsula Advanced Energy Community (PAEC), which showcases the benefits of advanced energy policies and projects promoting renewable energy and a shift to a low carbon future. Kristin has a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Michigan and a B.A. from Stanford University.
JUAN SALAZAR
Public Policy Manager, Facebook
Juan travels around the country to provide state and local government officials with tips and best practices on how to use Facebook to communicate more effectively with the public. Juan also works with the Facebook Diversity Team to encourage women and people of color into careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Prior to joining Facebook, Juan was a Program Manager for Growth Sector, Inc. where he developed education/workforce development pathway programs across various California community colleges. Juan focused on increasing the participation, support, and success of Latinx and African American students in the field of Engineering and STEM education.
MITCH SLOMIAK, CHAIR
Former Menlo Park Environmental Quality Commissioner (2007-2015)
Consulting Chief Financial Officer
Mitch Slomiak was a founding leader and long-time Co-Chair of Menlo Park’s Green Ribbon Citizens’ Committee in 2007, supporting the research and creation of a substantial set of climate action recommendations to the City Council that involved over 130 participants. Mitch also served on Menlo Park’s Environmental Quality Commission from 2008 to 2015, including two terms as Chairman, with primary focus on developing and supporting the city’s Climate Action Plan. In his professional career, Mitch was CFO for two emerging companies and has served as a Consulting CFO for numerous growth companies over the past 18 years, including several cleantech startups. Mitch also recently served as President of the Board of Directors for the Congregation Etz Chayim in Palo Alto.
OUR PARTNERS
For additional information please inquire at info.MenloSpark@gmail.com
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