Michelle is a new entry into the field of green building, having worked for the past eight years as a consultant in Middle East affairs for a variety of international media and non-governmental organizations. After completing a major green remodel of her home, she decided to turn in her traveling shoes and apply her consulting - and newfound construction - skills here on the Central Coast. As a LEED Project Manager with In Balance Green Consulting and a certified BPI Building Analyst, she gets to share her passion for sustainable building with a wide variety of residential and commercial clients. Ms. Zimney has a B.A. from Stanford University , an M.A. from UC Santa Barbara, and is a graduate of the UCSB Extension Certificate Program in Green Building and Sustainable Design. She currently serves as President of the Board for USGBC-C4 and as chapter representative to USGBC California. Incidentally, she's also fluent in Arabic, so contact her if you'd like to chat!"
Past President : Stacey White
Stacey, an architect and LEED AP BD+C, is Principal and owner of mode ASSOCIATES a local firm that specializes in the planning, designing and successful implementation of educational projects. She teaches sustainable architecture courses at Cuesta College, in San Luis Obispo. Her environmental advocacy work ranges from the local level, for school districts, state level for funding for State University projects and improved budgeting methodology, and at the congressional level for creating effective environmental policy and improved funding for high performance schools. Her enthusiasm for changing the world through thoughtful design, careful policy development and sound fiscal methods can be contagious.
Secretary : Alma Wagner
Alma M. Wagner has been a LEED AP BD+C & H since 2008. She is currently an Assistant Construction Manager for ARCADIS-US and is the Sustainability Community of Practice Leader for the PMCM Department. Her formal education includes a B.S. Degree in Construction Management from CSULB. Her previous work experience also involved working as a LEED consultant. Alma is passionate about her commitment for a Greener Earth!!!
VP Education : Jordan Sager
As the Green Building and Sustainability Manager in UC Santa Barbara's Design & Facilities Division, Jordan Sager supports the implementation of sustainability measures on capital building projects and advises campus policy as it relates to planning, design and construction. In addition, he supports the development and implementation of energy efficiency projects and renewable energy planning. Jordan is also a co-founder of Santa Barbara’s Emerging Green Builders organization and maintains a position on the board of the California Central Coast Chapter of the US Green Building Council. He earned his Masters degree from UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, specializing in energy and climate studies with an emphasis in institutional sustainability.
VP Advocacy : Paul Porier AIA, LEED AP, PRC, CSC
Paul Poirier is the principal architect in the Santa Barbara based firm Paul Poirier+ Associates Architects designing award winning commercial and residential projects with emphasis on “green” innovation and design excellence. He is the past President of the USGBC California Central Coast Chapter, served as vice chair of the Pacific Regional Committee, and represents the Pacific Region on the USGBC Chapter Steering Committee. He is also on the USGBC Education Steering Committee, working to make educational programs relevant and successful at the local level. Paul is a founding board member of both The Sustainability Project and The Green Building Alliance, two active Santa Barbara based environmental organizations. In addition, he has served as president of the AIA Santa Barbara Chapter, and as chair of the AIA California Council Committee on the Environment. Paul is committed to maintaining the architectural beauty of the central coast of California, while protecting the environmental quality and sustainability of our community for future generations.
DIRECTORS
Areon Arlin-Genet
Aeron Arlin Genet is the Planning & Outreach Division Manager for the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District and been with the District for the past thirteen years. With over twenty years of diverse professional experience working air quality issues that face California, she has also worked for the Western States Petroleum Association and the American Lung Association of Los Angeles. She currently is a member of the SLO County’s Subdivision Review Board, chairs the Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (C5), a local non-profit organization that works to promote the use of alternative fuels. Aeron is a member of several statewide, regional and local committees dealing with planning, air quality/greenhouse gas, mobile sources, energy and land use policy issues. Aeron is a graduate of Cal Poly SLO with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences, concentration in Marine Biology. During her time at Cal Poly she earned five All American awards while running on the Women’s Track & Field Team. She, her husband Marc and two dogs Hank & Pene live in Los Osos and enjoy fresh air, open space, great waves and endless dirt trails.
Paul Kronser
Over the past 2 years, Paul has worked closely with REC Solar’s project development team managing sales efforts and resources to acquire new business in the commercial solar market for both public and private clients. He is also a member of the company’s Environmental Action Committee, taking on responsibilities such as promoting and coordinating environmentally sound transportation methods company wide. With a Community and Regional Planning degree, Paul’s passion lies with green design and renewable energy.
Sandy Stannard
Sandy Stannard is an architect and a Professor of Architecture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Her teaching focuses on issues of ecological sensitivity in both lecture and a design studio setting. Professor Stannard was one of the faculty advisors for Cal Poly’s 2005 Solar Decathlon entry, which received third place overall in this U.S. DOE/NREL sponsored international design/build competition. Professor Stannard was also the recipient of recent USGBC Green Innovation honorable mention award for her work on an “outdoor classroom” for a local elementary school, a project intended to enhance environmental learning in an outdoor setting.
Professor Stannard is a LEED accredited professional.
Dave Intner
A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dave Intner is a Licensed Architect, LEED AP, and Certified Energy Manager. Calling on his design experience in a broad range of building types, including several LEED projects, Dave works closely with the architectural and engineering community to help Southern California Edison’s customers design and construct energy efficient and sustainable buildings through the Savings by Design New Construction incentive program. He also teaches courses about Green Building principles and High Performance building design at SCE's Energy Education Centers. In 2007, Dave helped found the USGBC's California Central Coast Chapter (C4), serving for two years as a Regional Chair. During his tenure, he spearheaded development of the "BuildSMART" Sustainable Materials and Resources Trailer, a mobile learning exhibit highlighting Green Building concepts and strategies. He assists in the development of the LEED rating system through his Chapter’s LEED Regionalization Committee, identifying Regional Priority Credits for the next version of LEED. Dave is also the current board President of the Ventura County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Ashley Watkins
Ashley Watkins has over 10 years of experience with developing and managing local, state and federal energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. She currently works as the Marketing and Community Outreach Lead for the County of Santa Barbara’s emPowerSBC program overseeing marketing activities, community outreach, workforce development and customer support. Previously Ashley worked for Ecology Action as the Central Coast Regional Program Manager for the statewide Energy Upgrade California Program managing program staff in the region and developing outreach strategies to property owners, contractors and other key stakeholders. Prior to that, Ashley served as the Manager of Education and Training Programs for the California Center for Sustainable Energy where she was responsible for identifying workforce needs, developing educational trainings and obtaining grant funding for workforce development programs. Ashley earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from San Francisco State University.
REGIONAL COUNCIL LEADERS
Santa Barbara : Perrin Pellegrin
As Managing Partner of the Innovative Workshop Consulting. LLC, Perrin is fully engaged with each project, assisting clients from planning and design through project completion. Perrin develops tools, systems, and strategies for projects in order to accomplish measurable results. Her clients consist of higher education, public utilities, municipalities, corporations, and non-profit organizations. Perrin has successfully managed projects that have come in on time and within budget. Her project experience includes sustainable strategic plans and climate action plans for two major universities, gold and platinum LEED certifications for municipalities and operational policies development and benchmarking of building performance for a public utility. Over her eight years tenure as the Campus Sustainability Manager for the University of California, Santa Barbara, Ms. Pellegrin has worked with project managers, building committees, and design teams to ensure that the USGBC’s LEED guidelines were met in all new campus construction projects. She championed the first LEED-EB certification in the University of California system and piloted the LEED Portfolio Program on campus.
