HVSGA SEQRA Energy Conference Bios Mar 13, 2010

	Kevin Cahill is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and Albany Law School. He was minority leader of the Ulster County Legislature and became an assembly member in 1992. He was appointed Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Energy in 2008 and has made energy efficiency and independence a top priority and led the way on initiatives promoting renewable power generation, sustainable building practices and development of a green workforce.
	Jackson Morris holds a B.A. in Sociology and certificates in Primatology and Markets & Management from Duke University, as well as an M.S. in Environmental Policy from Bard Center for Environmental Policy. He joined the Pace Energy and Climate Center in November 2009 as Senior Policy Advisor. Based in Albany, he represents the Center in advancing clean energy policies through direct engagement with state agencies, the Executive Chamber, the New York State legislature, and the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO).
	Karen Villeneuve holds a B.Sc. In Aerospace Engineering and an M.Sc. In Systems Engineering. After being in the U.S. Air Force for 12 years, she joined NYSERDA where she has worked for 17 years. Karen's program uses a market transformation strategy to deliver energy efficiency services, products, and education to the residential sector with the goal of permanently changing construction, renovation, purchasing and energy-consuming behaviors in New York State. She also oversees a workforce development program for energy efficiency services and renewable technologies; low-interest financing programs; and extensive award-winning multi-media consumer education and outreach initiatives.
	David Gabrielson holds a B.A. in economics from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in Public and Private Management from Yale. He spent over 20 years as an investment banker in municipal finance. He is a Councilman in Bedford, NY, a town of about 20,000 in northern Westchester County that is in the late stages of developing a PACE loan program for its residents. He works closely with members of Bedford's Energy Advisory Panel, which recently completed a Climate Action Plan to help Bedford reach its goal of cutting carbon emissions 20% by 2020. Bedford's PACE program will also serve the needs of 13 neighboring communities that, with Bedford, have formed the Northern Westchester Energy Action Coalition.
	Jolanda Jansen is a Pace law student (class of 2010) and a professionally trained civil engineer with extensive regional planning experience. She is committed to achieving equitable access to housing through the legal system. Ms. Jansen has lived in the Netherlands and New Zealand and maintains professional connections with Dutch individuals and organizations involved in innovative and sustainable development. She has been a member of the Hudson Valley Smart Growth Alliance Working Group since 2001 and its volunteer facilitator since 2005.
	Patrice Courtney Strong's consulting firm provides outreach to 18 counties for NYSERDA under the Energy Smart Communities program. Since 2002, Pat and her team have been on the road daily, discussing with homeowners, businesses, institutions and local government the financial and technical assistance available from NYSERDA. Prior to this, she worked for six years as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy. She is president of the Business Alliance of Kingston, which is working to implement the national Main Street program through energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and formation of a Business Improvement District.
	Ron Kamen is Senior Vice-President of EarthKind Solar and President of NY Solar Energy Industries Association. Ron holds a BS in Business Administration and an MS in Systems Science. In the 1980s he helped create Demand Side Management programs that spurred Utility investment in energy efficiency. In the 1990s he developed energy projects with Fortune 1000 companies and government entities such as the World Bank. EarthKind Solar is New York's leading solar thermal energy company and its joint venture with Phoenix Sonnenwarme provides experience with 40,000 systems worldwide.
	Michael O'Hara is the director of operations for Sustainable Hudson Valley. He is an environmental systems designer and educator who trained with the ZERI Foundation. His professional background includes work as the Commissioner, Public Works for the city of Hudson, NY.