Sustainability Advisory Council

Overview

New for 2022: We are changing the structure of the Sustainability Advisory Council by dissolving two committees and reconstituting them into three. This new configuration will update the Sustainability Advisory Council's alignment with the evolution of our agency, and bring better focus and clarity to the work of the committees. 

The Sustainability Advisory Council (SAC) was originally created in 2010 by Mayor John Hickenlooper, and continues today under Mayor Michael Hancock. Members of the SAC represent a broad and diverse leadership of Denver’s communities, businesses, and institutions.

The SAC’s primary functions are to:

  • Provide advice and recommendations to the staff of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency (CASR) for advancing the city’s ambitious climate goals and effective implementation of the Climate Protection Fund’s 5-year strategic plan.
  • Assist CASR in connecting with the people, communities, businesses, and institutions it serves.
  • Promote and communicate the principles of sustainability broadly among the community and stakeholders.

The SAC does not:

  • Have the authority to speak for the City and County of Denver or otherwise to commit Denver to any course of action or inaction.
  • Involve itself in policies, decisions, and actions related to personnel.

Meetings

Sustainability Advisory Council meetings will be held virtually (online) for the foreseeable future. The public is invited to listen-in on Zoom. All meetings will be available in English and Spanish.

Register to Listen-in

2022 Sustainability Advisory Council Meetings:

  • Wednesday, January 5, 2022 from 3PM to 5PM
  • Wednesday, April 6, 2022 from 3PM to 5PM
  • Wednesday, July 13, 2022 from 3PM to 5PM
  • Wednesday, October 5, 2022 from 3PM to 5PM

2021 Sustainability Advisory Council Meetings:

Wednesday, May 5, 2021 from 3PM to 5PM

Monday, July 12, 2021 from 5PM to 7PM

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 from 5PM to 7PM

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 from 5PM to 7PM

Members

CASR is committed to seating a SAC and committees that reflect the diversity of people, communities, and businesses in Denver. Membership is open to individuals who live or work in Denver, with the exception of the Science Committee which has no geographic limitation. Members serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed for up to two additional terms at the discretion of the Mayor.

Sustainability Advisory Council Members (appointed April 2021)

City Council: Councilman Paul Kashmann, District 6

At-Large: 

  • Aylene McCallum, Downtown Denver Partnership 
  • Marcel McClinton, PeaceJam Foundation

Buildings & Homes Co-chairs: 

  • Aaron Martinez, Urban Land Conservancy 
  • Stephen Shepard CAE, Denver Metro BOMA  

Community Adaptation, Resiliency, & Environmental Justice Committee Co-chairs: 

  • Kiera Jackson, Montbello Organizing Committee 
  • Appointment pending 

Energy Committee Co-chairs: 

  • Anna McDevitt, Sierra Club  
  • Armando Lopez Jr., Iontra  

Resource Management Co-chairs: 

  • Laurie Mathews, Global Dental Relief 
  • Aishwarya Nair, Golder Associates (Interim)

Science & Research Co-chairs: 

  • Jay Lemery, University of Colorado School of Medicine 

  • Lisa Reyes Mason, University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work 

Transportation Committee Co-chairs: 

  • Naomi Amaha, The Denver Foundation

  • Stuart M. Anderson, Transportation Solutions Foundation

 

Standing Committees

New Changes to the Sustainability Advisory Council in 2022

CASR is changing the structure of the Sustainability Advisory Council (SAC) by dissolving two committees and reconstituting them into three. This new configuration will update the SAC’s alignment with the evolution of our agency, and bring better focus and clarity to the work of the SAC committees.  

The Resource Management and Community Adaptation, Resiliency, and Environmental Justice committees will be dissolved and replaced with three new committees, as follows:  

  • Climate Resiliency and Adaptation: This committee will advise on strategies, policies and programs to increase Denver’s resilience to climate change-related disruption, with a strong focus on the most climate-vulnerable communities. The committee will explore solutions that address environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change, including urban natural resources and ecosystem services, health, quality of life, economic inclusion and more.
  • Environmental Justice: This committee will advise on strategies to create systemic change and advance environmental justice in Denver. The committee will advise on the development and implementation of a new Environmental Justice Support Fund to provide funding for Denver communities to receive legal representation in state rulemaking proceedings. The committee will also make environmental justice policy recommendations such as recommending priority environmental justice issues, identifying priority environmental justice communities for investments and developing guiding principles for engagement with specific environmental justice communities in Denver.
  • Zero Waste: CASR promotes the zero waste hierarchy of redesign, reduce, reuse, recycle/compost, recover materials, manage residual waste and prevention of unacceptable forms of waste management. Using this hierarchy, the committee will advise on strategies, policies and programs to reduce solid waste generation and increase landfill diversion. The committee will consider quality of life, social and economic benefits and impacts in all its recommendations. 

All current members of the dissolving committees will be invited to join one of the new committees. The other committees have at least 4 open seats each, and the three new committees will likely have at least 10 each, depending on where the current members request to move. 

New co-chairs for the Mayor to appoint will be recommended as part of the member selection process. The current co-chairs will be considered for co-chair positions of the new committees, but selection is not guaranteed. By adding one new committee, the SAC will increase from 15 people (including the City Council representative) to 17. 

The application for new members is open till Friday, April 1 at 5:00 p.m., selection will be complete by mid-April, and the new committees will start meeting in May. The new co-chairs will be in place by May as well, and their first SAC meeting would be the one scheduled in July. 

There are no changes proposed for the other existing committees: Buildings & Homes, Energy, Science & Research, and Sustainable Transportation.  

 

The committees described below have been established to organize the work of the SAC. Policies and programs will be explored and debated at the committee level, their recommendations will be forwarded to the SAC which will vote to submit them to CASR for consideration. CASR staff will report back to the SAC and committees on the actions it takes on the recommendations.

Each committee will be supported by a City staff member. The committee co-chairs, who are the voting members of the SAC, will collaborate with their assigned staff liaison to develop meeting agendas, coordinate communication with committee members, distribute meeting minutes and, most importantly, facilitate effective and collegial meetings, working to achieve consensus on the issues.

Buildings & Homes

The Buildings and Homes committee will advise CASR on prioritizing implementation of strategies and recommendations to reduce emissions associated with buildings and homes, improve indoor air quality, and improve sustainability, including resilient building design. The Buildings and Homes committee meets on the second Monday of every month from 3-4:30PM.  Meetings are open to observers on Zoom.

CASR Liaison: Katrina Managan

Members:

  • Aaron Martinez, Urban Land Conservancy (Co-chair)
  • Ashley Ruiz, McKinstry
  • Brad Wilkin, Thrive Home Builders
  • Celeste Cizik, Group14 Engineering
  • Daniel Talero, Guidehouse Consulting
  • Deana M. Perlmutter, Self-employed
  • Edmee Knight, Unico Properties
  • Erik Amundson, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
  • Kimberly Shields, Energy Outreach Colorado
  • Lindsay Tyson, DaVita
  • Marianne Eppig, Urban Land Institute
  • Nate Edge, Mile High Youth Corps
  • Paul Christopher Hutton, Cuningham Group
  • Rahul Deodhar, BG Buildingworks, Inc.
  • Robby Schwarz, BUILDTank, Inc.
  • Rory Berumen, National Electrical Contracting Association, Rocky Mountain Chapter
  • Stephen Shepard, CAE, Denver Metro BOMA (Co-chair)
  • Tamara Chernomordik, Prologis
  • Thomas E Sedwick, Element Systems LLC
  • Toni Oestmann, Kiewit

Community Adaptation, Resiliency, & Environmental Justice

The Community Adaptation, Resiliency, & Environmental Justice committee will advise CASR on prioritizing strategies, policies, and programs that support and empower residents and communities to mitigate the causes of climate change and prepare for/adapt to the changes it is already causing. This group will identify concerns and solutions that fit the unique needs of Denver’s communities, and assist CASR in defining its role in facilitating systemic change to address environmental justice.

CASR Liaison: Jorge Figueroa

Members:

  • Andrea Savage, Sheridan Rising for Equity, Commún
  • April Valdez, GRID Alternatives CO
  • Claudia Lifton, Factory Farming Awareness Coalition
  • Cole Chandler, Colorado Village Collaborative
  • Conor Hall, Trust for Public Land
  • Hope Trisler, Namaste Solar
  • Jada Bonner, Red Canyon Software & Engineering Inc.
  • Jason Swann, Western Resource Advocates, Rising Routes, Outdoor Afro and Wilhelmina Denver 
  • Kayla Morrison, Student
  • Kiera Jackson, Montbello Organizing Committee (Co-chair)
  • Lubna Ahmed, Groundwork Denver
  • Marcel McClinton, PeaceJam Foundation 
  • Micaela Iron Shell-Dominguez, 350 Colorado/Spirit of the Sun
  • Patricia G Iwasaki, Self-employed
  • Sydney Hunter, EarthLinks, Inc.
  • Tim Hernández, Denver Public Schools, North High School, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
  • Ynes Barrales Ortega, The GrowHaus

Energy

The Energy committee will advise CASR on prioritizing recommendations and strategies to decarbonize Denver’s energy system, including adaptation and resiliency strategies specifically associated with city-wide energy systems.

The Energy committee meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 5-7PM. Meetings are open to observers on Zoom.


CASR Liaison: Jonathan Rogers

Members:

  • Anna McDevitt, Sierra Club (Co-chair)
  • Armando Lopez Jr., Iontra (Co-chair)
  • Brooke Pike, Energy Outreach Colorado
  • Darrah Herman, The Green Wave: Symbiosis Solutions
  • Elizabeth Ramos Torres, The Early College of Arvada, and University of Colorado Boulder
  • Jason Sharpe, Namaste Solar
  • Keith Meyer, Opentext
  • Kristin Gjelsteen, Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and Colorado Open Lands
  • Lauren Quillian, Xcel Energy
  • Marcelene A Moore Gantz, Nia Philanthropy, Self-employed
  • Matt McNearney, GRID Alternatives Colorado
  • Renee M Wahlman, McKinstry
  • Sam Domeier, Mercy Housing
  • Sara Goodhue, Starbucks
  • Sebastian Andrews, The New Georgia Project, Stanford Graduate School of Education
  • Seina Soufiani, Colorado Public Utilities Commission
  • Suzann Kuhns, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
  • Terrence Lovett, Boanerges Power Company
  • Theron Mackley, Self-employed
  • Jason Harrison, Hunger Free Colorado

Resource Management

The Resource Management committee will advise CASR on policies and programs to improve air and water quality, increase green space and habitat, improve soil quality, promote sustainable land use, and reduce solid waste generation and increase landfill diversion.

CASR Liaison: Charlotte Pitt

Members:

  • Aishwarya Nair, Golder Associates (Interim Co-chair)
  • Andy Orozco Rivas, Mental Health Center of Denver
  • Anna Perks, Perks Deconstruction Ltd.
  • Chelsea Gaines, GRID Alternatives, Eco-Cycle
  • Christina Copeland, CDP North America
  • Eric Punkay, Denver Public Schools
  • Gabriela Jauregui, Jau Web Design, Self-employed
  • Jasmin Barco, City of Boulder
  • Jim Petterson, The Trust for Public Land
  • Joshua Eldridge, Great Ecology
  • Joyce Kennedy, People and Pollinators Action Network
  • Kaye Mathews, Independent Contractor
  • Laurie Mathews, Global Dental Relief (Co-chair)
  • Mac Liman, Bikes Together
  • Margaret McRoberts, Stella Sustainability, Founder
  • Melake Getabecha, Student
  • Nolan Hahn, US Environmental Protection Agency
  • Tara Tull, Retired, formerly at Metropolitan State University of Denver
  • Valerie Ibanez, The GrowHaus
  • Vann Fussell, Compost Colorado

Science & Research

The Science & Research committee will advise CASR on emerging areas of practice in the urban context concerning climate mitigation, adaptation, resiliency, and sustainability. As part of this work, it will advise the office on the most effective and innovative practices that should be considered. The work of this committee will ensure that current climate science and natural resources protection needs and strategies are based on peer-reviewed studies, data, and research. The committee will also advise CASR on innovative ways to bring new technology to Denver and will support the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Climate Protection Fund’s five-year plan strategies in achieving identified goals.

CASR Liaison: Elizabeth Babcock

Members:

  • Alicia Mountain, EcoEnclose and University of Denver's Center for Sustainability
  • Ashley Dancer, RESIGHT Holdings LLC, University of Colorado Boulder
  • Cara DiEnno, University of Denver
  • Chad King, University of Denver
  • Christopher M Hawkins, The Nature Conservancy
  • Cullen Hendrix, University of Denver, Peterson Institute for International Economics
  • Elisabeth Cohen, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
  • Frederick A Masoudi, MD, MSPH, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Hilary Egan, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • Jake Elder, Bloomberg Associates
  • Jay Lemery, University of Colorado School of Medicine (Co-chair)
  • Kerry Rippy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • Lisa Reyes Mason, University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work (Co-chair)
  • Mark Orrs, Colorado School of Mines
  • Mary McKean, National Park Service
  • Melissa McHale, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
  • Rajul Pandya, American Geophysical Union
  • Dr. Robert T McGrath, Retired, formerly with University of Colorado Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Sandia National Labs
  • Running Zhang, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Sustainable Transportation

The Sustainable Transportation committee will advise CASR on prioritizing strategies and recommendations to reduce emissions from Denver’s transportation sector. The committee will partner closely with the advisory boards managed by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) concerning public transportation and mobility. Included in this work are adaptation and resiliency strategies specifically associated with the city-wide transportation system.

CASR Liaison: Mike Salisbury

Members:

  • Aylene McCallum, Downtown Denver Partnership
  • Charles Sanchez, Energy Resource Center
  • Francesca Wahl, Tesla
  • Geoffrey Chiapella, Denver Regional Council of Governments
  • John Hersey, Self-employed
  • Kate Williams, The Denver Regional Mobility & Access Council
  • Kira Blaus-Plissner, Four Mile Historic Park
  • LaSheita Sayer, ZoZo Group
  • Molly McKinley, Bicycle Colorado
  • Naomi Amaha, The Denver Foundation (Co-chair)
  • Parry Burnap, Retired
  • Rev. Eugene Downing, New Hope Baptist Church
  • Ronald Short, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001 Regional Transportation District
  • Shad Andraos, Google
  • Shantelle Dreamer, WSP USA
  • Stuart M. Anderson, Transportation Solutions Foundation (Co-chair)
  • Travis Madsen, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
  • Trevor Z Walker, University of Colorado Denver, Starbucks
  • Zeke Yslas

Demographic Representation

The SAC application was posted from December 8, 2020 to January 15, 2021, resulting in over 300 applications. Those selected for the SAC and its six standing committees bring a variety of perspectives and experiences, and reflect the diversity of people, communities, and businesses in Denver. All applicants were asked to provide self-identified demographic information around:

  • Race
  • LGBTQIA
  • Health Conditions (Visible & Invisible Disabilities and Chronic Respiratory conditions)
  • Household Income
  • Housing & Residency (members are required to live and/or work in Denver, with the exception of the Science & Research committee)
  • Age
  • Gender Identity

SACappointees_demographics.png

More info on the demographic representation of all SAC applicants and selected Appointees and Committee Members can be found below. Click through the pages to learn more.

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Committee Updates

Sustainability Advisory Council committees meet and report out updates monthly.

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