Area of Focus
As part of the clean energy team, Michael leads the organization’s work to shape state-level building decarbonization policy and reduce emissions from the building sector in the Interior West. He coordinates with stakeholders including utilities, building professionals, environmental advocates, and electricity consumers to develop and build support for building decarbonization solutions. He educates key decision makers across the region about the economic and environmental benefits of building decarbonization. In his role, he is called on to testify in regulatory, legislative and executive agency policy forums and advocate for investments in cleaner energy sources.
Background
Michael joined WRA in April 2024 with many years of experience in the building decarbonization and demand-side management sector. Before joining WRA, he worked on utility energy efficiency and decarbonization issues with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) focusing on advancing energy efficiency, decarbonization, and energy equity in the Southwest. He began his clean energy career at the California Energy Commission (CEC). At the CEC, he researched and prepared key policy reports on building energy efficiency and decarbonization.
Accomplishments
While with SWEEP, Michael successfully advocated for greater heat pump incentives in Public Service Company of New Mexico’s most recent energy efficiency plan. In California, he spearheaded the California Building Decarbonization Assessment (2021) and the 2019 California Energy Efficiency Action Plan, both of which laid out important concepts and principles to lead the state on its carbon-neutral path. He received the CEC’s Service, Excellence, and Accountability Award three times for making important programmatic contributions.
Education
- Master of Science in Geology from the University of California, Davis
- Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara
Favorite thing about the West
I love the entrancing smell of desert rain, the calls from flocks of quail rumbling through creosote, and dramatic sunsets painting the mountains red and orange.
