Résumé
Carl A. Zichella
1716 Olympic Drive
Davis, CA 95616
(530) 753-6857
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Advocacy, Planning, Administration, Coordination and Communication
Director of Western Renewable Transmission, Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC)
Direct renewable energy transmission and generation planning and siting program work for
NRDC throughout the western United States and serve on a nationwide team of
professionals working on renewable energy and climate solutions. Represent NRDC on
Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee. Represent environmental
stakeholders on the Western Electricity Coordinating Council’s (WECC) Transmission
Expansion Planning and Policy Committee, and the Scenario Planning Steering Group of
WECC’s Regional Transmission Expansion Project. Advise the Energy Foundation’s
western transmission group. Represent NRDC to media, policy makers and the public.
Represent NRDC on ad hoc renewable energy advocacy collaboratives. Advise colleagues on
transmission issues affecting the Eastern Interconnection. Evaluate proposed litigation.
Evaluate and draft policy recommendations. Represent NRDC as a stakeholder on the
Energy Future Coalition. Participate in proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, California Independent System Operator, California Transmission Planning
Group, California Public Utilities Commission, California Independent System Operator, and
California Energy Commission as well as Western regional electric industry regulators.
Develop excellent relationships and collaborate with renewable energy development interests,
load serving entities and independent transmission sponsors.
Director of Western Renewable Programs, Sierra Club: Directed policy development,
public outreach, fundraising and advocacy work in the Western Electricity Coordinating
Council footprint. Environmental representative on the Renewable Energy Transmission
Initiative (Environmental Working Group co-chair) and Western Governors Association
Western Renewable Energy Zone processes (Environment and Lands working group cochair). Advisor to Energy Foundation’s western transmission group. Steering committee
member to Energy Future Coalition renewable energy transmission planning group. (current
position). Environmental representative, Transmission Expansion Planning and Policy
Committee, Western Electricity Coordinating Council. Drafted policy recommendations.
Created first ever environmental rating system for renewable energy zones and renewable
energy transmission lines. Represented the Sierra Club before Congress, state legislative
bodies and administrative agencies at the federal and state levels. Represented the Sierra Club
to local, regional and international media promoting solutions to large scale renewable energy
transmission and project siting. Helped draft and comment on federal and state legislation.
Developed excellent relationships with policy makers. Developed excellent relationships with
donors, and private foundations. Developed excellent relationships with renewable energy
developers. Developed excellent relationships with organized labor. Raised more than $1
million in program revenues over two and a half years. September, 2007-June, 2010
Regional Staff Director, Sierra Club, California-Nevada-Hawaii:
Directed
conservation, political, lobbying, organizing and fundraising in the Sierra Club’s largest field
region serving nearly 200,000 members. Directed a staff of 20 working on climate change,
coastal protection, wilderness, environmental justice, forest protection, energy conservation,
water quality and supply, growth management and environmental quality issues. Conducted
strategic planning. Managed budgets. Managed grant programs. Wrote proposals, drafted
reports. Raised funds. Cultivated donors. Lobbied Congress, state legislative and executive
agencies. Consulted with candidates on electoral campaigns. Trained activists and volunteers
in legislative advocacy, political effectiveness and grassroots organizing. Represented the
Sierra Club before Congressional and other hearings. Planned strategies for national and
regional issues. Advised activists on forest policy and negotiation strategies. Represented the
Sierra Club before news agencies and the public. Worked with Regional Conservation
Committee delegates and national issue committee members. Coordinated activist efforts
between state chapters. Wrote and edited articles for news outlets, advocacy publications and
the general public. Edited newsletters. Cooperated with and assisted sister organizations in
environmental campaigns. Advised Chapters on international and border issues. (September
2000 through June 2008)
Regional Staff Director, Sierra Club Midwest Office: Directed conservation activities in a
nine-state region for the Sierra Club, the nation’s oldest and most influential environmental
organization. Directed and evaluated a staff of 13. Conducted strategic planning. Managed
budgets. Managed grant programs. Wrote proposals, drafted reports. Cultivated donors.
Lobbied Congress and executive agencies. Consulted with candidates on electoral campaigns.
Trained activists and volunteers in legislative advocacy, political effectiveness and grassroots
organizing. Represented the Sierra Club before Congressional and other hearings. Planned
strategies for national and regional issues. Advised activists on forest policy and negotiation
strategies. Represented the Sierra Club before news agencies and the public. Wrote and
edited articles for news outlets, advocacy publications and the general public. Edited
newsletters. Cooperated with and assisted sister organizations in environmental campaigns.
(1990-2000)
Associate Midwest Representative, Sierra Club: Responsible for lobbying the
Congressional delegations of nine Midwestern states for the Sierra Club on clean air, forest
planning, wilderness, pollution and biotic diversity issues. Coordinated Sierra Club
Committee on Political Education (SCCOPE) endorsement and campaign activities in the
nine state Midwest region. Provided professional campaign assistance to Congressional
candidates. Ran successful county GOTV effort in Indiana congressional races. Trained
activists in political organizing and campaign activities. Planned strategies for national and
regional issues. Advised activists on forest policy and negotiation strategy. Assisted activists
with Illinois Wilderness campaign. Wrote draft Illinois Wilderness bill. Represented the
Sierra Club before members of Congress, the media and government agencies. Trained,
motivated and counseled volunteers in executing effective campaigns. Developed good
relationships with volunteer leaders and activists. Wrote articles, alerts and opinion pieces for
publication in newsletters and newspapers. Provided interviews for regional and national
media outlets. Trained activists in working with the media. Worked with regional delegates
and national issue committee members. Networked with local, regional and national
environmental , minority, labor and health organizations. Coordinated Air Toxics Grant
program with strong minority outreach component. Coordinated the activities of grassroots
organizers in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. (1987-1990)
Director of Housing and Energy Services Redwood Community Action Agency
(RCAA): Responsible for directing, training and evaluating 20 employees in two divisions of
RCAA, of Eureka, California. Managed annual budget of between $1-1.5 million for lowincome housing and energy conservation programs. Programs operated included: self-help
home improvement, Community Development Block Grant, low-income weatherization,
low-income energy conservation education, energy conservation curriculum development,
energy crisis fuel assistance, and municipal energy conservation technical assistance.
Developed spin-off commercial energy conservation small business. Wrote concepts and
lobbied for energy conservation legislation adopted by the California legislature. Coordinated
non-profit organization lobbying program for 22 northern California energy conservation
non-profit organizations. (1986-1987)
Energy Programs Director of RCAA. Responsible for administering Energy Crisis
Intervention, Weatherization, Energy Education, Renewable Energy Financing, Solar Leasing
and Energy related business development programs. Directed, trained and evaluated a staff
of 12. (1985-1986)
Housing Services Manager: for RCAA. Administered $1.4 million in weatherization
contracts over a three-year period, weatherizing approximately 2,900 homes. Supervised,
trained and evaluated the activities of nine staff. Worked with utility and federal programs.
Attained a positive work inspection record of 99% over three years. Tracked and lobbied
legislation critical to program operation and funding. Worked with legislators and staff on
form and content of important legislation. Developed good working relationship with utility
officials, legislators, state officials, clients, staff and subcontractors. (1984-1985)
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VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
Member: Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee, appointed by Energy
Secretary Ernest Moniz in November 2013 (2013-present)
Member: Western Governors Association Transmission Siting and Permitting Task
Force, (2013-present)
Director: Climate Action Reserve (formerly California Climate Action Registry), Los
Angeles, California, (November 2007-May 2011.)
Director: Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, Sacramento,
California, (November, 2007-present.)
Director: San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, a program of the Governor
Schwarzenegger’s Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. Charter director. Chaired
Sustainable Communities Committee and organized December 2007conference in
renewable energy future for San Joaquin Valley in Fresno, California. (2007- 2008)
Steering Committee Member: California Apollo Alliance. Guide the development of a
labor-environmental-community and green business alliance intended to promote renewable
energy and create jobs in California. Represent the Sierra Club on the Steering Committee;
Represent the Alliance before conferences and the media. Raise money. Oversee programs
and coordinate staff activity. Draft and implement strategies. Build partnerships with
community organizations and labor. (2002-2010)
Director: American Wilderness Coalition (Pueblo Colorado). Published Wildcard voting
scorecard of congressional representatives on wilderness issues. Raised funds. Oversaw
staff activities. Provide strategic guidance. Made grants to advocacy organizations.
Represented the organization before the media, policy makers and the public. (2003-2008)
Member: Deer Park Buddhist Center (Madison, Wisconsin). Fundraising and publications
committees. Wrote grant proposals, contacted financial supporters. Conducted outreach on
Center programs. (1997-2000)
Director: Wisconsin Citizen Action. Worked on education, environmental, labor and trade
issues for statewide consumer and environmental organization. Worked with staff to help
rebuild organization’s political health and engaged the organization in successful campaign to
block a copper mine in northern Wisconsin. Served on political action committee. (19954 | Page
1999)
Director: Dane County (Wisconsin) Community Action Commission. Oversaw budgets,
senior staff and program selection and activities for county human services provider.
Reviewed and approved proposals, ensured compliance with terms of grants and federal and
state laws. (1988-1989)
Member: Federal task force for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on
preventing fraud and abuse in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Wrote
nationally distributed paper comparing and contrasting utility and federal energy
conservation programs for the poor. (1985)
Member: Executive Committee of the Redwood Chapter, Sierra Club. Worked on various
campaigns including Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness (King Range),
Superfund, nuclear energy, and energy conservation policy. Worked on local, state and
congressional political campaigns. (1984-1987)
Member: Steering Committee of Direct Weatherization Contractors. Negotiated with utility
companies and management firms on standards and contract qualifications for utility
weatherization programs. (1984-1987)
President: Association of Rural Northern California Energy Providers (ARNCEP). Elected
organization's first chairman. Organized 22 nonprofit organizations in 25 counties for
contract negotiations on state and federal energy conservation programs. Negotiated
favorable revision of state-administered weatherization contracts. Provided technical
assistance to members. Coordinated successful lobbying effort for $40 million dollars in
energy conservation programs. (1984-1987)
Director: Northern California Health Systems Agency. Newsletter Editor, Review
Committee, Public Information Committee. Served as Vice-chairman of the Humboldt
Health Planning Council (1983-84).
Author (with Johnathan Hladik): “Finding a Home for Renewable Energy and Transmission,” for
America’s Power Plan; one of seven chapters detailing policies needed to implement an 80%
penetration of renewable energy resources into the nation’s electricity grid by 2050
(www.americaspowerplan.com). (2013)
Author: of numerous articles and opinion pieces on energy, environmental and economic
development issues for various publications, including Switchboard (the blog post website of
the Natural Resources Defense Council), Electricity Policy, The Los Angeles Times,
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San Francisco Chronicle, Modesto Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Sacramento Bee,
Lighthawk, Sierra, The Planet, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Wisconsin State Journal,
Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Detroit Free Press, Quad City Times, Wisconsin Counties,
Saint Louis Post Dispatch, Duluth News Tribune, Southern Illinoisan, Econews,
Economic Development and Law Center Report, Isthmus, Critical Mass Energy Journal,
and the Sierra Club website.
MEMBERSHIPS
(partial list)
NRDC
Sierra Club
Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technology
American Society for the Advancement of Science
AWARDS
CEERT Clean Energy Champion 2010
Sierra Club Executive Director’s Award, 1992
Wisconsin Stewardship Network 1998 Stewardship Award
Redwood Community Action Agency service recognition, 1987
ARNCEP service recognition, 1987
EDUCATION
West Chester State College: Emphasis – education
College of the Redwoods: Emphasis – natural resources and conservation
Humboldt State University: Emphasis – journalism and political science
PERSONAL REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
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