Aravind Batra Membership (Long Beach Branch)

Aravind Batra is a Senior Electrical Engineer and Principal at Long Beach based P2S Engineering. There he heads-up P2S’s Educational Division. Aravind has over fourteen years of experience in consulting engineering and has been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2003. Aravind is involved with master plans, utility infrastructure upgrade projects, renovations and new building community colleges and a variety of private and public universities. Aravind has an in depth knowledge of electrical systems and their requirements and is the in-house expert on photovoltaic and alternative energy solutions. Outside of his efforts to bring about the USGBC-LA Long Beach Branch, he is also affiliated with the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). He has served as a past Treasurer for the Los Angeles Chapter of AEE. Prior to joining P2S, Mr. Batra served as a Technical Marketing Manager for Raychem Corporation in India. While employed there, he was involved in technical support and marketing of high-voltage power cable splices, end joints and insulation products. Aravind holds a Bachelor Degree from Bangalore University in India. In addition to being a LEED AP, Aravind is a licensed electrical engineer (PE) and a certified lighting designer (LC).

Bruce E. Becker Membership (Los Angeles Chapter)

Bruce has been a licensed General Contractor in California since 1987 and has recently added the C-10 Electrical Contractor designation to his license.  He has been active in the construction and design of custom homes and commercial projects in San Diego and Los Angeles County.  In the past 7 years he has concentrated in the specialty of water damage, indoor air quality and its affect on quality of life. During that time he was involved with over 500 commercial and residential projects in the Greater Los Angeles area.

· Technical advisor to the Garden School Foundation in Los Angeles since 2009
· Guest Speaker Health Effects of Mold Symposium (2007) UCLA School of Public Health
· Member of the Long Beach College CTE Green Advisory Board
· Attended the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University Wisconsin

Lance Collins Steering Co-Chair (Long Beach Branch)

Lance Collins is a licensed architect in the state of California, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor with over 10 years of professional experience. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), and the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Mr. Collins professional experience encompasses urban design, architecture and sustainable design with projects experience in all scales ranging from master planning, commercial office development, mixed-use residential, institutional, to single family residential. Mr. Collins has formerly been a Project Manager with Studio One Eleven, a Senior Designer with HOK and part of the design staff at Moore, Ruble, Yudell Architec

Kevin Devine Co-Chair, EB Subcommittee

As the “USGBC-LA EB Subcommittee Co-Chair” Kevin manages the group members, administrative responsibilities, and events on behalf of the USGBC-LA Chapter.   The subcommittee goals are in alignment with Kevin’s career in the Building Operations area.  Kevin has always focused on maximizing energy efficiency and reducing operating expenses and his knowledge and networking connections on the field make him a great fit for his role with the EB Subcommittee. Kevin Devine, Director of Engineering at Brookfield Properties, has overseen the operation of four and a half million square feet of commercial real estate in Southern California since 2007. Kevin has more than 25 years of real estate engineering, operations and construction experience. Prior to joining Brookfield, Kevin was the Engineering Manager at Equity Office Properties, where he oversaw eight million square feet of commercial property in New York City. Kevin has also worked as the Director of Operations at Devon Properties, a privately held national property owner with oversight of a six million square foot portfolio consisting of commercial, residential, industrial properties, ASE Enterprises with a similar portfolio on North New Jersey and has several years of construction management experience doing property redevelopment and commercial interiors and has several years of construction management / commercial interior construction for Pavarini McGovern GMO as well as property redevelopment experience. Prior to elevating to management, Kevin had a hands on career as chief engineer spending 13 years in the Operating Engineers IUOE Local 94 in New York City operating properties ranging in various size from 400K to 1.8K beginning as an apprentice or assistant engineer. Kevin attended Bergen Tech in Bergen County New Jersey where he majored in stationary engineering, HVAC& Refrigeration and worked within the service sector before entering into the commercial office building trades. Kevin currently serves as co-chair of the EB Subcommittee for the U.S. Green Building Council Los Angeles Chapter (USGBC-LA), he is a member of the BOMA Los Angeles and participates in Committees on Sustainability and Energy, and is involved with the International Union of Operating Engineers Training and Education programs. Kevin participates in Brookfield Properties Energy Committee where he assists in establishing programs, standards and procedures within the Brookfield Properties family of regions. Kevin has spearheaded Brookfield’s efforts with respect to LEED Certification and enjoys working with the Hi Rise Committee in which Kevin established at the suggestion of Lance Williams and the LA chapter of the USGBC.

Marika Erdley Commercial Real Estate and Finance Co-Chair

As the Co-Chair for the Real Estate and Finance committee, Marika is involved in communicating both the state and federal legislation that affects the sustainability of the commercial real estate industry to other committee members. She is also the liaison to the EB O&M Committee on similar topics. Marika’s LEED consulting practice, LEED by ME, focuses on ROI Economic Modeling to help building owners understand the cost of transforming their buildings to be more energy, water and resource efficient and to improve their day-to-day operations. By understanding the financial cost, Marika hopes to inspire building owners to implement LEED EB O&M.  Marika has the knowledge and skills to successfully administer the LEED certification process for New Construction and for Homes and Neighborhoods. She has just accepted a position teaching an Economics of Sustainability course, part of the Certificate in Sustainable Development and Green Design at UC Riverside’s Extension program, as well working as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for New Millennium Homes, a residential homebuilding and land development company located in Calabasas. Marika has almost thirty years of finance and management experience in a number of industries including high technology, advertising and web development. Marika holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Economics from University of California at Santa Barbara. Marika is also on the Board of Trustees of Mountains Restoration Trust, a land trust protecting open space in the Santa Monica Mountains. She is also a member of the San Fernando Valley Green Building Task Force. LEED by ME is certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE). Marika also holds a CA Contractors License B. Marika is married and has two daughters in college and is an avid hiker, mountain biker and skier.

James Finlay Commercial Real Estate & Finance Subcommittee Co-Chair

As chair of the Commercial Real Estate & Finance Subcommittee James is helping the committee members build a forum where commercial real estate professionals to expand their network and knowledge about sustainable design.  It is focused on how a LEED or other designation and high-performance design is valued in a lease or sale. James is a senior commercial real estate appraisal manager and Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank in downtown Los Angeles.  He engages appraisers, reviews the report and writes an analysis of risks & benefits for a wide variety of property types.  In early 2006 he was asked to join the bank’s Environmental Initiative team representing the appraisal department and has been the principle appraisal manager for LEED and high-performance commercial real estate appraisals.  As of mid-2009 Wells Fargo had made loans secured by LEED and high-performance property topping $2 billion. Prior to joining Wells Fargo in 1999 he worked in Los Angeles as a commercial appraiser at other banks, appraisal firms, had his own firm based in Santa Monica.  A background as a leasing and sales agent and investment partnerships combines to over 20 years in commercial real estate valuation, brokerage and investment combined.  Rounded off with a construction background at his father’s business provides a solid basis for understanding high-performance building features. He began attending USGBC-LA functions in 2001 and occasional speaker on appraisal and financing of high-performance real estate at a number of professional conferences. James holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Economics from the University of Kentucky, is a General Certified Appraiser and has a CA Real Estate Sales license.

Melissa Gutierrez Government Affairs and Advocacy Co-Chair

As the co-chair for the USGBC-LA Chapter’s Advocacy Committee, Melissa is working on growing the committee and focusing on local/regional issues regarding Green Building initiatives.  With the strong influence Los Angeles has on the local community as well as the country, it is imperative that Los Angeles and the surrounding areas work together with the local governments to become a leader in the green movement, by showing the world how sustainability can be done. When Melissa is not chairing her committee, she is Director of Operations at Gaia Development – a consulting firm focused on building sustainable buildings, LEED CHPS, Energy Modeling and Commissioning.  Gaia Development works with the leading developers throughout Southern California – including such clients as W Hotel, Habitat for Humanity and the Port of Long Beach. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA, she pursued a career in finance at JPMorgan in San Francisco.  Her career in finance led her to pursue a business position within Gaia – a company whose initiatives and mission statement met her own personal goals.  She now works on managing Gaia’s operations while maintaining various client related projects as well.

Barbara Long Secretary (Long Beach Branch)

Barbara Long, Vice President, Special Projects and Government Relations at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Long has been with the Aquarium since 2000, and is responsible for overseeing major projects. She successfully implemented projects funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and NOAA. Long was the Principal Investigator for the IMLS-supported project to create of a watershed exhibit that demonstrate the vital importance of watersheds and conservation actions citizens can take to reduce potable water usage. Funded by the National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation, Long, in partnership with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, oversaw the implementation of Whales: Voices in the Sea, awarded a MUSE by the American Association of Museums. This exhibit is now installed in five aquariums across the nation. Long was instrumental in the Aquarium of the Pacific’s nomination for, and receiving, the Alliance to Save Energy’s Super Nova of Excellence award in 2009. Long also organized the western regional conference of NOAA’s 2006 Conference on Ocean Literacy. Long created the first board-approved Aquarium master plan and directed creation of the Shark Lagoon exhibit. Long also develops long-term goals for the Aquarium and serves as the corporate secretary.  Long oversaw the Aquarium’s efforts to register its greenhouse gas emissions with the California Climate Action Registry —the first museum in the nation to successfully do so. A frequent panelist at museum conferences, she has lectured at UCLA and California State University of Long Beach extension programs and classes. Long serves on the boards of the California Association of Museums, the Green Museum Initiative, and the International Trade Education Programs (ITEP). She is on the advisory board for the Los Angeles Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Long Beach Community College Citizen Bond Oversight Committee, and has served on various city committees. She is currently active in the Long Beach Rotary International as well as other professional and community organizations. With more than 20 years experience, Long previously served as Deputy Executive Officer of Finance at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.  Having studied in Brazil and Uruguay, Long holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management and a BA in Economics from Stanford University.

Pablo Lorenzo Co-Secretary (SGV Branch Formation Committee)

Linda organizes give back events on behalf of the USGBC-LA Chapter with local non-profit organizations throughout the LA County. Some of the organizations we have worked with include:  Heal the Bay, Tree Musketeers, Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Friends of the LA River, Million Trees LA, and Garden School Foundation.

Linda holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Chapman University, George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics in Orange, CA and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from California State University Fullerton with a concentration in Marketing

Paul Ramirez Emerging Green Builders (EGB) Co-Chair

Paul is a young professional in the field of engineering, currently employed by Innovative Engineering Group, Inc. As a student he studied architecture, engineering and marketing at Rio Hondo College, earned a certificate in Plumbing Systems Design at UCLA, a certificate in HVAC&R Fundamentals, and is in an associate member of ASPE. As the co-chair of Emerging Green Builders, he is an advocate to students and young professionals; specifically exciting the area of greener businesses, healthier living environments, and sustainable technology. Paul believes the greatest quality in life is a combination of good food, drinks, and social connection. He enjoys the outdoors for such activities as camping, hiking, biking and running. In his words, “I believe one shall love life only as much that it is possible for another to enjoy life with what we have created/allowed/left for him or her to enjoy.”

Doug Sereno Student Outreach (Long Beach Branch)

Douglas J. Sereno, P.E., is the Director of Program Management for the Port of Long Beach, California.  He was appointed to head the newly-formed Program Management Division in August 2007 by the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners.  Mr. Sereno, who joined the Port in 2002, had been serving as Deputy Chief Harbor Engineer, in charge of overseeing program management. Under his program management leadership, the Port completed the later phases of the former Navy base conversion on Terminal Island, the early phases of the Pier G Terminal Redevelopment Program and the Ocean Boulevard-Terminal Island Freeway Interchange.  Also under his leadership, the Port constructed its first container terminal outfitted with shore-to-ship power capabilities, the world’s first shore-to-ship power liquid bulk terminal and the Joint Command and Control Center, the Port’s first LEED-Silver certified building. Before coming to the Port, Mr. Sereno worked for more than 15 years with the international engineering firm, MWH Americas Inc., where he rose to Vice President, overseeing consultant program management support for the City of Los Angeles’ Wastewater Program. He holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Brigham Young University, specializing in water resources and environmental studies. He is a member of the American Association of Port Authorities’ Harbor Navigation and Environment (HNE) Committee and the Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) Ports and Harbors Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).  His professional affiliations include ASCE, the Water Environment Federation and the U.S. Green Building Council, LA Chapter.  He has served on several advisory boards to institutions of higher education in Long Beach for curriculum development of sustainability programs and was the inaugural chairman of the Sustainability Task Force chartered by the Port’s Green Port Policy.

Drew Shula, Events Coordinator, Existing Buildings Subcommittee
 
As the USGBC-LA Events Coordinator for the Existing Buildings Subcommittee, Drew assists the co-chairs with program development, membership outreach, and administrative tasks, including research and the publication of meeting minutes. Drew has been a member of the USGBC Los Angeles Chapter since 2007 and has previously served as the Emerging Green Builders Co-Chair, helping to organize the Natural Talent Design Competition in 2009. Drew is a LEED Specialist for Thomas Properties Group (www.tpgre.com), a publicly traded (TPGI) full-service real estate firm headquartered in downtown Los Angeles that owns, acquires, develops and manages property. Drew is currently working directly with TPG's Sustainability Manager to assist with the effort ofgreening the company's portfolio of 34 properties (15,000,000 sf) across the country through the LEED® for Existing Buildings Volume Certification Pilot Program. Drew is a LEED® Accredited Professional and holds a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he also completed a Supplementary Major in Philosophy. He is an Associate member of the American Institute of Architects, and previously worked as an architectural designer at The Jerde Partnership (www.jerde.com), a multidisciplinary architecture and urban planning firm in Los Angeles specializing in place-making. Drew is a native of Belfast, Maine and currently resides with his wife in Santa Monica.

Dominique Smith Events Committee Chair

As the Chair of the Events Committee, Dominique plans Tours and Presentations and assists in the coordination of events that promote the Chapter’s mission to improve the economic, social, and environmental performance of Southern California regional development through the integration of green building practices. The Events Committee plans activities that offer Chapter members the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of green building practices, network with other professionals, and give back to the community. In addition to planning Chapter Events, Dominique works as the A&D Market Specialist at McMurray Stern Inc. She works with Architects, Designers, and Construction companies throughout Southern California to design specialized storage solutions. Recently completed projects include storage design and installation at Loyola Marymount University Library, St John’s Medical Center, and LAPD Headquarters. Dominique graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in Business Administration. She became a LEED AP in December 2008.

David Stevens MGBCE Chair

David is Senior Energy Education Advisor at Southern California Gas Company's Energy Resource Center where he produces education events on sustainability and energy efficiency. Serving his second term on the Board, David chairs the annual Municipal Green Building Conference and Expo. This event is the Chapter's largest free, educational, outreach and networking event for primary decision makers in the Southern California area. In addition, David represents the LA Chapter on the Pacific Regional Council of the USGBC, ensuring the growth of green building throughout our region. An alumnus of Biola University, he brings over 25 years of experience in the utility industry to our board.

Seth provides a variety of research and administrative services in support of the activities of the Existing Buildings Subcommittee. He analyzes data, documents, case studies, and contributes contextual information that is distributed as reference materials to committee members, incorporated into presentations, and utilized to facilitate committee activities. He also helps to construct, edit, and organize committee documents.

Seth is an aspiring young green building professional who is accredited as a LEED Green Associate. He is currently working as a research and policy analysis consultant on land use and open space issues in southern California and is eager to start is career in the green building sector. He has previously served as a staff member to elected officials in California on the state and local level. Prior to moving to California, Seth worked for the National Academy of Sciences conducting scientific research related to national security.

Seth holds a Masters degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara and bachelor of arts degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Biology from American University in Washington, DC.

Dave Summers LA LEED Users Group Coordinator

As the LA LEED Users Group Coordinator, David organizes the chapter’s monthly LEED educational meetings.  David has previously served on the board of the USGBC-LA and has been an active volunteer with the chapter for several years. David has been a LEED Accredited Professional for eight years and is a Registered Mechanical Engineer.  He has worked as a mechanical engineer on over a dozen LEED projects, including several LEED “firsts”, including:

• Elleven, Los Angeles, CA.  This project was the first LEED high-rise residential project in Los Angeles.
• Eugene Federal Courthouse, Eugene, OR, was the first federal courthouse in the nation to earn LEED Gold.
• Providence Newberg Medical Center, Newberg, OR, was the first LEED Gold hospital in the country.
• Earthlink Office Tenant Improvement, Pasadena, CA.  This project earned LEED-CI Silver and was the first project to comply with the City of Pasadena’s LEED program.

David works for multi-disciplinary engineering firm Glumac as the head of the mechanical engineering department in Glumac’s Los Angeles office. He holds a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin and a Bachelors Degree in Physics from Harvey Mudd College.

As the Social Media Coordinator, Ms. Watt manages the Social Media web pages of the USGBC-LA Chapter and Existing Buildings Subcommittee.  These Internet pages include LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and serve as sources for current events and interactive discussion forums related to the USGBC-LA Chapter and LEED for Existing Buildings, as well as professional networking to Green Building professionals in and around Greater Los Angeles.

Stephanie works full-time as an Environmental Compliance Coordinator at Sapphos Environmental, Inc. in Santa Monica. One of Stephanie’s key job responsibilities is to provide project management for development projects of local and regional importance in California that require CEQA or NEPA compliance.  In addition, Stephanie prepares technical documentation and analysis in support of these projects in pursuant to the applicable regulation, with an emphasis on aesthetics/visibility analyses.  Prior to joining Sapphos, she worked as a Programs Associate at the Larta Insitute, a firm that implements commercialization programs intended to promote early-stage high technology in the market.

Ms. Watt holds a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.  Through her graduate studies at UCLA, she discovered her passion for the environment and is dedicated to burgeoning her knowledge and experience to develop a holistic approach to sustainability.