Leadership

Nicole Nguyen is a sustainability analyst for County of Santa Clara Office of Sustainability, working on a multitude of programs and projects that support the County’s Sustainability Master Plan. She has been the Green Business Coordinator for the Santa Clara County Green Business Program since 2015 and a board member since 2019. She enjoys partnering with business owners to achieve certification while learning about their contribution and impact to the community. Nicole has a B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Asian American Studies from UCLA and a Master’s of Public Administration from Notre Dame de Namur University with a concentration in Human Resources. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her son and husband and attempting to train her cat.

Robert Carr is the Education and Projects Manager for the San Diego Green Building Council who specializes in making the built environment more sustainable. He is a LEED AP, LFA, and GPRO instructor and has used this experience to participate in many LEED projects in the San Diego region. Robert also volunteers for SD 350 and the San Diego Building Electrification Coalition to advocate for just, equitable and sustainable communities for all.

Frank J. Ferral has been the Program & Public Policy Director for the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce for 24 years. He has been a Recycling Market Development Zone administrator in Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin Counties. Frank has also created economic development programs to be leveraged with the RMDZ initiatives like the Stockton Chamber Apprenticeship Program (SCAP), Business Education Alliance (BEA), Fitness Rejuvenates Employee Sustainability & Health (FRESH), Green Team San Joaquin (GTSJ), which include Recycling BIN, REXPO, Lunch at the Landfill and is the program administrator for the California Green Business Network in San Joaquin County. He has recently launched the Growing Unity Inclusion Diversity & Equity (GUIDE) program in Stockton. Ferral holds a BA in Political Science and a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from CSU Stanislaus. He is also a graduate of WACE Academy 2019.

Katie joined the City of Carlsbad in October 2021 and has been coordinating the Carlsbad Green Business Program since then. Katie’s role as the Climate Action Plan Administrator focuses on implementing, monitoring, and updating to the city’s Climate Action Plan, as well as other sustainability-related city efforts. Katie has a Master’s in Environmental Science and Management from UCSB and joined the board in 2023.

Mary grew up in San Jose, California and moved to San Luis Obispo directly after college. After a brief move back to the Bay Area (always with the intention of moving back to SLO) she returned to the Central Coast in 2015 with her husband. While Mary’s degree is in Business Management and Marketing, beginning her career in tech, she has volunteered with nonprofits for nearly 20 years, gaining experience with managing volunteers and coordinating events. When not working at ECOSLO, Mary can be found enjoying nature – relaxing at the beach, sharing a backyard bonfire with friends, or caring for her gardens of veggies, roses, and succulents.

Martha Segovia is a Senior Project Manager, Environmental Programs for the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. A joint power authority of the 16 cities in the South Bay and the County of Los Angeles. Diligently working on issues of mutual interest to their constituents such as water, energy efficiency, transportation, homelessness issues, climate action and much more. She has been the Green Business Coordinator for the Cities of Hawthorne, Torrance and El Segundo Green Business Program since 2018 and a board member since 2023. Martha has a B.A. in Mass Communications with a minor in Advertising. In her spare time she focuses on her real estate career and managing her investment portfolio.

Gino joined the Board in 2023 as the Sole Entrepreneur. His Family Recycling Business was Founded in 1945. By the very nature of their operation they are preserving natural resources and committed to zero waste and carbon neutrality. The Fundamental Guiding Principles of their Business are Integrity, Environmental Justice and Sustainability. From the inception of the newly formed Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program in 2003 their Business was selected to take a Pledge for Certification. On Earth Day 2004 they were awarded the First MBAGBP Certification. In 2020 the First SCCGBP Tier 2 Innovator. Gino has served on several MBAGBP Committees. As a Program Partner Gino independently developed and launched an In Person Outreach Campaign with his Client Base and recruited numerous Businesses to successfully achieve Certification. Gino has received recognition from CA. State Senate, CA. State Assembly, Ecology Action and Others for his Environmental Efforts. He holds MEng (Civil), MBA (Business Administration) and 6G.

Javier is an Energy Conservation Specialist and owns Energy Conservation Consultants, which provides energy audit services in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties. Javier uses his knowledge of energy conservation and renewable energy systems to assist businesses and homeowners with their health, safety, comfort, building durability, and energy use reduction goals.

Karl has served as a Sustainable Procurement Advisor for the City of Santa Monica since 2001. He has focused on developing and implementing the City’s sustainable procurement, toxics-use reduction, integrated pest management, sustainable food, and green business programs and policies. Prior to joining the City of Santa Monica, Karl enjoyed a diverse professional career in the environmental, health and safety field working in the private sector. Karl holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Environmental and Occupational Health. He loves nature and all animals, especially his adopted Russian Blue cat who is still trying to figure out how to shake paws.

Michelle McElroy is the CEO of ETR Consultants, a firm specializing in project management and public outreach consulting. With extensive experience leading high-profile initiatives, Michelle has successfully managed numerous projects aimed at promoting sustainability, business retention, and advanced technology integration. She has overseen environmental consulting efforts for the City of Los Angeles Green Business Program, developed campaign strategies for the LA Sanitation & Environment L.A. Industry Campaign, and provided project management support for LADWP’s Smart Grid Demonstration Project and the Adelanto Photovoltaic Solar Power Project. Additionally, Michelle has managed educational outreach programs for the State of California and conducted compliance audits for the UC Regents. Under her leadership, ETR Consultants has become a trusted partner for organizations seeking to achieve their sustainability and operational goals.

Jo has over 25 years experience in the environmental realm in a wide breadth of scientific research, environmental remediation, commercial/industrial pollution prevention, environmental outcome data and community-based social marketing programs to address some of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. She has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Minor in Spanish. She has worked to establish numerous Green Business Programs, green hundreds of businesses, and serves as the Executive Director of the California Green Business Network. Jo has lived and worked all over the world.

Micah is a dedicated Facilities Assistant Manager with a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, holding a Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) certification. Micah leverages data to drive improvements in sustainability and operational practices, implementing energy-efficient solutions such as automated demand response systems for HVAC. Additionally, Micah has played a key role in certifying buildings with the California Green Business Network and ENERGY STAR. Passionate about creating environmentally responsible spaces, Micah consistently seeks opportunities to enhance sustainability practices while ensuring operational excellence.

Co-founder and Director of Sustainability at Waste Not Consulting, Ashlee brings over 11 years of experience in waste diversion and reduction for commercial properties and businesses. She specializes in creating, executing, and overseeing sustainable waste management programs that prioritize environmental consciousness and fiscal responsibility. Ashlee is passionate about educating and speaking on topics related to zero waste, waste reduction, and waste elimination for clients and organizations. With a strong commitment to diverting waste from landfills, she has successfully developed and implemented over 200 waste stream management programs and conducted waste audits for more than 20 million square feet. As a TRUE Advisor, Ashlee helps clients achieve TRUE Zero Waste certification by reaching a 90% diversion rate of materials from landfills.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ashlee is committed to promoting greater environmental awareness on an individual level. Drawing from her family’s multi-generational commitment to waste reduction, Ashlee has a deep understanding of sustainability that transcends time. She is dedicated to practicing what she preaches, as evidenced by her efforts to have Waste Not achieve its Green Business Program Level TIER 3 Innovator Certification in 2023.

Ashlee holds a Masters of Science in Environmental Studies from CSU, Fullerton and earned a Sustainable Practices professional certificate from San Diego State University.

Sarah Hilmer is a Senior Manager, Local Impact and Strategic Alliances at Intuit, the global financial technology platform that helps consumers and small businesses overcome their most important financial challenges. Serving approximately 100 million customers worldwide with products such as TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks and Mailchimp, Intuit is committed to championing small businesses and powering prosperity.

Prior to joining Intuit, Sarah led the Communications team at a Bay Area startup, and was a Managing Director at a PR agency, working with a range of clients in the finance, technology and nonprofit sectors. Sarah completed her MBA from UC Berkeley Haas, and during her time there took on several projects focused on environmental disclosure, policy, systems-thinking and social impact. She received her BA Communications from Purdue University.