Welcoming Our Newest Board Members: Champions of Environmental Justice

As Community Energy Project continues to expand our programs and our staff, we are also growing our Board! CEP is excited to introduce seven new Board members, each bringing a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to advancing our mission. While our direct programs and services support Portland’s low-income and marginalized communities, these individuals will help us strengthen our efforts to ensure everyone has access to a safe, healthy environment. Our Board’s leadership and commitment to equity will be vital as we tackle the pressing environmental challenges facing our city and beyond. Meet our newest advocates for change and learn how they will guide CEP in contributing to a more just and sustainable future.

Erica Levine Sustainable Buildings at Amazon, Senior Technical Program Manager

What inspired you to join Community Energy Project’s Board?

I care deeply about the environment – that’s why I pursued a career in sustainability! But because my work spans all of North America, it doesn’t provide an opportunity to invest in my own community. I joined CEP to help advance energy and environmental justice initiatives here in Portland. 

Is there a specific initiative or area within the organization you are especially passionate about?

I’m excited about CEP’s work in weatherization and deep energy retrofits. In this space, CEP partners with frontline communities to save energy, reduce utility bills, and improve resilience to stressors like heatwaves – a win-win-win! Since climate change disproportionately impacts underserved communities, it’s great to see CEP focusing their efforts where it really counts.

 

Anthony Levenda Center for Climate Action and Sustainability, Director; Evergreen State College, Professor 

How does CEP’s work and mission align with your personal values?

CEP has a strong commitment to alleviate home energy injustices and help Portland move towards an equitable low-carbon future. I believe that CEP’s work strongly aligns with my values of creating a more just and abundant future for Portland. 

What inspired you to join Community Energy Project’s Board?

I have been following the work of CEP for about a decade. I first volunteered for CEP as a graduate student and helped with in-homes repairs. Since then, I have been excited to see CEP grow and contribute to energy justice in Portland. 

 

Jim Luthi Self-employed consultant to early stage technology companies

How does CEP’s work and mission align with your personal values? 

I’m concerned about our environment and what challenges it will present to current and future generations. As our world continues to get hotter and hotter, helping ensure that all have the ability to live in dwellings that sustainably offer comfort from extreme temperatures is something I feel strongly about. 

Is there a specific initiative or area within the organization you are especially passionate about?

I am very curious to understand what data CEP has collected over the years. The majority of my career has been with companies whose products mined and stored data. CEP’s data could potentially provide a lot of internal and external value. I am interested in exploring what possibilities might exist to extract value from that data.

 

Huda Yusuf Ethiopian Eritrean Cultural Resource Center (EECRC), Environmental Department Manager

As a new board member, what are you most excited to learn from your peers?

I am excited to learn about their unique perspectives and experiences in leadership and strategic decision-making. I aim to understand how they balance priorities such as financial sustainability, community impact, and organizational growth. I believe this knowledge will enhance my effectiveness in this role and enable me to contribute to the success of both the board and the organization.

What inspired you to join Community Energy Project’s Board?

I wanted to join the CEP board for both personal and professional reasons. First and foremost, I am inspired by CEP’s commitment to inclusivity, equity, and sustainability. By serving on the CEP board, I will actively support and promote these principles. Secondly, my professional journey has focused on empowering marginalized communities. I strongly believe that being a part of the CEP board will allow me to contribute my experience and insights, thereby enhancing CEP’s impact in this crucial area. Furthermore, becoming a member of the CEP board offers an invaluable opportunity for my own professional growth. I am eager to learn from my fellow board members, gain new perspectives, and further enhance my leadership skills.  

 

Lara Opeifa Urban Planning Masters Student, Portland State University 

What inspired you to join Community Energy Project’s Board?

I was very impressed when I learned about CEP’s mission and new strategic plan at a gathering and knew I wanted to be a part of an organization doing such exciting things in the Portland area. 

How does CEP’s work and/or mission align with your personal values?

I am very passionate about advocating for equitable access to services for low-income community members, just the kind of work CEP has been dedicated to for a long time. I love that the organization prioritizes both people and the environment, and feel like it shows in so many ways.

 

Jake Wise Portland General Electric, Manager of Strategy and Planning: Energy Savings and Affordability

What inspired you to join Community Energy Project’s Board?

My work with CEP began in 2020 in support of PGE’s Distribution System Planning Community Outreach. Then and now I’m impressed with CEP’s scope and depth of expertise – translating technical concepts for a non-technical audience via its workshops, overcoming barriers to energy retrofits and upgrades for lower income households, and advocating for energy justice, decarbonization, and electrification.

Is there a specific initiative or area within the organization you are especially passionate about?

What excites me is the potential to stack different sources of funding to maximize the impact for those for whom the funding is intended. As an awardee of the Portland Clean Energy Fund and Energy Trust Community Partner Funding contractor, CEP has the line of sight to incentives that in combination can overcome identified barriers. As CEP seeks to scale its impact in the years to come, it is a privilege to contribute to the development of its longer-term strategy, support its operational growth, and serve as an ambassador for its programs and services.

 

Stephanie (Phillips) McFall Energy and Climate Solutions Practice at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Attorney

Is there a specific initiative or area within the organization you are especially passionate about?

I am very excited about the work Community Energy Project is doing with the Oregon Community Solar Program to effectively connect income-qualifying customers to community solar opportunities in Oregon.

What inspired you to join Community Energy Project’s Board?

I grew up in Portland and prior to attending law school, I worked in Oregon politics and government, most recently for Congressman Earl Blumenauer. While I love my current clean energy project development work, I have been eager to also find ways to again be directly connected to working with and serving my local community. I was thrilled to find such an incredible opportunity — through joining Community Energy Project’s Board — to bring my passion for energy and climate work to this role and to learn from, and assist with, Community Energy Project’s close partnership with and advocacy for those in our community on the front lines of climate change.