Aida Collins is a long-time member of the Federal family who was recently hired to serve as the Deputy Director of the Office of Minority Programs in the Office of Energy Justice and Equity (EJE). Ms. Collins joins EJE from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) at the Department of Labor, where she served as the Regional Director of the OFCCP’s Southeast Region.  In her current role, her team works tirelessly to advance the principles of recognition, procedural, distributive, and reparative justice by remediating energy injustices and disparities through equitable policy implementation, funding opportunities, and workforce initiatives that support disadvantaged communities, small and minority-owned businesses, and minority-serving institutions.

Shalaya Morissette (she/her) currently serves as the Chief of the Minority Business and Workforce Division at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), situated within the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. Renowned for her collaborative prowess, she is a leading figure in the clean technology sector. With a background in the utility sector focusing on safety and compliance, she brings valuable expertise to her role. In addition to her responsibilities at the DOE, Shalaya also taught engineering, emphasizing energy, to 11th and 12th graders at Dearborn STEM Academy in Boston, Massachusetts. Her career spans various sectors, including higher education and global transportation, where she held roles such as enrollment services project manager and Director of Affiliate Relations. She has served as the president of the Greater Boston chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy and as the first African American board member of the New England Women in Energy and Environment, demonstrating her commitment to diversity and inclusion in the energy field. Shalaya is actively involved in nonprofit work and higher education initiatives, advocating for the advancement of minorities in the energy transition. Her dedication to inspiring young people to pursue careers in clean energy is evident through her involvement with organizations such as Girls Inc and WriteBoston. Shalaya earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia Gwinnett College and her Master of Education degree from Cambridge College. She is currently pursing a second bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology at Excelsior University.

Mr. Doi is Founder, President & CEO of PACE, one of the largest Asian-led community development corporations (CDCs) in the United States.  Annually, PACE serves more than 40,000 low-income ethnic minority residents from across LA County through Employment, Business Development, Affordable Housing, Energy & Environmental Services, and Early Childhood Education. Mr. Doi oversees an operating budget in excess of $28 million and 300+ staff. 

Mr. Doi’s outstanding abilities in the field of community development are evidenced not only by his accomplishments at PACE, but by his extensive involvement and leadership in numerous local, state and national community development organizations. Locally, he is a Board Member of the Los Angeles Housing Partnership and the California Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA).  On the national level, Kerry was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans.  Additionally, Kerry is a founding member and the former chair of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD).  Mr. Doi also recently served on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors Consumer Advisory Council.  Most recently, Mr. Doi was appointed by Supervisor Hilda Solis to serve on the LA County Small Business Commission.  Notable appointments in the Energy and Environmental field include serving as a Member on the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council for the Environmental Protection Agency and as a Member on the Environmental Justice Advisory Board for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. 

He received his B.S. from California State University, Long Beach. In 2008, Mr. Doi completed the prestigious Achieving Excellence in Community Development Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  Mr. Doi was honored by Los Angeles public television station KCET in 2009 as a “Local Hero” and has received awards and recognition for his outstanding community service from the Los Angeles City Council, former LA Mayor Richard Riordan, Senator Richard Polanco and Assemblyman Gilbert Cedillo.

George L. Pla is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and author whose business and civic activities focus on enhancing and empowering communities throughout California. He is the founder, president and CEO of Cordoba Corporation, a nationally recognized civil engineering, program and construction management firm specializing in transportation, education, and water and energy infrastructure.

Mr. Pla was raised in East Los Angeles, after arriving in the United States undocumented from Zacatecas, Mexico. He was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University, Los Angeles in 1972 and a Master of Public Administration from USC in 1974.

Mr. Pla is the governor’s appointee to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission, which is helping prepare for the 2028 Summer Olympics, and serves as the commission’s president. He served on the California Science Center Foundation Board of Trustees and led the planning of Cordoba Corporation’s historic transport of the Space Shuttle Endeavour through the streets of Los Angeles in 2012. He is a co-founder of the City Club, a premier private club in Los Angeles that embraces and reflects the diversity and spirit of the city.

Mr. Pla has made a commitment to establish the George L. Pla Leadership and Policy Forum and Institute at the university in the coming years for the generations to come. His philanthropic efforts extend to national institutions, including Cordoba Corporation’s commitment to supporting the Latino history initiatives at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Mr. Pla co-authored, with the noted academic and political analyst David Ayón, “Power Shift: How Latinos in California Transformed Politics in America”, which recounts the history of Latino political empowerment in California and beyond. As part of the book release, Mr. Pla met with students across the State of California to discuss their potential in the future of politics in this country.

Mr. Pla is an inaugural member of Cal State LA’s President’s Council. In 1991, he was honored as Cal State LA’s Alumnus of the Year, and in 2016, he received the Joe Shapiro Humanitarian Award at Cal State LA’s Billie Jean King & Friends Awards Gala. In 2017, he was awarded the Presidential Medallion, the university’s highest honor, bestowed upon individuals who have displayed outstanding leadership and extraordinary service to the Cal State LA community.

In recognition of his generous contributions to the campus and decades of commitment to the city of Los Angeles, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Los Angeles conferred upon George L. Pla the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in May, 2023.

Billy Chun has over two decades of public and private sector experience in areas of economic development, investments, social impact and public policy. Billy spent eight years in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s administration, most recently as the Deputy Mayor of Economic Development. He oversaw seven departments totaling over 6,000 employees and a combined budget of over $8 billion: Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports, Department of City Planning, Department of Building & Safety, Department of Convention & Tourism Development, Economic & Workforce Development Department, and Department of Cannabis Regulation. He was also charged with growing a prosperous and inclusive economy by creating jobs, attracting investments, supporting the sports and entertainment industries, and increasing tourism. He worked on key initiatives such as raising the minimum wage, reforming the business tax, assisting on the Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, recruiting the Lucas Museum, creating the Mayor’s Tech Council, and launching the Evolve Entertainment Fund and Urban Movement Labs.

Before joining the Mayor’s Office in 2013, Mr. Chun was Vice President at Capri Capital, a private equity and investment firm with almost $4 billion of assets under management. He was responsible for sourcing and underwriting acquisitions, asset management and equity investment activities including origination, direct, and joint venture investing.

Prior to Capri Capital, he was at the Community Redevelopment Agency and at CBRE’s consulting group (NYSE: CBRE).

Source: https://pacela.org/2022/09/16/pace-welcomes-new-chief-operating-officer/

Scott Drury is chief executive officer (CEO) of Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), a Sempra regulated California utility.  

Previously, Drury was the president of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), another Sempra regulated California utility. Under his leadership, SDG&E made significant strides in modernizing the energy grid to enhance safety and reliability, while providing customers with increasingly sustainable energy choices and creating long-term value for all stakeholders.

He joined the Sempra family of companies in 1986 and has held various management positions with increasing responsibility, including chief energy supply officer; vice president of human resources, diversity and inclusion, director of safety and emergency services, and director of supply management for both SDG&E and SoCalGas.

Drury serves on the board of directors for the American Gas Association, the advisory board of the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University and the community advisory council of Alzheimer’s San Diego.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in business administration from San Diego State University, as well as a certificate in human resources and labor relations from Cornell University.

Erin M. Smith is senior vice president, chief talent, culture, and operations support officer for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), a Sempra regulated California utility. She is responsible for talent strategies that create sustainable business advantages aligned to SoCalGas’ mission to build the cleanest, safest, and most innovative energy infrastructure company in America. Smith’s key areas of focus include talent development, employee engagement, DE&I and organizational culture. She also oversees strategies for various operational support functions, including supply chain, fleet, and real estate, to support SoCalGas’ leadership position in California’s clean energy future.

Smith joined SoCalGas in 2020. Prior to that, she was a partner and employment general counsel at Loeb and Loeb, LLP, where she represented clients across various industries in litigation and transactional matters.

Smith serves on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the UCLA Human Resources Roundtable. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego, and a law degree from the University of Southern California.

Commissioner John Reynolds was appointed to the CPUC by Governor Gavin Newsom on Dec. 23, 2021, and reappointed on Dec. 22, 2022.

Prior to his appointment to the CPUC, Commissioner Reynolds served as Managing Counsel at Cruise LLC since 2019. Prior to that, he held multiple positions at the CPUC, including Interim Chief of Staff to Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma in 2018, Advisor to former Commissioner Carla J. Peterman from 2015 to 2018, and Public Utilities Counsel from 2013 to 2015. Commissioner Reynolds has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.

Karen Douglas was appointed to the CPUC by Governor Gavin Newsom on Dec. 22, 2022.

Commissioner Douglas was previously Senior Advisor for Energy in the Office of Governor Newsom since 2022. She was a California Energy Commission Member from 2008 to 2022. She was Director of the California Climate Initiative for the Environmental Defense Fund from 2005 to 2008. She held several positions at the Planning and Conservation League from 2001 to 2005, including Acting Executive Director and General Counsel. Commissioner Douglas earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School and a Master of Public Policy degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Colorado Boulder.

E’Lois Thomas, Ph.D. is the President of SEEL, LLC. She is responsible for implementing the vision and growth trajectory of the organization. Her leadership has helped SEEL continue to soar as one the largest African American owned implementation contractors as a force for growth in  sustainability, energy justice and equality for all.  In this role, Thomas utilizes over 25 years of experience in sustainability and corporate leadership for the continued development of organizational growth for SEEL.  She completed a Doctor of Philosophy from Northcentral University, a Master of Business Administration from Walsh College and an undergraduate accounting degree from the University of Detroit Mercy.  In addition, she completed the Executive Education Women's Leadership Program at Yale School of Management, holds a Leading Teams Certification from the University of Michigan and is a Six Sigma Black Belt Professional.

Lily Otieno serves as the Director for Supply Chain and Diverse Business Enterprises for Southern California Gas Company. In this role, she is responsible for supply chain strategy, contracting and procurement of services, products, and supplier diversity. Her areas of expertise include supply chain, procurement, contracting, compliance/quality improvement, change management, project portfolio management, business development, instructional design and facilitation. Lily has 25 years of international management experience and expertise across multiple industries including utilities, banking, construction, IT, universities, healthcare, and non- profit organizations.

As consultant Lily brings over 20 plus years of international and management experience to Infinity Business Solutions. She has had extensive management consulting background, diversity consulting and training in business and entrepreneurship development from various organizations such as USAID, World Bank and other local organizations. Her strengths include building relationships and bridging the gap between process, people and technology. She is a recipient of numerous awards by state, regional and national agencies. She serves on various boards and community organizations.

Beverly Kuykendall, establishes enterprise-wide corporate and government growth strategies by leveraging tenured experience, relationships and regulatory knowledge to increase agency penetration through collaborative solution development. Beverly expands into key areas aligned with the firm’s long-term strategic goals. Her background in relationship development and government contracting, brings a facilitative approach to understanding and proposing solutions to difficult economic issues. Kuykendall has demonstrates expertise through her work with firms such as Proctor & Gamble, American Hospital Supply, Xerox and Herman Miller. Her experience includes representing organizations in federal legislative and regulatory matters. She also served as President and CEO of Federal and Commercial Contracts, Incorporated (FCCI), and President of Government Business for American Medical Depot. Beverly defines and develops key programs and projects to enable achievement of business strategies and goals.  Her focus is current trends and government information to anticipate opportunities and threats; evaluate pending legislation, policy and regulations to determine impact to her portfolio of clients.  Beverly has been a key strategist in securing government contracts in work with the United States Agency for International Development and the Defense Logistics Agency to provide more than 1 million Adult Hygiene Kits and Regular Hygiene Kits in response to the Syrian Refugee Effort. 

Ms. Kuykendall is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Legacy Healthcare Leadership Award, the 50 Most Powerful Minority Women in Business, Supplier of the Year by the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council, Small Business Champion of the Year by the Los Angeles District office of the U.S. Small Business Association, Entrepreneur of the Year by the Black Business Association of Los Angeles, and Advocate of the Year by the National Association of Minority Contractors of Southern California. Most recently, she was recognized by Legacy Magazine as one of South Florida’s 25 Most Influential and Prominent Women in Business and Leadership. A full list of honor and recognition is attached.

Beverly has a BS in Business Management from Cal Poly University in Pomona, California, and an MBA from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.