We’re excited to partner with the City of San José to highlight the leadership and contributions of women at City of San José in the environment, energy, water, engineering, and green building fields.
This event will not only provide an opportunity for people interested in a career in sustainability to learn more about what it’s like to work at a city-government level, it will also showcase what women at the City are doing to meet San José’s climate action goals.
Our Speakers
Leanne Bolaño (she/her) is a Deputy City Attorney for the City of San José. She advises the Environmental Services Department (ESD), City Manager’s Office, and Appeals Hearing Board. Her work with ESD primarily focuses on the Regional Wastewater Facility, recycled water, sewer billing, and general administrative matters. Before joining the City, she worked in private practice, focusing on water and environmental law, legislative advocacy, and civil litigation.
Leanne received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science & Management from University of California, Davis with minors in Political Science and Global studies. She then earned her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law with concentrations in Water & Environmental Law and Capital Lawyering. Before law school, she was a research and teaching assistant for a global development and environmental engineering lab at UC Davis.
Danielle Siembieda is a Senior Program Manager in the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, dedicated to enhancing the creative economy and driving cultural engagement across Silicon Valley. With a vision that art can be both a catalyst for change and a tool for public good, Danielle founded the San Jose Climate Art Program, aligning the arts and culture sector with the City's ambitious Climate Smart Initiative.
Her journey as a sustainability advocate began in her youth as a climate activist, evolving into a career as an artist and cultural leader with a profound commitment to ecological practices. As the creator of "Art Inspector: Saving the Earth by Changing Art," she established a socially driven project to interrogate and transform the art world’s environmental footprint.
Danielle's academic background, with a master’s degree in Digital Media Art focusing on green technologies, has provided the scientific foundation for her interdisciplinary work as a systems artist at the nexus of emerging technology, climate science, and community resilience.
Kate Ziemba is a Senior Environmental Program Manager, who is responsible for planning and designing a portfolio of programs that reduce carbon emissions and improve equity and access to the benefits of renewable energy and electrification. She started with the City of San José in 2015 in the Environmental Services Department and was part of the team that created San José Clean Energy. Prior to joining the City, she worked in communications and research for the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland.
Kate has a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy (cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors) from the University of California, San Diego.
Mary Morse has over 28 years’ experience working in environmental protection. She has managed projects and teams in both the Wastewater and Stormwater fields, with significant work in education and enforcement. She is currently the Senior Environmental Program Manager for the City's Stormwater Management Program.
Mary has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from San José State University.
Jenna Neustaetter is an Environmental Services Specialist with the City of San José's Environmental Services Department. She works full-time on San José's Energy and Water Building Performance Ordinance. Jenna is passionate about her work and loves being part of the climate and sustainability field.
Jenna attended University of California, Santa Cruz where she studied Environmental Studies. In her free time Jenna enjoys reading, traveling, swimming, and getting outside!
Registration
Registration is free for active AWWEE members. AWWEE members can have up to 2 guests (new to AWWEE please) added to their registration. Non-member registration fee is $20.