Join us for a special Path to Power discussion with Karin Burns, CEO of San Diego Community Power, Shawn Marshall, CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, and JB Ackemann, VP of Public Affairs at Marin Clean Energy.
Path to Power is a popular event series hosted by AWWEE for many years to showcase the experiences of women who have achieved professional success in our fields. These events provide a unique opportunity to hear directly from women we admire about their professional journeys.
What are CCAs?
Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) are local not-for-profit programs that enable communities to purchase electricity on behalf of residents and businesses, in place of investor-owned utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison. Over the last decade, local governments in more than 200 towns, cities, and counties throughout the state have chosen to participate in CCA to meet climate action goals, provide residents and businesses with more energy options, ensure local transparency and accountability, and drive economic development. There are currently 25 operational CCA programs in California serving more than 14 million customers, and with many more in progress, those numbers are set to grow. (Source: https://cal-cca.org/powered/)
Our Special Guests:
Karin Burns is currently the Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Community Power, the second largest community choice aggregator in California, serving nearly a million customers. Under her leadership, she is responsible for ensuring sufficient and reliable clean power procurement and developing and executing the organization’s strategic plan. A veteran clean energy executive and environmental champion, Burns is a passionate leader for innovation and clean energy investment. Previously she was the Regional VP and VP of Corporate Strategy for Franklin Energy and the Chief Executive Officer of Build it Green (BIG), where she oversaw a portfolio of energy programs across California.
Karin speaks several languages, was a Fulbright Scholar in India, and spent several years overseas in emerging markets from Brazil to China in international finance. She holds Certificates in Energy Innovation and Innovation & Entrepreneurship from the Stanford School of Engineering, an MPA in International Development from Harvard University, an MBA in Finance from Edinburgh Business School, and a BA from Duke University. Karin currently serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the California Community Choice Association and on the Advisory Boards of In Good Company, Apis & Heritage Capital Partners, Climate Wells, and on the Sustainability Committee of the North San Diego Business Chamber of Commerce.
As Chief Executive Officer of Peninsula Clean Energy, Shawn Marshall helps lead internal efforts toward meeting Peninsula Clean Energy’s strategic plan, which has succeeded in delivering zero-emission electricity to PCE customers and is now focused on dramatically reducing carbon emissions from the transportation and building sectors. Prior to her promotion to CEO, after the retirement of Jan Pepper (who shared her story in 2018 at a AWWEE Path to Power event), Shawn was the first Chief Operating Officer for Peninsula Clean Energy.
Before joining Peninsula Clean Energy, she was the Director of CCA Market Development & External Affairs at Calpine Energy solution and a founder and board member of Marin Clean Energy (MCE), California’s first CCA agency. She was also the founder and executive director of LEAN Energy US, a national organization that provides resources and market expertise to state and local governments and other organizations wishing to pursue CCAs such as Peninsula Clean Energy and MCE.
She is the former mayor of the City of Mill Valley, a former business consultant and former community development manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
As MCE’s VP of Public Affairs, JB Ackemann offers extensive experience in marketing, communications and community outreach for public sector transportation and utility projects. She got her start as a local news reporter and morning news producer on California’s Central Coast before moving into public relations.
Throughout more than two decades in Bay Area journalism, marketing, strategic communications, and public affairs outreach, JB led the outreach, marketing, and launch of major infrastructure initiatives including Caltrain’s Baby Bullet Express and Electrification projects, BART to San Jose’s FEIR/EIR phase, and the re-opening of San Jose Water’s Montevina Treatment Plant at Lexington Reservoir.
JB has led Communications, Marketing, Research, Government Relations, Community Outreach, Digital Platforms, and Customer Service teams for San Jose Water, Santa Cruz Metro, Caltrain, the San Mateo County Transit District, and VTA.
She also serves her community in an elected role as Vice President of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Board of Directors. She also serves as a member of the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Board of Directors in North Santa Cruz County.
Registration
Registration is free for AWWEE members. Members may add up to 2 guests for no charge at the time of registration (individuals new to AWWEE, please).
Non-member registration fee is $20.