Board of Directors

The San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition Board of Directors is consisted of individuals in the industry who are dedicated to implement the goals of the Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Cities Program in achieving energy efficiency in transportation, reduction of petroleum usage and conversion of vehicles to alternative fuels where economically practical.

• Greg Newhouse – Coordinator
• Joel Pointon – Chairperson
• Derek Turbide – Vice-Chairperson
• Membership and Program Chairpersons (open)

GREGORY M. NEWHOUSE

Mr. Newhouse is presently an Associate Dean in the School of Technical Careers and Workforce Initiatives and is responsible for directing the Advanced Transportation Technology Center at the San Diego Miramar College campus. His work focuses on coordinating activities with both faculty and administration on issues pertaining to automotive, diesel and aviation school programs, partnership development, curriculum development and program planning. As a member of the College Management Team he is directly involved in campus-wide efforts regarding program review, diversity planning, outreach and marketing.

As Director for one of ten California Community College Advanced Transportation Technology Centers, Mr. Newhouse works directly with transportation, government and educational institutions to foster the use of alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies. This includes technology and/or fuel demonstration programs. For example, using applied research from academic leaders, engineers and industry professionals the ATT program has demonstrated the creation of biodiesel fuel from waste restaurant grease. In addition the program has run a Hydrogen Development and Safety Seminar for leading industry professionals on the cutting edge of this developing transportation technology.

A primary responsibility at Project Director is to work with and assess business and industry training and education needs regarding alternative fuels and new transportation technologies. As Chairman of the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition, Mr. Newhouse not only fulfills this responsibility, but also works with members to guide the overall San Diego regional efforts in using alternative fuels and efficient transportation technologies. This role also provides a significant industry partnership and in turn presents a specific opportunity to gather industry input as to key regional training and education needs that can be fulfilled by the Advanced Transportation Technology Center.

Prior to working at San Diego Miramar College, Mr. Newhouse directed the Environmental Protection Office, Energy Facilities Siting Division of the California Energy Commission. He led a varied staff of over 30 environmental scientists, engineers and economists who assessed the environmental implications of energy projects and policies. In addition, he worked directly with the Deputy Director in all matters pertaining to division budgets, personnel and administrative issues. Key to his work was the ability to maintain effective working relations with five Commissioners and the Executive Director, as environmental issues were often major concerns for approving new energy facilities.

JOEL R. POINTON, M.S.P.H.

Joel Pointon became the Manager of Electric Transportation (ET) for Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) when he was hired to “restart” the ET program in mid 2006. His background prior to this was in the field of environmental health sciences, in which he has his Master’s. He has worked in government, private industry and as an independent consultant in that area for the 25 years prior to joining Sempra Energy as an Environmental Advisor in 2004. He currently serves as the Chairperson for the Board of Directors for San Diego’s Regional Clean City Coalition (known as Clean Fuels Coalition in San Diego), is the Vice Chair of the San Diego Regional Sustainable Partnership Transportation Committee, and is an active participant in the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) Infrastructure Working Council for Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs). Joel currently leads a national working group on “Multi-unit Dwelling, Workplace and Public Plug-in Vehicle Charging” for the GM/EPRI/Utility Coalition, serves on the Advisory Board of the Rocky Mountain Institute’s “Project Get Ready” and the UC Davis; Plug-in Hybrid Research Center, as well as the boards of the California Electric Transportation Coalition (CaETC) and the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA).

DEREK TURBIDE

Derek D. Turbide currently serves as a Business Development Manager for Clean Energy, North America ’s largest provider of natural gas for transportation. Mr. Turbide is responsible for Clean Energy’s natural gas fueling partnerships with transit agencies throughout Southern California , accounting for approximately ten percent of the company’s business. He also administers natural gas vehicle business and policy development, as well as, government relations and account management activities throughout the San Diego region.

Prior to joining Clean Energy, Mr. Turbide held posts as the Executive Director of San Diego-based environmental non-profit, I Love A Clean San Diego and Area Manager for Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation’s leading provider of cleaner energy and offset solutions.

Derek holds undergraduate degrees in Marine Affairs and International Development, as well as his Master of Business Administration. He is a member of LEAD San Diego ’s Class of 2006 and serves as Chairman of the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership Clean Transportation Committee and Vice-Chairman of the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition. He is also a member of the American Lung Association of California, San Diego Chapter Leadership Council, and the Otay Valley Regional Park Citizen Advisory Committee.

In alphabetical order, other Clean Fuels Coalition Directors are:

TOM BARTLEY

Tom Bartley has over 30 years experience in general business, marketing, project and product management, and engineering research and development.

Most recently, he provided executive management support including technical and business oversight to heavy-duty hybrid-electric prototype projects as they evolved into production products. He developed cost models for energy storage and fuel savings, and power models for ultracapacitor packs. He is well known through the industry of heavy-duty hybrid-electric buses and trucks, having delivered many papers and presentations from 2003 through 2007.

His positions included:

• Director of Network Operations for a dot com telecommunications startup company
• Senior Scientist and Principle Investigator with Netrologic Loral Instrumentation
• Product Manager for Loral Instrumentation
• Electronic design, management, and marketing experience in various Government programs with various companies including SAIC, Cubic, and General Dynamics

His early engineering work covered a wide variety of interests: nuclear instrumentation, analog to digital technologies, flight test instrumentation, radar simulation and prediction, oceanographic buoy instrumentation, displays and image analysis, and information systems.

BSEE and MSEE degrees from Stanford University
MBA Program at San Diego State University Graduate School of Business
Lifetime California Community College Teaching Credential
Member of The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Life Member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Member and past Vice Chair of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (SDRCC) Transportation Committee
Member of the SDRCC Land Use, Water and Energy, and Technology Committees
Resident of San Diego since 1967

JUDY BISHOP

Judy Bishop, Executive Director of the EcoCenter for Alternative Fuel Education since 2003, has created a successful educational program that has reached over 10,000 San Diego County students, preparing them for the environmental and energy challenges of the future. The EcoCenter field trip focuses on alternative fuel education as it relates to clean air, clean energy, and energy independence.

Previously Bishop was founder and Executive Director of The Reuse people, dedicated to preserving landfills and natural resources by deconstructing houses and providing the usable building materials to low-income families.

In 1992 Judy was Global Energy Network International’s ambassador to the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. She continued work at the Reuse People until she went on to work for the United States Postal Service, creating a comprehensive, national recycling program.

Since full time operation of the EcoCenter began in the fall of 2004, San Diego County schoolteachers and students have responded with enthusiasm and compliments; veteran teachers exclaim that this field trip is the best field trip ever.

The EcoCenter for Alternative Fuel Education offers a standards based program to all San Diego County schools. Through the EcoCenter, Judy teaches 4th-8th graders about alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles and how they relate to clean air and clean energy. Through technology, chemistry, mathematics, and sociology, school children learn to take actions to clean the air and environment, and are empowered to improve the environmental future of their community.

JAN CORTEZ

Jan Cortez is Vice President of Research and Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties. She is a native San Diegan and graduated from San Diego State University with a Masters of Public Health degree. Ms. Cortez manages and implements education and policy programs for the American Lung Association in the areas of research and environmental health. She currently serves on the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition, Clean Air Initiative for the Imperial/Mexicali border region, the National City Asthma Committee and the San Diego Regional Asthma Coalition. She is a recipient of the Congress on Lung Association Staff Award for Excellence in Program Development.

MIKE FERRY

Mike Ferry joined the staff of the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) in January 2010 and is responsible for the day-to-day operational management of all activities and functions related to transportation programs at CCSE. Mike is currently the statewide administrator for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, a program funded through the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to incentivize battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric drive vehicles. Mike is also responsible for business development within the transportation arena at CCS

Prior to joining CCSE, Mike worked as a consultant in the biofuels and climate change sectors in the San Francisco Bay Area, with work that ranged from fleet biodiesel implementation to energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) lifecycle analysis for biofuel production. Mike holds an M.S. degree from the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley, where he focused on the intersection of renewable energy and automotive electrification at the Transportation Sustainability Research Center. Mike is also an ARB-accredited GHG verifier for large, point-source emitters under the state’s AB32 regulations. In 2007, Mike received the Biodiesel Inspiration Award from the National Biodiesel Board and became a volunteer presenter with The Climate Project.

SUSAN FREEDMAN

Susan Freedman represents SANDAG, the San Diego Association of Governments.

KAREN JACOBS

Karen Jacobs is the Community Outreach Coordinator for the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District. She works to inform the community about air quality issues and promotes activities that limit air pollution. Ms Jacobs is active in the Clean Fuels Coalition as a means to reach out to community fleets. She also participates in the California Air Pollution Control Officers Associations – Public Outreach Committee.

ALAN RIDLEY

Alan Ridley works in the Career and University Transfer Center at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon. His background is in education, economic development, and career and college transfer consulting. Formerly the Clean Fuels Coordinator for the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition, he was also Economic Development Representative for the San Ysidro/Otay Mesa Enterprise Zone at what is now the San Diego Workforce Partnership. He is a member of the American Wind Energy Association and an advocate for this rapidly growing, clean, renewable and abundant energy source. He is married, has two children, lives in Chula Vista and is active with Boy Scouts, the Apollo Alliance, Cohousing where families can design more pedestrian, family and environment friendly neighborhoods and other civic and professional organizations.

JIM RUBY

Jim Ruby, UC San Diego’s Fleet Manager, has over 30 years of automotive, truck, and transit industry experience, including more than ten years directing UCSD’s Fleet Services. As Fleet Manager, he is responsible for managing an annual operating budget of $5 million and a vehicle inventory of $20 million, as well as directing the operations and maintenance for 900 vehicles, ranging from electric vehicles to transit buses and heavy equipment. Jim’s responsibilities also include the acquisition and disposition of all campus vehicles, as well as operating the campus Fuel Station. Over the past three years, he has been instrumental in converting UCSD’s fleet into one of the most sustainable in the region. Under his guidance, UCSD has procured over 40 hybrid electric cars and is converting much of the campus fleet to Zero Emission Vehicles, with approximately 300 electric vehicles in the campus inventory. He also led the conversion of the campus diesel fleet to using Ultra-Low Sulfur (ULSD) B20 Bio-diesel fuel. He has developed and is implementing plans for an Alternative Fueling Station that will include Compressed Natural Gas, as well as future capability to provide Hydrogen and Hydrogen-CNG blended fueling. Jim has written specifications for over 40 campus buses as well as a demonstration B100 Bio-diesel shuttle. Additionally, he has brought numerous demonstration electric and other alternative energy vehicles to campus for test and evaluation.

Under Jim’s leadership, UC San Diego’s Fleet program has received regional and statewide recognition, including a 2005 UC/CSU Best Practices award for the campus’ Electric Vehicle program and a 2007 San Diego Excellence in Energy Efficiency for the campus’ “Sustainable Transportation program.” Also, in 2005 the California Environmental Protection Agency commended Jim for leading one of the first university efforts to achieve “Model Pollution Prevention Vehicle Service and Repair Facility”. Jim was recently elected to the Board of the San Diego Regional Clean Cities Coalition, is actively serving as a member of the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership Clean Transportation Committee and was a key member of the San Diego Area Government’s (SANDAG) Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Study Team. Jim continues to be at the forefront of sustainability efforts at UCSD, being personally recognized for his work as a recipient of UCSD “Earth Week Sustainability Awards for Outstanding Staff Contribution” in both 2007 and 2008. In 2009 Jim was recognized by the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability for ongoing contributions to UCSD’s sustainability goals. Other milestones achieved in 2009 were Fleet Services facilities being awarded the LEED EB Silver rating, and recognition for participation in the EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities.