USGBC-- Northern California Chapter

USGBC-NCC Staff


Executive Director Dan Geiger		Dan Geiger is the Executive Director of USGBC – Northern California Chapter. Mr. Geiger, in cooperation with the Board and volunteer Committees, manages and oversees Chapter strategy, growth, programs, and operations. Starting as the first full-time employee in 2007, he has built a professional staff which serves more than 1,700 members in 4 regions of Northern California. Mr. Geiger is a highly experienced social entrepreneur with more than 25 years of start-up, executive and leadership experience, and has consulted on business planning, strategy and organizational development in the nonprofit, for-profit and philanthropy sectors. Recent executive experience includes: the Executive Director of Groundspring.org, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides online engagement systems to thousands of nonprofits. Prior to that, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of OpNet Community Ventures, which prepared and supported low-income young adults for entry into and career development in the internet industry. His achievements at OpNet were recognized by former Vice-President Al Gore during the 2000 Presidential campaign. Mr. Geiger has served on many Boards of Directors, and has been profiled or featured in media such as Good Morning America, Wall Street Journal, Business 2.0, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News and many others. His business experience includes Marketing Manager and Account Executive for Wang Laboratories, Inc. Mr. Geiger is a LEED AP, and holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC-Berkeley.
Director Elizabeth Echols		Elizabeth Echols joins the leadership team of the U.S. Green Building Council – Northern California Chapter as Director. Ms. Echols has direct responsibility for public policy and social equity programs, and along with the Executive Director, is responsible for overall management and growth of the organization, as well as strategic initiatives and partnerships. Ms. Echols has extensive leadership experience in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. She is an expert on public policy issues and highly skilled in communications, strategic planning, and organizational development. Most recently, she served as a member of President Obama’s Transition Team. Prior to joining the Obama Transition Team, Ms. Echols was Director of Policy at Google. She also served as CEO of OpNet Community Ventures, a nationally recognized non-profit that prepared low-income young adults for good jobs in the technology industry. Previously, Ms. Echols was a senior political appointee in the Clinton-Gore Administration and served under Vice President Al Gore. She serves on the executive boards of several regional political and social organizations. She has been recognized as a “Mover and Shaker” by Business Week, and received the Gold Medal Award, the highest honor presented by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. She also has been profiled in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Wired Magazine, Business 2.0, The National Journal, and Working Woman Magazine. Ms. Echols received her BA degree with honors in Economics and Political Science from Yale University. She received her JD from Stanford Law School and served as an editor on the Stanford Law Review.
Operations Director Paul Buckman		Paul Buckman is the Director of Operations for the Northern California Chapter of the USGBC, where oversees the financial and technical operations of the organization. He comes to USGBC-NCC with over 10 years experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Most recently, he served as the Associate Director of the Monterey County Youth Museum where he managed daily museum operations, including all financial and accounting functions, and acted as liaison to Board of Directors. He also oversaw the redesign of their website as well as developed and managed public events and related publicity materials, resulting in an increase in capital campaign visibility and contributions. Other previous experience includes providing marketing consulting services to an international telecommunications firm. He also worked in financial services where he redesigned a trust-accounting software system for an IRA accounting system and its subsequent data conversion; and was responsible for production and mailing of 6,000 quarterly client account statements, and technical support of various proprietary data systems. Paul received his MBA from the Fisher School of Business at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2006 and is fluent in French and Italian. He enjoys tennis, cooking and music and finds inspiration in the environment and its impact on art and culture.
Program Manager Ashleigh Talberth, LEED AP		Ashleigh spent the last few years advocating the University of California (UC) system to incorporate environmental and social criteria into its business contracts. While working for the Alliance to Save Energy, Ashleigh authored and presented the “UC Sustainable Purchasing Policy” to the UC Office of the President, which gained approval and is now in the implementation phase on ten UC campuses. While at UCSB, she started and led a four-unit "Sustainable Purchasing" course, co-coordinated a successful renewable energy campaign and collaborated to begin a capital fund to double the amount, held leadership roles in the California Students Sustainability Coalition, served as a representative for human rights codes on the UC Code of Conduct Committee, interned for State Treasurer Phil Angelides, and lobbied on a variety of issues in Sacramento and Washington. Ashleigh holds a degree in Business Economics with an “Award of Distinction” from UC Santa Barbara.
Operations Coordinator Liina Laufer		Liina is in charge of USGNC-NCC's website, email communications, and technology. Liina first learned about LEED while living in the EcoDorm, a green residence building at Warren Wilson College (WWC) in Asheville, North Carolina. As part of her work on the Campus Greening Crew in the Environmental Leadership Center at WWC, Liina put together the 25 page EcoDorm Manual, complete with descriptions of the sustainability features, the green goals of the community, and instructions on the operations and maintenance of the high performance building. After she completed the EcoDorm Manual, Warren Wilson Vice President Larry Modlin asked Liina to spearhead the LEED certification process. Liina coordinated the efforts of the building's architects and college staff to compile the documentation for LEED certification. The building later achieved LEED EB Platinum certification, the first building on a college campus to do so. With this experience, Liina attained an internship at USGBC New York Chapter, where she helped launch a new website, sent out a weekly newsletter, and managed the Chapter's membership system. Liina joined USGBC-NCC in December 2008 as an intern, and now works as Operations Coordinator at the Chapter. Liina received a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Biology from Warren Wilson College.
Program Coordinator Alicia Peman-Dupier		Alicia Peman-Dupier coordinates the public and private Education Program, conference and partner relationships, and development and marketing for several initiatives at USGBC-NCC. Alicia joins USGBC-NCC from Tahoe City, CA, where she worked in the hospitality industry for several years. While working in the hospitality industry, Alicia developed extensive logistics, team coordination, and customer service skills. She brings her experience working with large teams, events, and dynamic working environments to her role as the Program Coordinator. Alicia earned her BA in Political Science at the University of Vermont, focusing on Latin American and International social and economic issues. Originally from Spain, Alicia grew up in Connecticut, and has continued to travel extensively throughout her life. Alicia actively promotes her environmental values both in her professional and personal life. In her spare time, Alicia enjoys reading, music, skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and biking.
Operations Coordinator Rebecca Riesenfeld		The newest member of the operations team, Rebecca Riesenfeld, manages membership, prepares operations reports and manuals, and assists in special events coordination. Rebecca received her undergraduate degree from Mills College in Environmental Science, a field she enjoys for its interdisciplinary nature, especially at the intersection of environmental science and economics. Her studies focused primarily on molecular chemistry, culminating in a senior thesis that examined methods of groundwater remediation through zero-valent iron nanoparticles and microbial communities. Rebecca’s diverse experiences include biological fieldwork with the endangered Mohave Ground Squirrel and work as a youth sports camp counselor at UC Berkeley. She is excited to transition into the nonprofit sector, where she is putting to use her skills in data analysis, communication about science, and project management. Rebecca also enjoys spending time in the mountains, baking, listening to and making music, and traveling.
Program Assistant Jessica Uhl		Jessica Uhl has years of experience in customer service, event planning, and design. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she grew up with an awareness of her impact on the environment. Jessica attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where she earned a degree in Architecture. While at Cal Poly, she spent a quarter in Mexico where she she studied Central American design and planning techniques. Her passion and knowledge of architecture paired with her affinity for event planning are a welcome addition to the USGBC-NCC staff team. She is a member of the Metro Programs Committee and provides logistic support for local events and workshops. In her free time, Jessica enjoys exploring San Francisco and traveling.