CEO Report Item 10
CEO Report Item 10
TO: Ava Community Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Nick Chaset, Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: CEO Report (Informational Item)
DATE: May 15, 2024
________________________________________________________________________ Recommendation
Accept Chief Executive Officer (CEO) report on update items below.
Executive Committee Meeting
An Executive Committee Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Members received updates on the draft budget and the Power Source Disclosure Annual Report. The next Executive Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 9 am.
Financial, Administrative and Procurement Subcommittee Meeting A Financial, Administrative and Procurement Subcommittee Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Members received updates about the 2024-25 Draft Budget and auditor selection.
The next Financial, Administrative and Procurement Subcommittee meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 1 pm.
New Employees
Sebastian Fotouhi, Outreach Consultant
Sebastian Fotouhi joined Ava in April 2024 as an Outreach Consultant. His responsibilities include community/customer outreach, representing Ava at live events, and supporting the Outreach Coordinator along with the broader Marketing team.
Before joining Ava, Sebastian spent 4 years as a Communications Consultant in a variety of industries. He also worked as the Director of Business Development and Marketing for a pro sports team and taught music at his own small music school.
Sebastian has a bachelor’s degree in Business Communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as two associate’s degrees in Music and Anthropology from Diablo Valley College.
Community Investment Grants
On the consent agenda today is an item to award two Community Grants for Job Training Awareness Grants focused on reaching High School & College Youth. With your approval, Ava CEO Report Item 10
plans to award two grants for $300,000 each over 3 years to advance clean job awareness within Ava’s service area. The grants will be awarded to the Rising Sun Center for Opportunity and the AGAPE Initiative, which is collaborating with Revalue.io and Cypress Mandela among other local organizations. The AGAPE initiative grant will equip youth aged 15-24 with clean energy career skills; bridge education-to-employment gaps in marginalized communities; and drive transformative change towards equitable clean energy transitions. Rising Sun Energy Center for Opportunity, operating in several Bay Area counties, is focused on building career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience. Their Climate Careers program will provide youth with externship placements and develop clean energy career resources via an online platform in both Alameda and San Joaquin Counties.
Resilience Hub Funding
Ava is dedicating $15M towards Community and Low-Income resilience through the Programs that have been reviewed at prior Board and Executive Committee meetings. The Resilience Hub grants, technical assistance and incentives (both upfront and ongoing) will provide at least $15M for this important work. Ava will be issuing solicitations for the Technical Assistance and Community Grants this month and may award more than one $300,000 grant based on the quality of the proposal received.