CEO Report Item 7
CEO Report Item 7
TO: Ava Community Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Howard Chang, Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: CEO Report (Informational Item)
DATE: April 16, 2025
________________________________________________________________________ Recommendation
Accept Chief Executive Officer (CEO) report on update items below.
Executive Committee
The April 2, 2025 meeting of the Executive Committee was cancelled. The next Executive Committee meeting will be held on May 7, 2025.
Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative Subcommittee
The April 18, 2025 meeting of the Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative Subcommittee meeting was cancelled. A Special Meeting of the Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative will be held on May 9, 2025 at 2pm
Financial, Administrative and Procurement Subcommittee
The meeting time for the Financial, Administrative and Procurement Subcommittee (FAP) has been updated. The FAP will meet on the following dates from 3:30 to 5pm:
May 8
July 9
September 8
November 7
Habitat for Humanity – Sequoia Grove Volunteer Event
Ava is a proud sponsor of Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley’s Sequoia Grove project:
a groundbreaking, fully electric development for low-income households in Hayward. On March 26, Ava Board members and staff volunteered to help build this new community.
Board Directors Councilmember Roche and Supervisor Márquez joined 22 Ava staff members to volunteer alongside Habitat and AmeriCorps construction workers from 8am-3:30pm.
Together we worked on framing three of the housing units and reinforcing fire barrier walls.
Board members Director Brown, Director González III, and Director Sakakihara, as well as staff from the offices of U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, and California CEO Report Item 7
State Assemblymember Liz Ortega joined us for a picnic lunch and tour of the site from Habitat’s Construction Manager, Ben Grubb, and Communications Manager, Patti Wang Cross.
Sequoia Grove is on track to welcome its first residents in the summer of 2026.
Managed Charging Program Launch
On Thursday March 27, Ava launched Ava SmartHome Charging, our residential managed EV charging program. Ava customers with an eligible EV or home charger simply download the app or enroll online, set their preferences, and Ava – through our Virtual Power Plant (VPP) provider - shift at-home charging to times with more renewable energy on the grid, lowering customer bills, and reducing Ava’s procurement costs. In addition to bill savings, customers also receive incentives to stay active in the program.
CEO Report Item 7
SmartHome Charging has the broadest coverage compared to competing managed charging programs, allowing customers with an EV from 21 different automakers to participate, and has the potential to be largest program of its kind in California. With a goal of enrolling at least 10,000 vehicles over 2 years, this is also Ava's largest customer program yet and the first vertical in Ava’s VPP portfolio of programs.
In its first year, the program will focus on achieving scaled enrollments and evaluating the total financial value & climate impact for our customers and Ava.
Launch to Stockton & Lathrop
Ava started service to customers in Stockton and Lathrop on Tuesday, April 1st. Customers will continue to transition from PG&E to Ava through the month of April, coincident with their April meter read. Customers will receive their first bill with Ava’s generation service in May.
During the month of April, customers receive their third (required) notification of Ava’s service, following notices in February and March. A sample of the first notification mailer can be found on the Stockton and Lathrop personalized web sites.
Jurisdiction Number of Accounts Number of Opt Outs Percentage Opt Out Stockton 112,168 5,232 4.7%
Lathrop 8,272 236 2.9%
Total 120,440 5,468 4.5%
Veloz campaign
Ava Community Energy is a member of Veloz, a unique public-private nonprofit driving toward 100% zero-emission vehicles through strategic communications, unprecedented collaborations and purposeful convening. Since 2018, Veloz has launched a variety of public education campaigns to drive greater adoption of EVs. https://www.veloz.org/electric-for-all/ Veloz is currently fundraising for a broader multi-year national campaign to further the reach and impact it has on the electric vehicle industry and recently announced being awarded a $43.5MM grant from Electrify America to launch a national EV education program.
New Employees
Sam Sadle, Principal Legislative Manager
Sam joined Ava in April 2025 as Principal Legislative Manager. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing legislative and political engagement in Sacramento, Washington, and elsewhere.
Before joining Ava, Sam spent seven years supporting Bay Area-based technology startups with political engagement at the federal, state, and local levels—working with companies such as Lime, Elemental Excelerator, Sonder, and others. Prior to returning to his native California, Sam spent 14 years in Washington, DC, with the last six years focused on federal and international energy lobbying at the Atlantic Council and Baker Donelson.
CEO Report Item 7
Sam holds a BA in International Affairs from George Washington University and an MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Ava in the Community
To raise awareness of our service, support our community, and stay close to our customers, Ava sponsors and staffs events throughout our service territory all year long. Stop by to say hello at any of these upcoming events between April 16 and May 20.
Date Event Location
4/19/2025 Fremont Earth Day Downtown Fremont
4/19/2025 Pleasanton Earth Day Pleasanton Library
4/26/2025 Tracy Earth Day Downtown Tracy
4/26/2025 Hayward Earth Day Fair Weekes Park, Hayward
4/26/2025 Berkeley Bay Festival Shorebird Park
4/27/2025 Stockton Earth Day Victory Park
5/4/2025 Cinco De Mayo Festival Stockton Fairgrounds
5/15/2025
Bike to Wherever Day (Energizer
Station) Snow Park, Oakland