Item 15
1 VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
Staff Report – Item 15
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Mitch Sears, Executive Officer
Alisa Lembke, VCE Board Clerk/Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: Consider Appointment to vacant At-Large seat on Community Advisory Committee DATE: September 14, 2023
RECOMMENDATION
Consider appointment to vacant At-Large seat on Community Advisory Committee (CAC), in Class 3 of Committee members, with a term that expires in June of 2024.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
In June 2023, Staff received Kristin Jacobs resignation from her At-Large seat on the CAC because she moved out of VCE’s service area. Ms. Jacob’s term would have expired in June 2024 (“Class 3”). The consecutive term for Class 3 would be from July 2024 to June 2027. Advertisement and solicitation for applications to fill the At-Large and unincorporated Yolo County positions have continued on the website, social media and word of mouth.
The selection criteria for an At-Large position are:
Recruitment/Selection Guidelines
Ideal candidates for At-Large CAC seats possess subject matter expertise/experience related to the goals contained in the VCE Strategic Plan, including:
• Energy Sector (e.g. procurement)
• Community engagement
• Environmental justice
• Agricultural Sector
• Grid reliability and sustainability
• Decarbonization
Candidates that represent historically underrepresented communities in VCE’s service territory and/or are historically underrepresented in Energy Sector professions are encouraged to apply for the CAC in general and specifically the At-Large CAC seats.
Item 15
2 Professional Sectors that tend to intersect with VCE activities include but are not limited to those listed below. Ideal candidates for At-Large CAC seats possess professional experience in one or more of the following sectors:
• Legal (specialties in energy sector/regulatory)
• Financial (banking, accounting, auditing)
• Energy (procurement, regulatory, planning, engineering) • Agricultural
• Community Engagement/Outreach/Customer Service (community organizing, legislative, public relations, marketing)
• Research (energy sector, decarbonization)
Note: Consideration of diversity in subject matter expertise/experience to avoid overrepresentation of a single area of importance (e.g. financial sector), was included by the Board as an overall factor.
Staff have received one application for the At-Large position: Danielle Ballard. She is a VCE Customer, a City of Woodland resident, and works in the agricultural sector. She has a degree in environmental science and is passionate about sustainability and has an understanding of farming and the local agriculture industry.
CONCLUSION
Based on the selection guidelines and materials submitted by the applicant, Staff recommends the Board consider appointing Ms. Ballard to the vacant At-Large seat, in the “Class 3” of Committee members, with a term that expires in June of 2024.
Attachment
1. CAC At Large Application (Danielle Ballard)
August 2, 2023
August 2, 2025
DB
DANIELLE BALLARD
[email protected] | 925-222-0906 | Woodland, CA 95695 Hardworking agricultural professional who is knowledgeable about farming practices, sustainability and pesticide safety.
Ambitious and dedicated individual with exceptional interpersonal skills and the desire to become more engaged in the community.
Strong Interpersonal Skills
Problem Solving Abilities
Dedicated and Driven
Dependable and Reliable
Project Coordination
Team Building
Records Management
Proficient in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Bullseye Farms | Woodland, CA
Pest Control and Sustainability Manager
09/2020 - Current
Manage pesticide program for 18,000 acre farm.
Work with pest control advisors and employees to ensure pesticides are being applied timely and correctly.
Manage farm food safety and sustainability plan and oversee related audits.
Create farm nitrogen management plan.
Work with neighbors to inform them about farming practices, upcoming pesticide applications and ground work.
Prepare grant applications and proposals to initiate new sustainability efforts for business sustainability.
Yolo County Agriculture Department |
Woodland, CA
Ag & Standards Inspector
09/2015 - 09/2020
Interpreted, explained and enforced applicable laws, regulations and procedures.
Performed pesticide use inspections on farmers within Yolo County.
Created and presented information about pesticide regulations to small and large groups/organizations.
Performed illness investigations and investigated drift and odor complaints.
Actively participated in YES committee to help encourage employee engagement within the department.
Humboldt State University | Arcata, CA
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Policy
12/2012
4.0 GPA
Graduated summa cum laude
2009-2012 - Presidential Scholar
2012 - Zimride Grant awarded by HEIF Committee
Summary
Skills
Experience
Education and Training