Emilie Chane
Form Name:
Unique ID:
Boards and Commissions Applicat ion
1452075 131
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4/16/26
Applicant Information
Name
Are you a Sunnyvale resident?
How long have you lived in
Sunnyvale?
Description Area
Current Main Residence
Email
Phone
Description Area
°"---..,. __ M_H _
Emilie Chane
Yes
10+ years (Since 2015)
Residence Notice:Unless otherwise noted , your principal place of residence must be in Sunnyvale . You must live in Sunnyvale at the time of appo intment and at all times during serv ice on a board or comm ission.
Employment NoticeCity of Sunnyvale emp loyees may not serve on a board or comm ission.
I am a current City of Sunnyvale No
employee.
Have you ever served on a City of No
Sunnyvale board or commission?
Have you attended a meeting of No
the City Council, or a board or
commission?
Have you attended meetings of Yes
the board(s) or commission(s) for
which you are applying?
How many meetings have you
attended?
0 - Plann ing to attend the April 20, 2026 meeting and future meet ings regu larly . I recent ly learned about the Sustainab ility Commis sion and am excited to get invo lved!
Board or Commission Selection
First Choice Sustainability Commis sion
Applicant Qualifications
What motivated you to apply for
this board or commission?
I'm applying to the Sunnyvale Sustainability Commission because I'd like to be more directly involved in how sustainability goals turn into real, local action.
Over the past year, I've become more involved in sustainability through my work in marketing and communications with
Environmental Volunteers, as well as supporting a global sustainability conference. This experience made me really interested in what happens between big ideas and actual implementation-especially at the city level.
What stood out to me about Sunnyvale's Climate Action Playbook is how structured and concrete it is. I'm particularly interested in how these initiatives are communicated, understood, and adopted by residents, because that's often where things either work or don't.
What skills or attributes can you
bring to this board or
commission?
I can bring a practical perspective on how sustainability efforts actually reach people and translate into action.
My background is in technology and communications, and one of my strengths is making complex topics easier to understand and act on. At Slack, I worked on product and AI feature launches, and in my sustainability work, I've focused on engagement-how to get people to actually participate, not just be aware.
I also tend to think in a very user-focused way: how residents experience programs, what might be confusing or a barrier, and what could make things easier to adopt.
I stay connected to the local tech ecosystem as well, which makes it easy for me to gather informal feedback and perspectives when relevant. I think that can help bring an additional lens into discussions-how people and organizations actually respond to new initiatives in practice.
Émilie Chane
The primary role of a board or
commission member is to provide
advice to City Council on policy
issues that are within the scope
of the board or commission. What
steps would you take to
effectively exercise this specific
board or commission role?
I would come prepared by reviewing staff reports and
understanding how each topic connects to the Climate Action Playbook and the City's broader goals.
During meetings, I'd focus on listening carefully and asking clear, practical questions-especially around implementation and how proposals will work in practice.
I'd also try to bring a perspective on how residents might experience these initiatives, since adoption is such an important part of success.
Outside of meetings, I'd stay engaged with local sustainability topics and continue learning over time, while also talking to people in the community to better understand their perspectives.
Education – List college degrees,
majors and any relevant training
or experience that demonstrates
your ability to effectively serve
on this board or commission.
I hold a Master's degree in Biochemical and Food Engineering from INSA Toulouse and a Master's degree in Marketing from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
My background is in digital marketing and communications, with experience in both tech and consumer environments, including supporting product and AI feature launches at Slack (Salesforce).
I'm currently taking courses on AI tools for marketing, PR, and communications at UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension, with a focus on responsible and effective engagement in sustainability.
I've also completed emergency preparedness training and am currently enrolled in CERT training with the City of Sunnyvale.
I was recently selected for the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training, focused on climate communication and action.
Émilie Chane
Describe your involvement in
community activities, volunteer
and civic organizations.
I currently support Environmental Volunteers, a nonprofit providing hands-on environmental education to over 10,000 students each year across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. I help with community events and social media to increase outreach and engagement.
I also participate in BioBlitz Newts, a citizen science initiative focused on documenting Pacific newt migration and road
mortality in the South Bay.
In parallel, I support a global sustainability conference in Vietnam, organized with academic and international partners, bringing together stakeholders across research, policy, industry, and civil society.
Description Area The City has a Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and an Attendance Policy (7.2.19), 2 G (II) that appointed members are required to follow.
Do you have any concerns related
to the above code and policy?
No
Are you willing to accept a
temporary appointment for the
remainder of an unexpired term?
Yes
Board or Commission-Specific Questions
Sustainability Commission
Category One: I’m a Sunnyvale
resident.
Yes
Category Two: I’m a Sunnyvale
business community member.
No
Sustainability is a new and
emerging concern in many
communities. What do you think
are the primary sustainability
policy issues this commission will
be addressing over the next few
years?
I think the main focus will be on transportation and buildings, since those are the biggest sources of emissions. For
transportation, it's about accelerating EV adoption but also reducing how much people rely on cars overall. For buildings, the challenge is transitioning away from natural gas, especially in existing homes, which is more complex than new construction. I also think a big issue will be to scale adoption-making sure programs are easy to understand and realistic for residents to actually follow. And finally, climate adaptation will become more important over time, especially around heat and resilience.
Émilie Chane
Description Area View the Climate Action Playbook
Have you read the above version
of the Climate Action Playbook?
Yes
What are your thoughts on the
Playbook? How might the actions
("Plays") be improved?
What stood out to me is how structured and concrete the Climate Action Playbook is-it clearly connects goals to specific actions.
One thing that stood out is how much success depends on adoption. The solutions are there, but the challenge is getting people to actually participate. I think there's an opportunity to keep improving how programs are communicated and designed, so they're easier to understand and adopt in practice.
Your Agreement
Description Area IMPORTANT NOTICE – READ BEFORE SIGNING:By selecting both “Yes” and “Submit Form” below I am adding my digital signature to this application. I am also agreeing with the following statements:All statements I have made on this application are true and correct.I authorize the City of Sunnyvale (City) to investigate the accuracy of this information.I release the City from all claims and liabilities arising from such investigation.I acknowledge that any false statement on this application will be grounds for the City to deny my appointment. A false statement discovered later, will be grounds to dismiss me from my appointment at any time.I acknowledge that any false statement on this application could lead to criminal charges. Charges could fall under California Penal Code, Section 115 or other applicable law.
I agree Yes
Your full name Émilie Chane
Date Apr 16, 2026
Émilie Chane