2026 Speakers

Senator Bob Archuleta, a former Presidential Appointee and Pico Rivera city mayor, has dedicated his life to serving his community and his country proudly.

Elected to the California State Senate in November 2018 to represent the 30th Senate District, Archuleta represents portions of Los Angeles County and Orange County.

He currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and sits on the following committees: Budget and Fiscal Review, Business, Professions and Economic Development; Governmental Organization; Energy, Utilities and Communications, Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy, Transportation, and the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management.

Senator Archuleta also sits on the Senate Special Committee on International Sporting Events: Olympics and World Cup Soccer.

In August 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Senator Archuleta to the Governor’s Military Council, which oversees more than 30 military bases in the state of California.

In 2012, Senator Archuleta was appointed by President Barack Obama to the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point. As part of the Board, he made recommendations on the operations of the Academy as they related to curriculum, equipment, and other matters.

Senator Archuleta has served on the Los Angeles County Military Veteran Affairs Commission; the United States Army Advisory Board for Military Recruitment; and the Los Angeles County Library Commission. He is an Army combat veteran and former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division and served with the Montebello Police Department.

Nick Barilo is Executive Director of the Center for Hydrogen Safety (AIChE) and Hydrogen Safety Program Manager at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. A licensed fire protection engineer with 40+ years of experience, he leads global efforts to advance hydrogen safety through best practices, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. He also oversees the U.S. Hydrogen Safety Panel, supporting risk-informed decision-making, safety education, and first responder readiness worldwide.

Mr. Dolan is the Vice President of External Affairs for the Washington, DC–based Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA).

He has been with FCHEA since 2010, where he has built relationships across both the public and private sectors to support the growth of the hydrogen and fuel cell industry. His work has contributed to the establishment of clean hydrogen infrastructure programs, the development of hydrogen and fuel cell tax policy, and increased research and development funding through the Department of Energy.

Mr. Dolan brings extensive experience in trade association management, along with deep subject matter expertise in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and related policy. Prior to joining FCHEA, he worked with the U.S. Fuel Cell Council and the Methanol Institute.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Christopher Newport University, as well as a Master of Public Administration and a Nonprofit Management Certificate from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Tanya Peacock is Managing Director for Hydrogen and California at EcoEngineers, an international clean energy consulting firm with deep expertise in carbon life-cycle analysis and carbon markets. Based in Los Angeles, she is responsible for expanding EcoEngineers’ energy transition practice in California.

A well-known clean energy advocate, Tanya currently serves on the Board of Directors of First Public Hydrogen, which was established to scale the renewable hydrogen marketplace in California and beyond. She chaired the Board of Directors of the California Hydrogen Business Council in 2023 and 2024 and continues to serve as a board member. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in developing foundational policies and programs to support clean energy production and use, and has held board and leadership roles with the American Biogas Council, MoveLA, the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, and the California Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative.

In her role at EcoEngineers, Tanya works with clean energy stakeholders to assess project viability, navigate policy and regulatory frameworks, determine carbon intensity, maximize credits and incentives, and identify opportunities in both regulated and voluntary carbon markets. In addition to consulting, EcoEngineers provides verification services for clean fuels programs, IRA tax credit claims, and greenhouse gas inventories. Her clients include some of the largest hydrogen producers and project developers in the United States.

Tanya holds a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree from Mills College in Oakland, California.

Thomas R. Brill has deep legal and management experience in the energy industry and has represented clients in virtually every electricity and natural gas restructuring proceeding in California for over three decades, including proceedings adopting and implementing decarbonization strategies for California’s electricity and natural gas markets. Tom also has extensive experience in regulatory litigation, as well as strategy and policy development to address rapidly changing laws, regulations, market dynamics, and technological disruptions that are driving significant changes in the energy industry. He has comprehensive experience addressing issues related to the integration of central station and distributed renewable generation, including electricity storage, smart grid technologies, and the impacts of utility rate design and cost allocation on competitive entry by third-party providers and utility stranded cost exposure.

Tom’s current clients include developers of carbon sequestration, CO2 pipeline, and carbon capture projects, as well as developers and producers of Renewable Natural Gas. He also represents utilities navigating emerging decarbonization policies, an independent natural gas storage provider, and retail providers and consumers of distributed generation and other behind-the-meter services.

Before joining Greenberg Traurig, Tom held in-house positions at Sempra Energy, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Pacific Enterprises, the Southern California Gas Company, and the American Gas Association. In these roles, he served as lead counsel in proceedings implementing state policies and legislation to introduce competition and reduce emissions in California’s electricity and natural gas markets. He also developed legal, regulatory, legislative, and public affairs strategies addressing Community Choice Aggregation, greenhouse gas reduction initiatives, storage and smart grid investments, wholesale and retail market competition, wildfire risk issues, and evolving utility rate design to accommodate new technologies.

He has served as legal counsel on a wide range of matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission, including proceedings to obtain regulatory approval of a significant merger between two utility holding companies. He has also engaged in advocacy before these organizations, as well as the California Legislature and the United States Congress.

Elizabeth Betancourt joined the Department of Conservation as Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor in 2021. In her work, she integrates cross-sector innovation and science-based approaches with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented mindset to strengthen community economic and climate resilience. Her efforts include advancing state investments in California Tribes and aligning policies across agencies to support the Administration’s goals. She collaborates with a broad network of partners to help shape resource policy that reflects the interconnected nature of environmental and climate challenges.

Elizabeth holds an M.S. in Watershed Science from Colorado State University and a B.S. in Environmental Biology and Management from the University of California, Davis. She also owns a small farm with her husband, where they run educational programs for underserved youth.

Assemblymember Juan Carrillo was first elected to the California State Assembly in November 2022 and re-elected in November 2024 to represent the 39th Assembly District. He represents portions of the northern Antelope Valley, including Palmdale, Lancaster, the eastern communities of Littlerock, Lake Los Angeles, and Sun Village, and extends into San Bernardino County to include Adelanto, Hesperia, Mountain View Acres, and Victorville.

Assemblymember Carrillo previously served on the Palmdale City Council, where he advocated for affordable housing to address homelessness, increased green space, and supported local small businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before entering public office, he worked as a city planner for 15 years, including 10 years with the City of Palmdale.

Juan was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and immigrated to Los Angeles at age 15. He earned an Associate’s Degree in Architecture from the College of the Desert, a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge. He lives in east Palmdale with his wife, their four children, and two dogs.

Tyson Eckerle serves as Senior Advisor for Clean Infrastructure and Mobility in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and Chief Government & Strategy Officer for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES). In these roles, he collaborates with multiple stakeholders to streamline California’s efforts to accelerate the transition to a clean energy ecosystem, building on his experience as GO-Biz’s first Deputy Director of Zero Emission Vehicle Market Development.

Tyson holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Wayne Nastri was unanimously appointed by the South Coast AQMD Governing Board as Executive Officer in December 2016 after serving as Acting Executive Officer since April 2016. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, the National Association of Air Quality Agencies (where he is the current Local President and Co-Chairs the Criteria Pollutants Committee), and the Environmental Professionals Network. In addition, he serves on the U.S. EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC). Previously, he served as the U.S. EPA's Regional Administrator for Region 9 – Southwest Region from October 2001 through January 2009.

Before his federal position, he served as the Governor's Appointee on the South Coast AQMD Governing Board from August 1997 to August 1998.

Mr. Nastri served on Cal/EPA's Site Mitigation External Advisory Committee for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the Zero-Emission Vehicle Implementation Advisory Committee for the California Air Resources Board, and the Site Manager's Advisory Committee for the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). He also served as the Legislative Director for the California Environmental Business Council.

In his earlier private sector experience, Mr. Nastri was co-president of E4 Strategic Solutions, Inc., a government relations consulting firm.

Mr. Nastri holds a bachelor's in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine.

California Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco was elected in 2022 to represent District 64, encompassing parts of southeastern Los Angeles County and northern Orange County. She chairs the Assembly Rules Committee and serves on the Appropriations, Governmental Organization, Judiciary, and Local Government committees. Before coming to the Assembly, Blanca served two terms as Mayor of Downey, the largest city in her district, becoming the first Latina elected to that position. She was elected to the Downey City Council in 2016 and became Mayor in 2020. She also served as President of the League of California Cities Los Angeles Division, where she chaired the Housing, Community, and Economic Development Policy Committee and was an at-large director on the League of California Cities State Board.

Blanca is a proud alumna of UCLA, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science with a specialization in Chicano/a studies in 1998. She later attended Loyola Law School and has been an attorney since 2003. The daughter of a nurse and a public school bus driver, her upbringing instilled in her an appreciation for hard work and the importance of community.

In and out of the legislature, Blanca is known for her warm and approachable demeanor. She is also a frequent boxer and holds a black belt in karate. When she is not advocating for her constituents, she enjoys spending time with her Miniature Schnauzer puppy, Reyna.

Assemblymember Chris Rogers proudly serves California’s 2nd Assembly District, which encompasses Eureka, Arcata, and Santa Rosa. Before joining the State Assembly, Chris made a significant impact as a Santa Rosa City Councilmember and Mayor, where he led efforts in wildfire recovery, housing affordability, and environmental sustainability. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Chris has been instrumental in securing resources to support small businesses and protect vulnerable communities during challenging times.

Chris holds degrees from UC Santa Barbara and Sonoma State University, where he developed a passion for policymaking and community engagement. He brings this passion to the State Assembly, focusing on creating a modern and equitable rural economy, healthcare access, and driving climate action. A lifelong resident of Santa Rosa, Chris is dedicated to preserving Northern California's natural beauty while ensuring its residents a prosperous future.