Resume

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

California Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, CA, 1998 – 2007, 2008 - Present

Attorney

Advise the Commission on a broad range of legal and policy issues, primarily relating to energy and the environment, including renewable energy, electric transmission siting, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Lead attorney on California legislative matters. Represent staff in proceedings before the Commission and the legislature.

Interim Director, Policy and Planning Division

Supervised the technical and administrative staff of the Commission’s Policy and Planning Division. Coordinated the work of division staff with other divisions and agencies. Reviewed substantive work of technical staff, and provided guidance and feedback on substance, process, and presentation.

Administrative Law Judge

Adjudicated administrative proceedings relating to energy and telecommunications utilities, including allocation of $30 billion in electricity contract costs and implementation of California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Conducted evidentiary and public participation hearings. Mediated disputes in the areas of energy, water, telecommunications, and transportation.

Interim Assistant General Counsel

Supervised attorneys prosecuting enforcement actions against companies in all regulated industries. Coordinated with Commission enforcement management, staff, and consultants. Negotiated settlements of enforcement proceedings.

Thelen LLP, San Francisco, CA, 2007 – 2008

Of Counsel

Advised clients on energy regulatory and policy issues, primarily relating to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and California Energy Commission (CEC), and application of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Represented clients in application, complaint, and rulemaking proceedings before the CPUC. Drafted and analyzed legislation. Supported firm’s marketing efforts by writing articles, speaking at conferences, talking to reporters, and contributing to Climate Law Update blog.

Toward Utility Rate Normalization (TURN), San Francisco, CA, 1992 - 1994, 1995

Staff Attorney

Represented the interests of residential and small business utility consumers in natural gas, electricity, and telecommunications proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission. Participated in all aspects of Commission practice, including extensive evidentiary hearing experience.

City of San Diego, Office of the City Attorney, San Diego, CA, 1990 - 1992

Deputy City Attorney, Civil Litigation Division

Represented the city and its residents in energy and telecommunications proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission.

Deputy City Attorney, Criminal Division

Responsible for all stages of prosecution of misdemeanor criminal cases, including 20 jury trials, innumerable bench trials and evidentiary motions, arraignments, and other hearings.

Milberg Weiss Bershad Specthrie & Lerach, San Diego, CA, 1989 - 1990

Associate Attorney

Researched and drafted pleadings, and planned and executed discovery for complex securities and environmental litigation in federal and state court.

LEGAL EDUCATION

University of San Diego School of Law, J.D. Cum Laude, 1989

Class Standing: Top 8% (24 of 298)

American Jurisprudence Awards in Contracts, Federal Jurisdiction, and Judicial Relations Seminar; Brundage, Williams & Zellmann Award for Excellence in Labor Law

BAR ADMISSIONS

State Court: California

Federal District Court: Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California

Federal Court of Appeal: District of Columbia and Ninth Circuits

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Environmental Law Section, State Bar of California

Faculty, National Judicial College

American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources

Conference of California Public Utilities Counsel

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under CEQA - Costs and Opportunities, Ecology Law Currents Vol. 35 (2008).

Law, Water, Earthquakes, Sun and Wind - Barriers to Nuclear Power Plants in California, Climate Law Update, March 26, 2008.

Building New Transmission for Renewable Energy: California's RETI Process, www.thelen.com, October 10, 2007.

A Renewable Generation Owner's Guide to Getting Renewable Energy Certificates from WREGIS, www.thelen.com, September 19, 2007.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

Western Transmission, EUCI Conference, San Francisco, CA, Panelist (2008)

Real World Clean Energy Project Development, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, Guest Lecturer (2008)

Public Participation in Transmission Siting, EUCI Conference, San Diego, CA, Panelist (2008)

Administrative Law in the U.S., U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, Delegation from China, Reno, NV, Speaker (2007)

Administrative Law: Utility Regulatory Adjudication, National Judicial College, Reno, NV, Faculty (2002-2007)

Litigation at the CPUC: How To Do It (and How NOT To Do It), Conference of California Public Utilities Counsel Seminar, San Francisco, CA, Panelist (2006)

Consumer Protection and Enforcement Issues in Deregulated Industries, National Conference of Regulatory Attorneys, San Francisco, CA, Moderator (2002)

The Law and Value: Communication Corridors, Tower Sites, and Property Rights - Regulatory Considerations, Appraisal Institute, Sacramento, CA, Speaker (2001)

Can You Dig It? A Survival Guide to the New Trench Warfare, California Association of Competitive Telecommunications Companies Conference, Coronado, CA, Speaker (2001)

CEQA and Telecommunications at the CPUC, San Francisco, CA, Organizer (2000)

OTHER EDUCATION

University of California at Santa Cruz

B.A. in American Studies, 1983

University of California at San Diego

Major in Communications, Minor in Drama, 1979 – 1981

California College of Arts and Crafts

Major in Sculpture/Interior Architecture, 1994 – 1995

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Member of Board of Directors, ArtHouse (2005 – 2009) and Death & Taxes (2006).

Artist in Residence, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (2004)

Volunteer at Headlands Center for the Arts (1995 - 1997)