Ensuring community voices and interests remain at the center of the SOMAH Program

Through the SOMAH Advisory Council, key stakeholders contribute to program development and implementation, monitor the progress of the program and provide advice to ensure that the program maximizes benefits to low-income housing tenants and disadvantaged communities. Council members are selected through an independent selection committee.


Andrea Barnier Somah Advisory Council
Andrea Barnier (she/her)
Senior Asset Management Specialist, Self-Help Enterprises

Andrea Barnier’s work experience within affordable housing spans over 15 years. Currently, she specializes in energy efficiency and sustainability within the multi-family, asset management department of Self-Help Enterprises. In addition to working with IOUs to achieve solar PTO and resolve diverse administrative issues, ...

Andrea Barnier’s work experience within affordable housing spans over 15 years. Currently, she specializes in energy efficiency and sustainability within the multi-family, asset management department of Self-Help Enterprises. In addition to working with IOUs to achieve solar PTO and resolve diverse administrative issues, Barnier has years of experience working with public agencies administering grants, developing and implementing program policies, and advocating for low-income families and individuals.


Andres Ramirez Advisory Council Member
Andres Ramirez (he/him)
Policy Director, Pacoima Beautiful

Andres Ramirez is Policy Director at Pacoima Beautiful, an environmental justice organization based in the Northeast San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. He has over 12 years of experience advocating for equity in disadvantaged communities (DACs) through community organizing ...

Andres Ramirez is Policy Director at Pacoima Beautiful, an environmental justice organization based in the Northeast San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. He has over 12 years of experience advocating for equity in disadvantaged communities (DACs) through community organizing and policy advocacy. Ramirez brings diverse policy expertise and a keen understanding of strengths and needs of DACs. He also serves in the California Public Utilities Commission/California Energy Commission CPUC/CEC Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group.


Kenneth Wells Advisory Council Member
Kenneth Wells (Chair) (he/him)
CEO & Founder, O&M Solar Services

Kenneth Wells is a Compton native who is currently reforming and redeveloping underserved inner cities into sustainable green communities. As a Licensed Electrical Contractor as well as a NABCEP Certified PV Professional, Wells has an extensive technical background in ...

Kenneth Wells is a Compton native who is currently reforming and redeveloping underserved inner cities into sustainable green communities. As a Licensed Electrical Contractor as well as a NABCEP Certified PV Professional, Wells has an extensive technical background in solar installations with 9 years of experience. As a volunteer on the Workforce Development Committee of Grid Alternatives, he collaborates with other industry experts to develop training programs for green labor careers.


Carlos Aguilar, Director of Organizing, Coalition for Economic Survival (he/him)
Carlos Aguilar (he/him)
Director of Organizing, Coalition for Economic Survival

Carlos Aguilar is the Director of Organizing at the Coalition for Economic Survival, a grassroots, multi-ethnic, tenants’ rights organization that supports and empowers low and moderate-income renters throughout the greater Los Angeles area. As Director of Organizing, Aguilar strategically ...

Carlos Aguilar is the Director of Organizing at the Coalition for Economic Survival, a grassroots, multi-ethnic, tenants’ rights organization that supports and empowers low and moderate-income renters throughout the greater Los Angeles area. As Director of Organizing, Aguilar strategically manages the organization’s outreach and education efforts to address housing and habitability issues as well as fights against threats to housing security. Aguilar has over 15 years of labor and community organizing experience he uses to ensure that tenants have the right to healthy, safe and affordable housing and are empowered to demand these rights be respected.


Elizabeth Elliott, Executive Director, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority (she/they)
Elizabeth Elliott (she/they)
Executive Director, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority

Elizabeth Elliott is a 36-year-old nonbinary person hailing from the village of Oleta in Northern California. Elliott is the Executive Director at Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority in Northern California promoting adverse childhood experiences prevention and education in Indigenous communities ...

Elizabeth Elliott is a 36-year-old nonbinary person hailing from the village of Oleta in Northern California. Elliott is the Executive Director at Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority in Northern California promoting adverse childhood experiences prevention and education in Indigenous communities to address the ways in which the government-designed public and Tribal housing are failing due to redlining and depleting funding sources. Elliott and their staff also serve in a technical assistance capacity for sister Tribes throughout California and Nevada. They have also provided cultural humility training to many state and federal partners. Elliott dedicates their time outside of work teaching traditional skills to awaken resiliency within the communities they serve.

 


Jakobi Ewart, Director of Fundraising, The Niles Foundation (he/him)
Jakobi Ewart (he/him)
Director of Fundraising, The Niles Foundation

Jakobi Ewart is the Director of Fundraising for The Niles Foundation, and a realtor that focuses on helping low- to moderate-income families have the same access to resources everyone else has. Being a sustainable individual helps him put these values to practice as he is ...

Jakobi Ewart is the Director of Fundraising for The Niles Foundation, and a realtor that focuses on helping low- to moderate-income families have the same access to resources everyone else has. Being a sustainable individual helps him put these values to practice as he is constantly thinking of how his actions impact others. Ewart is excited to work with SOMAH because of the incredible vision of the program that matches his love of pragmatism and green energy solutions. He is excited to be moving the needle in the right direction.


Nicole Lim, Executive Director, California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (she/her)
Nicole Lim (she/her)
Executive Director, California Indian Museum and Cultural Center

Nicole Lim is the Executive Director of the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center. She is Pomo and has worked for the National Indian Justice Center and the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) since 1996. As Executive Director of the CIMCC, she works to ...

Nicole Lim is the Executive Director of the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center. She is Pomo and has worked for the National Indian Justice Center and the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) since 1996. As Executive Director of the CIMCC, she works to develop exhibits, educational programs and curricular resources that represent Native American perspectives. California Governor Jerry Brown appointed her to the Board of Directors, 4th District Agricultural Association, Sonoma-Marin Fair, where she served from 2013-2017. Lim served as the Vice President of the California Association of Museums (CAM) and formerly co-chaired CAM’s Government Relations committee.


Alma Marquez, Climate Change Advocate (she/hers)
Alma Marquez (she/hers)
Climate Change Advocate

Alma Marquez was formerly Executive Director of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ). During her time with CCAEJ, Marquez developed organizational systems aimed at coalition building to ...

Alma Marquez was formerly Executive Director of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ). During her time with CCAEJ, Marquez developed organizational systems aimed at coalition building to address regional environmental inequities and at bringing CCAEJ to the forefront of key decision-makers in a historically dismissed region. Before joining CCAEJ, Marquez was Executive Director at Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL). She led the organization to address water inequalities throughout California, especially in the hard-to-reach communities of our state. Despite the challenges this last year has brought due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was successful in her mission to educate more Latino elected officials on timely regional water topics. Marquez began her professional career as a Community Organizer at the Orange County Congregation Community Organization (OCCCO), an affiliate of PICO Faith In Action International where she learned grassroots community organizing while working on local and statewide campaigns.


photo of AJ Perkins
AJ Perkins (he/him)
CEO, Instant ON

Mr. Perkins has grown many startups, including one of the fastest-growing microgrid integration/aggregation companies, Instant ON (IO), to secure over 3.8GW of contracts for microgrid projects across the US. He serves as Director of Strategy and Development for TechFlow, a technology company doing cybersecurity, ...

Mr. Perkins has grown many startups, including one of the fastest-growing microgrid integration/aggregation companies, Instant ON (IO), to secure over 3.8GW of contracts for microgrid projects across the US. He serves as Director of Strategy and Development for TechFlow, a technology company doing cybersecurity, microgrids, and EV infrastructure work for the US Government.

Outside of work, he is an Island Ambassador for Island Innovations representing Hawaii, a mentor for Scale For ClimateTech’s new Manufacturing & Engineers-in-Residence program, and a member of the California Energy Efficiency Coordinating Committee supporting energy efficiency measures and incentives, among numerous other roles. He is actively engaged in working with Native and Indigenous communities to help with sustainability and resiliency planning.


photo of Christian Cruz
Christian Cruz (he/him)
Senior Community Outreach Manager, Clean Power Alliance

Christian serves as the Senior Community Outreach Manager for Clean Power Alliance, supporting the organization’s Community Advisory Committee, a 15-member body of customer volunteers who advise the Board of Directors on planning and policy matters. Christian brings a history of working with local ...

Christian serves as the Senior Community Outreach Manager for Clean Power Alliance, supporting the organization’s Community Advisory Committee, a 15-member body of customer volunteers who advise the Board of Directors on planning and policy matters. Christian brings a history of working with local governments and community organizations across Southern California. Christian has worked for the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, comprising 31 cities, three water districts, and three LA County supervisorial districts, where he served as the staff liaison to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Homelessness Committee.

He has a strong background in constituent relations, having served as Field Deputy for Pasadena Councilmember John Kennedy. Christian received an associate degree from Mt. San Antonio College, his bachelor’s from San Francisco State University, and his MPA from the University of La Verne.


photo of Jeffrey Strickland
Jeffrey Strickland (he/him)
Project Manager, Plus Power

Jeff Strickland has over a decade of experience developing renewable energy projects nationwide. He currently specializes in standalone energy storage projects that help transform the nation's utility grid to be renewable-based. Before that, Jeff was instrumental in helping affordable housing properties maximize ...

Jeff Strickland has over a decade of experience developing renewable energy projects nationwide. He currently specializes in standalone energy storage projects that help transform the nation's utility grid to be renewable-based. Before that, Jeff was instrumental in helping affordable housing properties maximize the Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing Program (MASH) and helped affordable housing properties secure the first round of SOMAH funds back in 2019. He has extensive knowledge of the solar industry, especially in the multifamily sector where he has helped roughly 100 properties access solar across the state and in all the IOUs.

Meeting Notes and Bylaws

Notes on future proceedings will be posted to SOMAH's website each quarter. Access the SOMAH Advisory Council Bylaws.

2023

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