advisors

Linda Sell - Co-Founder, Advisor

Linda is a Co-Founder and former Board Member of the environmental non-profit Bay Area for Clean Environment which has been instrumental in radically reducing emissions of local toxic pollutants. In recent years, she has worked with volunteers across the state collecting thousands of signatures for petitions and gathering organizational endorsements in support of state legislation to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. Over the last decade, she has served on an educational foundation and in leadership positions on several steering/campaign committees. Those efforts have resulted in fundraising campaigns and the passage of local funding measures that have raised millions for our local schools which are being invested into instructional and enrichment programs.

Linda is currently a member of the City Council for the City of Sunnyvale.

Kristel Wickham - Sunnyvale Team advisor, Policy Advisor

After studying Engineering Physics at the University of Oklahoma, she earned her Masters in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.  After 22 years at SunPower in many roles - R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality Control, Customer Experience - she ‘retired’ and now focuses her time and energy on climate action advocacy and supporting our local public schools. A resident of Sunnyvale with two nearly grown kids - living in a fully electrified home with rooftop solar, of course - she currently serves on Sunnyvale’s Sustainability Commission, and Homestead's School Site Council. She also co-lead's the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter’s Climate Action Leadership Team. Kristel enjoys hiking and biking in the fantastic protected open spaces we have within a short (electric vehicle) drive.

Erin Zimmerman - advisor

Erin Zimmerman has been studying the political impacts of environmental change for over a decade. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Adelaide, Australia, in 2013. Her doctoral dissertation examined the influence of non-traditional security issues, such as climate change, on regional governing institutions in Asia. Her master’s thesis, completed in 2010, examined the negative impact of environmentally induced migration on state stability.

As an environmental advocate Erin has been involved with many organizations in Australia, Switzerland and the United States of America. Most recently, she was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2019 by the Climate Reality Project.

David Poeschel - advisor

Dave began pursuing his passion as a “self taught ecologist” as a child in the vacant lots and drainage ditches near the Sacramento home where he grew up.  He worked as a software engineer before retiring to focus on environmental conservation.  His education continued as a volunteer and campaign activist with CNPS, SCVAS, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and serving on several governmental committees providing him with many years of experience, particularly on City of San Jose land use and environmental policies.

Dave leads native plant restoration efforts in Guadalupe Oak Grove Park, possibly the last remnant of valley floor oak woodland in Silicon Valley.  He also shares his environmental knowledge as a docent for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and at various park activities.  He has also enjoyed volunteering as a math and reading tutor for elementary school children.

Dr. Gary latshaw - advisor

Dr. Gary Latshaw received his doctorate in physics from Stanford University in 1971. Although his career primarily involved non-environmental issues, he maintained a serious interest in the environment and man-induced climate change over the years.

He became personally concerned that global society was ignoring the increasingly convincing threat of climate change and began presenting his findings in 2003 in a home-grown presentation he called “Saving the Future” to various groups. When the movie “Inconvenient Truth” came out and Al Gore formed the Climate Reality Project – a project to train and equip people to present climate change issues – he applied and was accepted to the program.

Now retired, Dr. Latshaw, from working as a physicist in industry and colleges, is a member of the Climate Reality Project and has become active in the Sierra Club, securethefuture2100.org, 350.org, and others. He has served on Cupertino’s Sustainability Commission for six years.

Peri Plantenberg - Advisor

Peri Plantenberg is a UC Berkeley student and a Summer 2024 Community Engagement Intern for the City of Sunnyvale’s Environmental Services Department. She is one of the youth founding members of SVYCA after joining in the summer of 2019. She helped expand the nonprofit by co-founding several teams, co-leading several initiatives including  workshops and speaker series, and mentoring youth leaders. She also served as the first President of the Board of Directors when the organization transitioned from grassroots to a nonprofit 501(c)3.  Peri is passionate about climate advocacy and empowering youth leaders. Her LinkedIn is www.linkedin.com/in/peri-plantenberg.