During the last few months, the original Cool Davis Foundation (CDF) Board has welcomed four new members who will be invaluable as we develop a new and different governance structure, and seek to build capacity to develop policy, manage projects and grants, increase its fund-raising abilities, and hire staff as needed.

The new board members are:

  • Chris Blackman, Marketing Manager at Yolo Federal Credit Union, who has an understanding of the joys and challenges of businesses in the local region;
  • Anthony Eggert, Executive Director of the new UCD Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy, who has expertise and contacts in all these areas;
  • Bill Heinicke, District Facilities Manager for Elk Grove Schools and a parent member of the da Vinci High School Green Team, who has major management experience; and
  • Kerry Daane Loux, a LEED certified local landscape planner, who is an experienced organizer and a real “people person” with lots of contacts in town.

In May of 2010, Davis city staff and volunteers formed the Cool Davis Initiative to implement the community aspects of the City’s newly adopted Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.  In order to educate the community about their work, the group began planning the first Cool Davis “Green Living” Festival.

Within a few weeks, Cool Davis volunteers Judy Moores, Lynne Nittler, John Mott-Smith and Alan Pryor realized that the effort would need a non-profit corporation affiliate to accept and raise funds to support the festival and other projects to come.  With Alan Pryor’s expert help the four members founded the Cool Davis Foundation (CDF).  Since then the Foundation has kept a low profile, seeking donations to support the Festivals, and managing other small projects.

With the start of 2012 and the opportunity to participate in the Cool California Challenge, the Board realized that CDF could play an increasingly important role in carrying out the mission of Cool Davis to inspire our community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to a changing climate, and improve the quality of life for all.  To meet the upcoming challenges, Cool Davis would need a new and different governance structure, and the Foundation would need to build capacity to develop policy, manage projects and grants, increase its fund-raising abilities, and hire staff as needed.

President Judy Moores notes, “Thus, we have doubled the size of the Board in the past few months.  The new members complement the skills, knowledge and abilities of the original Board members and join them in their enthusiasm and excitement about the challenges ahead.  I feel honored to work with this distinguished group.”

Together we look forward to working with Cool Davis’s Volunteers and Partners, as we engage in the most critical and exciting effort to change basic social behavior ever attempted in Davis.  Together we will do our part to meet the local challenge of the climate crisis, by striving to engage 75% of Davis households in carbon emission reduction by 2015 and carbon neutrality by 2050 – or better yet, much sooner, say 2025.  We have a lot of rewarding work ahead!”