EIN is a small group with a big mission. Our board consists of some of the most influential people in the clean energy field. And our staff works hard every day to bring our mission to fruition.

EIN BOARD

Daniel Emmett, President

Chief Executive Officer, Next Energy Technologies, Inc. 

Former Executive Director, Energy Independence Now

Paul B. Scott, Ph.D., Treasurer

Vice President, Advanced Technologies, TransPower

Terry Tamminen

CEO, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

President & Founder, Seventh Generation Advisors

Former CalEPA Secretary

Tom Cackette

Retired Chief Deputy Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board

Remy Garderet

Former Policy Director, EIN

Our Team

Brian Goldstein – Executive Director

Brian Goldstein leads EIN in its mission to support a transition to a clean transportation system. With a background in finance, Brian has professional experience in the alternative fuels, renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation technologies, and financial services sectors. He has served as CFO of a motorcycle design and manufacturing firm as well as CFO of a hydrogen transportation technology company, where he focused on both public and private financing initiatives, infrastructure acquisitions, automotive technology development, and fleet adoption of hydrogen technology.

Brian has worked to develop alternative fuel distribution networks in California and Colorado. He has also served as a technical and financial consultant to the US Department of Energy and he continues to serve as a judge for the Clean Tech Open business plan competition as well as the DOE National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition.

Mr. Goldstein graduated with a B.S. in International Business from the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado, and earned his MBA with focus on Finance and International Business at the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business Management, where he received a Merit Scholarship. Mr. Goldstein is an Eagle Scout.

Liisa Kaufman – Deputy Director

Liisa Kaufman manages outreach and operations at Energy Independence Now. 

She has developed and implemented dozens of awareness and growth campaigns across the technology, media, environmental and social services sectors. She has also supported operations and C-Suite coordination at National Geographic Society, as well as worked with the French National Department of Education and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Paul Williams has designed and implemented successful national and regional media placement and public education programs for non-profit, government and cause-based businesses, organizations and individuals. With over 25 years of experience, Paul’s campaigns have reached millions worldwide and won multiple awards.

Some partners Paul has created successful campaigns for include EIN (DriveH2), the State of California (health education, safety and environmental programs, including the successful “Click It or Ticket” campaign, DUI prevention campaign and “Distracted Driving” campaigns for the Office of Traffic Safety), CalRecycle (as a subcontractor, leading the PSA and public affairs efforts for eRecycle.org, the 3000 Mile Myth campaign and the tire sustainability campaign and as prime contractor for the Reusable Bags Campaign), the Earth Communications Office, Global Green USA, Rock the Vote, the California Bureau of Land Management, the City of Sacramento, Sacramento Regional Water Authority, Recycle Across America, Earth Alert, Electronic Recyclers International, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Concern America, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Visiting Nurse Association of America, the REACH Program for Native American Alcoholism Education, and many others (including celebrities, athletes, authors, surgeons, physician groups and hospitals). 

Paul is also the co-author of the New York Times best-selling book, “Off Balance,” which is currently being made into a Disney-produced series (set for 2022 release).  

Past campaigns include:

Tire Sustainability Campaign

EIN’s PR team leader Paul Williams arranged a PR campaign for Tire Safety Week for the State of California targeting underserved populations. The focus was foreign language radio stations in Fresno and the Bay Area in English, Cantonese and Spanish.  The campaign included interviews with spokespeople from CalRecycle and earned PSA spots containing strategic and educational messaging. Radio and online support was achieved. The campaign garnered more than 13,000 radio PSA placements with 222 California radio stations valued at $1,884,612 during a seven month period of time.

Regional Water Authority Blue Thumb Campaign

EIN’s PR team leader developed and implemented a multifaceted marketing campaign for the Sacramento area Regional Water Authority on outdoor water conservation designed to educate consumers about the importance of water conservation. The “Blue Thumb” Campaign was developed for Sacramento and used local residents as the stars of an educational and inspiring public service campaign for television, radio, online and print.  The participants were chosen via a region-wide nominating effort and had each taken steps to reduce their outdoor water use. 

We filmed each of these local residents, including the Sacramento Mayor, talking about the individual actions they had taken to help conserve water and what motivated them to do so.  The content was then used in multiple formats across a wide spectrum of media (TV spots, radio PSAs, collateral materials, website content, etc.) A 30-second TV PSA received heavy rotation on the local Sacramento CBS affiliate and on local cable supplier Comcast.  A 30-second radio spot was adopted for heavy rotation by al target region Clear Channel stations. The radio spots also aired on the local NPR stations. The regional campaign generated over 10 million impressions among adults 18+ and over 4 million impressions among women 50+, the target audience for this campaign. You can view elements of the campaign online at http://www.bewatersmart.info/.

Office Of Traffic Safety “Report Drunk Drivers” Campaign

On behalf of the Office of Traffic Safety, EIN’s PR lead Paul Williams oversaw a DUI Avoidance PSA and public affairs effort comprising television, radio, and outdoor campaigns.  These efforts over the holiday season (October – December 2017) garnered over $5 million in earned media value for the State of California. Interviews on local cable shows, radio news programs, and public affairs shows, the donation of free outdoor advertising space, and the participation of 7-Eleven stores as partners to display campaign messaging statewide throughout the holidays were also achieved.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire

EIN’s PR team leader Paul Williams arranged for large billboards to be donated for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire’s fund raising texting campaign.  The bulletins featured local children and were placed outside a major Orange County shopping mall and along busy intersections in the Inland Empire.  PSA messaging was also developed which received donated broadcast time in Orange County, San Bernardino and Riverside (59 stations total) for the campaign.  The campaign proved so successful (more than 2 million OC and IE impressions in less than three months), the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire expanded the effort an additional three quarters. 

Greg Cogut - Advisor

Greg works with EIN advising organizations.

 Greg is the Climate Finance Program Director at 7th Generation Advisors and is a Special Advisor on Climate Finance at AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles. Greg’s work focuses on advising organizations on climate financing and clean tech analysis.

Greg graduated with an Honors Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan where he majored in Environmental Studies with a specialization in Sustainable Business with minors in Environmental Geology and Sustainability, as well as a minor in Business from the Ross School of Business.