San Diego Community Power Names New Chief Executive Officer
San Diego Community Power Names New Chief Executive Officer
Karin Burns of Franklin Energy and Build It Green to Join Community Choice Aggregator in April
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Mar. 28, 2022 – The San Diego Community Power (SDCP) Board of Directors appointed Karin Burns, an experienced green energy executive, to lead the local community choice energy provider. Beginning April 18, Burns will join the SDCP team focused on delivering reliable, cost-effective, clean energy to the families, businesses, and municipalities of Imperial Beach, Encinitas, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista, National City, and the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Burns will play a role in shaping ongoing community investment, and development of local and regional green energy projects.
A veteran clean energy executive and environmental advocate, Burns comes to SDCP with extensive expertise in building sustainable enterprises and dedicated teams driven to achieving challenging goals and objectives. She is a passionate advocate for innovation and clean energy investment, with a diverse background in leadership roles at multiple energy businesses, two environmental nonprofits, and a clean energy investment advisory firm.
“Community Choice Energy offers us a direct path to meeting our climate goals and I could not be more excited and humbled by the opportunity to help the state’s second-largest CCA deliver greener energy to families and businesses across the region,” said Karin Burns. “It’s a true honor and pleasure to work with such a talented, dedicated team that shares my goal of promoting healthy, efficient, and sustainable communities.”
Burns most recently served as Vice President of Corporate Development and previously as Regional Vice President of the Pacific at Franklin Energy, a Wisconsin-based provider of energy efficiency, demand response, electrification, and grid optimization solutions. Before it’s assets were acquired by Franklin Energy, Burns led the nonprofit Build It Green team of 40+ personnel, managing a diverse set of programs across energy efficiency, workforce development, healthy homes and reach codes for utilities and local governments. She also served as Executive Director of nonprofit Code REDD where she spearheaded strategic planning and operations, sourced funding from USAID and the McArthur Foundation, and built the highly successful Stand for Trees campaign. Burns was also a Managing Director at Ambata Capital where she managed investment and advisory projects in electric vehicles, sustainable agriculture, green buildings, and clean energy.
“Finding such a seasoned, passionate, and dedicated person to join the SDCP team is a key milestone for our organization,” said Joe Mosca, Encinitas Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the SDCP Board of Directors. “Karin’s experience in clean energy, as well as her commitment to driving growth for the agency and her team will make her an invaluable ally in our push to meet the region’s ambitious climate action goals.”
SDCP, a not-for-profit public agency, began purchasing renewable-focused electricity on behalf of municipal and business customers in the cities of Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, and San Diego in 2021. This year, it is extending service to residential customers in these cities. In 2023, SDCP will enroll National City and the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. SDG&E will continue to deliver the power, manage monthly billing and customer service, and provide ongoing power system maintenance.
Burns is joining a team lead by Cody Hooven, the Chief Operating Officer, who was instrumental in forming San Diego Community Power. Along with SDCP’s seasoned and dedicated staff, Burns is welcomed by civic and community leaders sharing the purpose of community choice and clean energy.
About SDCP
San Diego Community Power (SDCP) is a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) committed to providing municipalities, businesses, and residents in the six-member cities and unincorporated San Diego County with clean, renewable energy at competitive rates and investing in innovative programs that benefit the environment and the economy in our communities. Learn more at www.sdcommunitypower.org.
Media Contact:
Rita de la Fuente
Director of External Affairs
rdelafuente@sdcommunitypower.org
(619) 657-0417