About Us
Our Team
REAP CHAIR & PRINCIPAL - Jim Gonzalez
Jim Gonzalez is a public policy consultant and campaign strategist. He has co-managed three successful California statewide citizen ballot initiatives and was the official proponent and campaign chair of Proposition 7, the California Solar and Clean Energy Act of 2008.
Mr. Gonzalez was a chief aide to San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, and later was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Mr. Gonzalez holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Mary’s College of California; a Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of San Francisco, and was a Kellogg Fellow at Harvard University’s JFK School of Government.
PRINCIPAL – S. David Freeman
America’s most distinguished public power professional and renewable energy advocate who worked tirelessly in behalf of Proposition 7. Mr. Freeman headed the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).
Additionally, Mr. Freeman served as Chair of the California Power Authority, and played a key role in ending the California energy crisis of 2001.
Mr. Freeman has received awards from organizations such as the Los Angeles Coalition for Clean Air, Global Green, Californians for Solar and Clean Energy and the National Wildlife Association for his commitment to renewable energy, clean air and clean water.
Advisory Committee
Dr. Donald Aitken - President of Donald Aitken Associates, Physicist and Renewable Energy Scientist.
Rosario Anaya - * Executive Director of the Mission Language and Vocational School.
Art Agnos - Former Mayor of San Francisco.
Sen. John Burton (ret.) - Former California Senate President Pro Tem.
Martin Eder - President of Activist San Diego.
Neil Eisenberg - * Chairman of Oceanic Society.
Sen. Martha Escutia (ret.) - Partner, Manatt Law Firm.
Danny Glover - Actor & Activist.
Antonio Gonzalez - * President of William C. Velasquez Institute.
Herb Chao Gunther - * Public Media Center.
Dolores Huerta - * President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation and co-founder of the United Farm Workers.
Dr. Walter Kohn - * Nobel Prize winning Chemist and Professor at the University of California in Santa Barbara.
Dr. John Sperling - * Founder and Chairman of Apollo Group Inc.
Peter Sperling - * CEO, Callwave Inc.; Vice Chair, Apollo Group Inc.
Alicia Wang - * Vice Chair, California Democratic Party.
Bill Zimmerman - * Co-founder and President of Zimmerman and Markman Inc.
* Organization name for identification purposes only
Senior Counsel
John Thiella
John Thiella has served in senior staff positions for a variety of elected officials including Senator Dianne Feinstein, State Controller John Chiang, and Members of Congress. Mr. Thiella has served as Political Director of the California Democratic Party.
Mr. Thiella received his undergraduate degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley; a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law; and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Mr. Thiella is licensed to practice law in California and the District of Columbia.
Policy Consultants & Community Organizers
Brendan Bishop:
Attended University of Oregon; Graduated with a BS in Political Science
Prop 7 Sacramento field organizer and Facebook administrator, Research librarian
Kelly Rivas:
Attended University of California, Santa Cruz; Graduated with a BA in Political Theory
Santa Cruz Prop 7 Field Organizer
Melissa Vargas:
Attended Chapman University, Graduated with a BA in Communications and Journalism
South Orange County Prop 7 Field Organizer
Sofia Gonzalez:
Attended University of California, Santa Cruz; Graduated with a BA in Politics with Honors.
Sacramento Prop 7 Field Organizer
Dyane Osorio:
Dyane is a researcher for REAP and is a member of our core group of community organizers.
Three years ago Dyane co-founded a youth led, and youth serving educational non-profit Dream.Develop.Do. The organization provides scholarships to underrepresented and underserved youth in California.
Dyane received her B.A. in Political Science and dual Minors in Economics and History from Cal State University, Northridge.
Dyane has worked in Ecuador for the NGO: Un Techo Para Mi Pais. Dyane’s proudest moment for the organization was building pre-fabricated dwellings for the region's poorest communities, giving them a place to sleep, but more importantly a place to call home.
