Installation Awards recap and the #RoadToZero

2022 Installation Awards set course for year ahead and celebrated public service

The East Bay Leadership Council had countless reasons to celebrate at the Installation Awards last week.

We started the evening with reflections on the past year by Immediate Past Chair, Bielle Moore, who recognized EBLC's important role as a regional convener.

"Time and again, our staff and board members are at the center of critical regional discussions and problem solving on issues ranging from workforce to water policy," said Moore.

We continued by highlighting Engage East Bay as a new way to help foster civic engagement and support local nonprofits in need of board members.

"When the EBLC’s nonprofit members shared stories of tabling in San Francisco in hopes of recruiting new board members – we knew that something needed to be done," said Mark Orcutt, Vice President of Communications & Operations.

"We have heard loud and clear that nonprofits desperately need to recruit individuals who are connected to the communities they serve and we hope to help meet that need."

The sold out crowd also heard from Leo Scott, President of Gray-Bowen-Scott, on his vision for the year as EBLC's Board Chair. He shared experiences that inspire him to challenge the status quo and deliver on the promise of an equitable economic recovery.

"If we continue to find ways to create opportunities for the people who call the East Bay home, we will make progress, overcome the naysayers and fulfill our mission as an organization," said Scott.

The rest of the evening focused on our distinguished honorees including Linus Eukel of John Muir Land Trust, Dr. Sheilla Hassell Hughes of Saint Mary's College, Laura Case of the East Bay Leadership Council, and the Contra Costa Community College District.

Linus Eukel moved the crowd with a reminder that effective advocacy is not a task to take on alone. Dr. Sheila Hassell Hughes's video remarks drew attention to the important role of Liberal Arts education and her personal mission to advance racial justice. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier's recognition of Laura Case's impact as a public servant brought tears to our eyes and attendees to their feet.

Accepting the East Bay Leadership Medal on behalf of the Contra Costa Community College District, Interim Chancellor Mojdeh Mehdizadeh took time to highlight the critical role that their colleges play in the region.

"We are the only state system of public higher education that accepts 100 percent of those interested in attending college," said Mehdizadeh. "We are also one of the largest employers in Contra Costa County with over 3,600 full and part-time employees."

The District's impact locally is profound with one out of every 25 jobs in Contra Costa County supported by the activities of the district and its students.

Mehdizadeh also lifted up the important work of Earn & Learn and the Diablo Valley Tech Initiative as innovative programs with the potential to transform educational opportunity and economic vitality in the region.

In the end, the Installation Awards was a celebration of what engaged leaders can accomplish together and a reminder of the work ahead. Thank you to everyone who attended and all those who drive the East Bay Leadership Council's mission forward.

Road to Zero Day highlighted hydrogen's place in the energy present and future

We were proud to participate and for EBLC's President and CEO, Kristin Connelly, to moderate a panel at today's Road To Zero event hosted by Chevron at the beautiful Craneway Pavilion.

The panel addressed big questions about hydrogen's promise, why now, and what roadblocks stand in the way of new fuel cell technologies taking hold.

A consistent theme throughout the day was the importance of partnership and the role that ongoing advocacy will play in the success of hydrogen as an energy alternative now and in the future.

As Teresa Cooke of the California Hydrogen Coalition put it. "Hydrogen is here to help."

Nominations now open for the 12th Annual East Bay Philanthropy Awards

Do you know an organization or individual that made an impact on our community this year? Nominate them for an East Bay Philanthropy Award today.

The East Bay Leadership Council is thrilled to host this 12th Annual event back in-person at the Lesher Center for the Arts as we showcase inspiring stories and celebrate the generosity that is driving change in our community.

Telling those stories requires thoughtful nominations from community leaders like you.

How to nominate
If you’d like to submit a nomination of your own, please note the deadline of Thursday, September 22 and visit our website for all the details.

How to help spread the word
Check out our outreach toolkit for a newsletter blurb, sample social media posts, and graphics. Share with #EastBay❤️️

Must Read | These developers want to build a lot of housing at the North Concord BART Station

Nadia Lopez in Calmatters: The switch to zero-emission vehicles marks a historic precedent that would ripple across the country, paving the way for other states, and perhaps countries, to follow.

John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing automakers, said automakers support the transition to electric cars, but called the timeline “very aggressive,” adding that it will be “extremely challenging” for the industry to adjust in time.

“Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directly linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing and the ongoing semiconductor shortage,” he said. “These are complex, intertwined and global issues well beyond the control of either the California Air Resources Board or the auto industry.”

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Join #TeamEBLC

If your company is not a member of the East Bay Leadership Council, we hope you will consider joining us. Learn more about our work and the benefits of membership at www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com

 
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