Staff

Senior Management

Martin Schlageter is the interim executive director and guides our campaign work across the state from the Los Angeles office. He joined CCA in 2002 to help steer California, especially Los Angeles, toward a greater transition to renewable energy. Martin previously worked as a conservation coordinator for the Sierra Club and as executive director of Friends of the Los Angeles River. He graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in international relations.

Policy and Research

Nidia Bautista, policy director, has been with CCA since 2003. Currently based in Sacramento, she is responsible for managing the organization’s advocacy and outreach efforts in California’s inland valleys. Previously, Nidia served as field representative for Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, worked on several progressive campaigns throughout Los Angeles County and helped produce an environmental directory for the East San Gabriel Valley. She majored in political science at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Shankar B. Prasad, M.B.B.S. is an executive fellow in the Sacramento office, where he has been since February 2008. He has more than 21 years of experience in environmental health research and policy development and has served on various federal and state scientific review panels, as well as the National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. He studied medicine at the University of Bangalore, India and completed a fellowship with a focus on air pollution at the UC Irvine Department of Community Medicine.

Campaigns

Luis R. Cabrales is the deputy director of campaigns in the Los Angeles office. Before coming to CCA in 2006, he served as California Organizer at the National Environmental Trust. Additionally, Luis is a co-founder of Residents of Pico Rivera for Environmental Justice and co-creator of "Nuestra Voz" (Our Voice), a roundtable talk show on KPFK. Luis received a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology at Cal State L.A.

Candice Kim is senior campaign associate, working primarily on stemming toxic air pollution coming from ports and freight transportation in the state of California. Based in Los Angeles, she is also the co-chair of the Green Los Angeles Port Work Group. Prior to joining CCA in 2005, Candice spent many years engaged in public health, immigrants’ rights and community and labor organizing, with a focus on organizing health professionals. She has bachelor’s degrees in art and sociology from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Development

Liz Ernst is CCA's development director. Based in the Los Angeles office, she works to grow the organization's base of support. Prior to joining CCA in 2007, Liz was a fundraising consultant for nonprofit organizations, including the Autry National Center in Los Angeles and the Society for Contemporary Art in Chicago, and she previously served as assistant director of development for the Art Institute of Chicago. Liz has also worked as an account executive and auctioneer in auction houses in Atlanta and Chicago. She attended Skidmore College in New York, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in art history and business.


Amanda Dudley joined CCA's Los Angeles office as development associate in October of 2009.
Previously, Amanda worked as an associate in major gift development for Save the Children in San Francisco. She has also held several other development roles with the City of Charleston, South Carolina. Amanda earned her bachelor's degree in political science from the College of Charleston.

Communications

Monica Howe, communications and design director, has been with the Los Angeles office since 2008. Formerly a bicycle advocate with the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and the Bicycle Kitchen, she has been featured in news media and documentary works across the country and abroad. Monica has also worked as a freelance singer and graphic designer. She attended Art Center College of Design, where she earned her bachelor's degree in photography and fine art.

Administration

Marvas Quach joined the Los Angeles office as administrative associate in 2010. She came from a background of land and water conservation and urban restoration work. Marvas has worked with various environmental nonprofit groups, including Friends of the Los Angeles River, Amigos de los Rios and the Trust for Public Land. She earned a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a master’s degree in environmental science at California State Polytechnic University, Fullerton.

Michael A. Michner, CPA, is the controller and has worked in the Los Angeles office since 2007. Michael has more than 20 years of nonprofit accounting experience and currently controls the accounting departments for Public Counsel, California Women's Law Center, Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Deaf West Theatre and numerous other small organizations and businesses. He attended California State University Northridge, where he received a bachelor's degree in business administration: accounting theory and practice.