Environmental Leadership Chronicles

Hosted by AEP

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Sep 2026

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About the show

Environmental Leadership Chronicles is brought to you by the California Association of Environmental Professionals. We interview leaders in the environmental industry to share information about their career development beyond the technical work. This podcast is for anyone who is interested in any and all things within the environmental profession and leadership.

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60 recent

September 28, 2026Episode 7051 min

Permitting the Future of Energy Storage ft. Laurel Glass Lees, Hydrostor

Recorded in person at the 2026 AEP State Conference in San Diego, this episode features longtime AEP leader and former Environmental Leadership Chronicles co-host Laurel Glass Lees. She moves to the guest seat to share how her career went from sampling storm drains to leading environmental permitting for long-duration energy storage. As Senior Director of Development Permitting, North America, at Hydrostor, Laurel permits advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) projects, which store energy by compressing air into purpose-built underground caverns. Laurel discusses what it takes to permit large-scale energy infrastructure in California: working closely and transparently with host communities, how the California Energy Commission's process differs from traditional CEQA review, and how mitigation requirements and land scarcity affect the cost of clean energy. She also reflects on how a fascination with economics and the environment shaped her path, and why a CEQA background is an asset in a development role.

July 24, 2026Episode 691 hr 8 min

Navigating San Diego Bay, ft. Sid Voorakkara, Port of San Diego

In this episode, we are joined by Sid Voorakkara, Port of San Diego Board Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Port's Environmental Advisory Committee. Sid shares his experience in advocacy and public service, the power of networks and perseverance, and local outreach efforts that connect students and communities to San Diego Bay. We explore Port of San Diego priorities including the Maritime Clean Air Strategy, the Blue Economy incubator, Pond 20 wetlands restoration and mitigation bank, and workforce development to create high-wage regional jobs. Sid highlights concrete project examples and cross-jurisdictional collaboration with city, state, and federal partners. For environmental professionals, Sid offers practical takeaways on presenting data and stories, engaging with agencies on decision-making, and advancing equitable, resilient solutions for San Diego Bay's future.

June 4, 2026Episode 681 hr 26 min

Live from the AEP State Conference: The Abundance Agenda: What Part Does CEQA Really Play, ft. Corinne Lytle Bonine, Mindy Fogg & Matt Klopfenstein

What part does CEQA really play in why we can't have nice things? Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson makes the case that systemic barriers, not lack of resources or will, prevent progress on ambitious projects. Environmental regulations, including CEQA and NEPA, are part of that conversation. In this live panel recording from the 2026 AEP Conference, we are joined by environmental professionals with experience across government, lobbying, development, and consulting to ask what the Abundance Agenda actually means for California's environmental review process. The conversation covers how much of project delay is really attributable to CEQA or whether California's reforms are meaningful progress or a way of avoiding harder structural questions. Other topics include what BACA (Building an Affordable California Act) could change, and which parts of CEQA, like the fair argument standard, deserve a closer look. This session was recorded live with audience participation that includes real-time reactions, honest disagreement, and perspectives from across the profession.

May 20, 2026Episode 6756 min

Protecting California's Wild Places ft. Armando Quintero, California State Parks

In this episode, we are joined by Armando Quintero – Director of California State Parks. Armando spent more than two decades with the National Park Service, serving as a park ranger at Sequoia, Point Reyes, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. He later led the Sierra Nevada Research Institute at UC Merced, served on the California Water Commission, including as its chair, and was elected to the Marin Municipal Water District Board. In 2020, Governor Newsom appointed him director of California State Parks, one of the largest state park systems in the nation, with over 280 parks spanning 1.6 million acres. Armando truly has a passionate and purpose-driven approach to his work, and how he views his responsibility as a leader. He joins us to talk about environmental leadership, equity and access in the outdoors, and what it takes to protect California's most treasured landscapes.

March 23, 2026Episode 6640 min

Expanding Equitable Access to California's Parks ft. Kindley Walsh Lawlor, Parks California

California's state parks belong to all of us, and protecting them, funding them, and making sure everyone feels welcome in them takes intentional leadership. In this episode we're speaking with Kindley Walsh Lawlor, the inaugural President and CEO of Parks California, the nonprofit partner to California State Parks. Since joining in 2018, Kindley has built an organization focused on designing innovative partnerships, scaling sustainable solutions, and fostering inclusive experiences for underserved communities and younger generations. Before Parks California, Kindley spent over 25 years in sustainability, social justice, and equity leadership — including leading human rights and ESG efforts at Gap Inc. She also serves on the board of the Western National Parks Association.

March 9, 2026Episode 6534 min

CEQA Series: Fair Argument Standard, ft. Corinne Lytle Bonine, Kristin Blackson, and Matt Klopfenstein

In this episode, we have a panel of environmental policy and planning experts joining to discuss the CEQA fair argument standard. Corinne Lytle Bonine has over 18 years of environmental permitting experience and serves as the Director of Environmental Permitting for the Western Region and Wind nationwide at AES. She also serves as the Administrative Vice President for AEP's State Board of Directors. Kristin Blackson has extensive knowledge as an environmental planner - with 25 years of experience, she is a CEQA practitioner, educator, and active participant in California's environmental policy conversations. Kristin is also the Director-At-Large on AEP's State Board of Directors And Matt Klopfenstein is Co-Founder and Partner at Summit Advocacy, a lobbyist specializing in CEQA, energy, and environmental policy who works extensively with the California legislature. Together, they'll share their perspectives on the fair argument standard including what it means, how it's applied, and why it matters for environmental professionals across California.

February 19, 2026Episode 6446 min

Leading with Kindness and Joy, ft. Florentina Craciun, LSA

Florentina Craciun is an urban planner with over 16 years of experience in environmental compliance. As a Senior Planner at LSA , she guides agencies and private clients through CEQA for projects like housing and commercial developments, historic building adaptive reuse, and public infrastructure. Florentina earned her Master's in Urban Planning from UCLA with an emphasis on environmental planning. Since then, she's worked to bridge graduate school ideals with real-world practice—making environmental planning more accessible through teaching CEQA courses, mentorship, and championing streamlined processes. And for over a decade, Florentina served on the APA Northern Section Board, with roles from Membership Director to Awards Co-Director. Florentina has done this while pursuing her vision of transforming environmental planning from a "can't do" barrier into a "can-do" tool for building more just communities.

January 28, 2026Episode 6345 min

Advancing California's Climate Agenda, ft. Senator Catherine S. Blakespear, California Senate District 38

Senator Catherine Blakespear represents California's 38th Senate District, covering northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. Senator Blakespear is a lawyer and former journalist with local government experience and elected the State Senate 2022. She currently chairs the Senate Environmental Quality Committee— a committee that covers legislation related to environmental quality, air quality, water quality, climate change, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Before entering state politics, Senator Blakespear served eight years in Encinitas city government, including six years as mayor. As a fourth-generation San Diegan, she's witnessed California's environmental challenges evolve firsthand—from local coastal access issues to regional air quality concerns to the transboundary environmental crisis at the Tijuana River. In just three years in the Senate, she's authored 24 bills signed into law, tackling issues from plastic bag bans to gun violence prevention to solar energy tax protections. Senator Blakespear has navigated the complex intersections of housing, transportation, climate action, and environmental protection—learning how policy decisions play out at different scales and how to balance competing priorities while advancing California's environmental leadership. Thanks for listening, we hope you enjoy!

January 20, 2026Episode 6247 min

Championing Coastal Resiliency and Environmental Policy, ft. Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, California District 77

We're honored to welcome Assemblymember Tasha Burner, who represents California's 77th Assembly District, encompassing coastal communities from Carlsbad and Encinitas south through La Jolla to Coronado. Assemblymember Boerner has served in the State Assembly since 2018 and currently chairs both the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy—a committee to address the urgent threats facing California's coastline. Her environmental leadership is evident in her successful legislation, including AB 823, which unanimously passed to ban plastic microbeads in leave-on personal care and cleaning products, and groundbreaking work to address plastic glitter pollution. Before her legislative career, she served on the Encinitas City Council and Planning Commission, where her advocacy began with a simple goal: getting a stop sign installed near her children's school. Assemblymember Boerner holds a Master's degree in International Studies from Claremont Graduate University and a Bachelor's in Political Science from UC Berkeley. She brings a blend of local government experience, business acumen, and passionate advocacy for coastal resilience, environmental protection, and community-centered policy to her work in Sacramento. Join us as we discuss her approach to environmental leadership, coastal adaptation, and shaping California's environmental future. And to learn more about the work the Assemblymember is doing, check the video series, Tea Time with Tasha .

December 16, 2025Episode 6149 min

Bridging Sectors for Sustainable Solutions, ft. Anne Middleton, WILDCOAST

In this episode, we feature Anne Middleton, a conservation professional whose career has taken her from Montana to Cameroon and now to California, bridging the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. From investigating international wildlife crime with the Environmental Investigation Agency to procuring sustainable ebony wood in Cameroon for Taylor Guitars, Anne's journey reflects her commitment to collaborative environmental solutions. In the fall of 2025, Anne was invited to present at TEDx – check out her talk on wildfire prevention, which is linked in the show notes. Currently with WILDCOAST, Anne previously served as Executive Director at ECOLIFE Conservation and held positions with the San Diego County Water Authority and Sustainability Matters. With degrees in biology from Oberlin College and Environmental Science and Management from UC Santa Barbara's Bren School, Anne believes that business can be a powerful instrument for positive change. We explore her perspective on coastal and marine conservation, public-private partnerships, and what it takes to create lasting solutions to our planet's most pressing environmental challenges.