Our Team
Julia Davila
Communications and Engagement Manager
Julia is a Project Manager at Drive Clean Colorado and started as a Clean Cities intern in September 2020. She is a recent Environmental Studies graduate from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota but grew up in the Bay Area, California. During her college years, Julia served as the Sustainability Coordinator for non-profit Ole Thrift Shop, interned with the City of Palo Alto Utilities, and volunteered for the Sierra Club. Julia is excited about the opportunities this role offers to work with consumers and stakeholders across the state. She loves being outdoors, is a houseplant fanatic, and a huge foodie.
Specialties & Projects
- Drive Electric Colorado Program
- Event support
- Consumer EV education & communications
- Stakeholder Engagement
Maddie Garbalagtys
Clean Cities Intern
Maddie is our CCUWDP Marketing Intern and is in her final semester as an undergraduate at Winona State University in Minnesota. She is majoring in Mass Communications: Public Relations and minoring in Sustainability. Maddie is excited to be a part of the DCC team and for the opportunity to combine her experience in communications with her passion for sustainable practices to help achieve the goal of cleaner air for Colorado. In her free time, you will find Maddie outdoors or at a local coffee shop.
Specialties & Projects:
- Event Support
- Stakeholder communication and support
- Digital marketing and communications tasks
Matt Lerman
Regional Director – Denver Area
Specialties & Projects
- Event Support
- Fleet Analysis & Outreach
- Medium & Heavy Duty Vehicle Electrification
Sonja Meintsma
Regional Director – South
Sonja is a Project Manager at Drive Clean Colorado. She holds a Master of Public Affairs with a focus in sustainability and policy analysis from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology & African Studies from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota—her home state. Sonja brings extensive community development experience to the team having worked as a grant coordinator for Girls Inc. of Monroe County (IN) and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia, where she focused on food security, income generation, and conservation agriculture. She has developed her knowledge and expertise on clean transportation and clean fuels through her work across the industry, having partnered with leading manufacturers, non-profits, and local governments to advance transportation electrification. She is dedicated to living sustainably and is motivated every day to fight for clean air and blue skies across Colorado.
Specialties & Projects:
- Infrastructure development support & Charge Ahead Colorado support
- Grant Writing & Project Management
- Consumer EV Coaching
- Event Support
- Fleet Analysis & Transition Support
- Policy Specialist
Kristi Mladenovic
Business Director
Kristi is the Business Director at Drive Clean Colorado and came on to the team in January 2019. Kristi provides leadership in all areas of accounting and is responsible for administrative systems and data. She has over 20 years of experience in various senior accounting and financial analysis roles, directing the full spectrum of accounting and financial services from a $6B international firm to a diverse group of nonprofit organizations. She currently serves as a board president and treasurer for two local nonprofits. She is a 2nd Degree and Certified Instructor at a world-renowned Tang Soo Do martial arts academy. She received her bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University.
Specialties & Projects:
- Events, contracts, reporting & invoicing
- Grant writing, team organization & budget preparation; onboarding of grants awarded
- Accounting software, payroll & CRM
Gabriella Perkins
Deputy Director
Gabriella is the Deputy Director at Drive Clean Colorado and came on to the team in March 2020. Gabriella leads and provides support on all events and works with stakeholders and sponsors. She has been working in the clean transportation industry for almost 5 years now. Within the industry, she has experience in roles including marketing, PR, events, and grant writing & analysis. She received her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University.
Specialties & Projects:
- Lead event support (for fleets, consumers, and businesses)
- Infrastructure development support
- Stakeholder/Sponsor Engagement
- Charge Ahead Colorado Grant coaching
- Consumer EV coaching
Hayden Siekman
Clean Cities Intern
Hayden is passionate about making meaningful contributions to the expansion of clean energy and resource conservation while improving the triple-bottom line for business and civil systems. As a masters student in both Sustainable Business and Environmental Policy at the University of Colorado Boulder, Hayden is focused on improving the environmental, economic and social sustainability of human inflected processes and sees transportation as an exciting sector to continue to push sustainable and equitable change. Hayden is excited to be a part of the DCC team in order to deepen his knowledge of Colorado’s clean transportation industry and work with stakeholders across the state.
Specialties & Projects:
- Event Support
- Stakeholder communication and support
- Fleet Analysis & Outreach
Bonnie Trowbridge
Executive Director
Bonnie brings a deep knowledge of the market – from consumer EVs to alternative fuels to heavy-duty manufacturers and fleets, and a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle incentives arena across the U.S. – to her role as Executive Director for the Drive Clean Colorado (formerly Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition). With over 25 years of experience in business development for nonprofits and corporations, Bonnie is focused on achieving breathable air for everyone by advancing the clean transportation industry. Her past experience includes nonprofit development and fundraising, grant writing and management, and events management, and she spent 11 years in public relations and marketing for Lightning eMotors, manufacturer of electric powertrains for medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks, where she was instrumental in growing that company from a start-up to a thriving manufacturer. Her experience includes program management for CALSTART, a non-profit organization working to commercialize clean and efficient transportation solutions, where she led events such as a California policy summit, industry leader workshops, and utility engagement programs; and work as a development director for nonprofits in Denver and Washington, D.C.
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