Our Current Team
Gary Simon, Chairman
A seasoned energy executive and entrepreneur with 45 years of experience in business, government, and non-profits.
Mark Henwood, Board Member
CEO of Henwood Associates, Inc., an owner and operator of hydroelectric facilities in California. Mark also leads Powersoft, LLC, a SaaS provider and was a co-founder of CleanStart with Gary Simon.
Kiara Reed, Board Memeber
Kiara Reed is a digital media professional and community advocate based in Sacramento. In her current role with Comstock’s Magazine, a local award-winning business publication, Reed oversees the marketing efforts, digital management and community engagement. In addition to serving the Clean Start board Reed is also an executive board member of the Oak Park based nonprofit, Green Tech Education and Employment and volunteers her spare time to other Oak Park community organizations, including Oak Park Neighborhood Association and Oak Park Promise Neighborhood.
Benjamin Finkelor, Board Member
Brian Hoblit, Board Member
Brian is a Business Development Officer for U.S. Banks’ commercial lending division and is passionate about helping companies in Sacramento and the broader Central Valley region grow through debt and other financial services. Brian’s educational background includes advanced degrees in environmental engineering and business he has held a variety of roles in banking, finance, clean technology and water resources.
Dan Koellen, Board Member
Dan Koellen is a veteran of more than 25 years in the high technology and semiconductor industries. Dan has mentored and invested in several Sacramento area startup companies including two companies that have gone public. He is a board member of several Sacramento non-profits in technology, community support, economic development and world class botanical gardens. Recognizing his commitment to excellence in STEM; Dan is the development chair for the Astronomy Department Board of Visitors and adviser to the Applied Math, Engineering and Physics program, both at the University of Wisconsin.
Mark Humbert, Board Member
Mark is a trusted business adviser, providing assurance and accounting/finance services to public, privately-held and startup companies in the technology and life science sector. A Sacramento native with a passion for helping responsible companies and entrepreneurs thrive in the region, to know the numbers needed to support their business and market themselves to owners and investors. Mark spends his free time coaching and mentoring youth groups by taking them along with his family backpacking and hiking throughout Northern California.
Thomas Hall, Executive Director
Thomas has a strong background in supporting small businesses, leadership, financial management and is proficient in working with nonprofits. Thomas has a passion for sustainability and a commitment to supporting non-profits in the region.
Ingrid Rosten, Consultant
Former Executive Director of CleanStart between 2006 and 2014, Ingrid has returned to support the regional clean tech economy. Known as a powerful creator of strategic relationships with business, academic and government entities locally, nationally and internationally, she has focused supporting innovation and entrepreneurship through the development of busines incubators and development programs in tech.
Osato Evbuomwan, Executive Director
Osato Evbuomwan is a CSU Sacramento Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student who is the newest associate at CleanStart. Growing up in Nigeria with smog from backup diesel/ gasoline generators inspired Osato to work towards building a sustainable future for the world.
Past Team Members and Supporters of CleanStart
Sydney Jones, Intern
Currently operations Coordinator at Tesla
QiDong Jai, Associate
Qidong recently graduated from UC San Diego and has a B.S. in Managerial Economics. His multicultural background helps companies approach problems from new perspective.in the region. His passion of understanding new technologies that could change the world supports CleanStart and the Sacramento Region.
Renonedo Williams, Assoctiate
Renonedo graduated Sacramento State University, studying Mechanical Engineering. His interest in renewable energy and a clean environment has allowed him to become a member of the Cleanstart team as an intern. Renonedo has a back ground in design and material selection along with motor efficiency.
Christian Maldonado, Associate
Madeleine Jones, Intern
Terry Chen, Intern
Kate Newton, Associate
Kate is a recent graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and has a strong background in entrepreneurship and global politics. After helping launch an AgTech startup on the central coast, Kate is back in her hometown looking to take her experience into the world of Cleantech and help grow the Sacramento region.
Ken-Ichi Hino, Guest Contributor
Ken-Ichi is a director with the Cleantech Group, where he works with clients throughout the cleantech innovation ecosystem across the energy, transportation, agriculture, and water sectors. Prior to joining Cleantech Group, Ken-Ichi held positions in strategy consulting and energy project development and financing. Ken-Ichi holds a BA in mathematics and economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.