Tyson Eckerle, 36, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of zero emission vehicle infrastructure at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, where he has served as zero emission vehicle infrastructure project manager since 2014. Eckerle was executive director at Energy Independence Now from 2011 to 2014, where he was associate director from 2009 to 2011. He served in several positions at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District from 2002 to 2007, including regulatory project manager, biologist, recruitment coordinator and environmental planner. Eckerle earned a Master of Science degree in environmental science and management from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation. Eckerle is a Democrat.

Energy Independence Now (EIN) is a non-profit organization that uses policy, advocacy and research in effort to move California to a clean, sustainable, transportation economy. As Executive Director, I performed the following functions: Develop, implement and adapt strategic plan to maximize organizational effectiveness. Mentor and manage employees and interns. Write grants to secure funding. Manage accounts and budget. Analyze state and federal policy and advocate for aggressive, achievable emissions reductions in the transportation sector. Collaborate and negotiate with stakeholders (i.e., businesses, legislative and agency staff, other NGOs) to help ensure development of effective transportation and climate policies. Develop and communicate accessible technical materials for key decision makers, staff, and the public. Seek and connect partners to implement clean transportation projects.

Earned Master of Environmental Science and Management degree. Group Project Thesis: Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in the Cofan Bermejo Reserve, Ecuador.

Project Manager/Biologist: Represented the public interest as a Regulatory Project Manager under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. Negotiated with project proponents and coordinated with an assortment of resource agencies to ensure approved projects avoided, minimized, and/or mitigated for impacts to the nation’s water resources. Composed concise special conditions, decision documents, and permit authorizations. Recruitment Coordinator: Coordinated corporate recruitment activities for the San Francisco District Office. Worked with local universities to provide career opportunities to a diverse group of science and engineering students. Presented to various student groups, worked with managers to assess hiring needs, and served as a primary point of contact for interested applicants. Awarded Commander’s Award for Civilian Service for outstanding contributions to the South Pacific Division's Regional Corporate Recruitment Program.Environmental Planner: Composed Environmental Assessments for small federal projects ($2-5 million) to analyze potential impacts to the human environment as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970. Wrote Essential Fish Habitat assessments and conducted endangered species consultations with appropriate federal agencies.Action Officer, Water and Ice Planning Response (PRT) Team: Served as a team leader and information liaison for the Water and Ice PRT for the federal response to Hurricane Wilma. Worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the State of Florida, and USACE headquarters to assess product needs and help facilitate the transportation and delivery of water and ice supplies to Hurricane Wilma victims.