Meet the passionate and deeply committed PECI team.

Board of Directors

Aja DeCoteau

Member Since 2021

Aja DeCoteau is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and has other tribal lineage with the Cayuse, Nez Perce and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. She has over twenty years of experience working on natural resource management and policy issues in the Columbia River Basin. She currently serves as the Watershed Department Manager for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) in Portland, where she coordinates fisheries restoration and watershed protection activities on behalf of the Yakama, Nez Perce, Umatilla, and Warm Springs tribes. Aja also sits on the Board of Trustees for Earthjustice and the Board of Directors for the Columbia Land Trust. She received her Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies and Native American studies from Dartmouth College and holds a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University, School of the Environment.

Amanda Potter

Member Since 2002

In her current position overseeing Energy Trust of Oregon’s Agriculture and Industry teams, Amanda combines expertise in the technical aspects of energy efficiency with excellent problem-solving and management skills. Her previous experience includes senior roles with CLEAResult and PECI. She holds a BS in electrical engineering from Cornell University and a Master’s of Engineering degree from Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France.

Chris Crockett

Member Since 2021

Chris is an Energy Engineer at Nexant, where he and his team focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects around Oregon. Chris has recently gotten involved with utilities and non-profits, helping with market transformation around electric mobility. He is an advocate of green technology and sustainable living and hopes to immerse himself in government policy to make sure that underserved communities feel the benefits of a green future. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Georgia and a degree in renewable energy engineering from the Oregon Institute of Technology. He is working toward a Master of Arts in sustainability from Harvard Extension School.

Esther Pullido

Member Since 2020

Esther is a Project Manager at Pacific Power and supports the day-to-day administration of transportation electrification programs. Prior to Pacific Power, Esther had a diverse background in both the public and private sectors. She started her career in sustainability at Enhabit supporting home efficiency and weatherization. Recently she helped launch ReachNow’s car share service in Portland and opened Forth’s Electric Vehicle Showcase. She is passionate about transportation equity and working with underserved communities. Esther holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geography and regional development from the University of Arizona.

Jaimes Valdez

Co-President | Member Since 2020

Jaimes Valdez works for the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, focused on the launch of the groundbreaking Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund. Before taking this position, Jaimes worked for Spark Northwest, where he covered regulatory, market and legislative policy issues and worked to create communities powered by affordable, locally-controlled clean energy. He has more than five years of experience in energy issues, including in project development, energy planning, utility marketing and public advocacy towards an equitable, clean energy economy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in physics and environmental studies from Whitman College.

Nancy J. Hamilton

Secretary | Member Since 2018

Nancy’s 20 years of experience includes serving as chief of staff to Mayor Tom Potter and leading workforce and economic development efforts for Governor Ted Kulongoski. Her current consulting practice focuses on public process efforts, government affairs, and economic development as it relates to carbon reduction and energy efficiency. She holds a BS in communication from Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University.

Stephen Eichenlaub

Treasurer | Member Since 2011

Steve is currently Director of Sales and Operations at InEight Inc., a software startup focused on improving productivity and efficiency in the construction and operation of complex mega-projects, such as international airports. Steve is active in the Portland startup community and serves on multiple advisory boards. He holds a BS in electrical and nuclear engineering from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Susan Anderson

Co-President | Member Since 2018

Susan is the CEO of Urban Confluence, a consulting firm focused on the nexus among climate, clean energy, jobs and equity. For ten years, she was the director of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, responsible for land use planning and design, zoning, climate, energy and environmental issues. She developed the first local Climate Action Plan in the U.S. in the mid-90s. Susan holds Bachelor’s degrees in economics and environmental science from UC Santa Barbara and an MA in urban and regional planning from the University of Oregon.

Staff

Tim Miller

Interim Executive Director

Tim’s 30 years in leadership roles bring broad experience to his work at PECI. For the last 16 years, Tim has been 100% focused on sustainability and energy, serving as CEO and COO of Enhabit for eight years, providing strategic consulting for dozens of organizations, and launching his own clean tech startup. Previously, he helped grow Citysearch.com, and gained high-performance leadership experience through five years at Intel.

Tim serves on the board of Forth, which advances electric and smart transportation, and is the board president of Climate Solutions, the Northwest’s leading climate policy organization. He earned an MBA with honors and a BA with honors in economics, both from Stanford University.

Our Team