Warner Chabot, Chief Executive Officer
For over 30 years, Warner has managed successful regional, state and national campaigns to elect progressive candidates and achieve landmark environmental practices and policies. Warner is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV), the political action arm of the state’s environmental movement, and the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (CLCVEF), the public education, voter engagement and capacity-building arm of the environmental community.
Previously, Warner worked in senior leadership positions for the Ocean Conservancy, which advocates for healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems. He served as Vice-President for Campaign Strategies and, previously, as Vice President for Regional Operations. Warner took the helm of CLCV and CLCVEF at a time of great momentum in California’s environmental movement—with the passage of the landmark anti-sprawl bill SB 375 and the election of several critical environmental champions to the state legislature.
Dr. Eric Schockman, Vice President
Eric has 30 years of political and public policy experience with state, regional and local elected officials, universities and nonprofit organizations in California. His work includes establishing and growing public policy think tanks, consulting for the California State Assembly and the Los Angeles City Council, co-authoring several books on public policy and serving as Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Southern California.
Eric currently chairs the California Post Secondary Education Commission. He has also served on the state Little Hoover Commission, a bipartisan, independent body that promotes efficiency, effectiveness and economy in state programs. Most recently, Eric has worked on issues surrounding hunger, sustainability and poverty. He is the president and founder of the Global Hunger Foundation and served as CEO of a prestigious national anti-hunger organization over the past decade. A member of both the National Interfaith Hunger Director’s Committee and the Alliance to End Hunger, Eric also served on the board of directors for the Global Food Banking Network.
Alyson Ogasian, Administrative & Development Assistant
Alyson has several years experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on arts organizations. Before moving to Los Angeles, Alyson worked in Development and Donor Relations at the Art Gallery of Ontario and later at Canadian Stage, the largest non-profit contemporary theatre company in Canada. She has volunteered at many other institutions in both the US and Canada including the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, The Hill-Stead Museum, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, and Modern Fuel Artist Run Centre. Alyson is excited to put her nonprofit skills to use helping elect environmental champions and protect California’s air, land and water.
Rebecca Saltzman, Government Affairs Manager
Rebecca has several years of political advocacy, grassroots organizing and management experience with local and national campaigns and issue-based organizations. During the 2010 election cycles, Rebecca worked as Campaign Director for The Next Generation, a full-service campaign consulting, management and issue advocacy firm specializing in environmental issues in the Bay Area and across California.
Outside of work, Rebecca is a public transit and smart growth advocate having chaired the No on KK campaign committee and helping to defeat this anti-transit ballot initiative with 77% of the vote. She writes a blog, Living in the O, which focuses on Oakland community, politics, and planning. Rebecca graduated with a BA in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Julianne Simitz, Development Manager
Julianne brings nearly a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector to CLCV Education Fund. Most recently, Julianne was Development & Communications Manager for Executive Service Corps of Southern California, an organization that provides coaching, consulting and capacity-building services to regional nonprofits. Prior to relocating to California, Julianne worked for progressive change at several national organizations including the Interfaith Alliance, People for the American Way and the Human Rights Campaign as well as consulting for Adams Hussey & Associates, a full-service, multichannel direct marketing firm supporting progressive clients.
Outside of work, Julianne serves as Vice President for Fundraising with the National Women’s Political Caucus – Westside Los Angeles Chapter, volunteers for Project Angel Food and is an avid painter and urban gardener. Julianne completed an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University and graduated with BA’s in Political Science and Religious Studies from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania.
