Nicole Capretz

headshot of Nicole Capretz

Panel Moderator
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Climate Action Campaign

Bio

Nicole Capretz is an environmental attorney with over 20 years of experience as an energy, equity, and climate policy advisor for local governments and the nonprofit sector. Nicole was the primary author of the City of San Diego’s groundbreaking 100% clean energy Climate Action Plan, and she has since helped other cities in Southern California adopt similar 100% clean energy climate plans, as well as helped to launch three Community Choice Energy programs. The California Energy Commission dubbed her the "godmother of 100% clean energy" when she was inducted into the agency's Clean Energy Hall of Fame in 2021.

Nicole was appointed by the Senate Pro Tem to the California Strategic Growth Council in 2018 to help shape policies on housing, climate, equity and transportation. Ms. Capretz received a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master of Arts in Environmental Law, and a Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law School.

Previously, Nicole served as the Associate Director for Green Energy/Green Jobs at Environmental Health Coalition, an environmental justice organization in National City. She has also worked as an environmental and energy policy advisor for the San Diego City Council. Nicole’s duties as Founder and Executive Director of CAC include overall strategic and operational responsibility for the organization’s staff, programs, expansion and execution of its mission.

Nicole’s pioneering work on climate policy has earned her numerous accolades: