For years California has been at the forefront of pioneering climate investments, dedicating billions of dollars to climate adaptation and resilience efforts. The tremendously important climate programs housed at various state departments including the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the Strategic Growth Council have supported the cultivation and growth of dynamic community partnerships and cross-sector collaboration among nonprofits, CBOs, tribes, local governments, climate collaboratives, and more. With the current budget deficit, these networks are developing innovative strategies for initiating and sustaining crucial collaborations and innovative funding relationships for climate initiatives.
In this webinar, California Strategic Growth Council Deputy Director of Community Investments and Planning Amar Cid, Former Senior Advisor of Climate and Economy to the California Governor’s Office Mary Collins, Valley Vision CEO Evan Schmidt, and Director of Environmental Initiatives for The San Diego Foundation Christiana DeBenedict will offer insights into how cohesive funding strategies from state, federal, and philanthropic sources can amplify the work of local communities and CBOs—increasing coordination, building coalitions and capacity, and investing in relationships as soft infrastructure for climate resilience.
For questions about this event, email Haley Ausserer-Zelaya.
Meet the Speakers
Amar Cid
Deputy Director of Community Investments and Planning
California Strategic Growth Council
Mary Collins
Former Senior Advisor of Climate and Economy to the California Governor’s Office
Christiana DeBenedict
Director, Environmental Initiatives
San Diego Foundation
Evan Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer
Valley Vision
This webinar series is sponsored by:
Amar Cid
Amar values and utilizes her lived and learned experiences, rooted in racial justice, the environment, and the community’s ability to thrive, to inform her professional work. With over 15 years of experience in transportation and community planning, Amar has led various programs across nonprofits, the private sector, and state agencies. Amar is the Strategic Growth Council’s Deputy Director of Community Investments and Planning—managing a portfolio consisting of community-centered climate investment programs totaling $1B. Prior to her current role, she led the country’s first State DOT office on Race and Equity at Caltrans. Amar identifies as Xicana and Indigenous (Yaqui/Yoeme) and is a cultural artist raising little to connect to their community and the land in a healing way. She holds a BS and MA in Community Planning.
Mary Collins
Mary Collins has served in leadership roles in government, climate diplomacy, academia, and non-profits, working to realize a shared prosperity for people and planet. Mary was mostly recently a Senior Advisor for Climate and Economy at the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, where she advised on issues related to climate change and economic development. She provided strategic direction and oversight for the California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative, a $450 million multi-year program created to promote sustainability, equity, and development of regional sustainable industries.
Prior to joining OPR, Mary was the Managing Director for the American Jobs Project, a non-profit think tank founded by Jennifer Granholm that focused on place-based economic development strategies to decarbonize our economy. She was a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley’s California Institute for Energy and Environment, working on the US-Mexico Binational Laboratory on the restructuring of energy markets.
Mary served as a climate attaché for COP26, and has worked on energy, climate, and industrial policy for the UK and Norway. She served in Peace Corps Panama, working hand-in-glove with farmers, community members, and the Panamanian government. Mary has an MPP from the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy and a B.S. from Virginia Tech. She is a certified yoga instructor and likes to garden and hike with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Christiana DeBenedict, MBA
Christiana DeBenedict serves as Director of Environmental Initiatives at San Diego Foundation (SDF), leading programs and directing resources to build a more equitable and resilient San Diego. She has built her career locally, developing capacity, resources, programs and networks in support of our regional and binational environment and community.
Christiana is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of SDF environment initiatives with a focus on environmental equity, supporting our most vulnerable communities facing air and water pollution, climate change impacts and lack of access to green spaces. Since 2021, she has led the establishment of the Binational Resilience Initiative, which has supported over $2 million in funding for binational coastal resilience projects; directed the San Diego County’s Food Community Grant Program facilitating over $5.5 million in grants locally to support local food systems; and is managing the SDF Environment team to serve as lead applicant for both a Transformative Climate Communities grant of $22 million and Environmental Protection Agency Community Change Grant of $20 million to facilitate over $42 million in funding to community-driven climate projects benefiting the historic central barrios of San Diego.
Prior to her tenure at SDF, Christiana worked at The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego, managing The Equinox Project and the Outdoor Leaders Initiative. She also directed the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, a network of cities and public agencies working to advance local climate solutions. She was Assistant Director of Climate Education Partners, a $5 million National Science Foundation funded project that engaged and informed government, business and community leaders on local climate impacts.
Christiana graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Languages and Bilingual Issues and holds an International MBA from IE Business School in Madrid, Spain.
Evan Schmidt
Evan Schmidt is the Chief Executive Officer of Valley Vision, one of California’s most respected triple-bottom line nonprofits leading regional and statewide initiatives that advance livability. Evan has shaped Valley Vision’s growth and direction since joining in 2014. She has a strong record of success as a researcher, facilitator, and collaborative problem-solver, and uses those talents to ensure Valley Vision remains a stable and influential force in California.
Prior to Valley Vision, Evan led research and evaluation projects across the U.S., helping organizations become more impactful. She also advanced major regional community initiatives and conducted research at UC Davis in community development and environmental planning. Evan’s experience in community development, economic development, community engagement, and more spans decades. Evan was recognized as one of the region’s 100 Most Notable Business Leaders in 2021, a Sacramento Business Journal Woman Who Means Business in 2023, and has authored scholarly publications and contributed to a variety of regional and statewide media outlets.