Biographies of the 2011 participants in our Leaders-in-Field-Training (LIFT) program. If you are an employer in the green building sector, you may be interested in interviewing these professional youth.

Hello my fellow readers! My name is Ilana Ramos. I was born in Berkeley, California, but have lived throughout the East Bay. I like long walks on the beach. Softball and fishing are my current fun outlets. I just want to note that I am in love with two men but they don't know it yet. The two are Andres Torres and Emmanuel Burris of The San Francisco Giants 2010 World Series Champs! Currently I play on 3 Adult Softball Teams, Tuesday nights, Friday nights and Sunday. I will go back to school and complete my Liberal Arts Degree. Not quite sure what I want to major in but who really knows at age 20?

Hey there! I’m Daniel Spaizman, the LIFT for the peninsula’s first CYES site, San Mateo.  Unlike all the other LIFT, this is my first year with Rising Sun.  Although I’m a newcomer, I’m excited and confident that I, as well as my site, will perform well. 

Currently, I am 20 years old and attend Cal Poly down in San Luis Obispo. I love science and math, which has led me to major in Physics and minor in economics.  In addition, I’m very passionate about global climate change and alternative energy sources.  In the future, I hope to see thousands of electric cars on the road, all of which are fueled by solar, wind, and nuclear energy.

Many thanks to Rising Sun for allowing me the opportunity to gain professional skills, give back to my local community, and best of all, do something I love. 

My name is Hannah Anderson and I am the LIFT for Union City in 2011. I am 20 years old and enjoying life. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and absolutely love the cultures and diversity that can be found here. I’m currently going to college and majoring in Communications and minoring in Psychology. I love to learn and gain experiences and have therefore had a job at least every summer since I was 14. This is my third summer with CYES, first as an Energy Specialist and on my second summer in the LIFT position. I hope to keep growing within the organization to help its success.

Since I was young my mother always ingrained in me not to litter, recycle when I can, turn off the water and other things along those lines. Those values have constantly stuck with me and have grown through the years. I always tell my friends to do the same, but there are so many more things we can do. That’s why Rising Sun Energy Center and their programs really interested me. The values of the organization are things I believe in and want to share with others to make a difference in the Bay Area, California and hopefully the world.

Hello, my name is Will Rich and I am the San Leandro LIFT.  I was born in Boston, Massachusetts and lived in New Hampshire for four years before moving out to Fremont, California, where I currently live.  I am a sophomore at UC Davis majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering. I also serve on the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission at UC Davis, improving the environmental stewardship of our student body.  I find myself motivated to educate the public about the need for environmental action, which made Rising Sun an excellent match.

I worked with Rising Sun last year as an Energy Specialist and enjoyed helping people in my community retrofit their homes with more efficient measures.  I am truly impressed that such an organization promoting environmental measures, youth empowerment, and money savings can exist.  The professional development and public speaking skills that I have attained helped me land an internship this last fall with a Davis non-profit and a seat on the environmental commission I previously mentioned.  Rising Sun excels at developing youth into employable adults, and for that, I am grateful to continue my work with Rising Sun as a LIFT.  As San Leandro LIFT, I want to inspire my site’s Energy Specialists to become professional adults and develop into the environmental ambassadors necessary to combat climate change.

My name is John Hasse and I am the Berkeley site LIFT for 2011.  I have deep roots within Berkeley as I was born, raised, and still reside in Northwest Berkeley. More recently, I have begun to explore the rest of California, as I now attend Pomona College, located just east of Los Angeles, where I will begin my 4th year this coming fall.  At Pomona, I am majoring in Environmental Studies, with a specific focus on Environmental Design. From the beginning of my time in college, I have always had an interest in environmental issues, especially those related to the urban landscape. As a result, I find every new idea related to greening our cities -- from rooftop gardens to large-scale bike share programs to increased energy efficiency -- fascinating and exciting. 

Because of my academic interests, I began working for CYES last summer as an Energy Specialist at the Oakland site.  It was during this time that I truly began to understand the importance of having young people get out into their communities and lend a helping hand, especially if that hand is keen on improving the environment in which we live. I feel very lucky to have been re-hired this summer as a LIFT and I hope to bring my previous CYES experience to the Berkeley site in hopes that this will help ensure that CYES and Rising Sun have a great and fun summer!

Hi! My name is Jasmin Alves. I was born in Florida in 1992. I moved out to the Bay Area before I can even remember and I have lived here since. I have lived in Livermore my entire life, just as my dad did. I am a very versatile person with lots of hobbies. God, music, and lacrosse are my life. I love living a healthy lifestyle and I strive to do so in all elements of my life. I graduated high school and recently just finished my freshman year of college at a small liberal arts private school in Salt Lake City. I have learned a lot of new things to do like hiking and snowboarding. I also got a Chocolate Labrador/ Golden Retriever/ German Shepherd puppy for my 19th birthday while in Utah so she loves the snow (I still do not). Currently I am home for the summer to help the earth, visit my family, and enjoy California (except its raining right now). I am excited to  be a LIFT because it seems like a great way to spend my summer.

I started working at Rising Sun Energy as an Energy Specialist  the summer after graduating high school. I worked in a bowling alley all of high school and since I was leaving after the summer I decided to take on both jobs. I am quite addicted to being busy and working. Being an ES was the coolest job I ever had (and I worked at McDonald's). It was amazing being able to bring my creativity and my love for spreading knowledge to a position where hard work and dedication pays off. It was unlike any other job I had ever had. So I applied to be a LIFT. I am looking forward to being able to gain leadership skills, develop professional skills, and the skills required to someday become an outreach manager at a site. I feel so blessed that I have a job I can do during the summer so I can really focus on my studies while I am in school. Since moving to Utah, a green lifestyle has become a way of living. I used to not really understand global warming but now I consider myself knowledgeable about the program. I have learned more about myself and my environment. The experience with the organization helped me pinpoint my career goals. I am majoring in neuroscience pre-med in hope of discovering the effects of the environment on the body. One day I hope to give natural remedies to individuals and bring an overall healthy lifestyle to as many people as I meet. Changing the world starts with one person at a time.

Would you be interested in interviewing any of these graduates about green sector job prospects? Contact Natesha Tabor, CYES Program Manager: by phone at (510) 665-1501 x15 or via email.