Tony Brunello is a recognized expert on energy and environmental policy and regulations, governmental affairs, Tribal affairs, and coalition-building strategies with over 25 years of experience working in California and beyond.

Tony works with Tribes, industry and non profit clients to achieve state renewable energy, wildfire, telecommunications, and environmental incentive projects; helping fund and permit solar, battery storage and pumped storage projects; assisting Tribes expand land acquisition opportunities, increase their energy autonomy and increase Tribal health and safety; and building the most advanced autonomous vehicle fleet in California.

Tony’s experience working for California Governor Schwarzenegger included managing water, energy, and forest climate activities for the state’s Natural Resources Agency where he also provided expert witness testimony to Congress, sat on expert commissions and Boards and had significant media exposure.  He also led California’s first climate adaptation strategy in 2009.

Tony also has extensive work experience with federal and international governments, nonprofits and companies on energy and environment topics. Tony started and led the nonprofit organization Gridworks that helps lead planning for tomorrows low carbon electricity grid; he started the Governor’s Climate and Forest Task Force that works to reduce global deforestation, now led by UCLA; and was the Executive Director of the former organization The Tahoe-Baikal Institute.   He has also worked and lived in Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Ukraine working on energy and environmental issues for several U.S. Government agencies.

Tony has a Master’s of Science in Environmental and Resource Economics from University College London and a Bachelor of Arts in both Environmental Studies and Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He splits his time between San Francisco and Fallen Leaf Lake with his wife and two daughters.