VX News is the editorial voice of the annual VerdeXchange Conference, featuring in-depth interviews with industry leaders and policymakers driving innovation in clean energy, water, transportation, and climate policy.
POLB’s Mario Cordero on Leadership, Legacy, and the Future of Maritime Trade
As he steps down after eight years as CEO, Mario Cordero reflects on transforming the Port of Long Beach into a global model for sustainable growth and environmental stewardship. In conversation with VX News, Cordero recounts launching the Green Port Policy, co-developing the Clean Air Action Plan, and championing Green Shipping Corridors with Shanghai and Singapore—initiatives that redefined the port’s mission beyond cargo throughput.
Incoming to LA County ISD: Alycia Gilde on Accelerating Climate Action When Washington Won’t
Alycia Gilde, newly appointed to lead Los Angeles County’s Internal Services Department (ISD) climate initiatives, shares her vision for advancing clean energy deployment at the local level. Drawing on her federal experience shaping zero-emission vehicle strategy at the White House, leadership at CALSTART, and decades of collaboration from New York City to Los Angeles, including her Peace Corps experience in Ghana, West Africa, Gilde brings both national and international expertise to the role.
VX Excerpt: The Future of Clean Hydrogen in Los Angeles
Maressa Brennan provides independent oversight over rate making and investment decisions for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP). Brennan’s article in the Ratepayer Advocate’s Office Blog discusses the clean energy future of Los Angeles in the wake of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cancelling up to $1.2 billion in federal funding for California’s clean hydrogen hub.
NEDO Chairman Tamotsu Saito on Japan–California Collaboration
At VerdeXchange Conference 2025, Tamotsu Saito, Chairman of Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), underscored the critical role of international innovation partnerships in navigating an era of climate and geopolitical uncertainty.
Why Post-Fire Soil Sampling Matters — And How to Do It Smartly
In a VX News Op-Ed, Sokolow shares ten points to keep in mind for the post-fire soil sampling process, which includes reminders to check for car location, household and pool chemical storage, Asbestos, and more.
John Boesel on 25 Years of Leading CALSTART
After nearly a quarter century at the helm, John Boesel is stepping down as CEO of CALSTART, the nonprofit that turns clean transportation from an environmental experiment into an industrial movement. Under Boesel’s leadership, CALSTART helped push zero-emission trucks and buses from lab prototypes to commercial mainstays, shaping markets that now define the future of mobility.
California’s Next Power Play - Transmission & Renewable Energy Markets
At the Los Angeles Business Council’s Sustainability Summit, former LA Times climate columnist Sammy Roth led a wide-ranging discussion with CAISO CEO Elliot Mainzer, SCE’s Mike Backstrom, and developers from AES, EDF, Southwestern Power Group, and Vineyard Offshore on how California will build the grid a clean economy requires.
David Nahai: Water Contamination, Climate Resilience, and Regional Leadership
Recently reappointed by Governor Gavin Newsom and confirmed by the California Senate, David Nahai is serving a fifth term as Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. In conversation with VX News, Nahai outlines the Board’s top priorities amid recent and converging climate threats, including wastewater recycling, stormwater capture, aquifer remediation, and a more integrated embrace of the One Water framework.
Launching California’s Climate Bond – What’s Next?
VX News presents an excerpted webinar hosted by Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency (CRNA), where he discusses the implementation of Proposition 4 and specific programs it will support with a variety of key agency leaders, including Lauren Sanchez, the recently appointed Chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Jim Wunderman on Regional Stewardship to Statewide Coalition Building
Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman discusses the politics of state-led housing reform, discusses California’s approach to interim and long-term housing, and the new San Francisco mayoral leadership restoring public confidence and advancing pragmatic reforms.