Tara Stitzlein, CEO, CORE

Tara Stitzlein is the Chief Executive Officer of the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE), where she has held various leadership roles since 2022. Growing up on a Midwestern farm, Tara discovered her passion for environmentalism early on, setting her on a path toward impactful work in sustainability. She earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Colorado State University, followed by a Master of Science in Molecular Environmental Biology from the University of Tromsø in Norway, where she focused on studying marine plastic debris. Tara’s diverse experiences living and working in mountain communities, from Teton Valley, Idaho, to Seward, Alaska, have equipped her with a nuanced understanding of environmental challenges and community dynamics. In her role at CORE, Tara combines her scientific expertise and problem-solving skills to lead initiatives that address climate change and enhance community resilience. She is dedicated to fostering collaboration and driving innovative solutions that create a sustainable future for all residents.

Shawn LeMons, Industry Engagement Lead, Zero Homes

Shawn LeMons supports partnership and program strategy at Zero Homes, a Colorado-based

residential upgrade contractor specializing in cold-climate heat pumps, weatherization, and

beneficial electrification. His work centers on high-performance HVAC, building science, and

scaling the transition to all-electric homes across utility and co-op partner territories.

Shawn brings 28 years in the residential building industry, spanning small and large companies,

non-profits, and volunteer work. He has previously held certifications as a LEED Green Rater,

PHIUS+ Verifier, HERS Rater, BPI Professional, ICC Residential Energy Inspector, Level 1

Thermographer, and holds a BS in Business from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Since

2009, he has personally completed analysis and advising on over 8 million square feet of

residential and commercial buildings. He continues to expand his building science knowledge at

every opportunity, and enjoys working with electrification professionals at all levels to bring the

rigor and reality needed to meet the climate and housing-attainability challenges ahead.

"Part of my goal is to help people understand and apply simple yet effective ways to improve

the performance of their homes. If we look at national total energy inputs and outputs, the US

economy wastes twice as much energy as it uses. This ineffective use of resources is a

tremendous opportunity for our nation and the world. With resilient, socially responsible,

profitable thinking, we can live better lives with the resources we already have."

Anita Seitz, Advocacy Director, CC4CA

Anita Seitz is the Advocacy Director for Colorado Communities, a coalition of 49 local governments advocating for stronger state and federal climate policy. She brings 13 years of local government experience, including eight years on the Westminster City Council (2013–2021), where she served as Councilor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Mayor. Anita holds a B.A. in Earth Science from the University of Northern Colorado and an MBA from Regis University, and completed Harvard's Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program. She is deeply motivated by the urgency of environmental, social, and economic justice issue.

Jenna Weatherred, VP of Member and Community Relations, Holy Cross Energy


Jenna Weatherred is the Vice President of Member and Community Relations at Holy Cross Energy, located in Colorado’s intermountain region. Since 2017, she has spearheaded the cooperative’s member services, communications, community outreach, and community energy systems departments, all external-facing individuals who assist HCE’s more than 45,000 members with their energy needs. Over the past several years, that need has become increasingly more significant as the region's clean energy goals have increased. As a result, HCE announced its 100x30 goal of providing 100% clean energy to its members by 2030. Due to the ambitious nature of that goal, many members have expressed their interest in joining HCE’s Board of Directors, and upwards of ten individuals have applied in an election cycle. Ms. Weatherred works to educate members on the co-op story and sits on several regional boards, including Garfield Clean Energy and Energy Smart Colorado. Prior to joining Holy Cross Energy, Ms. Weatherred was the President of the Children’s Health Foundation and the publisher of local newspapers, including the Aspen Times and the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

Martha Symko-Davies, Laboratory Program Manager, NRL

Dr. Martha Symko-Davies serves as laboratory Program Manager (LPM) for the Department of Energy, Office of Electricity at the National Laboratory of the Rockies. The R&D effort focuses to strengthen and modernize our nation’s power grid to maintain an affordable, reliable and secure electricity delivery infrastructure. Prior to this she was a laboratory program manager for Grid Deployment Office at NLR. Additionally, she led for the DOE pioneering R&D work on grid-edge management for NLR’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) User Facility, a 2 MW grid simulator enabling research from smart homes to utility scale research. She has received four R&D 100 Awards, achieved well over 100 publications and presentations, and recognition by the Denver Business Journal as a “Top Women in Energy.”

Symko-Davies received a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Denver and a B.S. in Physics from the University of Utah.

Robby Schwarz, Panel Moderator, Founder of BUILDTank Inc.

Robby Schwarz is a nationally recognized building science expert with more than 25 years of experience in home performance, applied building science, and high-performance residential construction. As founder and principal thinker of BUILDTank, Inc., and co-founder of EnergyLogic, Robby has worked on thousands of homes while helping builders, trades, and jurisdictions put building science into practice. His work spans energy code development, workforce training, and programs including ENERGY STAR®, Indoor airPLUS®, and DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes®. Robby will moderate the Green Expo’s Future of Sustainable Buildings panel, guiding the conversation around the technologies, policies, and practical solutions shaping the future of the built environment.