Johannes D. Escudero - Founder & CEO

Mr. Escudero serves RNG Coalition and its members as CEO. He co-founded the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas in July 2011. Mr. Escudero is a passionate sustainability advocate and entrepreneur with twenty-plus years of organizational leadership, business development and advocacy experience, including in non-profit management, government affairs, higher education and fundraising.

He previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Hope International University, and most recently as Legislative Director in the California State Assembly where he advised ranking members of the Transportation, Utilities and Commerce, Natural Resources, Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials and Education committees.

David Cox - Founder & CFO

Mr. Cox serves RNG Coalition and its members as CFO.  He co-founded the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas in July 2011. Mr. Cox is an attorney, specializing in the laws and markets that impact the renewable natural gas industry, including the renewable fuel standard (RFS), low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), and pipeline injection standards. 

He has extensive experience advising companies and elected officials on regulatory, political and public policy matters. A graduate of Westmont College and University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, Mr. Cox is a member of the Texas, Oklahoma and California state bars in good standing.

Contact: johannes@rngcoalition.com

Contact: david@rngcoalition.com

Sam Wade - Director of Public Policy

Mr. Wade serves as RNG Coalition’s Director of Public Policy.  Previously Mr. Wade worked as Chief of the Transportation Fuels Branch at the California Air Resources Board, where he oversaw the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. 

His private sector experience includes work in energy policy at a major California utility and time with a bioenergy start-up. Mr. Wade holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from U.C. Davis, a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii, and an MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University.

Contact: sam@rngcoalition.com

Geoff Dietz - Director of Federal Government Affairs

Mr. Dietz serves as RNG Coalition’s Director of Federal Government Affairs based in Washington D.C. Previously Mr. Dietz worked as a Manager of Government Affairs with TotalEnergies where he managed policy analysis and advocacy related to U.S. economic statecraft, industrial policy, and the energy transition. He previously served as a Global Policy Fellow with GE, managing cross-sectoral policy analysis, stakeholder engagement and written production for GE executives.

Mr. Dietz has a BA in Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs from Miami University in Ohio. He holds an MA in Security Studies with a focus in International Energy Policy & Geopolitics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Contact: geoffrey@rngcoalition.com

Lesley Gray Dalton - Director of Communications & Marketing

Ms. Dalton serves as RNG Coalition’s Director of Communications and Marketing. She has an extensive and diverse background having worked in marketing, communications, brand development, partnerships and high level event production - with a career spanning from news rooms, to Capitol Hill, to entertainment, to foundations and higher education. Ms. Dalton is a graduate of Indiana University with a double major in English and history and a minor in journalism.

Contact: lesley@rngcoalition.com

LeSharon Escudero - Director of Events

Ms. Escudero serves as RNG Coalition’s Director of Events, planning, managing, coordinating and providing concierge services before, during and after RNG Coalition’s annual events - RNG SUMMIT, RNG WORKS and RNG CONFERENCE - and monthly RNG CONNECT gatherings. She has more than 15 years of experience in business administration and event management. She holds a BS in Business from the University of California, Sacramento.

Contact: lesharon@rngcoalition.com

Sam Lehr - Manager of Sustainability & Markets Policy

Mr. Lehr serves as Manager of Sustainability & Markets Policy, covering state government affairs and voluntary markets issues for the Coalition. He previously worked in renewable gas policy and program compliance at Montauk Renewables, in various positions at solar and green tech start-ups, and as a Program Manager for the Student Conservation Association. Mr. Lehr holds BS and MS degrees in Environmental Science from Duquesne University.

Contact: sam.lehr@rngcoalition.com

Rachel Franco - Manager of Communications & Member Resources

Ms. Franco serves as Manager of Communications and Member Resources. Most recently, she worked as Communications Manager of a publicly-traded manufacturing and distribution company. She has also held various executive level support roles within elite entertainment and professional sports organizations. Ms. Franco holds a BS in Management Science and Information Systems from The Pennsylvania State University.

Contact: rachel@rngcoalition.com

Dana Adams - Manager of Legislative Policy

Ms. Adams serves as Manager of Legislative Policy to the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas. She has a background in state government, having held positions with both the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. The latter of which she served as a Legislative Analyst with the Senate Fiscal Agency, focusing on policy areas related to education, elections, and natural resources. Ms. Adams holds a BA in History from Michigan State University.

Contact: dana@rngcoalition.com

Phil Vos - Manager of Data & Research

Phil Vos joined the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas following six years working on RNG at environmental non-profit (and RNGC member) Energy Vision. Prior to Energy Vision, Mr. Vos worked for six years in the energy efficiency industry, and also helped manage an industrial materials reuse/recycling program. Phil earned his BA at Columbia University, and his MSc from the London School of Economics.  

Contact: phil@rngcoalition.com

Dylan Chase - Manager of Public Relations

Dylan Chase serves as RNG Coalition’s Manager of Public Relations. Chase was previously Editor of S&P Global Commodity Insights’ Gas Daily news service in Houston, with prior experience reporting on beats spanning from international oil markets to professional baseball. He holds degrees in Communication and Creative Writing from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Contact: dylan@rngcoalition.com

Sandra Franco - Legal & Regulatory Counsel    

Ms. Franco serves as Legal and Regulatory Counsel to the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas. She has advised clients on administrative, regulatory and litigation matters under several federal environmental laws, including numerous rule-making proceedings before the U.S. EPA and other federal agencies.

Ms. Franco has worked on Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) matters since its inception, including successfully defending full implementation of the program before the D.C. Circuit.  

Ms. Franco has been recognized by Chambers USA in environmental law in D.C., particularly with respect to the Clean Air Act and natural resources law. Ms. Franco previously served as Director of Regulatory Affairs & General Counsel for the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), after time as a partner in the environmental and natural resources group at a major international law firm. 

Contact: sandra@rngcoalition.com

Anne Steckel - Lobbyist - Federal Government Affairs

Ms. Steckel serves as RNG Coalition’s primary lobbyist for all federal government affairs in Washington, DC. She has over 20 years of policy advocacy experience in Washington, DC working on legislative, regulatory and political issues on and off Capitol Hill.

After previously directing government relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation and at Growth Energy, she most recently served as VP of Federal Affairs for the National Biodiesel Board (NBB). Ms. Steckel ran the Washington DC office, managing federal legislative, regulatory and legal efforts, where she led a successful campaign to increase biodiesel levels in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). She is widely recognized as a thought leader in the renewable energy industry, having testified multiple times before Congress, Federal agencies, and the International Trade Commission.

Contact: anne@rngcoalition.com

Jeff Miller - Coalition Coverage Coordinator

Jeff Miller serves as the Coalition Coverage Coordinator and has been in the insurance business for 38 years. Jeff served on the Corona City Council for 8 years, including 2 years as Mayor.  In 2009 he was elected to the California State Assembly and represented the 71st Assembly District where he served as Vice Chair of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.  During his time in the California State Assembly he was awarded Legislator of the Year from the Industrial Environmental Association, California Chemistry Council and the California Manufacturers & Tech Association.

Jeff graduated with a BA degree in Criminal Justice from California State University Fullerton. 

Contact: jeff@rngcoalition.com