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Organizing Leaders
In 2007, Ali Sahabi, president and CEO of SE Corporation, founded the Green Institute for Village Empowerment (GIVE), an organization dedicated to the global education and promotion of sustainable lifestyles, technologies and development practices. Through GIVE, the Green Valley Initiative was formed to create a regional impetus for sustainable economic development.
As the Green Valley Initiative (GVI) continues to grow support from the business, political, non-profit, tribal and residential communities, so does the need to grow the structure of the organization internally. We are pleased to have a group of highly qualified and dedicated individuals guiding the mission for a sustainable future.
Daniel Cozad, president of Integrated Planning and Management, Inc., plays a vital role as the Project Director for the Green Valley Initiative. In addition to his duties as the organizing leader of the Policy and Sustainable Approaches Committee, Mr. Cozad is tasked with the overall organization and progression of all GVI related projects as well as the overall vision and mission.
As an initiative of the Green Institute for Village Empowerment (GIVE), Mr. Cozad works closely with Les Hamasaki, Interim Executive Director of GIVE. Together, they are helping to structure models of sustainability on a regional and global basis. Mr. Hamasaki leads the GIVE team on its quest to educate and empower about the benefits and need for sustainable communities.
With ties to both GVI and GIVE, Imran Farooq holds the title of Project Manager to ensure projects and events are successful and impactful. Mr. Farooq continues to play a significant role in the establishment of GIVE on Campus chapters and collaborates closely with business leaders throughout the region to develop partnerships. Along with Mr. Cozad and Mr. Hamasaki, Mr. Farooq assists in organizing the largest Earth Day celebration in the Inland Southern California region.
Ali Sahabi, Founder
Ali Sahabi is president and CEO of SE Corporation, a privately held, California-based, land planning, entitlement, and development firm. Mr. Sahabi is responsible for the sustainable development of the award-winning Dos Lagos, a unique and upscale mixed-use community in Corona, California.
In February, 2008, Mr. Sahabi was presented with the Chairman's Visionary Award by the Inland Empire Waterkeeper. In 2007, Mr. Sahabi was awarded the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, California's highest and most prestigious environmental honor, for his work at Dos Lagos. In 2007 alone, Mr. Sahabi received nearly a dozen highly-renown awards, including: McGraw Hill Construction Best of 2007 California Award for his work on Dos Lagos, the Baldy View BIA Builder of the Year Award, the American Planning Association award for Best Mixed-Use Community for Planning Project Award, Inland Empire and the Community Partner Award from the Corona-Norco PTA.
Widely known for his philanthropic efforts, Mr. Sahabi has supported causes from fair housing to the American Cancer Society, endowed UC Riverside's Edward J. Blakely Center for Sustainable Suburban Development, supported Inland Congregations United for Change and countless other efforts designed to help people better help themselves.
Deeply concerned with the sustainability of the planet, Mr. Sahabi founded the Green Institute for Village Empowerment (GIVE), the non-profit arm of SE Corporation that empowers leadership in green technology and environmental stewardship. Out of GIVE has come the Green Valley Initiative (GVI), a green economic development initiative designed to enhance the quality of life in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Prior to founding SE Corporation, Mr. Sahabi served as Executive Vice President for Vahdani Construction, where he personally negotiated and managed 300 construction projects statewide and led the company's expansion efforts in San Francisco and Santa Barbara. He has conducted research in the areas of affordable housing and redevelopment and in recent years has focused on the planning and entitlement of large-scale, mixed-use projects.
Mr. Sahabi holds a Master of Real Estate Development degree from the School of Urban Planning and Development at the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Pepperdine University. Mr. Sahabi holds both "A" and "B" General Engineering Contractors Licenses.
Mr. Sahabi currently resides in Corona, California with his wife, Aida.
Daniel Cozad, Project Director
Daniel Cozad the president of Integrated Planning and Management, Inc. a consulting and contracting organization working throughout California specializing in water and resources planning and management and integration of stakeholders needs to produce value and community benefits. His background in regional policy and funding is base in almost 10 years at the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority working with governments and business to achieve regional goals. His personal interests beyond his family include restoration of a nearly 100 year old craftsman home, citrus grove, and gardens, endurance bicycling, spinning and California wine and cuisine.
Les Hamasaki, Executive Director, GIVE
Hamasaki is a Senior Advisor to the Green Institute for Village Empowerment, GIVE, and a non-profit organization, whose mission is to educate and empower people to help create a sustainable future. He is a green sustainable development consultant for major developments throughout the world. His passion is for our world to transition to a "Green Economy" powered with renewable resources and to deconstruct the "Gray Economy" powered with fossil energy that has created an unsustainable lifestyle. He writes regular "green papers" and delivers speeches on solar energy. He currently serves as the Managing Director of the Green Technology Institute of the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation and Gallery at UCLA.
Hamasaki has an extensive background in urban planning and developing sustainable economic development strategies for the City of Los Angeles. Mr. Hamasaki was with the City of Los Angeles Urban Planning and Community Development departments for over 14 years. His unique experience as an urban planner included the development of two 20-year master plans for the City of Los Angeles. He was involved with the development of both the 1975-95 City of Los Angeles Centers Concept Master Plan as a staff planner under Calvin Hamilton and the 1995-2015 Framework Plans as the Vice President of the Los Angeles Planning Commission under Mayor Riordan.
He is active in civic affairs and currently serving on the UCLA Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation and the UCLA Dashew International Student Center. He was formerly a Los Angeles Airport Commissioner appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley during his tenure funded the construction of the LA Ontario Airport. He served on the prestigious Los Angeles Art Festival board of directors with Peter Sellars and other prominent leaders of Los Angeles. He attended UCLA and received his B.A. degree in environmental planning from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Imran Farooq, Deputy Director of GIVE
Deputy Director of GIVE,Imran previously worked as a Development Specialist for the Riverside County Economic Development Agency but most of his professional experience derives from working as the Director for International Development for the International Athletic Association (IAA). He serves on the Board of Directors for a Rotary International chapter in Riverside, Board of Directors for the US Green Building Council- Inland Empire Chapter and Board of Advisors for the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation at the University of California Los Angeles. Imran was appointed by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in 2007 to join the Workforce Development Board. Imran received his Master's degree from the University of Southern California and received his Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley
GVI Steering Committee
Ali Sahabi, Chairman, GIVE
Woody Clark, Roadmap Integration Consultant
Green Brain Trust: Education |
Economic Development |
Policy & Sustainable Approaches |
Julian Allison, |
Bill Carney, |
Rick Bishop, |
Dr. Larry Gerarty, |
Michael Morris, |
John Withers, |
Alan Jones, |
Sarah Mundy, |
John Wohlmuth, |
Tom Flores, |
Dion Jackson, |
Daniel Cozad, |
Jane Block, |
Bob Brown, |
Daniel Cozad, |
Lisa Rojas, |
Tricia Hinckley, |
Daniel Cozad, |
Daniel Foster, |
Timothy R. Gerrity, |
Daniel Cozad, |
Alan Jones, |
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Robert Visconti, |
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Lea Peterson, |
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Mary Lou Morales, |
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Dr. Dina Stallings, |
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