CALSTART CEO Town Hall Recap: Industry Coverage and Conversation
On Thursday, February 19, CALSTART’s President and CEO Michael Berube hosted his first town hall to discuss the evolving clean transportation landscape, the implications of federal and state policy shifts, his vision for CALSTART, and more.
CALSTART members are invited to attend exclusive webinars like the CEO Town Hall to receive insights, creating a forum for member stakeholders to engage in timely conversation about issues, trends, and events impacting our industry right now.
To start off, Michael began by briefly discussing his background, before moving onto a high-level conversation about clean transportation. He emphasized the importance of continuing to advance technology in the industry, as well as ensuring that clean transportation options are affordable for all.
Continue reading below to get a glimpse into the high-level discussion from our town hall event:
Possible Setbacks and Solutions
Michael acknowledged the setbacks that might block the adoption of clean transportation, including regulatory uncertainty, funding volatility, infrastructure bottlenecks, and shifting federal priorities. To navigate these headwinds, he emphasized CALSTART’s role in anticipating risks, aligning stakeholders, and helping shape durable solutions that sustain market momentum. We can identify these obstacles and issues thanks to our partners, including CALSTART staff, member companies, and external stakeholders.
These partners are working directly with the technology, vehicles, and programs driving the industry forward. Their experience gives us clear insight into emerging barriers and market gaps, enabling us to develop informed, actionable solutions.
Collectively, this collaboration strengthens the industry’s ability to sustain momentum, regardless of shifting policy or market conditions.
(From left to right) CALSTART’s Alissa Burger, Alex Pfeifer-Rosenblum, Jacob Richard, Michael Berube, Lily Paul, Leah Thill, Trisha Dello Iacono, Ellie Adadevoh, and Katie Tomaszewski at the Women of Electric Vehicles Reception on the sideline of the Forth Roadmap Conference 2025. Photo: Michael Sarnacki.
Big Picture
Transportation is essential — it’s embedded into every facet of our lives.
As Michael explained, “It has challenges, that, if we want to have an overall sustainable future, we have to address.” From Michael’s perspective, we can develop transportation options that work for people while also being affordable. By combining technology and a proper business model, we can make moves to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance toward net-zero goals.
Incentives are also highly useful for businesses, bringing newer technology, products, and offerings into the mix, which can then be used to push us closer to our goal of net-zero emissions.
Regulations and Policies
Another key driver of clean transportation progress is smart, well-designed regulation. Michael noted that durable policy frameworks, when paired with incentives and deployment data, create market certainty, enable long-term investment decisions, and provide a level playing field for businesses. In a period of federal uncertainty, state and regional leadership will remain especially important in sustaining momentum. That stability is what enables businesses to invest, innovate, and scale with confidence.
A BYD electric vehicle on a production line in Brazil. Source: BYD.
Global Perspectives
Michael also pointed to industries in China, Europe, and North America as examples of rapid transformation in the industrial manufacturing sector in clean transportation. Several of these countries are currently finding ways to curb the use of harmful materials in manufacturing, which will ultimately help the clean transportation industry and its stakeholders. This progress continues even as the U.S. navigates regulatory uncertainty and shifting federal priorities, reinforcing that global clean transportation momentum is not slowing.
This town hall recording is available to all CALSTART members. Not a member?
Contact Rachel Baker at rbaker@calstart.org to join — you’ll gain access to this recording and receive invites for future webinars.
Not a Member? Consider Working With Us
As our collaborations and partnerships continue to evolve, we want to hear from you. If you or your organization are interested in joining CALSTART in our movement to advance clean transportation, we encourage you to explore your options.
You can:
- Join CALSTART’s membership program to gain access to top-level initiatives, resources, and events (like Michael’s town hall);
- Join a working group in your area of interest/expertise, such as the Electric School Bus Network;
- Get involved with our Policy Action Group to discuss changes in federal and state policy initiatives; or
- Subscribe to our Compass newsletter to keep up with the latest in clean transportation news.
We also encourage you to explore our website to discover the various ways you can get involved outside of the options listed above. We would love to have you join our efforts.