Brooklyn, NY – CALSTART, a nationwide clean transportation technology industry organization, announced today that it has hired Ben Mandel as its new Northeast Regional Director. Prior to joining CALSTART, Mandel served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Energy Regulatory Affairs in the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.

Mandel will lead CALSTART’s efforts to build the clean transportation technology industry in the Northeast. Under existing contracts, CALSTART is managing New York State Energy and Research Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) clean truck and bus purchase incentive program, as well as a program to expand workplace charging for electric vehicles in New York City and the surrounding areas. Future focus areas include partnerships with states to implement transportation decarbonization objectives, and with electric and gas utilities to develop robust infrastructure networks to support usage of alternative fuels in the region.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to work with CALSTART’s 190 member companies, and help them identify and develop opportunities to grow the clean transportation market in the Northeast,” said Mandel. “The Northeast states are serious about addressing the climate threat and we want to work with them to find cost-effective low carbon solutions that tap into the capabilities of our member companies,” said Mandel.

Among current CALSTART’s 190+ member companies and organizations are Plug Power, UPS, BAE Systems, XL Hybrids, and General Motors. CALSTART helps the industry grow by securing funding to develop and deploy advanced technology, providing third party technology evaluation services, managing incentives program to increase product sales, advancing important public policies, facilitating strategic partnerships, providing timely information and analysis, and linking its members with investors.

Mandel replaces Alycia Gilde who did a tremendous job in opening, establishing, and growing CALSTART’s operations in the Northeast. Gilde, who continues to work with CALSTART, moved to Southern California for family reasons. Gilde is a key member of the CALSTART team, leading its efforts to develop alternative fuel corridors and grow the market for advanced commercial vehicles nationwide.

“Ben is a strong addition to our team and will help us create jobs and address the climate threat in the Northeast. Ben is already known and well respected by many key policymakers and leaders in the region. We are excited about the growth prospects for our member companies in the Northeast in the next few years. Alycia did a great job of getting us started in the region and we are thrilled to have her in our headquarters office now,” said CALSTART President and CEO, John Boesel.

Prior to his work in the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Mandel was an Energy Policy and Law Fellow at New York University School of Law. He also performed research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and served as an Assistant Economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Mandel received Masters degrees in Public Policy and Energy & Resources at the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University.

In addition to Mandel, CALSTART has added additional staff to its Northeast office, now located at Industry City in the Sunset Park neighborhood in Brooklyn. Dan Welch, formerly transportation lead for the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, joined CALSTART as a Project Manager in February and adds years of experience with clean transportation technology and policy to CALSTART’s capabilities.