Welcome New 2025 B.O.S.S. Board Members

B.O.S.S. is proud to announce the addition of new leaders to our Board of Directors! Their diverse expertise and commitment to equity in clean energy will help guide the organization into its next chapter. Review the complete list of new Board of Directors and their bios below. 

Christopher Coes

Christopher A. Coes is a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of public policy, equitable development, and community wealth-building. With over two decades of experience spanning federal government, nonprofit leadership, academia, and mission-driven investment, Christopher has consistently advanced bold, justice-centered strategies that ensure infrastructure and clean energy investments uplift historically marginalized communities.

As President & CEO of AmericaFWD Investment Strategies, Christopher is building a groundbreaking platform that blends public, private, and philanthropic capital to finance community-owned, climate-resilient infrastructure and housing across Black, brown, rural, and working-class communities. Under his leadership, AmericaFWD is shifting the paradigm—moving from extraction to equity—by embedding value capture, anti-displacement protections, and local ownership into the DNA of infrastructure projects.

Previously, Christopher served as the Acting Under Secretary for Transportation Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he oversaw implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, directing over $670 billion in investment. His policy leadership helped institutionalize equity, affordability, and sustainability across USDOT’s funding and regulatory frameworks. He also founded and co-chaired the Thriving Communities Network, a pioneering public-philanthropic partnership advancing community-led solutions in underserved places.

Christopher’s career has consistently centered on the belief that place matters—and people must own it. Whether through his work as Vice President at Smart Growth America, co-founder of TOD Finance and Advisors, or faculty at George Washington University, Christopher has championed walkable, climate-smart, and culturally rooted development that puts power back in the hands of local communities.

His expertise is sought nationally and internationally, and he has advised foundations, elected officials, and mission-aligned investors on how to unlock the full potential of infrastructure as a tool for racial justice, economic mobility, and generational wealth.

A proud advocate for transformational systems change, Christopher brings to every role a deep commitment to equity in action, community as investor, and the democratization of capital in the clean energy economy.

Julian Dash

Julian Dash has 15+ years of renewable energy experience. Dash founded Copacity (formerly known as Clean Economy Development, LLC) in 2012 and has advised and assisted its clients in the procurement, financing, negotiation, completion and management of over 100 mW of distributed renewable energy projects. Against this backdrop, Copacity is now developing a new end-to-end online renewable energy procurement solution, which will provide efficiencies and greater savings via a completely client-controlled, client-customized platform.

Prior to Clean Economy Development/Copacity, Dash, served as the state of Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Fund (“REF”) Director, where he oversaw the state’s clean energy financing, programs and initiatives. While at the REF, Dash transformed the then small residential solar grant program into a comprehensive clean energy economic development program, and made targeted investments that supported the nation’s first offshore wind project, convened over 120 stakeholders to produce the state’s green economy strategic roadmap and led to implementation of new policies and programs that has increased Rhode Island’s renewable energy installed capacity potential by over 1,000mW.

Before managing the REF, Dash oversaw the finance and development of a variety of green, mixed-use and mixed-income projects, including the award-winning “Plant” project a $20MM solar-powered historic mill redevelopment in Providence, RI, along with numerous clean energy initiatives within largescale public and affordable housing projects in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.

Dash earned his undergraduate degree in International Finance at Morgan State University and his MBA from Babson College. A native of South Providence, RI, Dash currently divides his time between both Providence and New York City, while being an active member of his communities, serving on numerous professional boards.

Shon Harris

Shon Harris is the President and Owner of several construction businesses in the Chicagoland area. Like most young teenagers Shon began his unofficial pre-apprenticeship program by working with his father as a handyman’s assistant for building maintenance. He was taught carpentry, drywall, painting, and basic electrical by his father affectionately known as Pop to his family. Fast forwarding to adulthood Shon began his official construction career in the electrical construction industry in 1996 as an IBEW Local 134 Summer Helper, which opened the door to being an approved union electrical apprentice, eventually graduating in 2002 as a Journeyman Electrician. During his time in the field, he was a fast learner, and as a result, he quickly became promoted into leadership as a project Foreman and gained valuable experience running large-scale electrical projects.

In August of 2006, Shon started his first business known as LiveWire Electrical Systems, an MBE, DBE, and SBA 8a certified union contracting firm specializing in installing commercial and industrial electrical and low-voltage systems. He is the license holder for the company and has been licensed with the City of Chicago as a Supervising Master Electrician since 2002.

To help grow Shon’s business, he participated in the Chicago Urban Leagues’ inaugural class of the Chicago Contractor Development program. He also graduated from the organization’s NextONE entrepreneur development program in partnership with Northwestern University. Soon after, he completed the Tuck Executive Education program on "Building a High-Performance Minority Business" at Dartmouth College Campus in Hanover, New Hampshire. By 2012, he was honored to receive the Small Business of the Year award from the South Suburban Small Business Association.

LiveWire has worked on projects for ComEd, Chrysler, AT&T, Metra, CTA Redline, various public and charter schools, healthcare facilities, training centers, and universities. With many great customers and projects under the company’s belt, Shon had the vision to expand his list of trades to his book of business by adding construction services such as concrete installation and general contracting.

Patrice Howard

Patrice understands the government customer because she was one. Her time as a government contractor brings keen insights to her practice. Her practice focuses on representing, advising, and advocating on behalf of government contractors, industry associations, and non-profits across critical industries including renewable energy, healthcare, and manufacturing. 

Prior to her legal career, Patrice was a Contracting Officer and Social Science Research Analyst at the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) where she managed a multi-million-dollar portfolio of federal grants to state, local and tribal police departments across the United States. Additionally, she worked for government contractors conducting impact and performance evaluations on numerous USAID, UK, and Canada funded post-conflict development projects, including in the Congo and Mali, where she honed her French language fluency. 

Leveraging her broad experience in federal government and international development grant programs from roles at the Department of Justice, United States Agency for International Development, World Bank, and other organizations, Patrice advises clients on securing, managing, and complying with federal funding opportunities in both the domestic and international arenas. 

Before joining Womble, Patrice worked at another law firm where her practiced focused on the intersection of government contracts, international trade, and renewable energy. 

Patrice earned her J.D. from Georgetown University School of Law in 2020, her Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2012, and her B.A., summa cum laude, from North Carolina Central University in 2003. Patrice is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Yerina Mugica

Yerina Mugica is a nationally respected leader in climate equity, green finance, and community-rooted energy development. As Co-Executive Director of Working Power, Yerina advances a bold mission: to build a clean energy economy that delivers wealth, health, and power to historically underinvested communities. She partners with affordable housing providers, small businesses, nonprofits, and labor to co-develop and finance community-owned solar and clean energy projects.

With more than 20 years of experience, Yerina previously led one of NRDC’s largest and most diverse programs—the Healthy People & Thriving Communities initiative—supporting $30M in equity-centered strategies across city, state, and federal levels. She has expanded justice-forward financing capabilities within the environmental sector and brings deep expertise in cross-sector collaboration, strategic growth, and operational transformation.

Yerina holds an M.A. in Sustainable Enterprise from UNC Chapel Hill and a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University. She is a passionate advocate for systems change that embeds equity, builds local ownership, and transforms who benefits from the clean energy transition.

Sacha-Rose Phillips

Sacha-Rose Phillips is an energy justice and climate policy practitioner with deep expertise in transportation electrification, rural energy access, and community-centered development. She currently serves as a Program Officer for the Midwest Climate & Energy Program at the McKnight Foundation, where she oversees a robust grant portfolio advancing climate solutions rooted in racial equity, local power building, and economic justice.

Born and raised in Jamaica and grounded in a global perspective, Sacha-Rose has led climate policy strategies across the U.S. and the Caribbean. Prior to joining McKnight, she served as a senior policy strategist at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where she worked to expand access to zero-emissions freight vehicles for small businesses and communities of color. She also managed EDF’s New York State engagement with environmental justice organizations and public agencies on energy, climate, and resilience policy.

Her international work includes consulting for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she advised governments in Jamaica, Belize, the Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos on electric vehicle policy, climate adaptation, and green finance.

James Pippim

James Pippim is a champion for shifting power and resources to communities where wealth has been historically extracted. He leverages prior experiences in venture capital, grant-making, and law to ensure that capital can be a resource for financial empowerment. James is currently an Investment Manager at Candide Groups Afterglow Climate Justice Fund, which lends to organizations serving communities living in persistent poverty, facing high energy costs, lacking access to clean transportation, and disproportionately suffering from the effects of extreme weather. Before joining the Afterglow Climate Justice Fund, James worked as an investment analyst at the Skoll Foundation, supporting climate justice social innovation that centered on Black and Brown-led solutions from the Global South to the US South. He also designed impact assessment frameworks and performed diligence for mission-related investments in underrepresented fund managers.

James is a proud Ghanaian immigrant who made his way from Connecticut to Georgia before switching coasts and settling in the Bay Area during graduate school. James completed his JD/MBA at Golden Gate University, where he supplemented his coursework with roles in venture capital, early-stage technology companies, and technology licensing. His Ghanaian heritage and prior experiences create his North Star to bolster access to capital for people of color and empower community self-determination.

Chavelle Sangokoya

Chavelle Sangokoya serves as Senior Vice President of Programs & Strategic Initiatives at the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs (The Alliance)—a national membership organization dedicated to strengthening Black-led community development financial institutions (CDFIs), advancing economic stability and wealth in Black communities, and advocating for equity within the financial sector.

In her role, Chavelle leads the strategic direction and execution of signature initiatives focused on addressing racial and gender inequities in finance, along with capacity-building programs that support both certified and emerging CDFIs. Under her leadership, these programs have directly served over 70 member organizations, delivering grant capital, technical assistance, industry partnerships, and in-kind resources to accelerate impact.

Chavelle brings a cross-sector background in business operations and management, with experience spanning manufacturing, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. She began her career as an engineer at Procter & Gamble, where she led high-impact projects to streamline operations, reduce losses, and drive organizational change. Since then, she has managed enterprise-level strategic plans and initiatives that deliver measurable business outcomes in the private and social sectors.

Chavelle’s work is grounded in a commitment to economic justice and inclusive innovation—principles that are critical to scaling clean energy solutions in historically underserved communities.