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COURTESY PHOTO Alelia Parenteau
Alelia Parenteau has been named the director of the Sustainability and Resilience Department for the city of Santa Barbara.
Ms. Parenteau has been the department’s acting director since September 2021.
“Ms. Parenteau has been an asset to the city and to the Santa Barbara community with her passion and dedication,” City Administrator Rebecca Bjork said in a statement. “She has been instrumental in building many of the programs within the department, and we are excited to see her take the lead.”
Ms. Parenteau has worked for the city since 2006 when she began her career in the Environmental Services Division, implementing business recycling programs. She was promoted to become the city‘s first dedicated energy professional in 2009 and helped build the robust energy and climate program the city has today, including Santa Barbara Clean Energy.
Ms. Parenteau said she is looking forward to continuing her collaborative efforts with the Sustainability and Resilience team.
“I am so excited to be able to continue to work with the amazing team of professionals and innovators that make up the Sustainability and Resilience Department,” she said. “The city has truly cemented its position as a leader in the fight against climate change, and I am humbled to be chosen to lead this team.”
The Sustainability and Resilience Department includes the Environmental Services Division, the Energy and Climate Division and the recent addition of the Creeks and Water Quality Division.
Ms. Parenteau has overseen several large scale sustainability efforts undertaken by the city, including the development of the city’s Strategic Energy Plan (a roadmap to achieving 100% renewable electricity for the community); the launch of Santa Barbara Clean Energy, which provides 100% carbon-free electricity to the entire city; and coordination of Santa Barbara’s first Carbon Neutral Community strategy. More recently, she has been managing the negotiations for the city’s new solid waste collection contract.
Ms. Parenteau holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and literature from McGill University.
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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