Michael Schmitz

Michael Schmitz

Michael Schmitz is the Executive Director of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the leading membership association of cities & counties committed to climate action, clean energy, and sustainability. A recognized leader in the sustainability field, he has consistently achieved success through building strong and dynamic teams.

Michael Schmitz is an attorney and non-profit leader with business experience with more than two decades of experience in policy at the federal, state, and local levels. Before joining ICLEI, Schmitz was Principal of Go Forward Consulting specializing in strategic research, analysis and policy development. Prior to founding the firm in 2003, he was a civil rights attorney and senior legislative counsel for the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus focusing on environmental, trade, and economic development policies.

Founder & CEO at BlueVista. Lives in Oakland, California.

Now Product & Partnerships at ReCarbon.

Education

Michael Schmitz holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Stanford University , a law degree from UC Hastings in San Francisco, and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from UCLA.

• Studied at UC Law San Francisco

• Studied at Stanford University

• Studied at UCLA

• Went to Skyline High School, Oakland, CA

Comrade's wedding

Erich Nakano, Michael Schmitz and Steve Phillips attended Kathleen Coll's wedding to Alejandro Sweet-Cordero.

Stanford Maoists

Steve Phillips, Pierre Barolette, Amanda Kemp, Gina Hernandez, Michael Schmitz.

Origins of Peoples Platform

Letter to the Stanford Daily, Volume 189, Issue 39, 10 April 1986;

As members of the Third World/Progressive Alliance, we would like to protest the handling of this year's election by Jim McGrath, the elections hearing commissioner. We spent weeks developing the Peoples Platform, a document intended to build an atmosphere of respect for all peoples here at Stanford, in our community and throughout the world. Because we want the 1986-87 ASSU to be responsive to our needs, we have been especially careful not to disqualify the candidates for ASSU Senate who are running to uphold the principles of the Peoples Platform. Since the end of last quarter, we have continuously met with the members of the ASSU Elections Committee to stay within the bylaws of the elections handbook for our campaign to promote The Peoples Platform, and those candidates who have stated their support for the platform.

Jim McGrath has made it especially difficult for these candidates to campaign by overturning his publicity decisions after they accommodated them. McGrath has been making arbitrary interpretations of the bylaws specifically against these candidates. McGrath has treated the candidates who endorse our platform as a slate regardless of the fact that they have constantly insisted that they are running as individuals. For example, he has forced these candidates to check that none of their fliers "appear" (to him) similar in design. He has also ridiculously stated that the candidates cannot share certain words (which he has defined as "buzz" words), phrases, logos or even the same color flier, despite the fact that they all do agree with principles of the platform. Would McGrath ask that congressional candidates not run under the principles of the U.S. Constitution? We do feel that the just bylaws to any election are necessary and ensure a fair campaign. However, we do object to the fact that McGrath is forcing the candidates to waste time emphasizing differences rather than allowing them to express their own chosen principles for their own campaigns.

Lisa Neeley - Stanford American Indian Organization, Ed Gilliland - Stanford Central American Action Network, Jinny Shinsato - Asian American Student Association, Michael J. Schmitz- Stanford Out of South Africa, Derek Miyahara - Asian American Student Association, Amanda Kemp - Black Student Union, Gina Hernandez - MEChA, Elsa Tsutaoka- Third World Women's Caucus.

SUN

In 1989 Michael Schmitz, Student Unity Network, contributed an article to Unity, newspaper of the League of Revolutionary Struggle May 15, 1989, on the conference of California Alliance of Progressive Student Activists.

Unity

In 1990 Lisa Neeley, African/Black Statewide Student Alliance, Stanford University ,Carol Finis, La Raza Student Organization, San Francisco State University, Erich Nakano Asian Student Union UC Berkeley, Michael Schmitz, urban planning UCLA, UCLA Bruin Democrats, and California Progressive Student Alliance contributed to the April 16 student supplement issue of Unity, newspaper of the League of Revolutionary Struggle.

Old comrades

Steve Phillips October 1, 2017,

So it turns out Oaktown, its lake and especially its sunsets are pretty cool. And lifelong friendships are especially cool. — with Stacey Leyton, Pierre Barolette, Gina Moreno-John and Michael Schmitz at Lake Merritt.

Steve Phillips May 17, 2015.

Old friends (and, sadly, old ain't inaccurate). 30 years of friendship. #whatmatters — with Pierre Barolette, Michael Schmitz, Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, Stacey Leyton and Kathleen Coll at Bocanova - Oakland.