Mr. Welch has worked at the forefront of California’s climate, air quality
and clean energy programs for nearly two decades, serving under
three California Governors and as Chief Advisor to the California Air
Resources Board Chair.
He served as a California Gubernatorial appointee under the
Schwarzenegger, Brown and Newsom Administrations as Special
Counsel and Chief Advisor to the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) Chair Mary Nichols. He also briefly held this role for CARB
Chair Liane Randolph. In his role at CARB, Mr. Welch helped lead the
creation of multiple globally recognized programs to cut pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions through the deployment of clean technologies,
including multiple sets of standards for cleaner light, medium
and heavy-duty vehicles; an economy-wide cap-and-trade program; a
Low Carbon Fuel Standard; and a comprehensive set of programs to
slash short-lived climate pollutants, among other policies. Mr. Welch
worked extensively with the thousands of professional scientists, engineers,
lawyers and regulatory experts at CARB to devise and successfully
implement policies and regulations grounded in data, science and
economics. He also led CARB efforts to engage with a broad range
of stakeholders, businesses and state, local, federal and international
governments on a wide spectrum of issues.
Prior to his service at CARB, Mr. Welch helped lead the Environmental
Defense Fund’s successful sponsorship of Assembly Bill 32, the
California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. He also previously
served as a Partner at AJW, Inc., where he worked with innovative
companies to develop regulatory, policy and market solutions for clean
energy, air and transportation technologies.
Mr. Welch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University
of North Texas and a Master of Public Affairs and Juris Doctor
from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the California
State Bar.