The Governor appoints five commissioners to staggered five-year terms after Senate confirmation. Each commissioner appointed must come from and represent specific areas of expertise: law, environment, economics, science and engineering, and the public at large. 

In February 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Gunda to serve as the CEC’s public member. The Senate voted on Gunda's confirmation on August 16. He is the lead commissioner for energy assessments, electric reliability, and data initiatives. 

“For somebody just beginning his career 15 years ago, the vision of California’s work is inspiring and truly fulfilling to be a part of," Gunda said during his confirmation hearing. 

He previously served as manager of the Demand Analysis Office and deputy director for the CEC’s Energy Assessments Division. The division forecasts and assesses energy demand and supply. 

Before joining the CEC, Gunda served in a variety of capacities at the Energy Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, including as the director of research, where he oversaw the institute’s operations and research portfolio. 

His main goal as a commissioner is to help California transition to a clean energy economy for all. His priorities include improving procedural equity for stakeholders, continuing to modernize data tools, and ensuring robust analyses to support the decision-making to guide California’s future energy needs for the next 25 years. 

Information about the CEC commissioners is available, including high-resolution photos. 

During the keynote session, Governor Gavin Newsom said federal and state partners have a mutual responsibility to engage with tribal nations to support their decarbonization efforts.  

“The issue that brings me to this conference is the notion that we’re all in this together,” he said. “We have a responsibility to be supportive of one another, and to work as true partners with tribal nations to make sure that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.” 

CEC Chair David Hochschild recognized the progress California is making toward its clean energy goals.  

“California is the incubator of clean energy policies, and what we do here spreads around the country and around the world,” Hochschild said.  

He highlighted some of the state’s clean energy achievements such as building microgrids on tribal lands to support tribal sovereignty; discussions with federal, military, tribal, and local governments to develop offshore wind; exploring new ways to build out lithium recovery in the state; electrifying the transportation sector.  

The conference featured several panels including one on female leaders advancing California tribal energy, which was moderated by Christina Snyder, Governor Newsom’s tribal advisor, and featuring CEC Commissioner Karen Douglas, CPUC Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves, GC Green Energy President Elizabeth Perez, and Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians Attorney General Denise Turner Walsh. 

Another panel highlighted CEC’s research efforts on energy resilience through its Electric Program Investment Charge program. Each year, more than $130 million in EPIC funding is invested in projects that advance the environmental sustainability, reliability, and affordability of the electric system.