David Hochart is a Vice President at Dudek with over 20 years of experience in project permitting across California and the United States. Mr. Hochart provides support to energy development clients throughout all phases of projects, including early-stage siting, permitting, environmental documentation preparation, and construction compliance. He recently completed the filing of three Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects with the California Energy Commission (CEC) under the Assembly Bill (AB) 205 Opt-In Certification Program and has assisted clients during the CEC compliance proceeding. His professional background includes both preparing environmental documentation and implementing mitigation measures during construction.

Dian Vorters serves as Deputy Director in the Siting, Transmission and Environmental Protection (STEP) Division at the California Energy Commission (CEC). She is responsible for CEQA, Permitting and Enforcement activities within the Division. Prior to this role, Dian served as Assistant Chief Counsel over the Advocacy and Compliance Unit providing legal representation to the STEP and Appliance Enforcement Divisions. Before joining the CEC, Dian served as Presiding/Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the California Office of Administrative Hearings for 14 years. She has many years of trial advocacy and enforcement practice in criminal and administrative law serving at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office, Sacramento County Counsel’s Office, and California Attorney General’s Office.

Dian received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from Michigan State University and Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law. In her free time, Dian enjoys running, hiking, gardening, and traveling.

Jared Babula has been practicing law for over 25 years. He is currently a Senior Attorney at the California Energy Commission (CEC) where he has served for 17 years representing the Siting, Transmission and environmental Protection (STEP) Division on power plant certification and related issues. He has worked on a range of energy projects including natural gas, solar thermal, solar photovoltaic (PV), geothermal, and battery energy storage facility construction, operations, and enforcement.

Jared also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Empire College School of Law, teaching Energy Law and Policy. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Cell Biology from Sonoma State University, his Juris Doctorate Degree from Empire College, and his LLM in Environmental Law from Golden Gate University.

Dana Palmer is a partner in the Century City and Los Angeles offices of Allen Matkins LLP. He is part of the Firm’s Land Use, Environmental, and Natural Resources Department and a member of the Firm’s Diversity & Inclusion committee. Dana co-chairs the Firm’s Renewable Energy Industry Group and is co-editor of the Firm’s weekly Renewable Energy Update.

Early in his legal career, Dana was one of the most junior attorneys ever to chair the California State Bar’s Environmental Law Section. In that capacity, he championed a new focus on climate change and renewable energy while expanding the Section’s diversity initiatives. Prior to his legal career, Dana worked in the environmental sector in various capacities. As special assistant to the administrator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, he represented the U.S. Department of Commerce on climate issues at interagency meetings and at an international negotiating conference at The Hague. He also served as a legislative fellow on environmental issues for the office of a U.S. senator and as an associate at the environmental consulting firm ICF International.