Jim Kennedy

Jim Kennedy joined the Friends' Board in January 2014. Jim has been a staff member for several local elected officials. In that capacity, he has contributed to developing energy and environmental policies and programs. Jim expanded the “Cool Cities” U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Initiative into a South Bay regional partnership to combine cities’ resources to more effectively reduce green house gas emissions. That effort continues through the South Bay Environmental Services Center (SBESC) Green Task Force. As part of his efforts to advocate for and implement energy conservation and alternative energy programs, Jim helped organize the effort to stop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal from being built in the Santa Monica Bay. Jim was involved in preserving green spaces and revitalizing ecosystems in the Ballona Creek and at the Redondo Beach AES power plant site.

Jim has been involved in the Ballona Wetlands restoration design and planning as a member of the Ballona Creek Task Force and by serving as an alternate on the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission for LA City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. He has also worked with the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation on Prop O stormwater filtration projects. Jim coordinated the LA City Council process for the final approval of the Venice Dual Force Main FEIR.

Jim currently works as a public relations and communications consultant. Jim is involved in building community support for water conservation through policy formulation, advocacy for program adoption, and by facilitating dialogue to build public involvement in project development and implementation. Similarly, Jim has been coordinating mass transit project implementation.

Jim has worked on several local, state, and federal campaigns. He is a California Democratic Party State Central Committee Delegate since 2006, and was an Alternate Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. He served on the Board of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats from 2005-2007. Since 2007, Jim has been an active Board member of the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. In addition, Jim serves as a volunteer mediator in the Dispute Resolution Program of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Jim has a background in business development and has degrees in economics from the London School of Economics and the College of William & Mary.