CIPA Staff Members

 

 Rock Zierman

 Chief Executive Officer
 (916) 447-1177
 E-mail: rock@cipa.org
 

Rock Zierman, chief executive officer, has worked with CIPA since October 2002. Prior to being appointed CEO, Rock served as both the Director of Public Affairs for the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA), and the Executive Director of the California Natural Gas Producers Association (CNGPA), a wholly owned subsidiary organization of CIPA.

Rock recommends and implements policy for the Association's 50 member Board of Directors. He serves as chief spokesperson for the Association and coordinates all of its state and national legislative activities.

Prior to joining CIPA, Rock served as Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Mike Briggs (Fresno). Rock has also served in the offices of Assemblymembers Chuck Quackenbush (San Jose), Tom Bordonaro (Paso Robles), and Robert Prenter (Hanford).

Rock graduated from Santa Clara University with a business degree in economics.
 
 
Blair Knox
Director of Public Affairs
(916) 447-1185
E-mail: blair@cipa.org
 

Blair Knox, director of public affairs for CIPA and executive director of the California Natural Gas Producers Association (a wholly owned subsidiary of CIPA), joined CIPA in September 2007. Blair serves as the in-house lobbyist, tracking regulatory, legislative, and local government issues that may affect CIPA members.

Prior to joining CIPA, Blair worked for Kern County 4th District Supervisor Ray Watson from November 2002 to August 2007. His past work experience includes running political campaigns, issue and opposition research, and running for the California State Senate in 2002.  Before his career in the political world, Blair ran his parents’ agricultural trucking company, Golden Empire Trucking, from 1994 to 1999. Blair continues to serve on the Board of Directors for H.M. Holloway, Inc., an agricultural gypsum mining company that has been family-owned since 1932.  

Blair graduated from Biola University with a B.S. degree in Business Management. 
 
 
 Laura Wilkin
 Director of Marketing & Events
 (916) 447-1189
 E-mail: lwilkin@cipa.org
 

Laura Wilkin, director of marketing and events, joined CIPA in August 2004.  She is responsible for the planning and execution of all the association’s meetings and events, and all aspects of membership recruitment and retention.  She also serves as the staff liaison to the Membership and Sponsorship Committees.

Prior to joining CIPA, Laura managed the corporate events department for a financial corporation, where she was responsible for coordinating over 200 events per year.  She was also entrusted with the development and implementation of an Employee Services program, which provided on-site services and conveniences to over 5000 employees at multiple sites across the U.S.

Laura graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of the Pacific.  She has also earned the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation from the Convention Liaison Council in Washington, D.C.
 
 
 Shelley Baxter Hale
 Executive Assistant
 (916) 447-1177
 E-mail: shale@cipa.org
 

Shelley Hale, executive assistant, joined CIPA in September 2006.  Prior to joining CIPA, Shelley worked at Farmer’s Rice Cooperative in Sacramento as an Executive Assistant.  She acted as the liaison between the staff and membership base and coordinated monthly and annual events.  She also gained additional association experience while employed at California Pharmacist’s Association in their Education Department as a Special Events Coordinator.

Shelley has several units completed within the Communications Department at California State University, Sacramento and hopes to obtain her B.A. Degree.  She has spent the last few years dedicating her time and energy to raising her family.