Terrance Arthur Tamminen (born March 7, 1952) is an author, lecturer, and expert in energy and the environment. In 2003, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger named him Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. In December 2004, he was appointed Cabinet Secretary, who serves as the Governor's chief policy advisor. He continues to advise the former governor and other leaders from different regions, countries, and around the world on energy and environmental policy.

Early life and early career

Tamminen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but spent most of his childhood in Australia. During the 1960s, he worked at a family-owned business in Australia that raised tropical fish. Later, he studied ocean-related issues, including declining conch populations in the Bahamas, manatee numbers in Florida coastal waters, and mariculture in the Gulf Coast states while working with Texas A&M University.

Tamminen is a United States Coast Guard-licensed ship captain. He is also trained to fly airplanes and helicopters and can speak German, Dutch, and Spanish.

Non-profit work

In 1993, Tamminen started the Santa Monica Baykeeper and worked as its executive director for six years. He helped start Waterkeeper programs in San Diego, Orange County, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. He also worked as the executive director of the Environment Now Foundation in Santa Monica, CA, for five years. He also helped start the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic at the School of Law, University of California Los Angeles. In April 2007, he was named the Cullman Senior Fellow and Director of the Climate Policy Program at The New America Foundation, a non-profit organization that works on public policy without taking sides. In February 2007, Tamminen started the non-profit 7th Generation Advisors, where he is now the president. In 2011, Terry helped former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger start the R20 Regions of Climate Action and was named the Strategic Advisor to the Founding Chair. As the Founding Chair's Strategic Advisor, he gives advice to the R20 about policies and helps plan and carry out projects that build strong economies while protecting the environment from climate change. In 2016, Terry became the CEO of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. He managed the foundation’s operations, created a new plan to address climate change, and led many global environmental and climate change projects. In January 2022, Terry was named President/CEO of AltaSea in the Port of Los Angeles.

Author

Tamminen co-authored Climate Finance: A Status Report and Action Plan, published during COP21 in December 2015. His most recent book, Watercolors: How JJ the Whale Saved Us, tells the true story of rescuing JJ, a one-day-old gray whale found abandoned in Marina del Rey, California. His earlier book, Cracking the Carbon Code: The Key to Sustainable Profits in the New Economy (Palgrave), explains how to identify low-carbon products and services that save money, stay ahead of regulations, and protect resources for future generations. His previous work, Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Oil Addiction (Island Press), explores human reliance on oil and strategies to transition to more sustainable energy sources. He also wrote a series of best-selling “Ultimate Guides” to pools and spas (McGraw-Hill): The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual, The Ultimate Guide to Above-Ground Pools, and The Ultimate Guide to Spas and Hot Tubs. Additionally, he authored several theatrical works about the life of William Shakespeare and The Lost Letters of William Shakespeare: The Undiscovered Diary of His Strange Eventful Life and Lives (Shakespeare House Press, 2018). Tamminen regularly wrote blog posts for CNBC, Fast Company, HuffPost, and Mother Nature Network.

California Environmental Protection Agency

In November 2003, Terry Tamminen was chosen as Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. In April 2004, the California Hydrogen Highway Network was started by Governor Schwarzenegger's Executive Order S-07-04. In November 2004, Tamminen was named Cabinet Secretary. Tamminen left his position in August 2006. In September 2006, California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act, also called Assembly Bill (AB) 32.

Private Sector Work

In September 2007, Tamminen was named an Operating Advisor for Pegasus Capital Advisors. He currently works as a senior advisor for Angeleno Group, a company that invests in businesses and new companies and specializes in projects related to sustainable energy.

Recognition

• 2007: Highlighted in the “51 Things We Can Do” section of TIME Magazine’s Earth Day edition
• 2008: Was ranked number one in “Top 50 People Who Can Save the Planet” by The Guardian
• 2009: Named an “Eco Baron” in the book Eco Barons: The Dreamers, Schemers, and Millionaires Who Are Saving Our Planet by Edward Humes
• 2011: Was a finalist for the 2011 Zayed Future Energy Prize
• 2019: Served as a keynote speaker at Verdical Group’s annual Net Zero Conference