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UCAN Staff

Michael Shames

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Job Title
Executive Director
Email
Joined UCAN in
January 1983

Executive Director and Co-founder, Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) a non-profit consumer watchdog group made up of 31,000 San Diego house­holds and small businesses. Represents the interests of San Diegans in energy, telecommunication and Internet matters before the state and federal regulatory bodies. Also serves as an expert witness and attorney on behalf of UCAN and an adjunct professor at University of San Diego School of Business. Authored the recent someday-to-become-a-best-seller: "Secrets of the World's Greatest Consumer: Essential Consumer Tools for the 21st Century ", a 300+ page slightly irreverent guide to new tools and strategies used by consumers in dealing with most retailers.

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Charles Langley

Job Title
Publisher and Gasoline Analyst
Email
Joined UCAN in
January 1996

Charles Langley joined UCAN in 1996. He publishes the UCAN Watchdog, started the UCAN Gasoline Project,and is the inventor of gougeeonomics.  More.

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Dr. Sue A. Macomber

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Job Title
Consumer Telecommunications and Education
Email
Joined UCAN in
June 2001

Sue recently appeared on ABC's Good Morning America. Watch here.

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Laura Impastato

Job Title
Membership Database Manager
Email
Joined UCAN in
May 2005
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Art Neill

Job Title
Attorney
Email
Joined UCAN in
May 2005

Practices public interest and consumer law in the areas of telecommunications, energy, intellectual property, and the internet. Art is the founder of New Media Rights, which provides pro bono legal resources to creators, artists, citizen journalists and online publishers at NewMediaRights.org.  Art was also a creator of the new UCAN.org.

  • Member of the California Bar (admitted 2006)
  • Member of the San Diego County Bar Association

Recent interviews:

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Special Agent 00K9 (aka Max the Bulldog)

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Job Title
Watchdogging, Slobbering, Looking adorable
Email
Joined UCAN in
August 2006

The most elite member of the UCAN staff, Max (um, 00K9) is renown for his ability to get tough for consumers while still looking adorable.

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Michael Scott

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Job Title
Legal Intern
Email
Joined UCAN in
May 2007
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Geoffrey Smith, MA

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Job Title
Water Conservation Policy Analyst
Email
Joined UCAN in
February 2008

Geoffrey covers water policy for UCAN, finding ways to increase our region's water efficiency while looking out for the rights of individual consumers. He can often be seen going after water hogs with the admonition, "Curb your water use! We live in a desert!" more

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Jessica Metcalf

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Job Title
Legal Intern
Email
Joined UCAN in
September 2008
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Michael Donahue

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Job Title
Legal Intern
Email
Joined UCAN in
May 2009
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See former UCAN staff in the UCAN staff archives!


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