Pre-Conference Agenda

Dr. Andrew McAllister

Commissioner, California Energy Commission

Andrew McAllister was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in May 2012. He fills the Economist Member position on the five-member Commission where four of the five members by law are required to have professional training in specific areas - engineering or physical science, environmental protection, economics, and law.

Mr. McAllister has over 20 years of technical, programmatic and policy experience in the fields of energy management, efficiency and renewable generation. Before joining the Commission, he worked at the California Center for Sustainable Energy for six years, most recently as managing director and director of policy and strategy. Previously, he worked with NRECA International Ltd. in the electric sectors of countries in Central and South America, Southeast Asia and Africa on a variety of load management, generation and utility planning projects. He was a project manager at an energy consulting firm and worked as an energy efficiency analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He has published on various energy topics in academic, trade, and popular journals.

Andrew studied both engineering sciences and art history at Dartmouth College and holds M.S. and PhD degrees from the Energy & Resources Group at UC Berkeley. He is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

David Terry

Executive Director, National Association of State Energy Officials

David Terry is the Executive Director of the National Association of State Energy Officials and has worked with NASEO in a variety of capacities since 1996. Mr. Terry leads NASEO's programs in support of the nation's 56 State and Territory Energy Offices. The organization communicates the states' views on virtually all national energy issues, including electricity policy, energy efficiency market transformation, renewable energy commercialization and deployment, industrial energy efficiency, energy assurance and reliability, building codes and efficiency, and climate oriented energy programs.

Mr. Terry has 20 years of experience working on a range of energy issues for such organizations as the Association of State Energy Research Institutions, Governors' Biofuels Coalition, National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to working in the energy area, Mr. Terry was a statistical analyst for a market research firm, an analyst with the National Academy of Sciences, and a researcher for The Washington Post. He received a BA degree from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, and he has completed graduate coursework in statistics and marketing at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.

Dr. Laura Nelson

Governor’s Energy Advisor and Executive Director, Utah Governor's Office of Energy Development

Dr. Laura Nelson was appointed in May 2016 by Governor Herbert to serve as his Energy Policy Advisor. In addition to her appointment, Nelson serves as the Executive Director of the Utah Office of Energy Development (OED), responsible for implementing the state energy policy. Through strategic development of the state’s diverse energy and minerals sector, Nelson and the OED are firmly committed to responsible energy policies, environmental issues and conservative administration of public lands.

Dr. Nelson previously served as the Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Potash Ridge, Corp., the Vice President of Energy and Environmental Development at Red Leaf Resources, and as the Energy Advisor to Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman. Dr. Nelson’s board and committee appointments include serving as the Chair of the Utah Energy Infrastructure board, a board member and member of the Executive Committee of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, and as a western representative on the board of the National Association of Energy Offices.

Dr. Nelson is proactive in defining and supporting balanced and sustainable energy solutions and has over 20 years of experience working on energy and natural resource issues in both the public and private sectors. Dr. Nelson holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Utah. She is actively engaged in supporting community initiatives to enhance the welfare of low income families.

Kelley Smith Burk

Director, Office of Energy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Member, NASEO Board of Directors

Kelley Smith Burk has been with the Florida Office of Energy since 2008 and oversaw the development and administration of over $176 million of federal and state grants to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.  Kelley serves as the director for the Office of Energy.  Kelley is responsible for leading the Office of Energy as it develops energy policy and implements programs as well as promotes the use of renewable energy, energy efficient technologies, and alternative transportation technologies for the state of Florida.

Prior to joining the department, Kelley worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Strategic Projects and Planning as a policy analyst for the Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change. Kelley has also served as the director of Scheduling in the Executive Office of the Governor. Kelley received her bachelor’s degree in history from Florida State University and her master’s degree in public policy from Pepperdine University.

Dr. Mary Beth Tung

Director, Maryland Energy Administration

Mary Beth Tung, PhD, Esq., Director of the Maryland Energy Administration, works to ensure that Maryland’s energy portfolio benefits Maryland residents, businesses and local government organizations by improving the effective use of all of energy resources available in the state. Dr. Tung oversees nearly 30 energy related programs including grants that benefit low-to-moderate income families, commercial and industrial entities, and residential. These programs also promote expansion of renewable energy and promotion of energy efficiency for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Tung previously served as Deputy Secretary of Operations at the Maryland Department of the Environment where she developed innovative efficiency solutions and lead the Department in Emergency Preparedness and Radiation Health efforts.

Previously, Dr. Tung worked as an attorney practicing business, government contracts and intellectual property law. Tung earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Cincinnati, a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Wright State University, was a Postdoctoral Associate in pharmacology and virology at the Yale University School of Medicine and received her J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Dan Burgess

Director, Maine Governor's Energy Office

Dan Burgess, was appointed as the Director of the Maine Governor’s Energy Office by Governor Janet Mills in March of 2019. Governor Mills has set an ambitious climate and clean energy agenda, including the recent signing of legislation that requires emissions reductions of 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 and increases Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standards to 80% by 2030. Prior to his return to his home state of Maine, Burgess spent eight years working in leadership roles at the Massachusetts at the Department of Energy Resources and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Burgess has a business degree from the University of Maine Orono and a masters in Public Administration from Northeastern University.

Maria Redmond

Director, Office of Energy Innovation, Wisconsin Public Service Commission

Maria Redmond has worked for the State of Wisconsin for 18 years and currently serves as the Director of the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation (OEI) at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. In this capacity, she is responsible for management of the OEI, and  works with her teams to direct federally funded grant and loan programs, as well as the statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program, Focus on Energy. She ensures accountability for planning, administration and oversight of statewide energy programs and regulatory policies assuring alignment with the values, mission and vision of the office. Redmond has knowledge of renewable energy, alternative fuels, biofuels and advanced vehicle technologies and significant experience in developing and implementing competitive energy programs and services on behalf of the state agencies and businesses.

Laura Rennick

Energy Bureau Chief, Montana Department of Environmental Quality

Laura Rennick has been the Chief of the Montana Energy Office (Energy Bureau at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality) since 2015. Laura is passionate about sustainable solutions for her home state of Montana. A love of Montana’s rivers led her to an early career in watershed restoration, working with local organizations to develop and implement collaborative projects and solutions unique to the various needs across the Big Sky state. Laura has valued the move into sustainable energy since day one; the depth and breadth of energy work means that on an average day Laura and her team can go from providing funding for a local rooftop solar PV system to examining how work at the international level will impact Montana’s energy sector.

Laura is a board member for the National Association of State Energy Officials. Laura holds a MS in Science and Engineering Management from Montana State University, BAs in French and Environmental Studies from Carroll College, and an AS in Business from the University of Montana.

Jason Lanclos

Director, Technology Assessment Division, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Jason Lanclos, P.E. (Jason) has worked at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) since August of 2018.  After serving as the Deputy Executive Director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) for the Governor’s Office since 2014, Mr. Lanclos took the opportunity to return to working in the oil and gas and emerging energy technologies sector at LDNR after working in private industry for almost 13 years.  Mr. Lanclos currently serves as the director of the State Energy Office and Technology Assessment Division of LDNR.  Mr. Lanclos is currently serving as the coalition representative for the State and Midwest region on CCUS technologies and is a central board member for the National Association of State Energy Officials.  Mr. Lanclos has worked on and managed a variety of projects/programs in the oil and gas sector during his time in private industry and managed one of the largest ecosystem restoration efforts for the State of Louisiana while at CPRA.  He holds a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Louisiana State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer.

John Chatburn

Administrator, Idaho Governor's Office of Energy and Mineral Resources

Prior to being appointed Administrator of the Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR) in September of 2014, John Chatburn had served as Interim Administrator and Program Services Manager for OEMR from 2009 - 2014.

Mr. Chatburn's duties for the State of Idaho currently include; US Department of Energy- State Energy Advisory Board, Western Interstate Energy Board Executive Committee, Co-Chair Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance Board of Directors, National Council on Electricity Policy Executive Committee, National Association of State Energy Officials Board of Directors, Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance Board of Directors, Leadership in Nuclear Energy Commission member, and serves as Governor Little’s Energy and Mineral Policy Advisor.

During his career with the State of Idaho, he has served as the Special Assistant for Energy under Governor Otter from 2007- 2009; Deputy Administrator, for the Idaho Department of Agriculture, in the Division of Animal Industries from 2002-2007; Special Assistant to the Director, Idaho State Department of Agriculture from 1999 – 2002; and Energy and Natural Resource Policy Advisor for Governor Phil Batt, 1995 – 1998.

He is a graduate of Boise State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Brad Crabtree

Vice President, Carbon Management, Great Plains Institute

Brad Crabtree joined the Great Plains Institute in 2002 and is a vice president responsible for managing its carbon management program. He co-directs the national Carbon Capture Coalition, a partnership of energy, industrial and technology companies, labor unions, and environmental, energy and agricultural organizations that led efforts to secure passage of landmark legislation in Congress to reform the 45Q tax credit for the capture, beneficial use, and storage of CO2 from power plants and industrial facilities. Brad also coordinates a 15-state work group originally convened in 2015 by then-Governor Matt Mead of Wyoming and Governor Steve Bullock of Montana to foster deployment of carbon capture and CO2 pipeline infrastructure.

Brad previously coordinated energy policy advisory groups for the Midwestern Governors Association and facilitated the Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord Advisory Group for six governors and the Manitoba premier. He also co-directed Powering the Plains, GPI’s original flagship project that developed a comprehensive, 50-year regional blueprint for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and advanced coal technologies.

Brad serves on the National Coal Council, to which he was appointed by the US Secretary of Energy. He lives with his wife and daughter in North Dakota, where he was a statewide candidate for public service commissioner in 2010 and 2012. A graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, Brad has an MA in history from Johns Hopkins University.

Sarah Young

Director, Public Affairs and Communications, Wyoming Infrastructure Authority

Sarah Young is the Director of Public Affairs and Communications for the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA). In this role, Sarah leads on various issue areas under WIA’s portfolio, is tasked with managing all the outreach and communications strategies for WIA, and is involved in projects related to energy transmission and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies.

Sarah has an extensive background working in program management, events, communications, and public relations for local governments, nonprofit organizations, healthcare, and political campaigns. Originally from Beaverton, Oregon, Sarah has a B.S. in Business Administration and B.S. in Psychology from the University of Oregon and is a LEED Green Associate.

Al Collins

Vice President, Public Policy, Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation

Al Collins is the Vice President of Public Policy at Houston-based Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) – an international oil and gas exploration and production and chemical company. Oxy is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the United States based on equity market capitalization and the world’s largest user of carbon dioxide (CO2) to enhance oil recovery (EOR).

With over 33 years of experience, Mr. Collins has held a variety of positions in the environmental policy, engineering and management fields. His experience spans air, water, hazardous waste, toxics, and superfund issues, both on behalf of regulators and those being regulated. He has participated in environmental negotiations with federal, state, and local agencies, and has extensive experience with regulatory and legislative development. At Occidental, Mr. Collins is involved in a variety of issues, including hydraulic fracturing, endangered species, remediation, toxics and EOR using CO2. Mr. Collins was very involved in Occidental’s development of the first U.S. Government approved plan for quantifying the amount of CO2 geologically stored during EOR.

Prior to joining Oxy in 2000, Mr. Collins served two years as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at National Environmental Strategies, representing clients on environmental and small business issues. From 1985 to 1997, he worked at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, where he developed regulations and policies related to waste, toxics, and water.

Mr. Collins holds degrees in Economics and Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Joseph Giove

Director of Coal Business Operations, Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Mr. Giove currently serves as the Director of Coal Business Operations for the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy.  In this capacity, Mr. Giove provides financial oversight for all Coal Procurements, Coal Budget Execution, and also leads Coal State Outreach efforts.   Mr. Giove was previously the Director of the Division of CCS Demonstrations which was responsible for the management and oversight of the $3.4 billion dollar program to build the next generation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) power and industrial facilities as part of the 2009 ARRA Stimulus law.

Mr. Giove has represented the United States Government at over 20 bilateral/multilateral meetings and has spoken at over 30 international conferences in 18 countries, and countless domestic meetings and conferences throughout the United States.  Mr. Giove currently represents DOE as its official member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) Staff Sub-Committee on Clean Coal and Carbon Sequestration (2010-present.)  Mr. Giove also serves as a Deputy Designated Federal Officer for the National Coal Council.

Mr. Giove holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Lee University (cum laude), and a Master of Science in Computer Systems Management from the University of Maryland University College.  Mr. Giove has achieved PMP and Lean Six Sigma Black-Belt certifications, has over 15 years of project management experience, and in 2017 was awarded the Department of Energy Procurement Director of the Year Award.

Pat Stanton

Director of Policy, E4TheFuture

A nationally recognized, award-winning expert in regulatory policy analysis and advocacy, Pat Stanton works tirelessly to improve public policies related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the full range of demand resources.

Among other initiatives she is leading the Faces of EE campaign. Prior to E4TheFuture she served as policy advocacy lead at CSG (2003-2015) and led a consulting service for Clean Energy Markets participants. Before CSG, she was Deputy Commissioner at Massachusetts Dept. of Energy Resources (DOER). She was Assistant Commissioner of Waste Prevention at Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) where she contributed award-winning program design, and was a director of DEP’s Division of Water Supply. Stanton earned master’s degrees from Harvard University’s JFK School of Government (Public Administration) and MIT (Civil Engineering). She is also a power knitter and a cyclist in the American Lung Association’s Trek Across Maine the past few years.

Louis Fuentes

President, Air Conditioning Guys, Inc. El Centro

Louis Fuentes is President of Air Conditioning Guys, Inc, an international air conditioning company and a leader in the air conditioning industry in the Southern California and Baja California Region and Director of Marketing & Outreach for Grupo Becerril in Mexico. Elected to the Board of Directors of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America 2016.

First President & CEO of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation. He developed the marketing plan that led to the designation of an Enterprise Zone in Brawley-Imperial County in 2004-2005.

Louis has been called upon to represent the California Economic Development perspective and rural communities at State Congressional Hearings testifying to the State Assembly's Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy. He has received statewide media coverage in the LA Times, San Diego Union, CSPAN, Univision and numerous Southern California Business Journals as well as national media coverage in Mexico.

Lead project manager for a Cargo Airport concept in Imperial Valley, leading the consulting teams in the analysis of a cargo market from Baja California, availability of airspace use and site-selection process. He co-authored the agreement of the “Tri-Valley Alliance”, between Imperial Valley, Palm Springs, CA and Mexicali, Baja California Mexico. He was nominated as "New Economic Development Professional of the Year" in 2004 by California's incoming Chairman of CALED and the incoming Chairman of the International Economic Development Council.

Louis was elected to sit on the Calexico City Council in 2006, serving as the cities 100th Mayor 2008-2009. A former member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED), Former California Technology Trade & Commerce-Team California Marketing Co-Chair, Imperial Irrigation District Energy Consumer Advisory Committee, County of Imperial-Airport Exploratory Committee and Local Transportation Agency (LTA) administrative board. He also served as Chairman of the Imperial Valley Association of Governments (IVAG).

In April 2009, and under invitation from the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Louis Co-hosted a White House Health Care Forum, sharing the California perspective along with Gov. Schwarzenegger and Washington Gov. Gregoire to White House Director of Domestic Policy Melody Barnes.

One of only 4 U.S. Mayors asked to give the perspective of cities along the U.S. Mexico Border by the Border Trade Alliance in Washington D.C. to newly appointed Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Nepolitano and key Congressional leaders in 2009.

Appointed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in November of 2009 to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors District 1 seat. Elected Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in February of 2010 - January 2011. Elected President of the US-Mexico Border Counties Coalition in Nov 2010. Appointed to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Board of Directors in 2016.

In Mexico Louis sits on the Board of Directors of the research arm “Centro de Estudios Economicos del Sector Empresarial de Mexicali” (Center for Economic Studies for the Private Sector). He was a Co-founder of the Economic Development Institute at CETYS University in Baja California. Co-founder of the Economic Research Institute-Imperial Valley housed at San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus. In 2005, he was given special recognition by Mexico’s Secretary of the Economy for his contribution to Economic Development.

He has a degree in Development Studies with a concentration in Economics from the University of California Berkeley. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute.

Louis was born in the California border region of Calexico-Mexicali. He currently resides in Chula Vista, Ca. He has extensive business and political ties in the state of Baja California. Louis holds a black belt in Aikido Karate and Jujitsu and has three young children that drive his motivation to improve the quality of life in the region in which he lives.

Pedro J. Pizarro

President and Chief Executive Officer, Edison International

Pedro Pizarro is president and chief executive officer of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. Edison International is also the parent company of Edison Energy, a portfolio of competitive businesses providing commercial and industrial customers with energy management and procurement services. He is a member of Edison International’s board of directors.

Pizarro served as president of SCE from October 2014 through May 2016, when he was elected president of Edison International. He was elected chief executive officer in October 2016. Previously, Pizarro was president of Edison Mission Energy (EME) and chaired its board of directors from 2011 until the sale of its assets to NRG Energy in April 2014. EME, a subsidiary of Edison International at the time, was an independent power producer that owned, leased, operated and sold energy and capacity from electric power generation facilities, and engaged in hedging and energy-trading activities in competitive power markets. Pizarro joined Edison International in 1999, moved to SCE in 2001, and progressed through several leadership roles prior to joining EME.

Prior to his work at Edison International and SCE, Pizarro was a senior engagement manager with McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles providing management consulting services to energy, technology, engineering services, and banking clients. There, he developed corporate strategy, handled mergers and acquisitions, and oversaw operational and organizational engagements.

Pizarro earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and held National Science Foundation and Department of Defense graduate fellowships. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Harvard University.

Pizarro serves on the boards of Argonne National Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute, Edison Electric Institute, and Caltech. He has also served on the boards of Electric Power Supply Association, California Power Exchange, Colburn School, House Research Institute, Southern California Leadership Council and Western Energy Institute.

Pizarro represents the electric industry on the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB). The SEAB provides advice and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Energy on energy policy, research and development, and economic and national security policy.

Dr. Sumesh Arora

Director, Energy and Natural Resources Division, Mississippi Development Authority

Dr. Sumesh Arora is the director of the Energy & Natural Resources Division of the Mississippi Development Authority which is the state energy office.  Since assuming this position in November 2016, Sumesh has reorganized this office to focus on four areas: energy efficiency programs, energy education and workforce development, energy projects and policy development, and energy data and security.

Previously, Sumesh served as vice president of Innovate Mississippi, director of the Strategic Biomass Solutions, and the Energy-Economy-Environment (E3) program manager for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi.  He has led programs in cleantech commercialization, combined heat and power, innovation strategy development, STEM education, and technology-based entrepreneurship.  Prior to that, he worked for 13 years as a researcher and product development engineer in the chemical fertilizer industry.

Sumesh is the co-inventor of a patented technology to convert poultry litter into bioenergy and testified before the United States Senate in 2014 to lend support for advanced biofuels technologies.  He has over 125 presentations and publications including two book chapters.  Sumesh received his PhD in international development from the University of Southern Mississippi and his BS and MS degrees in engineering from the University of Central Florida.

Mary Nichols

Chair, California Air Resources Board

Mary Nichols is the Chair of the California Air Resources Board, where she occupies the attorney seat. She has served on the Board under Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (1975–82 and 2010–18), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007–2010) and Governor Gavin Newsom (2019—present). She also served as California’s Secretary for Natural Resources (1999–2003), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis.

When not working for the State of California, Mary was a senior staff attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council; Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, in the administration of President William Jefferson Clinton; and headed the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA.

Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning over 45 years, Mary Nichols has played a key role in California and the nation’s progress toward healthy air. She has also led the Board in crafting California’s internationally recognized climate action plan.

John Agan

Senior Energy Advisor, Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

John Agan is Senior Energy Advisor in the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy. His work focuses on the role of energy efficiency and other distributed energy resources in supporting the affordability, resilience, and sustainability of energy in the United States. Prior to working at DOE, John served and as legislative staff for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives. John holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a BA in Government from Dartmouth College.

Dr. Timothy Unruh

Executive Director, National Association of Energy Service Companies

Dr. Timothy D. Unruh is the Executive Director of the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO). In this role, he manages the representation of its member Energy Service Companies. NAESCO provides advocacy for the industry at the Federal, State and Local levels, and provides for member company Accreditation.

Prior to this role, Dr. Unruh was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Renewable Power at the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Office of the US Department of Energy (DOE). As the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Dr. Unruh managed the nation’s renewable power research, while also providing oversight to the Grid Modernization Initiative.

Also while at the DOE EERE, Dr. Unruh Directed the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). As FEMP Director, Dr. Unruh oversaw the implementation of policy and actions that result in energy efficiency implementation, renewable energy adoption, and reductions in energy and water use in Federal government operations. Dr. Unruh coordinates with DOE national laboratories and other Federal agencies in this capacity.

Dr. Unruh has doctorate, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.

Harold Trujillo

Bureau Chief, Energy Technology and Engineering, Energy Conservation and Management Division, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department

Harold Trujillo is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of New Mexico and California.  Harold received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University in June 1972.  He was Co-founder and Past President of the New Mexico Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and Senior Charter Member of AEE. Past President of the New Mexico ASHRAE Chapter and Past Chairman of ASHRAE’ National Technical Committee on Energy Resources.

He worked for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where he designed super-efficient buildings using computer aided design processes that optimized the architectural configuration, system type and equipment selection. His work in New Mexico has included implementation of energy codes since 1983 by providing technical assistance,  training and participation in the adoption process. He also helped coordinate the adoption of one of the first Green Building Codes in the City of Santa Fe in 2009. In addition, he has coordinated the implementation of over $232 Million of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy project in the last 4 years using Energy Performance Contracting as a first step to getting to zero energy.

Harold was inducted into the Energy Hall of Fame of the New Mexico Association of Energy Engineers in 2006 and recognized as a Legend in Energy by the National Association of Energy Engineers.

Rick Bender

Director, Office of Energy Policy, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet

John Rick Bender recently joined the energy team of Secretary Charles Snavely as Director for the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy under the Energy and Environment Cabinet.  Before coming to the Office of Energy Policy he was part of the executive management team at BlackRidge Resources Partners LLC as Vice President of Land and Administration where he oversaw leasing and land acquisition, rights-of-way and easements, title and regulatory compliance, and general office administration.  Prior to joining BlackRidge, Mr. Bender served as Vice President – Land at Magnum Hunter Production, Inc. and its predecessor NGAS Production Co. from November 2007 to October 2011. For the previous twelve years, Mr. Bender was the Director of the Division of Oil and Gas at the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources.  During his tenure as Director, he served as the Governor’s Representative to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.  He also served on the STRONGER Board of Directors.  Before joining the Division of Oil and Gas, Mr. Bender worked in the oil and gas sector, both public and private, for ten years.  He is a registered professional geologist, a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.  Mr. Bender holds a B.S. degree in geology from the University of Kentucky.

Sushma Masemore

Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Environment and State Energy Director, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

Sushma has 28 years of public and private sector experience bringing innovative technology solutions to control air pollution, solid waste and water pollution.  Sushma has managed distributed energy generation projects in commercial and industrial settings which examined the economics, power production performance, and environmental impacts.  In state government, Sushma managed teams of engineers and scientists to develop air quality regulations, state implementation plans, and emissions analysis tools.

In her current role, Sushma is working to bring clean energy solutions and sustainable practices to businesses, citizens, and government operations.  Sushma is leading the implementation of Governor Cooper’s Executive Order on climate change and clean energy economy, bringing climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency practices to state government.  Sushma also oversees energy programs related to weatherization assistance, state energy planning, and reducing state building energy consumption.

Carilyn Shon

Chief Energy Officer, Hawaii State Energy Office

Carilyn Shon is the Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office, a post she was appointed to on July 1, 2019.  As the CEO, Carilyn develops, manages, and implements statewide energy programs, policies, and initiatives that support Hawaii’s clean energy transformation.

Carilyn comes with 17 years of experience as the Energy Efficiency Program Manager where she was responsible for implementing projects and programs that contribute to the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative and the state’s energy self-sufficiency and efficiency objectives.

Carilyn has extensive experience working on a number of energy programs, including sustainable/energy efficient building programs for commercial and residential buildings; building code updates; legislative initiatives for efficiency and renewable programs; utility planning for programs before the Public Utilities Commission; renewable industry support and coordination to promote renewable energy use in Hawaii; and partnership programs with the private sector, federal and county entities, and other state agencies to promote efficiency and renewable energy programs.  She is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional, Existing Buildings/Operations and Maintenance.

Through her leadership Hawaii has received three National Governors Association (NGA) awards for participation in the Policy Academy on Advanced Energy Strategies for Buildings and the Center for Best Practices, as well as participation in NGA’s workshop on Innovations in Energy Efficiency Policy. For seven consecutive years Hawaii has received national recognition from the Energy Services Coalition’s (ESC) Race to the Top award as the leader in per capita investments achieved in performance contracting and for “outstanding commitment to energy efficiency, environmental stewardship and economic development through Energy Savings Performance Contracting.” In 2016 and 2017, ESC also recognized the State of Hawaii as an Energy Stewardship Champion for “the state’s outstanding accomplishments in leveraging Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracting to achieve infrastructure modernization, environmental stewardship, and economic development.” ESC is a national nonprofit organization of experts working together to increase energy efficiency and building upgrades through energy performance contracting.

In 2015 Carilyn was honored with the Manager of the Year award for DBEDT.

Dr. Will Toor

Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office

Will Toor currently serves as the Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office. He is the former director of the transportation program at the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP).

Prior to working at SWEEP, Will was elected to the Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County, Colorado in 2004, and was re-elected in 2008.  Will spearheaded the effort to create and adopt a countywide Sustainable Energy Plan, the BuildSmart green building code, the EnergySmart program, and the ClimateSmart Loan Program. Prior to being elected County Commissioner, Will served as Mayor of Boulder, Colorado from 1998-2004. He played a strong role in the development of the Boulder's community transit network, EcoPass unlimited access transit pass programs, and policies for denser, mixed-use urban infill development as an alternative to sprawl.

He served as the director of the University of Colorado Environmental Center from 1992 to 2004. In this role he developed campus sustainability programs in the areas of solid waste, building energy use, and campus transportation planning. He is co-author of the books Finding A New Way: Campus Transportation for the Twenty-First Century, and Transportation for Sustainable Campus Communities.

He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago in 1992, where he studied theoretical condensed matter physics, completing a dissertation on phase transitions in electrorheological fluids.

David Bobzien

Director, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy

David Bobzien serves as the Director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy for Governor Steve Sisolak. Mr. Bobzien holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from George Mason University, and a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in natural resources and public lands policy from Boise State University.

David Bobzien was appointed to the At-Large Council Member position in 2014 by the Reno City Council, to serve the remainder of Mayor Hillary Schieve’s vacated term. He was elected to a four-year term in 2016.

As a result of his leadership on the City Council, Reno was the first city in Nevada to join the C40 Compact of Mayors, convened the city’s Climate Action Initiative Group to build climate change resiliency and reduce the city’s carbon emissions, and launched “ReEnergize Reno,” an ambitious program to improve building efficiency 20% by 2025. As part of the program, Reno became the first city in Nevada to adopt an energy benchmarking ordinance, promoting transparency in building energy use to increase efficiency.

Prior to his service on the Reno City Council, Mr. Bobzien served four terms as an Assemblyman representing District 24 in the Nevada Legislature. During his legislative career, he worked on a wide variety of issues, most notably on conservation and clean energy policy including net metering, renewable incentives programs, energy efficiency, and the renewable portfolio standard. During the 2013 session, Mr. Bobzien chaired the Assembly Commerce and Labor committee and shepherded landmark legislation retiring Nevada-serving coal-fired power plants.

Elysia Treanor

Environmental Policy Manager, Portland General Electric Company

Elysia Treanor is the Environmental Policy Manager for Portland General Electric, an Oregon headquartered investor-owned utility that serves 50% of the state’s population and 75% of the state’s commercial and industrial activity. In her role, she focuses on environmental, climate and energy policies and regulations. She develops policy initiatives, performs stakeholder relations, monitors issues and advocates for PGE positions in the states of Oregon, California and Washington and at the federal level. Elysia has been working on environmental policy and regulatory issues for more than a decade, during which time she has become an expert in carbon markets, greenhouse gas reduction strategies and the Federal Clean Air Act. Elysia is a regular presenter on deep decarbonization issues to energy, environmental and customer groups and elected officials across the country. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Oregon State University.

Katie Jereza

Director of External Relations, Electric Power Research Institute

Katie Jereza recently joined EPRI as the Director, External Relations responsible for US and International external stakeholder strategy and execution. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Transmission Permitting & Technical Assistance (TPTA) in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity (OE) where she led the Department's institutional efforts to facilitate the development of reliable, resilient, and affordable electricity infrastructure.

Before joining OE, Ms. Jereza served as the Director for Infrastructure Resilience at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) where she co-led the smarter energy infrastructure initiative and helped launch the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council's Cyber Mutual Assistance program. She has a combined 25 years of management consulting, sales engineering, and state regulator experience. She holds an MBA from the Loyola University Maryland and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Benjamin Martin

State Project Manager, Energy Division, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Ben Martin is the project manager for Minnesota Solar Pathways in Minnesota’s State Energy Office (SEO). Ben is a recent addition to the SEO, joining in June of 2018.  Currently Ben is working on electric vehicle adoption, fleet electrification, end of life solar panel recycling best practices, solar siting regulations and general outreach. Prior work included research and analysis of effects of community and utility scale solar installations on adjoining property values.

Prior to joining the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Ben spent 10 years with the US Forest Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service working in wildland fire suppression. Ben obtained his Master’s degree in Public Policy (2019) from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Joshua Quinnell

Senior Research Engineer, Center for Energy and Environment

Dr. Josh Quinnell is a Senior Research Engineer at the Center for Energy and Environment. Josh has thirteen years research experience in solar energy, heat and mass transfer, and energy efficiency. Currently Josh is working on grid modernization efforts including strategic electrification, solar energy deployment optimization, and using efficiency and other DERs to manage distribution system capacity. Josh’s recent work includes HVAC duct leakage & retrofit sealing, condensing boiler efficiency, energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems, garage contaminant transport, and residential furnace efficiency retrofits.

Prior to CEE Josh spent time researching thermochemical storage cycles at ZAE Bayern outside Munich Germany and the Solar Energy Lab at the University of Minnesota. Josh obtained his Master’s degree (2008) and PhD (2012) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Tucker Perkins

President and Chief Executive Officer, Propane Education and Research Council

Tucker Perkins is the President and CEO for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). Tucker brings 30 years of experience to the energy industry having served in leadership roles with public and private multi-state marketers and regional companies. He travels the world speaking on innovation, research and new ways to reduce emissions and improve economic health. He is active with the World LP Gas Association, National Propane Gas Association, and serves as chairman of the Innovation Working Group for the World LP Gas Association. Tucker brings thought leadership to the industry and allied trade groups such as the Industrial Truck Association and Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. He holds a Civil Engineering degree from Virginia Tech and MBA from University of Richmond. Tucker brings the unique combination of experience and forward thinking with the ability to shift perspectives, engage audiences and provides a vision of what Propane Can Do.

Geoff Bristow

Regional Energy Manager, Energy Programs Office, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Geoff Bristow serves as Regional Energy Program Manager for the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Energy Programs Office.  Based out of DEP’s Northwest Regional Office, Geoff has almost 25 years’ experience managing the development and implementation of energy programs providing technical assistance, education, and financial assistance on a broad range of energy issues from energy efficiency to renewable generation to alternative fuels for transportation.  His work has been spread across various sectors, including industry, commercial, municipal, schools, transportation, and rural communities.  Geoff chairs the Energy Roundtable, a series of quarterly meetings in western PA that explores cost-saving energy management and energy efficiency opportunities for large energy consumers, and he serves as ex-officio director for the Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Council.

Molly Cripps

Assistant Commissioner, Office of Energy Programs, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Molly oversees the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs (OEP), which is comprised of two sections: the Governor-designated State Energy Office (SEO) and the State Facility Utility Management Section (SFUM).  OEP promotes the efficient, effective use of energy to enhance the environmental and economic health of the state through.  Efforts and activities include education, outreach, technical assistance, and/or funding and financing opportunities that focus on energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, utility data management, energy assurance and resiliency, sustainable transportation, and alternative fuels.

Molly has been named the Administrative Lead for Tennessee’s Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust allocation and serves as the TDEC representative to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Distributed Generation Information Exchange, Energy Efficiency Information Exchange, and Solar Strategies Working Group.  She has served on the NASEO Board of Directors since 2014 and is presently serving as the Secretary of Executive Committee.

Prior to joining the State in 2010, Molly spent several years practicing law in Tennessee, with a focus on compliance and municipal liability defense.  She holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Tennessee and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Joanne Morin

Deputy Commissioner, Energy Policy, Planning and Analysis, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Joanne Morin serves as Deputy Commissioner of Policy, Planning and Analysis for the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources in support of Baker-Polito Administration’s plan to create a clean, affordable, and resilient energy future for the Commonwealth. She is responsible for directing the policy research and analyses for the Commissioner’s consideration related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, green communities and emerging technologies, and coordinates with other agencies in order to assure synergy in understanding and reaching DOER’s goals. She supports the Department’s efforts and initiatives to meet the Global Warming Solution Act’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels by 2020, and 80 percent below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels by 2050. She has worked as an environmental consultant and as a corporate environmental, health and safety manager for The Timberland Company where she dealt with, among other things, environmental and labor standards in overseas manufacturing facilities. She served in numerous positions in NH’s Department of Environmental Services Air Resources Division where she focused primarily on energy and climate issues and headed up the Governor’s Office of Energy and Planning for three years.

Michael McManus

Senior Director of New Power and Energy Solutions Business, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems

Mike McManus is Sr. Director of Energy Solutions at NEXT. NEXT is the newly created entity within MHPS Americas focused on supplying clean energy solutions to the marketplace by identifying opportunities to develop, accelerate, fund and distribute clean energy solutions. One of his key responsibilities at NEXT is the development of innovative products and solutions in the Americas including working with customers in an effort to match NEXT solutions to their individual commercial and technical project needs.

Before joining MHPS Americas, Mr. McManus has held a variety of roles at a global OEM including leading the Strategy and Business Development for Onshore Wind, Product Strategy for Gas Turbines and Combined Cycles, as well as thermal design and new product development of gas turbine combined cycles. Early in his career, he worked for an Architect Engineer with roles in operations, commissioning and design of combined cycle facilities.

Mr. McManus joined MHPS Americas in April 2018 at the launch of NEXT. He received his Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering Systems from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Brooke Tucker

Managing Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development

Brooke Tucker currently serves as the Managing Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development (OED). In this role, Ms. Tucker manages Utah’s DOE State Energy Program formula grant and two DOE competitive grants – one to study market options in the West and another to develop energy efficiency and resiliency plans for local communities. Ms. Tucker also manages a DOD grant to proactively analyze sites for compatible renewable energy development in the state of Utah. Additionally, Ms. Tucker manages Utah’s C-PACE program and energy efficiency revolving loan fund. In her previous role at OED, Ms. Tucker served as the Office’s Senior Project Manager, which entailed overseeing OED’s efforts to create jobs throughout the state, developing metrics for office initiatives, and engaging in energy policy issues, including regionalization. Previously, Ms. Tucker served as a Policy Analyst at Energy Strategies, LLC. Responsibilities for this position included preparing reports, comments, and presentations for clients on topics such as regional transmission planning, federal and state legislation, the Energy Imbalance Market, and developments at WECC, CAISO, and the MWTG. Ms. Tucker holds a Master of Business Administration degree and bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communication.

Dr. Carl Linvill

Principal, The Regulatory Assistance Project

Dr. Carl Linvill is a principal with RAP’s U.S. team, and is based in Davis, CA. With his expertise in power sector markets, procurement, and planning, he leads RAP’s work on renewable energy integration and transmission planning in the Western United States. Dr. Linvill focuses on distributed generation valuation and tariffs, as well as regional reliability solutions.

Prior to joining RAP, Dr. Linvill served as a public utilities commissioner in Nevada, the economic and energy advisor to Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn, an academic economist at the Sam Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, and director of integrated energy analysis and planning with Aspen Environmental Group. More recent activities include serving as chairman of the Modeling Data Task Force for the Scenario Planning Steering Group at the Western Electric Coordinating Council, as principal author of Western Grid 2050 for the Western Grid Group, and as a member of the California Energy Commission Demand Forecast Expert Panel. While an academic, he presented microeconomic theory, game theory, and managerial economics, and produced peer reviewed publications in the Journal of Regulatory Economics, the European Journal of Operational Research, the Journal of Productivity Analysis, the International Journal of Industrial Organization, and the Journal of Comparative Economics.

Dr. Linvill received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from the University of California at Davis, and his doctorate in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Keegan Moyer

Principal, Energy Strategies

Keegan Moyer joined Energy Strategies in 2014 and is a Principal with the firm. Energy Strategies is an independent energy consultancy founded in 1986. The firm’s clients include power produces, transmission developers, utilities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and large energy users throughout North America.

Since joining Energy Strategies, Keegan Moyer has grown the firm’s capabilities in the areas of transmission, grid simulation, and market analysis. His teams help clients identify and evaluate generation and transmission investments and the implications of energy policies. He has worked for clients across North America and has testified as an expert witness on transmission matters in three Western states.

Prior to joining Energy Strategies, Keegan was the Manager of Transmission Expansion Planning at the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). In that role, he was responsible for providing leadership to the WECC Transmission Expansion Planning Department, facilitating stakeholder activities, and managing a $14.5 million Department of Energy Regional Transmission Expansion Planning Grant.

Matthew Mailloux

Energy Advisor, Energy Division, New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives

Matthew Mailloux is the Energy Advisor to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. In this role he works on legislative and regulatory affairs. Prior to joining the Governor's Office of Strategic Initiatives, Matt helped launch an free market energy and conservation nonprofit working on college campuses. Matthew graduated from La Salle University with a degree in marketing and finance.

Megan Levy

Local Energy Programs Manager, Office of Energy Innovation, Wisconsin Public Service Commission

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Megan has spent more than a decade working with building energy efficiency both in the low-income weatherization program and with the Wisconsin State Energy Office (now known as the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation). Megan is currently an Energy Emergency Assurance Coordinator for the state and also oversees the Energy Independent Communities program which counts more than 147 communities as members. Megan designed and is the manager of the Municipal Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Program (MEETAP) in which the Energy Office provides expertise to municipalities and schools across the state to facilitate successful energy efficiency projects.  Megan has served on  the Board of Directors of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association since being elected in 2016 (www.midwestrenew.org).  In August of 2017, Megan was named Co-Chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials Energy Security Committee. A chanteuse for the last 20 years, Megan performs jazz, jump blues, and swing all over Wisconsin under the moniker Madison Red, with her four piece band.

Annie Schneider

Emergency Management and Alternative Transportation Specialist, Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development

Annie Schneider currently serves as the Senior Energy Resilience Specialist for the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development (OED), overseeing programs across alternative transportation and emergency management. Since joining OED in 2017, Ms. Schneider has worked to advance and strengthen multi-stakeholder engagement to drive greater fuel diversity to Utah by providing leadership on educational events, reports, key electric vehicle planning across the West, and agreements such as the 8-state memorandum of understanding on electric vehicles. Most recently, she has been charged with managing the office’s energy emergency program, creating educational materials on energy safety, developing an alternative fuel vehicle resilience report, and organizing energy emergency training exercises.

Prior to moving to Utah, she worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a map specialist, educating stakeholders about flood insurance rate maps and federal floodplain building code information. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina.

Jennifer Richardson

Director of Energy Security Policy, Renewables and Resilience, Indiana Office of Energy Development

Jennifer Richardson joined the Indiana Office of Energy Development (OED) as the Director of Energy Security Policy, Renewable Development & Resilience in 2018.  Jennifer oversees staff and programs that advance diverse energy options that support the reliable and affordable operation of the Grid.  Jennifer began her professional career at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission where she worked diligently with industry, consumer and environmental groups as well as federal regulators to ensure Indiana’s voice on key policy decisions impacting the State of Indiana. 

Recruited by the Department of Homeland Security, Jennifer moved to DHS to lead various critical infrastructure initiatives and emergency planning with a focus on public-private partnerships. Jennifer then joined MISO where she began her role in strategic communications and issues management, then moving into the Regional Director position within Government and Regulatory Affairs where she was the primary liaison to state policymakers, regulators and member companies in matters concerning wholesale market and planning initiatives including energy storage, DERs, resource adequacy and capacity market matters.  Jennifer graduated from Purdue University with Honors and went on to Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs for a Master’s Degree in Public Policy.  She recently completed a post-graduate executive education program in Strategic Management at Yale University’s School of Management.

Brandi Martin

Project Manager, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, U.S. Department of Energy

Brandi Martin is a new addition to the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER) team, bringing experience working with State Energy Offices and a cybersecurity background. Within CESER, Brandi focuses on energy security planning and emergency preparedness with state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) governments. Brandi joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in 2016 as a Project Officer. In this role, she worked with State Energy Offices on innovative projects to achieve their energy goals. She also serves as the co-Director for a DOE Employee Resource Group, fostering connections for women at DOE and supporting professional growth opportunities for women in the workforce.

Prior to DOE, Brandi served as the Partner Engagement Director at the Smart Cities Council, where she managed industry-leading energy and technology partners, and engaged city government leaders. She also has 7 years of experience at Cisco Systems in engineering, sales and business development roles. Brandi received her B.S. in Information Systems Management from the University of California Santa Cruz and her M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University.

Shaun O'Neill

President, Concord Servicing Corporation

Shaun O’Neill serves as Concord’s president and is responsible for Concord’s strategic business development and Concord’s operations and IT functions.   A longtime American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and Chairman’s League member, Shaun began his career with Concord in 1997 and has led multiple departments across the organization.

A respected subject matter expert, Shaun is known as a strategic thinker with proven success at evaluating and initiating growth opportunities and pioneering change.  He is frequently called upon to share his impeccable knowledge of consumer lending, servicing, collections and loss mitigation as a consultant/speaker at various conferences and trade associations in multiple asset classes.

Tom Myers

Director of Business Development, Slipstream

Tom is a forward-thinking, goal-driven business professional with more than 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors. He deeply understands the dynamic challenges of the regulatory environments and how they affect the energy industry and his customers’ financial goals within it. Tom finds ways to help his customers achieve success by creating cost effective and impactful programs that lead to increased environmental and social responsibility, and sustainability.

Peter Klein

Vice President of Finance, Saint Paul Port Authority

Pete Klein has issued over $1 billion in bonds to finance projects for the expansion of private businesses, not-for-profits and public infrastructure during his time at the Port Authority. These projects have created over 25,000 jobs, redeveloped hundreds of acres of polluted properties, and generated over $44 million a year in real estate taxes. Pete created and administers three state-wide energy-financing programs and manages a large District Energy system.

Martin Altman

Vice President, Disaster Management, ICF International

Martin Altman is innovative with concepts and implementation and is a strong leader and facilitator that brings more than 30 years of Emergency and Program Management experience with Local, State and Federal Government. He holds a Program Management Professional (PMP) certification from world-renowned Program Management Institute (PMI). He has advanced, in-depth expertise working with the NY Rising Community Reconstruction Zones Program, and HUD CDBG-DR. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Altman served as the FEMA Region VII Project Officer and Closeout Specialist for Kansas City, Missouri. From 2005 to 2009, he held the Public Assistance Infrastructure Branch Director position for the Florida Long Term Recovery Office where he managed the FEMA Public Assistance Program. There, he oversaw more than 200 staff members working on project worksheet development, the closeout of nine declared storms and over 4,000 applications resulting in the recovery of more than $16 billion. Prior to his work with FEMA, he had extensive experience working with Emergency Hazardous Spill Response, Environmental Consulting and Remedial Action Industries, applying EPA 40 CFR, DOT 49 CFR and OSHA 29 CFR Regulations.

Mr. Altman is currently managing a project for the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSE&G)/Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), providing program management services for a $729 million Section 428 Capped Grant to harden 1,025 miles of power distribution, part of a $1.4 billion mitigation project. Mr. Altman earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland.

Joseph Paladino

Senior Advisor, Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy

Joe Paladino serves as Senior Advisor within the Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability where he oversees the effort to determine the impact of smart grid projects. Mr. Paladino has worked at DOE for 20 years in programs involving: a) nuclear waste management, b) energy efficient buildings, and c) electric grid modernization. His particular interest is in the advancement and commercialization of technology. Prior to joining DOE, he worked for over 10 years in the private sector. This experience includes undertaking marketing, sales and technology development efforts at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Paladino has an undergraduate degree in Biology from Middlebury College and a graduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Jim Ferris

Bureau Chief for New Technology, Clean Energy Division, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Jim has been providing professional consulting and engineering services for over 40 years.  For the past 20 years Jim has provided energy and sustainability consulting services to public and private clients in New Jersey and New York, assisting in the development of energy conservation, carbon emission reduction, and sustainability goals; and providing short and long-term planning and assistance towards achieving those goals.

In his role with the NJ BPU, Jim is the Bureau Chief of New Technology in the Clean Energy Division, leading teams working on New Jersey’s offshore wind program, alternative fuel vehicles, energy storage program, and Microgrids.

Jim received a BS degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is a registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Energy Manger.

Douglas Little

Senior Advisor, Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy

Doug Little is a Senior Advisor in the Office of Electricity at the US Department of Energy. His primary focus is on Defense Critical Energy Infrastructure.

He was formerly the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental and External Affairs for the US Department of Energy. The Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs facilitates stakeholder access to Departmental energy policies and program, informs the Secretary and other Department officials on stakeholders’ energy issues and interests. Stakeholders included state, local, tribal and territorial governments as well as industry, environmental and consumer groups.

Prior to the Department of Energy, Little was a member of Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) for three years. He was elected to the statewide office of Corporation Commissioner in 2014 and also served as Chairman of the Commission from January – December 2016.

During his tenure as a Commissioner, Little developed a national reputation as a thought leader in the areas of Integrated Resource Planning, Regional Transmission Planning, and the developing regional energy markets in the Western United States. At the ACC, Little pioneered key energy, water and telecommunication policy initiatives including: Reforms in electricity rate design and Net Energy Metering policy Review of the Arizona Renewable Energy Standard Ensuring the reliability, resilience and security of critical grid infrastructure.

Little is a former board member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and also served on the NARUC Electricity Committee. He was a board member of the Western Conference of Public Utility Commissioners. He also served as the Vice Chairman of the Western Energy Imbalance Market Body of State Regulators and represented the ACC on the Western Interstate Energy Advisory Board.

Chris Benjamin

Director of Corporate Sustainability, Pacific Gas and Electric

At Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Chris Benjamin is the Director of Corporate Sustainability and leads a team responsible for PG&E’s sustainability efforts and engagement, including working to integrate and align PG&E’s sustainability strategy with its business strategy. This includes working collaboratively to measure, communicate, and elevate PG&E’s sustainability commitment across the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of the business. His team is responsible for a variety of sustainability reporting, benchmarking, and strategic policy initiatives, including working to build climate resilience. His team actively engages with a broad range of stakeholders, including PG&E’s external Sustainability Advisory Council, to guide and strengthen PG&E’s sustainability strategy. Prior to joining PG&E, he was a Vice President at Eastern Research Group and a Policy Associate for the National Recycling Coalition. He received a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University and a B.A. from Boston College.

Stephen Ellis

Manager, Fuel Cell Vehicle Marketing, American Honda Motor Company, Inc.

Steve Ellis is the manager of Fuel Cell Vehicle Marketing at American Honda. Steve is responsible for Fuel Cell Vehicle business planning, where he managed the original FCX then FCX Clarity deployment to
Honda’s retail consumers, and today deployment of their newest generation Clarity Fuel Cell. He also provides guidance for many of Honda’s environmental initiatives and Plug-in Electric Vehicles.

Steve is well known for his pioneering work on vehicle-related environmental and energy projects at Honda, has done hundreds of media interviews and is often sought out as an expert with alternative
fuels and refueling infrastructure. Steve serves on numerous industry association boards including the
California Fuel Cell Partnership, the CHBC, is recent chairman of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy
Association and chairs the H2USA “Station Locations” working group. Steve is an avid cyclist and runner
and was honored with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute.

Morry Markowitz

President, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association

Morry Markowitz has been the President of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association for seven years. Utilizing his extensive government relations and communications background, Mr. Markowitz leads the association’s outreach efforts both in our nation’s capital and across the country. Mr. Markowitz has wide-ranging expertise in the energy and automotive fields, as well as over twenty years of senior-level association management experience.

Mr. Markowitz currently serves on the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC), as well as a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee.

Prior to coming to the FCHEA, Mr. Markowitz was the Group Director of External Affairs at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).  Before his work at EEI, he served as Vice President of Public Affairs with the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers. Mr Markowitz has worked on Capitol Hill, as well as the Executive Branch of government. He is a graduate of the George Washington University and has a law degree from George Mason University School of Law.

Melanie Kenderdine

Principal, Energy Futures Initiative

Melanie Kenderdine is a principal of Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. She is also currently a Visiting Fellow at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC). Kenderdine served at the Department of Energy from May 2013–January 2017, as the Energy Counselor to the Secretary and concurrently as the Director of DOE’s Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. She was responsible for analysis and policy development in DOE’s annual review of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program requirements, energy innovation, and climate change. She produced two installments of the Quadrennial Energy Review and helped conceive of and develop the Energy Security Principles adopted by G-7 leaders in 2014. As Energy Counselor to the Secretary, Kenderdine provided key strategic advice on a range of issues, including Mission Innovation, a 22-country+ EU initiative that supports transformational clean energy RD&D; North American grid integration and security; and the modernization of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Prior to her service at DOE, Kenderdine helped to establish the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) and served as its Executive Director for six years. Kenderdine also started the C3E Symposium series, a joint MIT-DOE program to support the careers of women in clean energy with cash prizes; she still serves as a DOE C3E Ambassador. Before joining MITEI, Kenderdine served as the Vice President of Washington Operations for the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) from 2001 to 2007. From 1993 to 2001, Kenderdine was a political appointee in President Bill Clinton’s administration, where she served in several key posts at DOE, including Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary, Director of the Office of Policy, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Joe Francis

Associate Director, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality

Joe has been with the Department of Environmental Quality, now the Department of Environment and Energy, his entire career, starting in 1975.  Joe has a Bachelor’s in Environmental Health from the University of Nebraska and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Joe has served in several capacities with the Department of Environmental Quality beginning as an Air Quality inspector. He has served as Assistant Director responsible for management of all Air and Waste programs and is now responsible for the Assistance Division. Joe is now responsible for the operations of the Energy and Assistance Division, which was created with the merger of the Department of Environmental Quality and the Nebraska Energy Office.

Joe has been active in a number of state and national organizations associated with emerging environmental issues, all having significant energy implications. Most significantly leading a unique environmental partnership with the Nebraska Public Power District, Nebraska’s largest producer of electricity. He has also served as Co-Chair for the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council and is currently Chair of the Dept. of Defense, Science Advisory Board for the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program

Dub Taylor

Director, State Energy Conservation Office, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Dub Taylor is the Director of the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), which is operated by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Under his direction, SECO helps the state make the most of domestic energy, reduce state and local government energy costs and promote cost-effective clean energy technologies. SECO's mission is to maximize energy efficiency while protecting the environment.  Prior to joining SECO in 1999, Taylor’s public sector experience includes six years with the Texas Railroad Commission’s Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division. Taylor's private sector experience was focused in commercial real estate, property appraisal and property tax consulting.  He is a native of Dallas and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

Martha Brook

Energy Policy Advisor, California Energy Commission

Martha Brook has been at the California Energy Commission (CEC) for over two decades; there she has become a highly respected expert in long term energy demand forecasting, building energy efficiency standards, and research and development of energy efficient technologies for residential and commercial buildings. She is currently the technical advisor to Commissioner Andrew McAllister, where she provides support on all areas of building and appliance energy efficiency, as well as energy data collection, organization, analysis and publication.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Resources Engineering from California State University, Humboldt and is a California Professional Mechanical Engineer.

David Nemtzow

Director, Building Technologies Office, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

David Nemtzow brings to the Building Technologies Office (BTO) of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) more than three decades of experience in energy, including in industry, government, utility, non-profit associations, and consulting. As Director of BTO, David is responsible for leading this $200 million per year office that helps develop innovative, cost-effective energy efficiency R&D and other solutions for U.S. building technologies, equipment, systems and whole buildings.  Previously, he was Director-General (CEO) of the Department of Energy, Utilities, and Sustainability for New South Wales?Australia’s most populous state?where he played a central role in the State’s electricity, greenhouse, energy, and water strategies and policies. He also served as President of the Alliance to Save Energy, a prominent Washington, D.C.-based association of industry, government, utility, consumer, and environmental executives that promotes invest¬ment in energy efficiency. In addition, he has been a member of the executive committee of a distributed energy storage startup company, an independent energy consultant, and a senior congressional energy staff member. David has served on numerous governmental advisory committees and the boards of energy associations and organizations. He has published and speaks regularly in the field. He earned a master’s degree from Harvard University in public policy and a bachelor’s from Brown University in environmental policy.

Kaci Radcliffe

Energy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy

Kaci Radcliffe is an Energy Analyst and Sustainability Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Energy. She works in building energy efficiency programs, helping schools, government, and businesses make long-term building improvements and become leaders in energy and sustainability. Other duties include project management, policy analysis, grant administration, regional coordination, and managing sustainable business practices.

Her professional experience includes 13 years working in the built and natural environment, in the fields of natural resources and restoration, community planning and engagement, energy management, and sustainability. Kaci previously worked for city and county governments in the Northwest, focused on program implementation, inter-jurisdictional coordination, environmental systems, and stakeholder engagement. She is an Oregon Project Management Associate, Board Member for Oregon Green Schools, Master Recycler, and has a Bachelor degree in Environmental Science from Western Washington University.

Rodney Sobin

Senior Program Director, National Association of State Energy Officials

Rodney Sobin is a Senior Program Director at the National Association of State Energy Officials where he works on various energy topics, such as building energy efficiency; building-grid interactions; environmental aspects of energy; evaluation, measurement and verification (EM&V); technological innovation; industrial energy; rural energy; and energy productivity. His prior experiences include service as Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs at the Alliance to Save Energy; air quality and pollution prevention positions at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality; and environmental technology related work at Concurrent Technologies Corporation, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, and the World Resources Institute.  He holds two Master’s degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University.

Kara Saul Rinaldi

President and Chief Executive Officer, AnnDyl Policy Group

Kara Saul Rinaldi has twenty years of experience in advocacy strategy development, lobbying and media relations.  As one of the leading energy and climate policy experts, she has directed national policy, communications and grassroots campaigns leading advocacy efforts with the Administration and Congress on tax, appropriations, authorization and climate change policy for national and international NGOs and corporations.  Prior to starting AnnDyl Policy Group, she held positions as the Policy Expert on Energy and Climate Change for ERM, a multi-national environmental consultancy firm; the Director of Government and Public Affairs for Owens Corning, a Fortune 500 company that is a leader in insulation technologies; and, the Senior Director of Policy for the Alliance to Save Energy.  Kara has been elected to the board of different energy and environmental groups and coalitions and has used her contacts with the non-profit community to assist industry in stakeholder engagement to advance clean and efficient energy policy.  Kara also has worked on the Climate Change Campaign for the World Wildlife Fund and in the offices of Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey (D-Calif.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

She has testified before congressional committees on energy policy and appeared in a variety of media, including: Fox News, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, CNBC, Business Week, USA Today and, The New York Times.  She also appears in podcasts and as a news guest for National Public Radio.  She has authored numerous articles on energy policy for trade publications and provided many keynote and panel presentations on energy and climate policy. She has also led delegations and ran strategy efforts at numerous UN FCCC Conference of Parties (COP) meetings.

She holds a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a bachelor's degree from the University of California, San Diego.

Hanna Terwilliger

Rates Analyst, Minnesota Public Utility Commission

Hanna Terwilliger has worked as an Economic Analyst with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission since 2016. At the Commission, she works on wide range of issues related to electricity, including distributed energy resources, integrated resource planning, and electric vehicles. Hanna graduated from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs in 2017 with a Master of Public Policy and also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from St. Olaf College. Prior to her time at the PUC, Hanna worked in the non-profit sector on environmental and energy policy, and completed a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Eau Claire, WI.

John Shenot

Senior Advisor, Regulatory Assistance Project

John Shenot advises state utility commissions and environmental regulatory agencies throughout the United States on public policy best practices. A unifying theme throughout his work is the need to craft public policies that simultaneously meet societal objectives for affordable, reliable energy and environmental quality. Mr. Shenot’s projects have included providing a series of training workshops and webinars for state and federal regulators on the air quality impacts of energy efficiency and renewable energy; planning and facilitating meetings of the Mid-Atlantic Distributed Resources Initiative (MADRI); and supporting several initiatives of the State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEE Action). He has also authored or co-authored a wide variety of RAP publications, available in RAP’s library.

Mr. Shenot came to RAP after serving as policy advisor to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin from 2008 to 2011. He contributed to numerous commission investigations of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate change topics. Mr. Shenot previously spent 15 years with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as an air pollution regulator and electric utility specialist.

Mr. Shenot is a member of the editorial board for the International Confederation of Energy Regulators’ journal, The ICER Chronicle. He also served on the Air Quality Advisory Board for the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, from 2013 to 2016. In 2004, he was awarded an Atlantic Fellowship in Public Policy by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom for collaboration with regulators at the Environment Agency in Bristol, England.

Mr. Shenot received a bachelor’s in engineering from the University of Maryland and a master’s in resource policy from the University of Michigan.

Carol Grant

Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources

Carol Grant serves as Commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and joined OER with more than 20 years of experience in operations, strategic human resources, policy, law, and communications. Most recently, she served in leadership roles at two different renewable energy companies.

As OER Commissioner, she Grant will leads policy and planning for Rhode Island's nationally-recognized clean energy programs. She ensures Rhode Island continues to excel in energy efficiency innovation and will take steps to expand local and regional renewable energy. She also addresses the challenges of affordability, resiliency, grid modernization, and system integration.

She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan.

Michelle Gransee

State Energy Office Director, Energy Division, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Michelle Gransee serves the MN Department of Commerce as the State Energy Office Director for the Energy Division. She is an experienced energy manager with a demonstrated history of working in government administration. She has particular expertise in program development and evaluation, energy policy, clean energy technologies, training and conflict resolution. She has worked for the state since 2009. She received her B.A. from Concordia College – Moorhead in philosophy and art history, post-baccalaureate certification in education from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and M.S. in natural resource from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.

Dr. Taresa Lawrence

Deputy Director, Energy Administration, District Department of Energy and Environment

Dr. Taresa Lawrence is the Deputy Director of the Department of Energy and Environment’s Energy Administration, which is charged with developing energy plans, policies, and programs to achieve the District’s ambitious energy and climate goals.  Her experience includes the sustainable use of energy in the residential, commercial and institutional sectors, and she specializes in strategic planning, energy management and analysis, program design and implementation, and evaluation methods. Taresa currently oversees the implementation of the Clean Energy DC plan, as well as a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, including the District’s Solar for All Program and the energy assistance and affordability programs. Prior to joining the District Government, Taresa was a Regulatory Economist at the Maryland Public Service Commission, and Center Director of the Small Business Development Center at the Howard University Center for Urban Progress. Taresa holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Howard University and a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from University of Manchester, England.

Ed Carley

Senior Program Manager, National Association of State Energy Officials

Ed Carley works with State Energy Offices to support policy and program development in building energy efficiency, including ENERGY STAR for buildings, building energy codes, home energy labeling, and other areas. Prior to NASEO, he consulted with a California municipal utility on energy efficiency program design, and interned with the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy supporting a research paper investigating Measurement and Vertification 2.0 topics. Mr. Carley received his Bachelor of Science in political science from Appalachian State University and a Master of Sustainability Management from American University.

Julia Dumaine

Research Analyst, Office of Energy Demand, Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Julia Dumaine is a Research Analyst for the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, specializing in residential energy demand reduction strategies and policy.  She holds both a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in resource economics from the University of Connecticut.  Her blend of financial knowledge with economics and green design methodologies have allowed her to make key contributions to policies including Connecticut’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy, market transformation initiatives, and establishing the State’s first statutory energy efficiency goals.

Maddie Koewler

Program Manager, National Association of State Energy Officials

Maddie Koewler is a Program Manager at NASEO. She supports NASEO’s buildings program where she provides assistance to state energy offices and works on the development of building energy codes, residential energy labels, and equity in the proliferation of clean energy and energy efficiency. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Koewler supported the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy implementing residential energy efficiency programs. Ms. Koewler has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Kent State University.

Al Cioffi

Strategic Advisor, Business Development, Plug Power

Mr. Al Cioffi has 36 years of management and executive leadership experience in telecommunications, reliable power, reserve energy, and alternative energy industries. He started his career in 1980 at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Throughout the following years, he held numerous engineering, operations, product management, marketing, and customer advocacy roles. He has experience at large multi-nationals such as Lucent, Marconi, Eltek, and General Electric, as well as start-up and turn-around experience at Valere Power, PECO II, and Unipower. He currently works with Plug Power to advance the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell technology in motive applications adjacent to the commercial market share Plug Power already holds.

Mr. Cioffi holds seven patents and has published numerous articles and conference papers. He holds a BSEE from Manhattan College, an MSEE from Polytechnic Institute of NY, and has studied business and finance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Val Miftakhov

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ZeroAvia

Val Miftakhov is a Founder & CEO of ZeroAvia, Inc, a California company developing the World's first practical zero emission aviation powertrain. Val is a serial entrepreneur in EV space - his previous company eMotorWerks has developed the World’s leading platform for EV battery aggregation to provide grid services, and was acquired in 2017. Prior to that, Val held a number of senior business and product positions at Google and McKinsey & Company, and was a nuclear researcher at Stanford Linear Accelerator. Val holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton University, Masters in Physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and was a two-time winner of Russian Nationwide Physics competitions. In his spare time, Val makes a good use of his airplane and helicopter pilot licenses.

Brian Selinger

Team Leader, Energy Office, Iowa Economic Development Authority

Brian Selinger manages the Iowa Energy Office, a division of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). The Energy Office manages a diverse mix of state, federal and utility-funded programs and initiatives that provide energy-economic benefits for Iowa’s citizens, businesses, and organizations. Brian led the daily activities in the development of the state’s most comprehensive, strategic energy roadmap, the Iowa Energy Plan.

Selinger joined IEDA in 2015 after serving as the Deputy Director of Policy and Research for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. His professional experience includes work with Lockheed Martin as part of an Energy Efficiency partnership with a St. Louis utility.

Robert Jackson

Director, Energy Office, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Robert Jackson is a chemical engineer with over 20 years of industrial energy efficiency and environmental engineering experience.  Mr. Jackson is currently the Director of the Michigan Energy Office.  He is directly responsible for the state of Michigan’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Revolving Loan Program, and the State Energy Program’s Clean Energy Advanced Manufacturing, Technology Demonstration and Deployment Programs, and Agricultural Energy Programs.

Angela Conroy

Senior Planner, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Angela Conroy is a senior Air Quality Planner for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). She leads DEQ’s greenhouse gas planning and Volkswagen environmental mitigation trust efforts. She has 20 years of experience in environmental program and project management for federal government agencies including the U.S. EPA, DOE, DOD, Department of Interior, the Veterans Administration, and the Massachusetts Department of Health.

Ms. Conroy has an extensive background in renewable energy and the redevelopment of disturbed lands and landfills. She co-authored technical guidance and published articles on environmental and energy topics for the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP).

She has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Ferrum College, an M.B.A. and M.S. in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland, graduate studies in Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Tech, and is a Certified Sustainable Development Professional through the Association of Energy Engineers.

Dr. Holmes Hummel

Founder, Clean Energy Works

Clean Energy Works was founded by Dr. Holmes Hummel  to accelerate investments in the clean energy economy with inclusive financing. As the champion for the Pay As You Save (PAYS) system, Dr. Hummel led Clean Energy Works to win the FiRe Award for high-impact innovation at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance “Future of Energy Summit.” Dr. Hummel also serves on the board of Cornerstone Capital as well as Cleantech Open. Previously, Dr. Hummel served as the Senior Policy Advisor in the Department of Energy’s Office of Policy & International Affairs from 2009-2013. In addition to prior work with energy innovators in the Silicon Valley, Dr. Hummel earned a doctorate degree from Stanford University for interdisciplinary research on energy technology scenarios that achieve 100% clean energy for all.

Patty Monahan

Commissioner, California Energy Commission

Commissioner Patty Monahan is serving her first term on the California Energy Commission. Commissioner Monahan was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in April 2019. She fills the Commission’s science/engineering position and is the lead commissioner on transportation.

Before joining the Energy Commission, Commissioner Monahan was the transportation program director at the Energy Foundation, where she funded campaigns across the United States to advance electric transportation and cleaner, more efficient vehicles. She held several positions with the Union of Concerned Scientists from 2001 to 2010, including director of the California office, deputy director of clean vehicles, and senior analyst. She worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, as lead for the Toxic Release Inventory Program from 1997 to 2001 and as an environmental protection specialist from 1990 to 1992.  She was a research associate with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory International Studies Program from 1992 to 1994.

Commissioner Monahan received a bachelor of science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in energy analysis and policy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Amy Royden-Bloom

Manager, State Energy Program, Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office, U.S. Department of Energy

Amy Royden-Bloom is the manager of the State Energy Program in the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office, which is housed in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Department of Energy (DOE).  The State Energy Program (SEP) provides funding and technical assistance to states, territories, and the District of Columbia to enhance energy security, advance state-led energy initiatives, and maximize the benefits of decreasing energy waste.

Prior to joining DOE in 2013, Amy was a Senior Staff Associate for 12 years at the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA), where she led the association’s efforts on global warming, enforcement, agricultural air pollution and training.  She previously worked as a special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and, before that, as a lawyer at DOE.

Amy holds a law degree from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and Spanish from the University of Virginia.

Lynn Retz

Energy Program Director, Energy Office, Kansas Corporation Commission

Lynn Retz joined the Kansas Corporation Commission’s Energy Division in December 2016. She was named Energy Director in May 2017. Prior to that, she worked in Legislative Post Audit for more than
eight years. Lynn worked as an attorney in private practice for several years and also worked for the
Kansas Performance Review Board.

Jenah Zweig

Supervisor of Partnerships and Technical Assistance, Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Jenah Zweig currently serves as Supervisor of Policy and Technical Assistance at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office. Prior to this, she was a Policy Director at the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA). Prior to her work with SEEA, she worked in the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability for the City of Atlanta, Georgia; Natural Justice in Cape Town, South Africa; and the U.S. Department of Justice. She is a LEED Green Associate, certified mediator in Georgia and California, AESP SEARCH Vice President, and Presidential Volunteer Service Award honoree. She has a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law, and a Bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Southern California.

Alan Zelenka

Assistant Director for Planning and Innovation, Oregon Department of Energy

Alan Zelenka is the Assistant Director for Planning and Innovation at the Oregon Department of Energy where he oversees the work of 21 people who focus on efficiency, conservation, technology, and policy. 

While working on a master’s degree at the University of Oregon, he served as an intern at Emerald People’s Utility District in Eugene. His first assignment was to summarize the first Biennial Energy Plan by ODOE. Soon thereafter, EPUD offered him a job as a resource specialist. Zelenka spent 21 years at Emerald in several different roles before becoming an energy consultant in 2007.

Zelenka was instrumental in developing two more IRPs at EPUD before going into consulting. His resume includes membership on the Oregon Global Warming Commission (2013-18), Climate Trust (2004-10), Public Power Council (2000-06), Renewable Northwest (1994-2008), which he helped co-found, and the Solar Energy Association of Oregon (1988-98). On top of all that, he was re-elected this past May to a fourth four-year term on the Eugene City Council.

Craig Redmon

Director, Division of Energy, Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Craig Redmon currently serves as Director for the Division of Energy at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. He is a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives. He represented the 4th District, which encompasses all of Clark, Knox, Lewis, Schuyler, and Scotland counties as well as the eastern half of Adair County east of U.S Highway 63, excluding the city of Kirksville. He attended Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, receiving a degree in business administration and economics

Dan Bresette

Vice President, Policy, Alliance to Save Energy

Daniel Bresette is the Alliance’s Vice President of Policy.

Before joining the Alliance in 2015, Daniel was the Maryland Energy Administration’s Senior Energy Policy Manager and oversaw a diverse portfolio of state energy efficiency financing initiatives. He has provided expert testimony to Congress, the Maryland General Assembly, and other regulatory agencies on energy efficiency topics, presented at national conferences, and served on a range of national committees and work groups. Previously, he worked in the strategy practice at Booz Allen Hamilton. He began his career with U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt. Daniel is currently a member of the board of directors of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy.

Daniel attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in government and international relations. Later, he graduated from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business with a master’s degree in business administration.

Dale Hahs

State Liason Team Manager, Energy Services Coalition

Dale L. Hahs presently serves as a Technical Assistance Provider for the Energy Services Coalition State Technical Liaison team supported by a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Energy.

Dale previously served as the Executive Director of the Energy Services Coalition where he filled the role of Technical Assistance Subject Matter Expert for Guaranteed Energy Saving Performance Contracting (GESPC), assisted in the customization of GESPC programs for multiple states within their legislative and administrative framework, managed and coordinated the continuous improvement of the nation’s compendium of best practices tools, resources, instruments and guides.  Prior to this role, Dale was a member of the leadership team of an ESCO for over a decade and has been engaged in energy efficiency providing client solutions for over 30 years.

Joe Sullivan

Deputy Commissioner, Energy Division, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Joseph Sullivan is the Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Energy Resources at the Minnesota Department of Commerce. In this role, Joe leads the Division and supervises the Minnesota State Energy Office and the Energy Planning and Advocacy unit. 

Prior to coming to Commerce, Joe was the Manager of Legislative and External Affairs for the Center for Energy and Environment where he worked with policy makers, regulators, utilities, energy advocates, and other key stakeholders to advance energy efficiency and clean energy policy in Minnesota.

He has also worked as the Regional Policy Manager for Wind on the Wires where he worked in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa to advance policies for wind power and transmission access. Joe started his career by spending six and a half years representing a municipal power agency and Greater Minnesota cities as a senior attorney at Flaherty & Hood P.A. in St. Paul, Minn. At Flaherty & Hood, Joe worked on renewable energy, transmission issues, state conservation goals, greenhouse gas reduction initiatives, net metering, nuclear waste, and utility taxation issues. Prior to joining Flaherty & Hood, Joe worked in Washington, DC at the U.S. House Committee on Science and at the Internal Revenue Service.

He holds degrees from Marquette University and University of Wisconsin Law School.

Chad Kruse

Manager, Office of Energy, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Chad’s childhood love of water and the outdoors matured into a desire to apply his education in anthropology, earth sciences, and law to environmental concerns.  He has over a decade of environmental law and policy experience with the State of Illinois.  His work with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency includes serving as Assistant Legal Counsel for the Bureau of Water and his current role as Manager of the Office of Energy.

Over the past year, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has worked to align the State’s energy programs with environmental protection.  One example of this effort is the Agency’s focus on energy efficiency at publicly-owned wastewater treatment plants with the objectives of energy savings for municipalities and improved water quality.

David Perry

President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, Indigo Ag

David is President, CEO, and Director of Indigo. He is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and built three innovative companies in the last 20 years, leading the last two through successful IPOs and to multi-billion dollar market capitalizations and raising over $1.2 billion while generating significant returns for investors.
David was most recently CEO and Co-Founder of Anacor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ANAC), a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel small-molecule therapeutics to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases. The company was acquired by Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) in 2016 for approximately $5.2 billion. David previously co-founded and served as CEO of Chemdex (NASDAQ: CMDX), later creating its parent company Ventro Corporation (NASDAQ: VNTR), a business-to-business marketplace focused on the life sciences industry. At its peak, Ventro was valued at $11 billion and was later sold to Nexprise.

David is Founder and Chairman of the San Francisco-based digital health startup Better Therapeutics (f/k/a FareWell) and a Board Director of the human microbiome company Evelo Biosciences.

In 2000, David was named Entrepreneur of the Year in Northern California by Ernst and Young. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Tulsa. He also attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he was a National Merit Scholar.

Jeffrey Genzer

General Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials

Jeff Genzer has been Counsel to NASEO since the organization began in 1986.  He represents the organization before Congress and the Administration, working closely with David Terry and the NASEO staff.  He has also practiced energy and environmental law since 1985 at the law firm of Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer and Pembroke, PC.  Mr. Genzer serves as President of the law firm.  Prior to going into private law practice, he served as counsel and energy lobbyist for the Energy and Environment Committee of the National Governors Association.  Mr. Genzer also worked on low income energy issues for the National Consumer Law Center.  He began his energy career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia 41 years ago.

Doug Hurley

Principal Associate, Synapse Energy Economics

Doug Hurley assists Synapse’s clients in navigating the labyrinth of ISO and RTO market rules, especially regarding the participation of energy efficiency, distributed generation, and battery storage in wholesale markets. His work includes representing the interests of consumer advocate, environmental, and renewable resource clients at numerous ISO New England and PJM stakeholder meetings. These clients rely on the long experience he's had with the design, operation, theory, and outcomes of wholesale electricity markets and resource adequacy constructs in the U.S. electric sector. Mr. Hurley co-led the Synapse team that provided technical support to stakeholders in the settlement discussions that created the forward capacity market in New England and incorporated energy efficiency as a capacity resource in the capacity construct in PJM.

Mr. Hurley was the lead client representative for three members of the New England Power Pool’s (NEPOOL’s) Alternative Resource sector in the Forward Capacity Market Settlement Conferences, which, with help from other parties, successfully included demand response and energy efficiency in the design of New England’s capacity market. He is serving in his sixth year as the vice-chair of NEPOOL’s Alternative Resource sector and has spent 10 years actively advising numerous clients participating in the Forward Capacity Market with energy efficiency and distributed generation resources. Many of those clients return to Synapse year after year for its market expertise. Indeed, many of Mr. Hurley's state consumer advocate clients have been with him since 2004.

Mr. Hurley’s other activities include analyzing the economics and environmental impacts of diesel backup generation units; preparing expert testimony on the forward-going economics of coal-fired units; analyzing economic dispatch models; analyzing economic and environmental implications of renewable portfolio standards and clean energy policy scenarios; and investigating electricity market price trends.  He has testified before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities regarding utility mergers and energy efficiency plans, and before the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission regarding their 2011 Least Cost Integrated Resource Plan.

Prior to joining Synapse in 2004, Mr. Hurley was the head of the West Coast research arm of a website hosting company, and he spent seven years as a technology consultant for Ernst & Young. Mr. Hurley holds a BS in electrical engineering from Cornell University.

Emily Salzberg

Managing Director, Housing Improvements and Preservation Unit, Washington State Department of Commerce

Rob Hall

Interim Director, Heat and Frost Insulators LMCT

Rob Hall currently serves as Interim Director of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Labor Management Cooperative Trust (L.M.C.T). The L.M.C.T works collectively to promote the Mechanical Insulation Industry including the benefits of workforce development, energy savings and reduced emissions.

He is a graduate of the Local 39 Omaha, Nebraska  apprenticeship program and spent his first 21 years in the industry applying mechanical insulation in all fascists of our trade. He then served 12 years as Business Manager of Local 39 in charge of the day to day business of the union and members including the Local union trust funds. In 2007, he was appointed by The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers as an International Representative, working with locals and contractors across the United States and Canada to further advance our industry.

Michael Patterson

Business Manager, Insulators Local 5 (Los Angeles and Southern California)

Michael Patterson became an apprentice of Heat and Frost Insulators Local 5 in April 1974. He graduated the apprenticeship in 1978, and served as a delegate of the Board and Trustee before being Elected Business Agent in 2013 and then Business Manager in 2016 to present.

Melvin Breshears

Business Manager, Local 16 (San Francisco and Northern California)

Mel Breshears, after serving 6 years in the United States Marine Corps, started his career as a Mechanical Insulator in Northern California in 1988. He completed his apprenticeship in 1992 and worked his way to Journeyman then Foreman while also remaining active in the Union. His trade experience covered work within the residential, commercial, food processing, aerospace, industrial and marine sectors. In 2001 he became a full time union officer and was elected to his current position as Business Manager in 2012. He serves on several statewide boards including the California State Building and Construction Trades Council and the California Unions for Reliable Energy.

Dr. Emily Shumchenia

Ocean Data Scientist and Contract Staff, Northeast Regional Ocean Council

Emily Shumchenia is an ocean data scientist focused on improving how science is presented to the public and used in decision-making. Since 2014 Emily has worked with the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC)—a voluntary forum for federal agencies, New England states, and Tribes to collaborate on ocean and coastal management issues (including energy and infrastructure)—to develop data and information on ocean resources and human activities to support regional planning offshore. She now manages the operation and maintenance of the Northeast Ocean Data Portal, a public and peer-reviewed repository for these data. In this capacity, Emily works with agency staff and other stakeholders to develop relevant data products, conduct peer-review of draft data, and train users on Portal access, data use, and data interpretation. The Northeast Ocean Data Portal is now accessed by thousands of users each month, including state and federal agencies, various ocean industries, educators, conservation advocates, and researchers. Over the past several years, NROC partners and Portal staff have developed numerous datasets and resources to help inform offshore wind energy planning. Emily holds a PhD in oceanography and is also an independent consultant managing a portfolio of projects that all relate to synthesizing ocean data for decision-making purposes.

Alexa Voytek

Senior Program Manager/Energy Consultant, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Co-Chair, NASEO Transportation Committee

Alexa Voytek is an Energy Consultant / Senior Program Manager for TDEC OEP. Alexa provides support for various grant programs, energy efficiency and sustainable transportation initiatives, and external communications efforts. Prior to joining TDEC, Alexa interned with the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development and the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia. Most recently, Alexa served as Assistant Account Executive for New York City-based public relations firm Ketchum, Inc., where she was assigned to energy and technology related projects. Alexa holds an M.A. from Columbia University in Russian, Eastern European, Balkan, and Eurasian Studies and graduated summa cum laude with high distinction from Duke University, with a B.A. in History and Russian Language /Area Studies.

Karen Glitman

Director, Transportation and Infrastructure Markets, Center for Sustainable Energy

Karen brings more than 30 years of policy and public service experience to her role as Director, Transportation and Infrastructure Markets at the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), a mission-based non-profit dedicated to decarbonizing transportation and the built environment.

Karen also serves as an EAN Senior Fellow where she regularly contributes to research and analysis that is relevant to the Network’s mission and is a volunteer board member of Housing Vermont, a nonprofit syndication and development company and of Champ P3 a nonprofit promoting better use of Vermont’s rail infrastructure.

Prior to joining CSE, Karen worked at VEIC as Director of Efficiency Vermont, as founding Director of Transportation Efficiency, and as Director of Strategy, Policy, and Public Affairs. Karen served as the Director of the University of Vermont’s National University Transportation Center and has served as Director of Policy and Planning, Deputy Secretary, and Acting Secretary at the Vermont Agency of Transportation.

Katy Hatcher

ENERGY STAR National Manager, Public Sector, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Caterina (Katy) Hatcher is the US EPA’s ENERGY STAR Public Sector National Manager.  She works with public sector organizations, such as government agencies and schools, to help improve energy performance through the use of ENERGY STAR tools and resources, including ENERGYSTAR Portfolio Manager. Katy has been working for EPA since 1996.  She holds a degree from the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture in City Planning. By the end 2016, more than 500,000 properties have been benchmarked in Portfolio Manager, representing 50 percent of the nation’s commercial building space. Portfolio Manager has become the standard national platform for benchmarking energy use in commercial buildings in the United States and Canada. It has been adopted for use by leading US commercial real estate, retail, healthcare, and educational organizations. Many local governments incorporate Portfolio Manager into state and local benchmarking requirements.

James Morante

Statewide Director for the Energy, Construction and Utilities Sector, California Community Colleges

James Morante brings more than 25 years experience in coalition building, community outreach, workforce development and communications. His unique tenure within non-profit, government and corporate environments offer a diverse skill set defined by strategic, efficient and collaborative decision-making. His personal and professional philosophy is deeply rooted in a belief that authentic relationships and genuine engagement lead directly to sustained results.

During his tenure in the utility industry, Morante pioneered several award-winning workforce initiatives, including the transformation of a nationally-recognized employer workforce training program. He was the architect who imagined, coordinated and implemented one of the most aggressive military hiring commitments of its kind. Those efforts culminated in a visit from United States Vice President Joe Biden, who cited the work as “best-in-class.”  His consistent people-first style and implementation of cutting-edge tactics quantitatively increased community engagement and diversity outreach activity 400% while reducing operating budget by 50%, veteran hiring goals were three-years ahead of schedule, and employee engagement scores improved.

Morante also founded Engage! Strategies, a community outreach firm which transformed the good intentions of regional business communities and education into a sustainable workforce ecosystem - designing unique workforce strategies and comprehensive training pathways for targeted diverse populations, including military Veterans and disadvantaged communities. 

Morante now serves as the Statewide Director of Energy, Construction & Utilities within the Workforce and Economic Development Division of California's Community Colleges, where he engages both employers and the state's 114 community colleges to align program content, validate supply and demand gaps and ultimately deliver the knowledge, skills and abilities for both today's and tomorrow's sector careers.

Karen Douglas

Commissioner, California Energy Commission

Karen Douglas was originally appointed to the California Energy Commission by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in February 2008 and re-appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in December 2012 and February 2018. She served as Chair from February 2009 to February 2011. She fills the Attorney position on the five-member Commission where four of the five members by law are required to have professional training in specific areas-engineering or physical science, environmental protection, economics, and law. Commissioner Douglas is the lead commissioner on power plant siting.

From 2005 to 2008, Ms. Douglas served as Director of the California Climate Initiative at the Environmental Defense Fund. Prior to going to the Environmental Defense Fund, Ms. Douglas spent four years at the Planning and Conservation League. Commissioner Douglas is a 2001 graduate of the Stanford Law School and holds a Master’s Degree in public policy from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Chris Rice

Chief of Staff, Maryland Energy Administration

Chris Rice leads the Program Team for the Maryland Energy Administration.  He brings over a decade of experience in the energy sector impacting all areas of Maryland's economy.  Currently, he directs over 20 state wide programs and initiatives budgeted at $80 million dollars which affects energy conservation and produces renewable energy.  Chris Rice was appointed to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council and was a Clean Cities Coordinator for over 8 years.  He also sat on the North East Regional Biomass Steering Committee, ARC Energy Committee, Renewable Fuels Taskforce, LNG Taskforce and the Chesapeake Bay Commission’s study on cellulosic ethanol.

Cara Carmichael

Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute

Cara Carmichael is a Principal with Rocky Mountain Institute’s buildings practice where she focuses on net zero energy and deep energy retrofits in the federal and commercial building sectors. In addition, she is leading efforts on the profitable integration of buildings with the grid. Cara Carmichael co-leads the Pathways to Zero initiative at RMI which is catalyzing early movers in the buildings industry on a path to—or beyond—zero net carbon buildings, by working with individual buildings, districts, cities and portfolios.

Since 2010, she has been working with various Federal agencies including the General Services Administrations, the Department of Energy and the Navy to advance the performance contracting delivery model and achieve deeper energy savings and more resilient outcomes. She led RMI’s efforts to design, build and operate the Innovation Center, a next generation net zero energy office in Basalt Colorado. She also worked with Ford Motor Company on their Green Dealership program and led the content development and launch of the RetroFit Depot, the premier online industry resource about deep retrofits.

Prior to joining RMI in 2005, she worked at ENSAR Group, a sustainable design consulting firm and had managed LEED certification efforts for over 15 certified projects. She holds Masters of Civil Engineering and Bachelors of Environmental Design degrees from the University of Colorado.

David Hochschild

Chair, California Energy Commission

David Hochschild was appointed chair of the California Energy Commission by Governor Gavin Newsom in February 2019. He fills the environmental position on the five-member Commission where four of the five members are required by law to have professional training in specific areas - engineering or physical science, environmental protection, economics, and law.

Chair Hochschild's career has spanned public service, environmental advocacy, and the private sector. He first got involved in the solar energy field in 2001 in San Francisco as a special assistant to Mayor Willie Brown where Chair Hochschild launched a citywide $100 million initiative to put solar panels on public buildings. He also cofounded the Vote Solar Initiative, a 60,000-member advocacy organization promoting solar policies at the local, state, and federal levels. He was executive director of a national consortium of leading solar manufacturers and worked for five years at Solaria, a solar company in Silicon Valley. From 2007 to 2008, he served as a commissioner at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

For his work to advance clean energy, Chair Hochschild was awarded the Sierra Club's Trailblazer Award, the American Lung Association's Clean Air Hero Award, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Million Solar Roof True Champion Award. Chair Hochschild holds a bachelor of arts from Swarthmore College and a master of public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He also was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs

Julia Pyper

Senior Editor, Greentech Media

Julia Pyper is a Senior Editor at Greentech Media covering clean energy policy, the solar industry, grid edge technologies and electric mobility. She previously reported for E&E Publishing, and has covered clean energy and climate change issues across the U.S. and abroad, including in Haiti, Israel and the Maldives. Julia holds degrees from McGill and Columbia Universities.

Brandon Hurlbut

Co-Founder and Partner, Boundary Stone Partners

Brandon Hurlbut is a co-founder of Boundary Stone Partners where he advises clean energy and mobility companies.  He previously served as Chief of Staff to Secretary Steven Chu at the U.S. DOE, where he managed the Department's principal initiatives and oversaw day-to-day operations of a federal agency with a $29 billion budget and a 115,000 person workforce.  Brandon provided leadership and counsel to the White House and Cabinet Secretaries during high profile challenges including the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, the Gulf oil spill, and Hurricane Sandy. He served on the board of directors for DOE's $38 billion investment fund in clean energy, which is the largest of its kind in the world.

He began working in the Obama Administration by serving in the White House as the President's liaison to the energy and environment cabinet agencies. He previously served in senior positions on Barack Obama's first presidential campaign and practiced law at Baker & Daniels after obtaining a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center..

Brandon currently serves as a member of the board of directors to Sparkfund and The Solutions Project.  He is a co-host of “Political Climate,” a Greentech Media podcast about energy and environment issues.  Previously, he served on the advisory board of GE Current and as a senior fellow at Center for American Progress.

Shane Skelton

Co-Founder and Partner, S2C Pacific

Shane is an energy, infrastructure, and environmental public policy and communications expert. He has extensive experience drafting laws and regulations, analyzing their economic and other industry-specific impacts, and communicating complex legal and regulatory concepts to target audiences using multiple platforms.

Prior to co-founding S2C Pacific, Shane worked for current House Speaker Paul Ryan as a counsel and policy advisor on the Budget Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives developing and managing all energy, environment, natural resource, and regulatory policy.

Shane has also held a number of other public policy positions, including Executive Director of a Washington DC-based non-partisan non-profit infrastructure and technology think tank, the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii), a Policy Advisor to the American Petroleum Institute, and a Legislative Counsel for Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH).

Prior to working in public policy, Shane worked at global PR firm Rogers & Cowan. Shane is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his J.D. from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles.

Dana Bullock

Director of Transmission, Southern California Edison

Dana currently serves as the Director of Transmission for Southern California Edison (SCE).  She is responsible for the day to day maintenance, inspection and construction of projects on the bulk power system.  Prior to this role, Dana was the Principal Manager of Substation Construction and Maintenance (SC&M) responsible for substation construction projects.  Dana joined SCE in 1990 and has held several management positions in project management, telecommunications, real properties and licensing of new infrastructure projects. In 2018, Dana was the Incident Commander for SCE’s Emergency Management Team that was sent to Puerto Rico to help with the restoration efforts after hurricane Maria.  Dana has a strong background in communications and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from California State University, Fullerton.  She also received her Certified Commercial Investment Member Designation from the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute.

John Williams

Director, Energy Analysis, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

As Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Mr. Williams’ primary responsibility is to guide policy development for NYSERDA.  He also leads the effort to complete the New York State Energy Plan, serving as the Director of the multi-agency Working Group of the State’s Energy Planning Board.  Mr. Williams oversees NYSERDA’s Energy and Environmental Analysis unit, which is organized to provide objective economic analysis and scientific research to best inform policy-makers in energy and environmental issues.  Mr. Williams also oversees the Authority’s Government Affairs functions, working with federal, state and local officials to shape energy and environmental policy for the benefit of all New Yorkers. Mr. Williams’ previous work experience includes serving as Energy Counsel for the New York State Assembly; Staff Attorney for The Energy Project of the Pace University School of Law; and Financial Analyst for the Public Service Company of New Mexico, a utility company serving the largest markets in the state of New Mexico.

Mr. Williams earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Columbia University, a Juris Doctor degree from the St. John’s University School of Law, and a Master of Laws degree in Environmental Law from the Pace University School of Law.  He is a licensed attorney in the states of New York and New Jersey.