Preliminary Agenda & Presentations

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.

Robert Jackson

Director, Regional/National Response Division, Michigan Agency for 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 Agency for Energy.  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.

Paul Miller

Director, Technology Assessment Division, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Paul Miller joined the Department of Natural Resources in September 2013 as the head of the State Energy Office.  In this role, he directs the state efforts to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and to ensure an adequate supply of affordable energy for Louisiana’s citizens.

Prior to joining DNR, he served at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality as an Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Assessment, and later as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Compliance.  For over 5 years Mr. Miller served as the Governor's LDEQ representative on the Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority and the Louisiana Groundwater Commission.

He also served as the LDEQ Secretary’s Special Assistant and in that role managed the DEQ response to proposed federal regulations most notably, new EPA air quality regulations. He also handled other multi-media environmental issues that arose which affected multiple Offices within the Department.

Mr. Miller worked for over 20 years in the private sector where he gained significant experience in all environmental media serving as consultant, Corporate Environmental Manager, and Policy Director. Over 10 of those years were at an Investor Owned Utility in Louisiana.

Mr. Miller has B.S. in Civil Engineering from Louisiana Tech University and is a Professional Engineer in Louisiana.

David Gipson

Director, Division of Energy Resources, GEFA

David Gipson joined the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority in 2008 as the Director of the Energy Resources Division, where he leads programs to advance best practices in energy management and resiliency, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy emergency planning and response, fuel storage tank management, and policy planning.

David has a Masters of Public Administration in Natural Resource Management from Georgia State University, where he also completed a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Management. He received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Protection from Ball State University. David is a certified Professional Energy Manager, Project Management Professional, and Certified Hazardous Materials Manager. He serves on the board of the National Association of State Energy Officials as a Southeastern States Representative and co-chairs the Energy Security Committee. He served two terms on the State Energy Advisory Board, and one term on the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group in support of national emergency preparedness goals.

Maria Redmond

Director, Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation

Maria Redmond has worked in the State of Wisconsin for 15 years. Redmond serves as the Director of the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation, which is home to a number of robust and exciting energy programs including Focus on Energy, the Municipal Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Program, Biofuels Retail Advancement in Wisconsin Transportation, the State Energy Program and the Clean Energy Manufacturing Revolving Loan Fund. Over time she has built an extensive knowledgebase of energy efficiency, renewable energy, alternative fuels, biofuels and advanced vehicle technologies. She has significant experience in developing, securing funding for, and implementing competitive energy programs and services on behalf of the state agencies and businesses.

Alexa Voytek

Program Manager, Tennessee Office of Energy Programs

Alexa Voytek is a Program Manager for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Office of Energy Programs.  Ms. Voytek provides support for various grant programs, energy efficiency and sustainable transportation initiatives, and external communications efforts. Prior to joining TDEC, she interned with the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development and the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia. Most recently, she 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 a master's degree from Columbia University in Russian, Eastern European, Balkan, and Eurasian Studies and graduated summa cum laude with high distinction from Duke University, with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Russian Language /Area Studies.

Christian Williss

Director of Programs and Initiatives, Colorado Energy Office

Christian is the Director of Programs and Initiatives at the Colorado Energy Office. He oversees a team of program managers and engineers responsible for managing existing programs and launching new initiatives including energy performance contracting, residential energy efficiency, alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure, and agricultural energy efficiency.  Previously he worked as Sustainability Program Administrator at the City and County of Denver where he led a number of citywide sustainability initiatives including the City’s energy efficiency program. Christian holds a BA in Political Science and an MS in Construction Management.

Chris Baker

Principal, The Weidt Group

Chris Baker, a Principal at The Weidt Group, works on commercial new construction utility DSM programs, benchmarking existing buildings, and developing efficiency analysis software.
Mr. Baker received an MBA from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Kansas. He is a Registered Architect, a Professional Engineer, a LEED Accredited Professional, an ASHRAE certified Building Energy Modeling Professional and Building Energy Assessment Professional.

William E. (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.

A native of Dallas and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Taylor resides in Austin with his wife, two children and two dogs. Taylor currently serves on, and is actively involved in a number of energy efficiency and clean energy-focused national, state and local organizations.

Chris Yunker

P.E., Energy Systems and Transportation, Hawaii State Energy Office

Chris Yunker is the Energy Systems and Transportation Program Manager for the Hawaii State Energy Office.  Mr. Yunker is an energy industry professional with a broad range of experience in a variety of functions and roles including start-ups, venture capital, and central station power plant development. Most recently Chris was the Rates and Analysis Manager for San Diego Gas & Electric where he oversaw rate design, forecasting and load analysis. Prior to that he held positions at SDG&E in Strategic Planning, Finance, RD&D, and Resource Planning. In these roles he oversaw the development of applications and served as an expert witness in proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission covering topics ranging from rate policy, rate design, procurement and finance.  In addition Mr. Yunker has worked for Sempra Connections which installed micro-turbines in combined heat and power applications on the customer side of the meter as well as for GEA Power Cooling Systems, Inc. which developed condensing systems for steam turbines in utility scale central station power plants.  He has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of California – San Diego and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Southern California.  He is also a professional engineer (PE) in mechanical engineering and a certified energy manager (CEM) through the association of energy engineers.

Deana Dennis

Senior Manager, External and Government Affairs, Electric Power Research Institute

Ms. Dennis is Senior Manager of Government & External Relations Representative for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).   Located in EPRI’s Washington, DC office, Ms. Dennis serves as liaison between EPRI Executive Management and Congress; the Administration; federal agencies; national energy trade associations; national leadership of the state public utility commissions, state legislators, regulators, and governors; and the Washington energy community. 

Ms. Dennis joined EPRI in May 2015 after serving for over three years as Manager of State Government Affairs for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).  At NEMA, Ms. Dennis was responsible for directing the operations and government relations needs for one of NEMA’s Board-level strategic initiatives – promoting safety and innovation through adoption of current building electrical and energy codes at the state-level.  In addition, Ms. Dennis advocated for other important issues impacting the electro-manufacturing industry at the state-level, including electric and alternative-fuel vehicles and associated charging infrastructure, electric grid modernization, and energy efficiency.  Ms. Dennis was responsible for providing outreach to the national state stakeholder associations, including the National Conference of State Legislatures, Council of State Governments, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and National Association of State Energy Officials.  She communicated NEMA policy recommendations to state legislators, state public utility commissions, state energy offices, and other state government officials.

Prior to joining NEMA in 2012, Ms. Dennis worked for four years in the policy shop of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners where she was responsible for supporting the Association’s advocacy efforts before Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies (FERC, DOE, FCC, and NRC). 

Ms. Dennis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from St. Lawrence University and participated in the American University’s Washington Semester Program in Foreign Policy.

Jeffrey Genzer

General Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials

Jeffrey C. Genzer joined Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke, P.C. in 1985. His practice has concentrated on energy and environmental counseling and litigation. He has worked on electric and natural gas ratemaking, energy project development, bulk power supply, transmission system issues, contract negotiation, franchise and municipalization issues, alternative energy sources, conservation and energy efficiency programs, including demand-side management and integrated resource planning programs.

In the environment area he has been involved especially in Clean Air Act and Toxic Substances Control Act issues and all phases of environmental reviews for energy projects.

He has appeared before a variety of federal agencies and state and federal courts, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a variety of state commissions, agencies and courts. He also has an active federal legislative practice. He has worked with a number of local and state governments throughout the United States from New York to Hawaii. Mr. Genzer presently serves as General Counsel to the National Association of State Energy Officials, the National Association of Energy Service Companies, the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association and the Energy Programs Consortium. He has spoken on numerous occasions, especially on federal legislative activities, energy, environmental and utility issues.

Prior to entering law school, Mr. Genzer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia. He worked on a number of development projects and served as the first energy planner in the region. Mr. Genzer supervised, planned, and constructed numerous water systems and other construction projects. He also prepared legislation and successful grant proposals. While in law school, Mr. Genzer was employed at the National Consumer Law Center.

He monitored legislative and regulatory activities and wrote legal and policy memoranda in the field of energy law. After his second year of law school, Mr. Genzer clerked for Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke, P.C. Prior to returning to the firm, he served as Staff Counsel to the Committee on Energy and Environment of the National Governors' Association. In that role he drafted legislation in the energy and environmental area, and served as the chief energy lobbyist for the Association. He provided legal analysis for the Governors on such issues as electric utility regulation, nuclear waste, oil overcharge refunds, toxic victims compensation, and natural gas regulation and a variety of environmental issues. Mr. Genzer also coordinated the activities of the state energy offices. His practice is focused on energy, environmental, utility and legislative matters.

Molly Cripps

Director, Office of Energy Programs, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Molly Cripps serves as Director of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Energy Programs (TDEC OEP).  TDEC OEP oversees the U.S. DOE-funded State Energy Program, Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant Program, and State Gov’t Energy Assurance Capabilities Grant, as well as various special projects.

Ms. Cripps oversaw the University of Tennessee’s efforts on the Volunteer State Solar Initiative (VSSI), which included the Tennessee Solar Institute and the 5MW West Tennessee Solar Farm.  Through TDEC OEP, Ms. Cripps participates in the oversight of the Pathway Lending Energy Efficiency Loan Program, a public-private collaboration that has leveraged state, private and utility capital.  She served on the Energy Efficient Schools Council and the Tennessee State Advisory Board for the Electric Vehicle Project.  She also currently assists the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Advisory Council.

Prior to joining the State, Ms. Cripps practiced law for over eleven years, eight of which were spent representing local governments.   Cripps attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in History and Political Science in 1994.  She graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1998. 

Kelley Smith Burk

Director, Office of Energy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Kelley Smith Burk serves as the Director for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Energy.  The office is responsible for the development of energy policy and programs for the state as well as promoting the use of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies.  Ms. Burk’s responsibilities include supervision and oversight of policy development, program and grant design, and legislative tracking.  Prior to her work with the Office of Energy, Ms. Burk worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Strategic Projects and Planning.  In this role, Ms. Burk staffed the Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change, providing a range of services including managing the transportation and land use technical working group, developing reports and helping draft the Team’s Phase I and Phase II reports.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Pepperdine University.

Tristan Vance

Director, Indiana Office of Energy Development

Tristan Vance serves as Director of the Indiana Office of Energy Development, where he lead the state’s energy efforts. Mr. Vance was first appointed to lead OED in February of 2012.  He previously worked as special assistant to Lt. Governor Skillman starting in 2005 and later joined the Government Efficiency and Financial Planning group in the Office of Management and Budget in 2007. There, he monitored efficiency at several state agencies, including OED. He is from Paoli and is a graduate of Hanover College.

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.

Laura Nelson, PhD

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 Adviser.  She continues to also serve as the Executive Director of the Utah Office of Energy Development, a position she has held since July 2014.  Prior to joining Governor Herbert’s Energy Office, Dr. Nelson 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.  She also served as the Energy Policy Advisor to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and a Technical Consultant to the Utah Division of Public Utilities. 

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, a board member and second vice-chair to the Western Interstate Energy Board, a board member of Utah Clean Cities and as a western representative on the board of the National Association of Energy Offices.  As part of her commitment to the arts, she also serves as member of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art.

Past board and committee positions have included serving as the Utah Representative to the Western Renewable Generation Information Systems (WREGIS) board, the Utah representative on the Federal Unconventional Resources Task Force, and the Chair of the Salt Lake Chamber Energy and Minerals Task Force.

Dr. Nelson has been proactive in defining and supporting balanced and sustainable energy solutions, including providing Congressional testimony, participating in regional collaborations, working with counties and cities, and coordinating across diverse stakeholders.  Dr. Nelson has over 20 years of experience working on energy and natural resource issues in both the public and private sectors.  She has a solid track record of working collaboratively to deliver positive policy, regulatory, and commercial results. 

Dr. Nelson holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Utah and resides with her family in Salt Lake City. She enjoys running, skiing, and art.  Through her involvement with the Salt Lake City Junior League, she is actively engaged in supporting community initiatives to enhance the welfare of low income families.

Jeffrey Ackermann

Chairman, Colorado Public Utilities Commission

Jeffrey Ackermann was appointed Chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) effective Jan. 9, 2017 by Gov. John Hickenlooper. His four-year term expires in January 2021.

Prior to his appointment, Jeff served as executive director of the Colorado Energy Office (CEO). Under his leadership, CEO made significant strides in improving innovative production and efficient consumption of Colorado’s energy resources.

He has more than three decades of experience in state government and the energy sector.  Previous to his CEO appointment, Jeff led the research efforts at the PUC, focusing on issues ranging from electric system planning to the regulatory implications of emerging technologies.  Jeff also served as an advisor to the commissioners on energy efficiency (demand-side management).

Jeff started his professional career in the service of low-income energy consumers, twice as director of the state’s energy efficiency assistance program (weatherization) as well as an advocate for energy consumers with the state’s nonprofit energy assistance fund.

Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree from Albion College and a master’s degree in non-profit management from Regis University.

Megan Levy

Local Energy Programs Manager, Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation

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.

David Heslam

Executive Director, Earth Advantage

David Heslam has been a national leader in the effort to develop and deploy energy labeling systems into the residential market. This work began in 2008 with the conduct of the 2008 Energy Performance Score Pilot with the Energy Trust of Oregon and has continued through the implementation of the Portland Home Energy Score program launching in 2018.

Heslam gained insight into the need for energy labeling during the 15 years he spent designing, building, and remodeling homes in Portland, Oregon. His company, Coho Construction Services Inc., became known as a local and national leader for adopting new technologies and striving for high levels of sustainability.

Heslam’s work at Earth Advantage has included the development and management of stakeholder education and IT solutions. In the past 3 years Earth Advantage has trained over 4,000 members of the real estate industry and recently launched the Green Building Registry, a database solution that is a conduit supplying green home information to the real estate listing services.

Matthew Duncan

Program Manager, State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Energy Assurance, Infrastructure Security and, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

Matthew Duncan serves as the Program Manager of the State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial (SLTT) Energy Assurance Program inside the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability (OE). His work on SLTT Energy Assurance focuses on building stronger relationships with states and local communities, and improving the resilience of the energy sector. Prior to his arrival at DOE, Mr. Duncan deployed for two years as a civilian at the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan with the U.S. Department of State and held positions at the Department of Defense and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from St. Joseph’s University, and a M.A. in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Kate Marks

Director for State, Local, and Tribal Policy Analysis, U.S. Department of Energy

Rick Counihan

Head of Energy Regulatory and Government Affairs, Nest

Rick Counihan is the Head of Energy Regulatory and Governmental Affairs for Nest Labs, the maker of the Nest Thermostat. In that capacity he is responsible for relations with the Federal and State governmental energy agencies.

Rick has over 25 years experience in the energy and utility fields, with employment stints in state, local and federal government, as well as the private sector. Prior to Nest, Rick was Vice-President of Government Affairs for EnerNOC, Inc., a leader in demand response and energy management services for the commercial and industrial sectors for 8 years. Before EnerNOC, Rick was Vice President at the Electricity Innovation Institute (E2I), a nonprofit research institute affiliated with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to build public/private partnerships to improve the nation’s electricity systems and an early research center on the Smart Grid. Rick has also been Vice President at Green Mountain Energy Company, a retail energy service provider selling renewable power. Rick worked in regulatory affairs for five years with Southern California Edison and was a professional staffer for the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives for six years.

Rick has a Bachelors degree in Economics from Pomona College and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University. Rick sits on the boards of the Center for Resource Solutions and the Association for Demand Response and SmartGrid.

Bruce Biewald

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Synapse Energy Economics

Bruce Biewald is the founder and CEO of Synapse Energy Economics, a research and consulting firm specializing in energy, economic, and environmental topics. Since its inception in 1996, Synapse has grown to become a leader in providing rigorous analysis of the electric power sector for public interest and governmental clients.

Bruce has been working on economic analysis of energy efficiency and electric sector climate policies for more than 30 years. He has coauthored more than 100 reports and has testified in more than 100 cases, including utility regulatory proceedings in 25 states, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, two Canadian provinces, and in state and federal courts.

Mr. Biewald’s areas of expertise include electric power system planning, air emissions, climate change policy, market power, generation asset valuation and divestiture, nuclear and fossil power plant costs and performance, renewable resources, environmental externalities valuation, environmental compliance planning, energy conservation and demand-side management, electric power system reliability, avoided costs, risk analysis, and risk management.

His many publications include studies for the Electric Power Research Institute, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Technology Assessment, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners,and the PJM Interconnection.

Prior to founding Synapse, Mr. Biewald was employed for 15 years at Energy Systems Research Group, which later became the Tellus Institute.  Mr. Biewald holds a bachelor of science in art and design from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has completed graduate courses in micro and macroeconomics at Harvard University Extension School.

Ariel Drehobl

Research Analyst, Local Policy, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Ariel Drehobl conducts research and analysis on local-level energy efficiency policies and initiatives, with a focus on energy affordability and low-income communities. She joined ACEEE in 2015.

Prior to joining ACEEE, Ariel worked at Opower on energy efficiency research, and also interned for the US Climate Action Network, the National Park Service, and the US Forest Service.

Ariel earned a master of science in environmental science, policy, and management from a joint-degree program that awarded degrees from Central European University in Hungary, Lund University in Sweden, and the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Ariel earned a bachelor of arts in history and international studies from Northwestern University.

Scott Bernstein

Founder and Chief Strategy + Innovation Officer, Center for Neighborhood Technology

Scott leads CNT’s work to understand and better disclose the economic value of resource use in urban communities, and helps craft strategies to capture the value of this efficiency productively and locally.

He studied at Northwestern University, served on the research staff of Northwestern’s Center for Urban Affairs, taught at UCLA and was a founding Board member at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Center.

President Clinton appointed Scott to the President’s Council for Sustainable Development, where he co-chaired its task forces on Metropolitan Sustainable Communities and on Cross-Cutting Climate Strategies and contributed to other federal advisory panels on global warming, development strategy, and science policy. He helped write a climate change strategy for the 1st 100 days of the new Administration (link is external). Scott is a Fellow of the Center for State Innovation; a Board Member of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (link is external)and Congress for the New Urbanism; (link is external) works with governors, mayors and metropolitan organizations across the US; and helped create theChicago Climate Action Plan at the request of Mayor Richard M. Daley. Scott also offered strategies for incorporating location efficiency into Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s visionary plan to reduce the city’s poverty rate by 10% in 10 years. CNT is a signer of the Charter of the New Urbanism (link is external) and Scott is a member of the Urban History Association, which includes urbanists old and new.

Kartikeya Singh, PhD

Deputy Director and Fellow, Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, Center for Strategic International Studies

Kartikeya Singh is deputy director of the Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies at CSIS. His research interests include climate change and energy policy, innovation, and the geopolitics of energy use. Dr. Singh has travelled from the Antarctic to the Arctic exploring the challenges of energy geopolitics in a changing climate. His work has allowed him to field-test and deploy clean energy technologies, including electric vehicles and off-grid solar solutions in India and Uganda. His ability to create networks and foster cross-sectoral partnerships started with the founding of the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN), a nonprofit designed to build a national movement to drive India to lead the clean energy revolution. From 2009 to 2012, Dr. Singh served as an adviser and negotiator on behalf of the Republic of Maldives at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, focusing on mitigation and technology transfer. He also used his experience in the intergovernmental negotiation process to train diplomats and other government officials on climate change negotiation and renewable energy technology deployment. In addition, he has served on the external advisory committees focused on sustainability for major corporations such as Électricité de France and LafargeHolcim. At CSIS, Dr. Singh is charged with leading the Wadhwani Chair’s work on India’s states, including a new project on energy. Prior to joining CSIS, he worked at the U.S. Department of Energy supporting and managing U.S.-India and U.S.-Pakistan bilateral energy cooperation. Dr. Singh received his B.S. in ecology and sustainable development from Furman University, his M.E.Sc. from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and his Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is the recipient of several national awards, including the Morris K. Udall Scholarship, the Switzer Fellowship, and the Boren Fellowship.

Michael Furze

Assistant Director, Energy Division, Washington State Department of Commerce

Michael joined the Department of Commerce in 2014 and is assistant director for the Energy Division, which includes policy, initiatives, energy emergency management and the weatherization program. Michael joined the weatherization network in 2009, drawn by the convergence of social justice and environmental sustainability.

After working for five years in New Mexico Energy$mart Program, he transitioned to Washington’s weatherization program in 2014 and has been actively involved in the weatherization network’s Weatherization Advisory Committee. Michael earned his master’s degree in community and regional planning from the University of New Mexico.

Khalil Shahyd

Project Manager, Urban Solutions Program, Natural Resources Defense Council

Khalil Shahyd’s work at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) focuses on the Energy Efficiency for All Project, which aims to increase utility-funded energy efficiency programs in the affordable multifamily housing sector. He coordinates with NRDC’s affordable housing partners to advocate for efficiency investments in the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. As part of the LEED Neighborhood Development initiative, Shahyd also promotes the expansion of “green” communities in New Orleans. Prior to joining NRDC, he worked domestically and internationally in urban and rural community development and in economic and environmental justice organizing. He holds a master’s degree in sustainable international development from Brandeis University and is based in NRDC’s Washington, D.C. office.

Paula Glover

President and Chief Executive Officer, American Association of Blacks in Energy

Paula R. Glover is President and CEO for the American Association of Blacks in Energy, a non-profit professional association whose focus is to ensure that African Americans and other minorities have input into the discussions and development of energy policy, regulations, and environmental issues.  In this role, she is responsible for managing the national office, and provides strategic direction and leadership for the organization.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Glover served as the association’s Vice President of Operations and also served as the organization’s Director of Communications.   Ms. Glover’s experiences include 15 years in the energy industry for both electric and natural gas distribution companies.  During that time she has built a stellar reputation working with state legislators and regulators in her roles as Manager of Government and Regulatory Affairs.  Ms. Glover commands a clear understanding of the consumer and community sides of the business as well having held industry positions in Community Outreach and Economic Development.

Ms. Glover is a seasoned non Profit professional. Prior to her position at the AABE, Ms. Glover was the Community Awareness Director for the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut where she was responsible for the organizations’ marketing, communications, community and government relations and public relations functions.

In March 2014 Ms. Glover was appointed to the National Petroleum Council by U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz.  Ms. Glover received her B.S. in Marketing Management from the University of Delaware.  She is the recipient of the Bring it Home to Hartford Award; the Clarke Watson Chairman’s Cup; the Award of Distinction by the Videographer Awards and the Platinum Achievement Award from the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program at Fort Valley State University.  She is a 2003 graduate of Leadership New Haven and has contributed to an article on work life balance in Take Pride magazine.

Gil Tal, Ph.D.

Research Director, The Plug-In Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California-Davis

Gil Tal holds a Ph.D. in Transportation Technology and Policy from UC Davis, and an M.A. in geography and environmental policy and planning from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Between 2008 and 2010 Dr. Tal was a post-doctoral researcher with the Center for Global Metropolitan Studies and the UC Transportation Center at UC Berkeley. His work at UC Davis and UC Berkeley focuses on travel behavior and the implementation of travel behavior related policies. At the PH&EV center Dr. Tal is leading projects on the future need for electric vehicle infrastructure, and the correlation between charging infrastructure, travel behavior and the demand for EV’s. He is currently leading research on number of projects including a study on local planning and deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure, a study on GIS tools for infrastructure planning, a multi-state study of new plug-in vehicle buyers, and a study on the secondary market of plug-in vehicles in California.

Marisa Slaten

Director, Division of Economic Development and Emerging Issues, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

David Bracht

Director, Nebraska Energy Office

David Bracht was appointed as the Director of the Nebraska Energy Office (NEO) by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts in January 2015.  Bracht serves on the Governor's Cabinet as the principle advisor on energy policy.  As Director, Bracht is responsible for leadership of agency operations including administration of Nebraska’s Weatherization Assistance Program, management of the state’s $48 million Revolving Energy Loan Program and implementation of the State Energy Program.  Since Bracht’s appointment, NEO has initiated several programs to encourage energy efficiency and save cost for local and state government facilities.  NEO also leads the Access Ethanol Nebraska program, which is focused on doubling the number of fuel dispensers in Nebraska offering E-85, E-15 and other high-ethanol blends utilizing a $2.4 million grant under the USDA Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership.

Prior to his appointment, Bracht co-founded and co-lead the renewable energy and biofuels practice groups at two midwestern-based law firms, advising clients involved in renewable energy development including biofuels, biomass, wind and solar energy, as well as agribusinesses and businesses involved in production and processing of agriculture products.  Bracht has more than 30 years experience in business, government and law, including positions in Washington, DC as Associate Manager of USDA’s Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and Director of Finance for the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.  A Nebraska native, Bracht lives in Omaha and continues to be involved in his family’s farming operation in northeast Nebraska.

Laura Rennick Andersen

Director, Montana Energy Office at DEQ

Ben Springer

Senior Policy Advisor, Energy & Environment,, British Embassy

Ben Bolton

Energy Programs Administrator, Office of Energy Programs, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Ben helps administer TDEC Office of Energy Program’s (OEP) activities under the US DOE-funded State Energy Program Annual Formula and Competitive Awards dealing with energy assurance, the energy-water nexus, sustainable transportation, and energy efficiency in wastewater treatment plants. Specifically, Ben is the Principal Investigator and Technical Lead for the 2015 DOE Competitive Award for “Advancing Energy Efficiency in Wastewater Utilities and Other Underserved Sectors.”  Ben also serves as the lead Emergency Services Coordinator (ESC) to fulfill OEP’s responsibilities for transportation and heating fuels under for Emergency Support Function 12 (Energy Assurance), which is part of Tennessee Emergency Management Plan managed by TEMA.

Prior to joining the State, Ben was an environmental scientist providing technical support to public and private clients facing environmental compliance issues. He managed projects providing expertise in air permitting, indoor air quality, fugitive dust issues, ecology, and environmental public relations. Early in his environmental career, Ben directly assisted TDOT in development of their award-winning Diesel Retrofit Grant Program, the first federally-funded grant program to reduce emissions in locomotives. Ben served for 9 years on the Tennessee Water & Wastewater Finance Board, which oversees financially distressed municipal water and wastewater systems. He is a native of Columbia, Tennessee, and holds a B.A. in English and B.S. in biology from Birmingham-Southern College.

Alex Morese

Manager, Emergency Management Section, Michigan Agency for Energy

Alex Morese is the manager of the Energy Security section of the Michigan Agency for Energy.  Prior to the formation of MAE in 2015, Alex was with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for 14 years.  Alex serves as the Energy Assurance Coordinator for the State and is responsible for maintaining and implementing energy emergency plans, such as the Michigan Energy Assurance Plan and the Michigan Petroleum Shortage Response Plan.  He is a member of the Staff Subcommittee on Critical Infrastructure for NARUC, and co-leads a team of staff at MAE/MPSC who concentrate on cybersecurity issues. Alex also serves as the lead editor for the Michigan Energy Appraisal, a semiannual assessment of Michigan’s energy markets.  Alex previously worked in the Renewable Energy section of the MPSC where he reviewed renewable energy plans filed by Michigan utilities and helped stakeholder groups in their efforts to enter the renewable energy field.  Alex has a Bachelor's in Economics and International Affairs from Florida State University.

Sumesh Arora, PhD

Director, Energy and Natural Resources Division, Mississippi Development Authority

Sumesh Arora is the Director of the Energy and Natural Resources Division at the Mississippi Development Authority. Prior to this, Mr. Arora was Vice President of Innovate Mississippi and Director of Strategic Biomass Solutions. 

He has 22 years of experience as a project development engineer and a researcher in the private and public sectors.  He has played a key role in attracting over $550 million in advanced biofuels projects to Mississippi and launched the "Renewable Energy Venture Startup" (REVSup) program in late 2010.  REVSup workshops have been conducted in nine locations from coast-to-coast and graduated about 125 individuals. He serves on the advisory boards of several energy related companies and investment entities and has over 50 professional presentations. Dr. Arora authored a book chapter on energy security and terrorism and is the co-inventor of a patented system to convert poultry litter into biogas.

Mr. Arora has a Ph.D. in International Development from The University of Southern Mississippi and Masters and Bachelors in engineering from the University of Central Florida.

Brian Jones

Senior Vice President, M.J. Bradley and Associates, LLC

Brian began his career as a consultant at M.J. Bradley & Associates in 1998. Brian advises energy sector clients on strategy and policies related to climate change and sustainability. He manages multi-client initiatives including the Downstream Natural Gas Initiative and East Coast Utility EV Initiative. Brian’s current efforts are focused on the role of natural gas in a low carbon future, corporate sustainability strategy, and transportation electrification policy and strategy. Previously, Brian worked on energy and environmental policy for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Gus Block

Director of Marketing and Corporate Development, NUVERA Fuel Cells

Gus Block is a co-founder of Nuvera Fuel Cells, which was established in 2000. In addition to being a member of Nuvera's business development team, Gus is responsible for managing OEM and partner relationships for commercial and industrial hydrogen and fuel cell customers. Gus serves as Nuvera’s interface with state and federal agencies. 

Gus chairs the Communications and Marketing Committee of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association, the trade organization representing the U.S. fuel cell industry. He is on the board of directors of the Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster, a regional initiative spearheading hydrogen infrastructure planning and deployments, and founded the Massachusetts Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Stakeholders Group.

Gus was previously a systems engineer and program manager at Arthur D. Little, Inc., and later at Epyx Corporation and Nuvera, where he led product development initiatives for hydrogen generators and fuel cell power systems. Gus holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Cooper Union and a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University. Gus was a Fulbright Scholar in Sri Lanka in
1995, where he was engaged in the design and construction of a wind-powered electrolyzer for on-site hydrogen production.

Thomas Reddoch

Senior Technical Executive, Power Delivery and Utilization, Electric Power Research Institute

Dr. Thomas (Tom) Reddoch is a Senior Technical Executive at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). His program management responsibilities include Energy Efficiency, Demand Response, Electric Transportation, Customer Behavior, Analytics, Electrification, Distributed Generation, Energy Storage, and Power Quality. This group as a whole constitute the customer facing programs at EPRI known as Energy Utilization.

Before joining EPRI in 2007, Dr. Reddoch had a 30-year career specializing in the development and deployment of new methodology and technology to solve electric utility industry problems. He served as an executive officer at several early-stage and developmental technology companies. Prior to that, he was co-founder and Executive Vice President of Electrotek Concepts, Inc., a high tech engineering firm focused on applications in the electric utility industry for load management, distribution automation, renewable energy resources, power quality, and pricing systems technology.

In 1985, Dr. Reddoch was a member of the team that established EPRI’s Power Electronics Applications Center (PEAC) in conjunction with the Tennessee Center for Research and Development. Before that, he was a Program Director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where he directed and managed a major national R&D program for the U.S. Department of Energy in electric power systems research. Further, he was a professor at the University of Tennessee in the Department of Electrical Engineering specializing in electric power systems.

Dr. Reddoch received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s of engineering science degree from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. He holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

AnnaMaria Garcia

Director, Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, U.S. Department of Energy

Anna Garcia is the Director of the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the Department of Energy (DOE). She provides leadership to maximize the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy through technology deployment, accessing new partnerships and resources, and communications and outreach activities.

Previously, Ms. Garcia served as Executive Director of the Ozone Transport Commission, the organization of 12 states and the District of Columbia created by Congress in 1990 to assess and coordinate the development of policies to reduce regional ground-level ozone or "smog" in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Before joining the Commission, she was Director of Operations and State Programs for the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions, a non-profit that is a division of the Global Environment and Technology Foundation. She provided unique environmental and energy expertise through creating partnerships with and among state agencies to design multi-pollutant strategies that have both environmental and economic benefits.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Princeton University and an Executive Master of Business Administration from the George Washington University.

Dale Hahs

State Liaison 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.

Liz Dalton

Global Lead, Energy and Climate Resilience, One Concern

Liz Dalton is the Global Lead for Energy and Climate Resilience at One Concern, Inc., an artificial intelligence and machine learning platform for disaster preparedness and response. Prior to joining One Concern, Liz served in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. In this role, Liz was responsible for executing several of the Department’s critical missions including grid modernization research and development; transmission permitting; emergency response operations; national energy and infrastructure security; and cybersecurity of the energy sector. She also represented the Department as a Federal non-voting member of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Member Representatives Committee.

Liz previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, working directly with the Assistant Secretary to execute the Administration's $900 million nuclear energy research and development agenda and specifically championed efforts to develop public-private partnerships for commercializing small modular reactors. An Arkansas native, Liz began her career in public service working for U.S. Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR). She holds a Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and received her B.A. in Political Science from the College of Charleston. Liz is a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute’s Energy and Environment Program, focusing on nuclear energy, electric grid security, electricity resilience, climate change, and deep decarbonization.

Michelle Gransee

State Energy Office Manager, Clean Energy and Programs, Division of Energy Resources, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Michelle Gransee is the State Energy Office Clean Energy & Programs Manager at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources. Michelle supervises the State Energy Office, which is made up of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and training experts.

Christopher Peot

Director of Resource Recovery, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority

Chris is an environmental engineer with more than twenty five years experience in wastewater treatment, residuals reuse, and recycling.  His work experience includes operations manager for a 1200 ton/day, biosolids reuse program ($19 million annual budget), development for new biosolids reuse options, development of a nationally recognized research program, design/construction inspection/permitting work, and development of an award winning EMS program.  In addition, Chris has worked on innovative organic waste reuse in restoration projects, marketing/public communication strategy, odor monitoring and sampling, and contract writing/procurement/management.

Keith Dennis

Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Keith Dennis is Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, in the Business and Technologies Strategies Division of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Keith has an interdisciplinary background in engineering, business, and law and works with NRECA's Legislative, Regulatory Policy, and Technical teams on issues related to energy end use, including energy efficiency and demand response.

Keith joined NRECA in 2012 directly from the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) where he led a Policy and Guidance Team for a $3.2 billion energy efficiency and conservation grant program and completed an eight month detail at the White House. Keith is a graduate of Dartmouth College and holds Masters degrees in engineering management and environmental law from Dartmouth College and Vermont Law School. He is also licensed Professional Engineer.

Kyle Rogers

Vice President, Government Relations, American Gas Association

Cooper Martin

Program Director, Sustainable Cities Institute, National League of Cities

Cooper Martin is the Program Director for the Sustainable Cities Institute at the National League of Cities. The SCI program provides information, tools, and guidance to strengthen communities and enable them to thrive while facing the challenges presented by a changing climate and uncertain global economy. His areas of expertise include climate resilience, community development, transportation, environmental economics, and emergency management.

Cooper serves on the Steering Committee of STAR Communities and of the WaterNow Alliance. Prior to joining the NLC, he held multiple positions in government and community relations at the American Institute of Architects, and worked one legislative session in the Kansas House of Representatives. Cooper’s educational background includes a BA in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Kansas and a Master of Public Policy from American University.

Cady Lister

Chief Economist, Alaska Energy Authority

Cady Lister is the Lead Economist at the Alaska Energy Authority. Ms. Lister is responsible for providing economic analysis of projects and programs administered by AEA. She also manages data collection, verification, management and storage to ensure that data used for decision making and analysis is reliable and well documented. She has worked as an economist and analysist focused on energy in Alaska for more than 15 years working with a wide range of stakeholders including local and tribal governments, regional Native corporations, utilities, oil and gas producers, academics and policy-makers from throughout the state.

Matthew Brown

Principal, Harcourt Brown & Carey Energy & Finance

Matthew Brown has worked in the energy finance and policy field for more than 20 years, beginning his work with the accounting and consulting firm of KPMG in its New York City office.  Mr. Brown has led HB&C’s engagement with the four California investor owned utilities to develop and implement energy efficiency financing programs as well as a similar engagement to develop a third party financing program with utility bill collections in for the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Additionally, he leads the firm’s engagement with Xcel Energy advising on financing.  He has worked extensively with a number of financial institutions to advise on deployment of capital through loans and leases for clean energy in the western United States as well as nationally.  Finally, Mr. Brown possesses unique expertise in advising governments that are looking to support financing program development.  He has developed multiple public-private partnerships between state governments and private capital providers and lenders.  Mr. Brown graduated from Brown University in 1986 with a BA, and continued on to New York University, where he received an MBA.

Matthew Tuma

Deputy Director Planning and Innovation, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy

Mr. Tuma joined the Governor's Office of Energy in September 2016, after having served as the Natural Resources Industry Specialist for the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Prior to joining the State of Nevada, Mr. Tuma was the Nevada state director for The Nature Conservancy, the largest conservation non-profit organization in the State. Matthew also has worked for U.S. Senator Harry Reid, serving in a variety of roles and positions, including taking a lead role on key natural resource priorities and initiatives across Nevada and as a liaison with local governments, federal and state agencies, Native American tribes, and advocacy groups. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Kerene Tayloe

Policy Director, Green For All

Kerene N. Tayloe Esq. is a social justice advocate who has worked tirelessly in the areas of Environmental Justice, Civil Rights, and voter protection. Kerene is driven by the desire to ensure that the needs of communities of color are not overlooked.  She has worked in many political arenas but is most proud of helping to elect New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the first African American to represent the city of Yonkers in the State Senate and the first woman in New York State history to lead a conference in Albany, NY. 

Kerene comes to Green for All from WE ACT for Environmental Justice and where she coordinated the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum on Climate Change. Before that she was a legal fellow engaging in voting rights initiatives at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She is a fitness enthusiast and a practicing yogi.

Andreanecia Morris

Executive Director, HousingNOLA

A graduate of Loyola University, Morris has worked to create affordable housing opportunities in the Greater New Orleans Area in both the public and private sectors. Morris has assisted in creating opportunities for approximately 500 families to become first-time homebuyers after Hurricane Katrina, and she was lead organizer for GNOHA when it started in 2007 as a collaborative coalition of non-profit housing builders and community development corporations who work to rebuild the City of New Orleans. Morris has established connections with community members, governmental officials and media to successfully promote the agenda for low to mixed-income housing in the Greater New Orleans region, and many people consider her a key player in rebuilding the city of New Orleans. Leaders like Morris and the organizations she is involved in have been actively sowing the seeds of transformation in a city known for its racial polarization, Nimbyism and challenging political infrastructure. Much of the city's progress to date has depended upon citizen leadership and an emerging infrastructure of nonprofit organizations that have helped local residents build their ability to influence policy decisions and develop creative, bottom-up solutions to the issues facing their communities.

Emily Levin

Managing Consultant for Program Strategies, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation

Emily Levin is the Managing Consultant for the Program Strategies group at the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC). Her group provides comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy program design, planning, and review services to utilities, regulators, and consumer advocates. VEIC specializes in designing next-generation energy efficiency programs that transform markets and reach all customers, including low income households. Emily has reviewed energy efficiency programs in Maryland, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Florida, New York and other states. In a previous role at VEIC, Emily led strategic planning for the residential portfolio of Vermont’s energy efficiency utility, Efficiency Vermont, and managed Efficiency Vermont’s Existing Homes Program.

Chris Lotspeich

Director of Sustainability, Celtic Energy

Chris Lotspeich MPPM, MES, CEM is Director of Sustainability Services at Celtic Energy Inc., a Connecticut-based consultancy.  Chris is project manager for microgrid program design consulting for the State of Rhode Island, teamed with Arup and Rocky Mountain Institute.  He supports the U.S. Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency Energy on energy assurance projects at Air Force bases, partnered with Northrup Grumman.  Chris teamed with Arup and the City and County of San Francisco to implement a Department of Energy grant to plan solar power plus energy storage installations for critical facility energy surety city-wide.  He consulted on three FBI critical facility energy surety projects, teamed with ERG.  Chris was project manager for consultant support on microgrid projects for three CT municipalities.  He is a Board Advisor to the Resilient Design Institute and a speaker on microgrids and resilience at national conferences.  Chris was lead author of the Whole-Systems Integrative Green Design Module for the Government of Singapore's Certified Energy Manager course created in 2010.  Chris was a 2002–2003 Batten Fellow at the University of Virginia's Darden business school.  From 1994–2001 he was Executive Assistant to Amory Lovins and Senior Associate at Rocky Mountain Institute where he worked on six continents and led numerous resource efficiency surveys at industrial facilities and on the U.S. Navy cruiser USS Princeton CG-59.  Chris earned two masters degrees from Yale from the School of Management and the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a B.A. in International Politics from Wesleyan University.  He served for 15 years as a wilderness EMT and firefighter on volunteer rescue services in Colorado, Connecticut and Maine.  Chris is married with two children.

Wally Mealiea

Senior Manager for Business Continuity Policy, Edison Electric Institute

Wally Mealiea joined Edison Electric Institute in November 1996 and serves in the Security and Business Continuity Group as Senior Manager, Business Continuity Policy.  In this role, supports EEI’s initiatives, programs, and policies to improve the industry’s response to major outages and maintain business operations. This includes EEI’s National Response Event framework, the Spare Transformer Equipment Program, and the industry’s transformer transportation initiative.

Previously, he served as EEI’s Manager, Customer Research & Advertising where he was responsible for the design and management of public opinion research projects and advertising programs that supported the Institute’s communication, marketing, and public policy efforts. 

Before joining EEI, Wally was the Senior Analyst at Hamilton & Staff, a Washington, DC-based political consulting firm.  During his seven years at Hamilton & Staff, Wally was responsible for managing all aspects of clients' quantitative and qualitative public opinion research projects, including survey design, focus groups, strategic analysis, and client presentations.  Clients included Democratic candidates for office ranging from state legislator to U.S. Senator, public affairs organizations, trade associations, corporations, and labor unions.  Wally also served as the Executive Director of the American Association of Political Consultants during 1991 and 1992.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Florida.

Brian Selinger

Team Leader, Energy Office, Iowa Economic Development Authority

Brian Selinger is the team leader of the Iowa Energy Office, which is a division of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Brian joined Iowa’s Energy Office in 2015 after serving as the Deputy Director of Policy and Research for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Brian’s professional experience also includes work with Lockheed Martin as part of an Energy Efficiency partnership with a St. Louis utility.

Jessica Burdette

State Energy Office Manager, Energy Efficiency, Assurance, and Operations, Division of Energy Resour, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Ms. Burdette is responsible for the regulation of over 180 natural gas and electric utility efficiency programs to ensure achievement of the 1.5% energy efficiency resource standard through the Conservation Improvement Program (CIP). She oversees policy development related to demand-side efficiency, supply-side efficiency and combined-heat and power under the EERS. Ms. Burdette also has oversight of public sector energy efficiency and conservation programs including B3 Benchmarking, Sustainable Buildings 2030 Guidelines, Guaranteed Energy Savings Program, Local Government Energy Efficiency Programs. She accountable for over $250 million in federal, state and utility spending for various regulatory, policy and programmatic activities. Ms. Burdette is an Iowa State University alumni.

Andy Popp

Manager, State Energy Program, Missouri Division of Energy

Professional Experience – Recently oversaw the development of the Missouri Comprehensive State Energy Plan. Over the last six years has focused on improving energy efficiency related to residential, manufacturing and agricultural sectors in the State of Missouri. During that time was instrumental in the development and oversight of over 150 successful energy efficiency projects across the state. With over 30 years of project management experience, has made presentations to many segments of the Missouri economy on energy efficiency and Missouri’s program development that would result in significant long-lasting impact on those segments. Prior to coming to the Division of Energy, was Operations Manager for a manufacturing facility leading over 200 employees in day to day operation of the facility. During that time was responsible for all segments of plant operation including planning, P&L, purchasing, manufacturing, processing, continuous improvement, warehousing and shipment of products, and plant safety. Has a demonstrated record of cost reduction in all phases of manufacturing including production development and process improvement strategies.

Received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri, Columbia. Additional coursework has included Profiles in High Performance, Measurement Quality, Statistical Management Systems, Managing for Continuous Improvement, Managing by Objectives, and Team Facilitation.

Maeve Mason

Senior Energy Specialist, Energy Office, South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff

Maeve is a Senior Energy Specialist in the SC Office of Regulatory Staff, Energy Office. Most recently, her efforts have focused on helping to develop the State Energy Plan. Maeve also serves a co-coordinator for the Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition, representing the State’s efforts to administer the Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program to promote voluntary public/private partnerships to expand the use of alternatives to gasoline/diesel fuels and encourage fuel efficiency. Prior to this, Maeve worked at the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in the Air Enforcement Section, later transferring to the Regulation and State Implementation Plan (SIP) Management Section. She began Managing the Section in 2008 and her responsibilities included promulgating regulations, amending the SIP, reviewing and commenting on federal regulations, tracking State legislation, and participating in stakeholder discussions aimed at addressing State policy initiatives. Maeve graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Political Science from Central Michigan University in 2002 and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from Ohio University in 2005. Maeve is also a certified Public Manager.

Becca Trietch

Chief Program Development, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources

Becca’s work at OER focuses on energy efficiency and the Governor’s Lead by Example initiative which aims to reduce State-owned facility energy use by 10% in the next three years. She also supports working groups on building energy labeling and zero-net energy buildings and leads an effort to develop Rhode Island’s first building stretch code in coordination with National Grid, the Rhode Island Code Commission, and other key stakeholders. She holds a Masters of Environmental Science and Management with a focus in Policy and Management from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University.

Patty Kappaz

Lead Analyst, CSRA Inc.

Patty Kappaz has supported energy efficiency and renewable energy programs at the U.S. Department of Energy since 2001. For the past 5.5 years, she has worked on the Home Energy Score, where she focuses on state and local government engagement, financing, and real estate integration, and serves as CSRA’s overall project manager for this effort.  Before that, she spent four years with the Solar America Cities program, where she led outreach efforts and provided support to local governments throughout the country with the aim of reducing market barriers to PV adoption.

Joseph Pereira

Director of Low-Income Energy Services, Colorado Energy Office

oe oversees the strategic direction and operations of the Colorado Energy Office's low-income energy services. He coordinates policy and programs and assists with regulatory efforts focused on reducing energy burden to income-qualified households.

Emily Artale

Principal Engineer and Co-Owner, Lotus Engineering and Sustainability

Emily has been an environmental and sustainability consultant for over a decade. Her education and work experience began in water quality and evolved to energy and sustainability. She started Lotus in 2012 because she saw gap in many of the environmental and sustainability related services being offered. There were big-picture global thinkers that were dedicated to making our world a better place and there were detail-oriented, pragmatic engineers that were cautious of major changes. Few offered big-picture and progressive solutions that considered fundamental, real-life constraints. She created a company that addressed these issues, resulting in transparent, defensible, and world-changing solutions. She asked Hillary to join her shortly thereafter to bring redundant skill sets to the company and to take advantage of Hillary's expertise in business, finance, and policy.

Emily has worked with private companies developing greenhouse gas emission inventories, integrating sustainable practices into corporate operations, and tracking performance metrics. She has helped public agencies develop, manage, and execute energy efficiency programs, navigate through energy performance contracting projects, assess risk scenarios for engaging in renewable energy systems, and develop climate action plans. As part of a UN sponsored initiative, she worked with world renown sustainability expert, Hunter Lovins, on redefining manufacturing using sustainable practices.

She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in environmental engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is a Colorado native and spends most of her time outdoors with her family.

Roderick Jackson

Laboratory Program Manager, Buildings Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Roderick Jackson is the new laboratory program manager for buildings-related research at the Energy Department's (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Jackson comes to NREL from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where he was the group manager for Building Envelope Systems Research. He joined ORNL after graduating from Georgia Institute of Technology with a doctorate in mechanical engineering, where he also earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering.

Jackson will work closely with senior laboratory management to set the strategic agenda for NREL's buildings portfolio, including all research, development, and market implementation activities, which aim to improve the energy efficiency of building materials and practices. He will also guide discussions with DOE’s Building Technologies Office to expand research in the areas of mechanical and thermal properties of building materials to enhance heat transfer and buildings-to-grid, as well as identify industry partnership opportunities to develop building envelope and equipment technologies.

“I’ve seen firsthand how Roderick’s leadership and expertise can transform projects and teams,” said Johney Green, associate laboratory director for Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences at NREL. “His extensive research background will help NREL continue to transform the nation's energy systems, enabling a diverse, secure, and sustainable advanced energy future.”

One of Jackson’s most notable industry accomplishments is a result of his role as the technical lead for the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) demonstration project at ORNL. With Jackson’s leadership, AMIE brought together experts from multiple research teams across the lab, 20 partners from industry, and DOE scientists to design, develop, and demonstrate a 3D-printed house that shares power wirelessly with a 3D-printed electric vehicle. The first-of-its-kind project was completed in just nine months.

Jackson has been cited in more than 420 publications; is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers; and has received several awards in his career, including the National GEM Consortium Alumni of the Year and Greater Knoxville Business Journal’s 40 under 40.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Kathleen Staks

Director, Colorado Energy Office

Kelly Crandall

State and Local Policy, Institute for Market Transformation

Kelly Crandall joined IMT as its Manager of State and Local Policy  in April 2017. She integrates experience in project management and stakeholder engagement with background on diverse financial, IT, data analysis, and energy regulatory issues.

Kelly comes to IMT from EQ Research, a regulatory policy consulting firm, where she supported clients in the local government and distributed energy resource sectors through expert testimony, compliance advising, education, and policy analysis. Previously, she worked on climate action programs and municipalization efforts as the Energy Strategy Coordinator for the City of Boulder, Colorado. While working for Boulder, she actively participated in multiple regulatory proceedings on energy data access and energy efficiency. Kelly holds a B.A. from the University of Florida and a J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School, where she specialized in utilities regulation.

Erin Hiatt

Director of Energy, Sustainability, and Research, Retail Industry Leaders Association

Erin Hiatt is RILA’s Director of Energy, Sustainability & Research and leads RILA's Retail Energy Management Program. Ms. Hiatt has more than eight years of academic and work experience in energy and sustainability. At RILA she helps manage the Retail Sustainability Initiative (RSI), supporting retail member companies on a host of sustainability issues from waste to reporting & engagement through tools and resources, calls, and in-person meetings. She also is part of RILA's research and innovation teams.

Abby Hopper

President and Chief Executive Officer, Solar Energy Industries Association

Abigail Ross Hopper is the President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the national trade organization for America's solar energy industries. She oversees all of SEIA's activities, including government affairs, research, communications, and industry leadership.

Before joining SEIA, Abby was the Director of the Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. As the BOEM's second director, she weighed complex and sometimes conflicting factors to achieve balanced federal energy policy.

She served formerly as the Director of the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) and has broad experience in the energy sector, including working with a wide variety of stakeholders as well as legal expertise. Abby led the MEA from 2012, first as Acting Director and then as Director in June 2013. She also served concurrently as Energy Advisor to Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley since 2010. As MEA Director, Abby was pivotal in ensuring the passage of the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013.
She was a lead negotiator representing the State’s interests in both the Exelon/Constellation merger and the FirstEnergy/Allegheny Energy merger, securing millions in benefits for Maryland and its citizens. Abby has also focused significant resources on improving the resiliency of the State’s electric utilities in the face of major storms.

Abby previously spent over two years as Deputy General Counsel with the Maryland Public Service Commission, during which she advised commissioners on a broad range of legal matters arising from their duties as utility regulators.

Before embarking on a career in public service, Abby spent nine years in private practice where she specialized in complex merger and investment counseling and corporate law.

Abby graduated Cum Laude from the University of Maryland School of Law and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dartmouth College.

Dave Althoff

Manager, Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Sara Krupa

Coastal Resource Scientist Supervisor, Interagency Affairs/Field Services Division, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Timothy Unruh, PhD

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Ener, U.S. Department of Energy

As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Dr. Unruh is responsible for leading all of EERE's applied research, development, and demonstration for renewable energy, including geothermal, solar, wind and water power.

Previously he served as the Federal Energy Management Program Director. In this role, he managed the implementation of policy and actions that resulted in energy efficiency implementation and renewable energy adoption, as well as reduced energy and water use in federal government operations. He was instrumental in guiding DOE through a streamlining of the Super Energy Saving Performance Conctract selection process.

Before joining EERE, he was Director of Operations for ConEdison Solutions, where he led a team of engineers and project managers to implement energy savings projects in government and private installations. While in this role, he worked to educate energy users on performance contracting methods to achieve energy reduction goals. He was also heavily involved in the measurement and verification of energy savings resulting from these projects.

He has Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.

Carolyn Sarno Goldthwaite

Director of Buildings and Community Solutions, Energy Efficient Buildings, Senior Management Team, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.

Carolyn Sarno Goldthwaite oversees NEEP's High Performance Building team. She assists states in improving energy code compliance and operational energy savings for retrofit and new buildings. Carolyn is the Chair of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the SEE Action Existing Commercial Buildings Working Group, past Chair and current member of the Town of Bedford’s Energy Task Force and chaired Governor Deval Patrick's Net Zero Energy Task Force for Public Buildings. For the City of Newton, Carolyn managed operations and maintenance for 85 public buildings, developed a capital improvement plan incorporating sustainable practices, and coordinated a 330,000 sq. ft. high school addition.

Carolyn’s High Performance Building team received a CHPS Green Apple Award for advancing public policy concerning schools and was recognized for excellence in the advancement of building energy codes and performance, winning the U.S. Department of Energy Jeffrey A. Johnson Award for her participation in developing the nation’s first stretch energy code.

Carolyn also serves on NEEP's Senior Management Team.

Rosina Bierbaum, PhD

Professor, Environmental Policy and Planning, Sustainable Systems, University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

Professor Bierbaum, PhD, focuses her research on the interface of science and policy--principally on issues related to climate change adaptation and mitigation at the national and international levels.  From 2001-2011, she served as Dean of SNRE and oversaw the creation of a new undergraduate program in the environment as well as five dual Master’s degrees across campus. She is the Chair of the Science and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility. She served on President Obama's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST), as an Adaptation Fellow at the World Bank, led the Adaptation Chapter for the Congressionally-mandated U.S. National Climate assessment, and was a review editor for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She has served in both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. Government--as the Senate-confirmed director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Environment Division, and in multiple capacities at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment.

Norma Jean Mattei, PhD, P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE

2017 President, American Society of Civil Engineers

Norma Jean Mattei, Ph.D., P.E. is professor and past chair at the University of New Orleans’ (UNO) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.  She has been active in ASCE for more than 20 years in local, regional and national leadership roles.

President Mattei sits on the executive committee of ASCE’s New Orleans Branch SEI/Structures Committee. The former Region 5 Director has served on ASCE’s Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering and the Committee on Licensure and Ethics. ASCE has drawn on her expertise for a number of media relations activities, including an interview with National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” on post-Hurricane Katrina conditions. Recently, she was spokeswoman for “Raised Floor Living,” a commercial that aired in the New Orleans’ region promoting elevation of residential structures above the flood plain. 

In 2012, President Obama named Mattei one of three civilian members of the Mississippi River Commission, which researches and provides policy and work recommendations covering flood control, navigation and environmental projects. In that capacity, she helped oversee a drainage basin that covers 41 percent of the nation.  The governor of Louisiana appointed her to the state’s licensing board for professional engineers, LAPELS. She also serves on the board of directors for both the Louisiana Transportation Research Center Foundation and the Louisiana Technology Council.

Before her academic career, Mattei worked for more than 10 years for various New Orleans area consulting firms as a project engineer. Those firms include Guillot-Vogt Associates Inc., Linder & Associates and Modjeski & Masters Bridge Engineers.

Mattei earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1982 and a doctorate in 1994, both from Tulane University.

Paul Grimyser

Residential Portfolio Manager, Focus on Energy

Paul is the Residential Portfolio Manager for the Focus on Energy program, coordinating with implementation contractors and stakeholders to ensure ratepayers have a positive experience.  Prior to working on the Focus on Energy program, Paul worked in the public sector for the City of Madison (WI) and Las Vegas (NV) developing energy efficiency and sustainability programs for municipal and regional governments.  During his time with the City of Madison, Paul piloted an energy efficiency loan program for city residents and worked with multiple stakeholders to create and implement Green Madison, a loan loss reserve leveraging ARRA and Better Building Neighborhood resources to assist homeowners.  Paul holds a Master in Business Administration from Walden University, a Master in Public Administration from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

Rick Bender

Executive Advisor, Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence

John Rick Bender recently joined the energy team of Secretary Charles Snavely as Executive Advisor for the Department of Energy Development and Independence (“DEDI”) under the Energy and Environment Cabinet.  Before coming to DEDI 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.

Jolene Sheil

Director, Focus on Energy, Wisconsin Public Service Commission

Jolene A. Sheil has been with the Public Service Commission for eleven years and has 25 years of experience working on energy and environmental policy issues for the State of Wisconsin. Prior to working at the Commission, Ms. Sheil was in the Department of Administration’s Energy Division, where she worked on acid deposition, ozone and climate change. Ms. Sheil has spent the last 16 years working in various capacities on the Focus on Energy program and has been the Portfolio Manager for Focus on Energy for the last 13 years. Ms. Sheil has an undergraduate degree in Public and Environmental Administration and a Master’s Degree in Political Science.

Robert Fee

Chief of Staff, Cheniere Energy, Inc.

Robert Fee is the Chief of Staff at Cheniere Energy, Inc., a Houston-based energy company primarily engaged in LNG-related businesses. As Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer, he is engaged with strategy development and execution.

Robert is also currently Acting Senior Vice President, External Affairs, at Cheniere Energy, Inc., leading federal, international, state, local and regulatory engagement efforts.

Before joining Cheniere, Robert was Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor in the Office of Fossil Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. In his various roles, Fee helped manage the oversight of the Office’s Research and Development program and major policy and regulatory responsibilities, including over $3 billion carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects, hydraulic fracturing, climate regulation, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

Fee previously served as the liaison between business and advocacy communities on energy and environmental issues at both the White House Office of Public Engagement and the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Fee received a B.A. in History and Italian Studies from Miami University in Ohio.

Bruce Rew

Vice President of Operations, Southwest Power Pool

Bruce Rew is Vice President of Engineering at the Southwest Power Pool.. In this position Rew manages SPP’s engineering functions, including planning for expansion of the electric transmission grid. Rew also manages SPP’s responsibilities as a service provider to other utilities.

Rew joined SPP in 1990 and has served as Director of Contract Services, Director of Engineering, and Manager of Engineering. Rew’s notable projects include assisting SPP’s Regional State Committee in developing a process for allocating transmission costs region-wide, developing Tariff language allowing customers to fund transmission projects, and implementing SPP’s first energy management and Tariff billing system. Rew has had significant contact with SPP’s members and customers and with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, having served both as a participant and leader on its groups and committees. He has also testified before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and various state commissions.

Prior to joining SPP, Bruce served in the United States Air Force as a member of a nuclear missile launch crew. He was responsible for maintaining operational readiness of the Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile computer’s electrical and guidance systems.

Bruce earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana Tech University and a Master of Science degree in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas. He completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Arkansas. Bruce serves on the Heart of Arkansas United Way’s allocation committee, and is a member of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and University of Oklahoma engineering advisory boards.

Mario Hurtado

Vice President of Development, Clean Line Energy Partners

As Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Development of Clean Line Energy, Mario Hurtado draws on 20 years of experience in the power and energy industries to collaborate with the company’s management on developing its four transmission line projects.

In addition to his role on the management team, Mario leads the development efforts for the Plains & Eastern Clean Line. In this role, Mario oversees coordination and management of all aspects of development, regulatory procedures, outreach efforts, government relations, environmental considerations, and siting planning necessary for implementing the Plains & Eastern Clean Line.

Prior to joining Clean Line, Mario headed all development and operations in Central America and the Caribbean at Globeleq, a successful start-up power developer and operator focused on the emerging markets.  While at Globeleq, Mario acquired, built and managed a portfolio of traditional and renewable electric generating plants.  As an executive at Reliant Energy and Duke Energy, he led corporate transactions and managed the commercial issues involving large utilities and generating plants throughout Latin and North America.  Mario also developed liquefied natural gas terminals in the U.S. and Europe. Mario received his Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in New York City with a major in Political Science.  He pursued his Master of Arts in International Relations with concentrations in International Economics and Latin American Studies at the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC.

Andrew Hlasko

Program Manager for Large Carbon Management Projects, U.S. Department of Energy

Andrew Hlasko is a Senior Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) Office of Fossil Energy, managing U.S. DOE HQ’s commercial scale carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) Major Demonstration projects.  The CCS Major Demo program is part of U.S. DOE's efforts to commercialize new CCS technology both domestically and internationally and to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at fossil fuel power plants and in industrial applications. As a Program Manager for U.S. DOE CCS Major Demonstrations, Andrew coordinates carbon management efforts between the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the U.S. DOE's industrial partners.  Andrew has over 25 years of energy industry experience starting as an Electrical Engineer at the Baltimore Gas & Electric utility, then as Energy Market Strategist at Constellation Energy, and later as a Transmission Systems Engineer at Exelon Generation.  Andrew holds a Professional Engineering license registered in Maryland, received two Masters of Science degrees one in Business Administration (MBA) and the other in Computer Science both from The Johns Hopkins University, and has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering specializing in Power Systems from The University of Maryland at College Park.

John Warren

Director, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy

John Warren was appointed Director of the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy in August 2015. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Masters in Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Warren’s career began in industrial construction, but his mechanical engineering background led him to Henrico County where he served in facilities management and was tasked with reducing the energy footprint of county buildings. He then served as DMME’s Director of Energy from 2000-2007, followed by private sector work in the alternative fuels and green chemicals industry. Mr. Warren’s understanding of Virginia’s unique combination of natural resources, technology base, university and research capacity, and business and industry growth opportunities helps guide DMME in the execution of programs in support of Virginia’s mineral and renewable energy resource development.

Tracy Babbidge

Bureau Chief for Energy Policy, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Ms. Tracy Babbidge is the Director of Air Planning Division. She also serves as DEP Commissioner McCarthy’s designee on the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board. Ms. Babbidge joined the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection in 1993. Prior to her state environmental experience, Ms. Babbidge worked at the federal level for the Environmental Crimes Section of the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. She has served as the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection commissioner’s designee to the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Board since 2007. Ms. Babbidge is a Member of the Connecticut Bar. She holds a law degree from Quinnipiac College School of Law and a Bachelor’s degree from Providence College.

Audrey Bragg

Senior Policy Analyst, E4TheFuture

Audrey Starkebaum Bragg is a senior policy analyst at E4TheFuture. She works on clean energy solutions, conducting analysis of state and national policies and proposed regulations. Bragg manages policy projects focused on emerging regulation and opportunities to use clean energy solutions, as well as the E4Fellows program. Prior to E4TheFuture, she gained valuable insight into the clean energy world working for CSG in 2013. Additionally, she worked at the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, where she focused on construction of wind turbines on farm land within the Commonwealth. She earned her J.D., with an Energy and Environmental law focus, from New England Law in Boston.

Sam Cramer

Program Manager, NASEO

Alex Pollard

Energy Efficiency Commercial Programs Manager, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Alex Pollard is the Energy Efficiency Commercial Programs Manager at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). In this position he is responsible for the Massachusetts Pathways to Zero program, and works with the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Program Administrators and stakeholders to plan and implement the nation leading energy efficiency programs. Prior to joining DOER, he worked at an Owner’s Project Management firm that oversaw the design and construction of building projects. He holds a Master of Real Estate Development from Arizona State University, and is a LEED AP in building design and construction. Alex is also a co-chair of the Boston Urban Land Institute Sustainability Council.

Chuck Silkman

Regional Director, Ameresco

With 30 years of experience in the energy industry, Chuck leads Ameresco’s Rocky Mountain Region’s operations for Ameresco, the largest independent Energy Services Company in the US.  He oversees business development, engineering, construction, commissioning, and verification efforts on all Ameresco projects ensuring that projects are developed in alignment with customer needs, designed to optimize energy efficiency and operational issues, constructed in a manner consistent with designs, and verified to achieve the promised energy performance improvements when the project is complete. Under Chuck’s leadership the region has entered into almost $30 million of energy projects.

Prior to joining Ameresco, Chuck spent 7 years supporting Kaiser Permanente’s energy programs, and 20 years at Xcel Energy advising large commercial and industrial customers on energy efficiency and developing rate and incentive programs designed to improve efficiency and peak demand management.

Chuck received an Architectural Engineering degree at Kansas State University and a MBA at University of Colorado – Denver.  Chuck is also a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Building Commissioning Professional.

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.

Eric Coffman

Chief, Office of Energy Sustainability, General Services, Montgomery County, Maryland

Caitlin Callaghan, PhD

Chemical Engineer and Program Lead, Electricity Policy Technical Assistance Program, Transmission Pe, U.S. Department of Energy

Caitlin Callaghan is a Chemical Engineer with the Transmission Planning and Technical Assistance Division (TPTA) of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) at the U.S. Department of Energy.  In this capacity, Dr. Callaghan leads OE's energy-water nexus efforts, provides expertise regarding environmental aspects of the electricity system, and is the Program Lead for OE's Electricity Policy Technical Assistance Program.  Dr. Callaghan also serves as a technical expert leading OE's effort to monitor environmental regulations and their compliance for potential impacts on the reliability of the electricity system.  She also supports environmental and historic resource review of proposed cross-border international transmission facilities and is a member of the DOE Grid Tech Team, which focuses on both technological and institutional aspects of grid modernization, and the DOE Water-Energy Tech Team, which focuses on cross-cutting energy-water nexus issues in the energy sector.  Dr. Callaghan received her BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, her MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.  Dr. Callaghan also holds a JD and Masters in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School.

Dan Burgess

Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Dan Burgess was appointed Acting Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources in January 2015. He previously served as the Deputy Commissioner at the Department of Energy Resources and before that as the Legislative Director for Energy at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Dan and his team are implementing nation leading energy policies and programs that are delivering economic and environmental benefits for Massachusetts families and businesses.

Prior to state government service, Dan worked in supply chain management in both the aerospace and software industries. He has a Masters in Public Administration from Northeastern University and Bachelors in Business from the University of Maine. He lives in Boston and enjoys visiting and working his family's farm in Maine that is powered by renewable energy.

Mary Beth Tung, PhD

Director, Maryland Energy Administration

Rachel Nance

Director, Regional Government Affairs, Xcel Energy

Rachel Nance is Regional Director of Government Affairs and Media Relations for Xcel Energy. In this role, she develops strategy and implements public policy solutions in the Legislative and Executive Branches.

Rachel has worked in various public affairs capacities with the law firm of Lewis Roca Rothgerber, for trade associations and as Legislative Director for former Governor Bill Owens. In these roles, she has worked to spearhead many first-in-the-nation laws including providing the ACT test for all Colorado Tenth graders, legalizing Transportation Network Companies (like Lyft and uber), among others.

Brad Parkhurst

Electricity Sourcing Leader, Owens Corning

Bradley M. Parkhurst currently is the Electricity Sourcing Leader at Owens Corning responsible for sourcing and maintinaing relationships with electric suppliers globally.  Owens Corning is a Toledo, Ohio based building materials and composite material manufacturer.

After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Business Management, Brad started his career as a Corporate Account Representative at CDW, a leading provider of technology products and services for business.

His career at Owens Corning began as an Area Sales Manager in Phoenix, Arizona.  He spent five years successfully managing asphalt shingle distribution in Arizona and southern Nevada.  From there he transitioned to Logistics, where he held a couple of leadership positions in operations focused on customer satisfaction and productivity.  For five years, he was focused on sourcing multiple modes of transport; including rail, intermodal, dry van, and LTL.  He transitioned to his current role last March.

Mark Glick

Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office

Mark Glick is Specialist on Energy Policy & Innovation at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute - University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Glick previously served five years as Administrator of the Hawaii State Energy Office where he led Hawaii’s internationally regarded clean energy transformation efforts.  During his tenure as Hawaii’s Energy Administrator, Hawaii’s exceeded its 2015 interim renewable portfolio and energy efficiency portfolio standards, adopted the nation’s first 100 percent renewable portfolio standard, and led the nation for five consecutive years in the per capita value of energy savings performance contracts.  Glick served as senior advisor to the Texas Land Commissioner from 1987 to 1991, during which time he played a decisive role in passage of amendments to the Texas Clean Air Act and similar provisions in the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. For the next decade, Glick was a successful small business owner focused on reducing urban air pollution in the U.S. and abroad in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Gas Research Institute, Petrobangla, Southern California Gas Company, Pacific Gas & Electric, Transco, Southern Union Gas Company and the New York City Department of Transportation among others.  Returning to the public sector in 2003, Glick headed operations and economic development for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs from 2003 to 2010. Glick serves on the Board of Directors of the Washington Place Foundation and previously served as Vice Chair of NASEO, Executive Committee Chair of the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club.  Glick has a Master of Science, Public Management & Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Lamar University.

Andrea Pfennig

Energy Outreach and Special Programs Administrator, Division of Community Services, North Dakota Department of Commerce

Jeffrey Pillon

Director of Energy Assurance, NASEO

Jeffrey Pillon is the Director of Energy Assurance for the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO). In this capacity he is providing technical support to states who have received a total of $38 million nationally in support of a three year program to update their energy emergency response plans and work towards enhancing the resiliency of critical energy infrastructure. He also has Special Term Appointment to Argonne National Laboratory, Infrastructure Assurance Center.

Mr. Pillon has lectured nationally on energy assurance planning and preparedness and designed and assisted in conducting a series of multi-state regional energy emergency exercises and after action workshops. He is the principal author and editor of the State Energy Assurance Guidelines developed by NASEO and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissions (NARUC). He represents NASEO on the Government Coordinating Council for the Energy Sector under the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and serves on the Electric Power Research Institute’s Energy Efficiency/Smart Grid Public Advisory Group. He is the past chairs the Energy Data and Security Committee for the NASEO and a past member and chair of the NARUC Staff Subcommittee on Critical Infrastructure.

Mr. Pillon worked for the State of Michigan from 1973 to 2009. During this time he was Manager of Energy Data & Security for the Michigan Public Service Commission and was responsible for monitoring energy supply and demand, short term energy forecasting, emergency preparedness and management of the Commission’s website and information technology applications. He also served as the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth and represents the department at the State Emergency Operation Center. He was a member of the Michigan Homeland Security Preparedness Committee; Michigan Homeland Security Advisory Council; chaired the Michigan Critical Infrastructure Protection Committee and later co-chaired of the Energy Sector Committee of the Michigan Infrastructure Coordinating Committee.

Mr. Pillon is a graduate of Michigan State University in Political Science.

Michael DeBonville

Business Development Manager, Car2Go

Michael works in Business Development at car2go North America Headquarters in Austin, Texas. His primary goal is to add new locations to the car2go portfolio in the Eastern region of North America. This includes updating the laws in order to operate, negotiating agreements, and launching the operation. Previously he worked in Finance at car2go and Cintra. Michael grew up in Plano, Texas and received a degree in Economics from the University of Missouri.

Michael DiRamio

Strategic and Interagency Initiatives Manager, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Michael DiRamio, Manager of Strategic & Interagency Initiatives, Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Michael supervises a team in the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs office leading complex, inter-agency initiatives within DOE and across multiple federal agencies that support state and local governments and other key stakeholders with innovative approaches to delivering clean energy technologies. Most prominently, Michael leads the Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator, a Better Buildings initiative partnering with over 35 state and local organizations to help make energy more affordable for disadvantaged, high energy burden households through integrated energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. Prior to joining DOE, Michael managed award-winning utility energy efficiency programs and advised federal agencies and states on major public investments to support clean energy industry development and create thousands of jobs. Michael also led the creation of several public-private partnerships in Detroit to help promote the city’s comeback during and following the Great Recession through clean energy development, sustainable community building, and workforce development.

Todd Mouw

Vice President, Sales and Marketing, ROUSH CleanTech

As vice president of sales and marketing, Todd drives ROUSH CleanTech’s national business development team and marketing department. He travels the country speaking about domestic alternative fuel technologies and their impact on the economy and environment. A key member of ROUSH CleanTech’s 2010 launch, Mouw and team have helped facilitate more than 17,000 product sales with Fortune 500 fleets, school districts and government fleets to help them reduce their operating costs and carbon footprint fueling with propane autogas. He has been featured in hundreds of interviews and bylined articles as an alternative fuels expert. Mouw, a recipient of the 2011 Green Fleet Sustainability All-Star Award, also served as the 2011-2012 president of the Green Truck Association, which is part of the National Truck Equipment Association.

Mouw’s decades of experience in the automotive and high tech industries include extensive sales and marketing experience with Ford, GM and Chrysler’s dealer, fleet and consumer communications programs. Previously, Mouw founded a marketing consulting business, Innovative Customer Management Solutions.

He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Mouw resides in Royal Oak, Michigan, with his wife, son and golden retrievers. When he’s not in the office, Todd enjoys golfing or family time at the lake.

Suzanne Lemieux

Manager, Midstream and Industry Operations, American Petroleum Institute

Ms. Suzanne Lemieux started at the American Petroleum Institute in 2013 and now serves as a Manager within the Midstream and Industry Operations unit. Her primary areas of responsibility are emergency preparedness and response, security policy, maritime policy, UAS policy, energy infrastructure advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, both public and private.  Rail policy, natural gas policy and oil spill preparedness and response policy also fall within her management portfolio. Ms. Lemieux previously worked for more than 5 years for BCS Incorporated as the manager of their Emergency Response and Risk Management team and as a senior analyst in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. Ms. Lemieux directly supported DOE’s efforts to build public-private partnerships with the oil and natural gas and electricity sectors, specifically in areas of preparedness, emergency response, and both physical and cyber security. She provided technical and policy analysis, as well as communications support to senior leadership within the Department. Ms. Lemieux is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds a Security+ certification. Prior experience includes over 6 years at MCI Worldcom as a senior network engineer and supervisor. Ms. Lemieux has a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing Management from Radford University.

John Logan

Owner, Eagle Green Energy

Elizabeth Doris

Laboratory Program Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Elizabeth Doris is the Principal Laboratory Program Manager for State Local, and Tribal Audiences at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy). She manages a $10M annual portfolio and is responsible for developing and directing all aspects of NREL’s relationship with these audiences and coordinating these activities across the laboratory. Liz has over 15 years of program development and management experience in energy efficiency and renewable energy policy research and content expertise in energy policy, including over 50 publications on effective policies for clean energy development. She has a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from Boston University and an M.A. in Environmental Policy from Johns Hopkins.

Alexandra Aznar

Project Leader, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Douglas Gagne

Project Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Michael Hornsby

Chief Project Development Officer, Office of Policy and Planning, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Thomas Neyhart

Chief Executive Officer, PosiGen

Thomas Neyhart serves as CEO of PosiGen, a leading provider of residential solar PV and energy efficiency solutions. Founded in 2011, PosiGen’s mission is to make a positive financial impact on customers’ lives by providing green energy solutions to low-to-moderate income homeowners. PosiGen has helped more than 10,000 families in New York, Connecticut, Florida and Louisiana save money with the company’s unique solar and energy efficiency solutions.

During Neyhart’s tenure as CEO, PosiGen has been named to the Inc.5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies List for 3 years in a row. Under his leadership, PosiGen has raised $35 million of equity, $100 million of tax equity and has established credit lines totaling more than $70 million. The company was awarded the Patriotic Employer Award by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, Neyhart’s company was named one of 27 Coolest New Businesses in New Orleans by Business Insider.

Neyhart was named one of Goldman Sachs' 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2014. He received the distinction in part, due to a long and successful history of starting and operating several businesses in the construction and retail industries. He is a past president of the Louisiana Rental Dealers Association (for 5 years), was named APRO’s Rental Dealer of the Year, Utica Rentals Franchisee of the year and Top 10 Franchisee of the Year (8 out of 9 years). Neyhart is an invited speaker at renewable energy and construction business forums and a sustaining member of the Society of American Military Engineers.

Riana Ackley

Senior Officer, Network Relations, ICLEI USA

Riana is responsible for providing support to ICLEI’s membership network. Riana leads ICLEI’s renewable energy program, providing support to local governments on 100% renewable energy and the Solar Marketplace. In addition, Riana manages ICLEI’s work engaging local governments in the process for improved building energy codes. Riana previously managed the technical assistance program for the Solar Outreach Partnership, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. Through this program, Riana helped cities and counties remove barriers in local markets and increase installed solar capacity.

Riana previously worked at the Solar Energy Industries Association where she established partnerships and alliances with external organizations to advance the solar industry and managed relationships with the SEIA member law and accounting firms.

Riana holds a BA from the University of North Carolina, Asheville in Philosophy and Political Science.

Lacey Shaver

Community Engagement Manager, STAR Communities

Lacey Shaver serves as Community Engagement Manager at STAR Communities, a nonprofit organization that administers the STAR Community Rating System, the nation’s leading framework and certification program for local sustainability.

Lacey develops and manages technical assistance programs to support communities on the STAR certification track. She is committed to making performance management and data collection a meaningful experience. Over the past 5 years at STAR, she has provided one-on-one consulting and assistance to over 80 U.S. cities and counties as they have benchmarked sustainability performance through STAR certification and used the results to improve their communities.

Prior to STAR, Lacey worked primarily within the environmental field, conducting analyses of climate and hazard mitigation planning efforts at The Nature Conservancy; developing data management strategies for community organizing, fundraising, and marketing at Greenpeace; and performing spatial analysis of land use and energy reliance for the Foundation for Environmental Security and Sustainability.  She holds a BA in International Studies from the University of Mississippi and a MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University.

Kiran Kumaraswamy

Market Development Director, AES Energy Storage

Mr. Kiran Kumaraswamy is a Market Development Director at AES Energy Storage. In this role, he is responsible for identifying markets and applications that are attractive for energy storage development and educating potential customers on the benefits of energy storage. His work involves implementing regulatory and policy solutions that create access to our key markets. He also actively monitors AES' working relationships with electricity industry stakeholders, trade associations and regulators. Prior to joining AES, Kiran worked as a Senior Manager in ICF International advising private sector clients on wholesale power market issues. He holds an MS in Electrical Engineering from University of Wisconsin, Madison and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Madras, India.

Christie Baumel

Strategic Energy Projects Manager, Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN)

Christie Baumel serves as the Strategic Energy Projects Manager for the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), where she supports USDN member cities on projects that help advance progress on critical energy issues. Prior to joining USDN, she served as Climate & Energy Advisor for the City of Seattle, where she guided programs and policies to reduce energy and carbon pollution in buildings. She has also worked as a land use planner and with the public and the non-profit sectors on community development and environmental protection. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Washington in Urban Planning.

Thomas Harris

Secretary, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Shawn Bennett

Advisor, Office of Energy Assurance, United States Air Force

Teja Kuruganti

Senior Research and Development Staff Member, Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Teja Kuruganti is Senior R&D staff member in the Computational Sciences and Engineering Division at ORNL since 2003. His research interests include wireless sensor networks, communications systems, control systems, and novel sensor development,. He won an R&D 100 award in 2012 for co-developing electromagnetic wave propagation simulation engine for harsh environments. He earned MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of Tennessee, Knoxville and BE in electronics and communication engineering from Osmania University. He is a member of IEEE and ISA. He is currently the director of ISA Test and Measurement Division.