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

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

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

Miranda Ballentine has devoted her career to accelerating the role of advanced energy in national security, economic prosperity, and solving climate change.

In September, 2018, Miranda became the founding CEO of Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), an alliance of large clean energy buyers, developers, and service providers who, together with NGO partners, are unlocking the marketplace for all non-residential energy buyers to lead a rapid transition to a cleaner, prosperous, zero-carbon energy future. This new membership-based organization is building a resilient, zero-carbon energy system where every organization has a viable, expedient, and cost-effective pathway to renewable energy.

Miranda joins REBA after serving as CEO of Constant Power, Inc., a Toronto-based developer, integrator, and operator of distributed energy resources. Prior to CPI, Miranda was Managing Director of Rocky Mountain Institute's Business Renewables Center, a member-based platform that accelerates corporate purchasing of renewable energy. BRC members were involved in 100% of corporate renewables large-scale deals in 2018.

From 2014-2017, Miranda served President Obama as the 4th Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment, & Energy, where she was responsible for a $9 billion annual energy budget in addition to environmental programs for 9 million acres of land, 200 miles of coastline, 600,000 acres of forestland, and 270,000 acres of wetlands. She launched the Resilient Energy Demonstration Initiative (REDI), which developed smart, cyber-secure microgrids, including a “Future Forward Operating Base.”

Previously, Miranda was Director of Sustainability for Global Renewable Energy at Walmart Stores, Inc, where she led a team in fifteen countries to develop strategies toward Walmart’s goal to be supplied by 100% renewable energy. These programs identified $1+ billion in potential annual energy savings and 9 million metric tons of avoided greenhouse gas potential. 

In 2013, Miranda was selected to join the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders. She has a BS degree from Colorado State University and an MBA from George Washington University.  She lives in Washington, DC with her husband, daughter, and step-daughter.

Stan Blackwell is responsible for the management of large customers throughout the Central and Northern regions of Virginia.  Additionally, he is responsible for all economic development activities in Dominion’s electric service territory.  Stan has been with Dominion for 23 years in a variety of leadership roles including the following:  Finance, Accounting, Electrical Design, Renewable Product Development, Contract Management, Key Account Management, and Economic Development.  Before joining Dominion Energy, Stan spent 9 years in the computer industry with AT&T and NCR in various financial roles supporting competitive sales organizations.

Stan is currently a board member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and a past board member of the Central Virginia Better Business Bureau, and the Central Virginia Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Stan has a Finance degree, an MBA, and holds a CPA license.

Sara Bluhm serves as Director for the Division of Clean Energy at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Prior to this role, Ms. Bluhm served as Vice President for Energy and Environment at the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. Bluhm began working for NJBIA as a legislative affairs associate after graduating from Douglass College.

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.

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

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

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

Michelle Britt is the Director of Energy Programs at the International Code Council. She has over 15 years’ experience impacting building energy use and broader sustainability. She has served national, state and local governments, industry, and non-profits across the US and the Pacific.  Her broad background in land use and transportation planning, and environmental impact analysis brings a holistic approach to her work in building energy. Previously, she was a partner with the Britt/Makela Group and a Senior Research Scientist with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a Master’s degree in Architecture.

Danielle Sass Byrnett joined NARUC in December 2017. She is the Director of the Center for Partnerships & Innovation (formerly known as Domestic Grants or the Research Lab). She leads this grant-funded team focused on identifying emerging challenges and connecting State commissions with expertise and strategies to navigate complex decision-making. CPI builds relationships, develops resources, and delivers training in areas ranging from energy efficiency and distributed energy resources to natural gas infrastructure to cybersecurity and more. Danielle’s subject matter expertise includes energy efficiency policies and programs, clean energy workforce development, residential clean energy financing, combined heat and power, State energy planning, and related topics.

Prior to joining NARUC, Danielle served in the federal government and consulting roles at the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She holds a B.A. in biology and environmental studies from Swarthmore College, and an M.P.P. with an energy and environment concentration from Duke University.

Kerry Campbell is an Environmental Program Manager in the Energy Programs Office of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  He oversees the Pennsylvania Climate Change Program, the State Energy Program, and develops and implements programs to meet Pennsylvania's energy efficiency and renewable energy, energy security, and climate goals.  He has previously worked in the Air Quality and Waste Management Programs for DEP.  Kerry received an M.S. in Agronomy, a B.S. in Biology, and a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management, all from Penn State University.

Bob Coates is responsible for administering the Rural Energy Savings Program within the US Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service.    Bob wrote his engineering thesis at the University of Virginia (B.S. 1979) on energy conservation and solar design. He graduated from the George Washington University with an MBA in the Administration of Science, Technology, and Innovation. He is a master electrician, ASE Master Mechanic, Professional Engineer and a Project Management Professional.  Prior to working with the USDA, he worked as a design engineer and project manager for the Potomac Electric Power Company on the Washington, DC Metrorail system, managed the installation of the 4000+ mile cable television system in Fairfax County, VA.  Bob also owned a construction company that designed and built energy efficient homes in Virginia.

Dr. Costantini is a technology professional with more than 30 years of experience in the electric utility sector.  She has held executive level positions including Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, where she helped launch the Electricity Sector ISAC.   As a subject matter expert on cyber security, Dr. Costantini has written federal and state regulations that are intended to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and has testified before Congress regarding electric utilities’ cyber disaster preparedness.  While at NERC, she helped write the first two versions of the CIP standards.

Her responsibilities at NARUC include building and sustaining effective partnerships with government and private sector stakeholders to foster cyber security information sharing; to identify and mitigate cross-sector cyber dependencies; and, to spur innovative solutions to persistent security problems. 

Dr. Costantini holds a D.Sc. from New Jersey City University, an MBA from Rider University, and a BA in Economics from Seton Hall University.   Her doctoral research focused on ways to improve partnership outcomes between government and private sectors in critical infrastructure industries.  A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential holder since 2008, Dr. Costantini is also an ISC2-certified instructor.

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

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

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

Kimberly Denbow is the Senior Director of Security, Operations & Engineering Services at the American Gas Association (AGA) and has been with AGA for over 20 years. Ms. Denbow has served as staff executive for multiple AGA Operating Section technical committees, including the AGA Natural Gas Security Committee and the AGA Board-appointed Cybersecurity Strategy Task Force. Ms. Denbow also helped stand up the Downstream Natural Gas Information Sharing & Analysis Center. She also helps lead AGA’s resilience and reliability initiatives, including support for AGA’s all-hazards emergency preparedness activities. As the industry liaison to numerous U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Energy-sponsored programs targeting natural gas utility physical and cybersecurity operations, she helps lead efforts that drive the coordination of multiple Federal government security initiatives – all designed to benefit the oil and natural gas sector. Ms. Denbow is an active member of the Oil & Natural Gas Sector Coordinating Council (ONG SCC) and has served as the chair of the ONG SCC Intelligence Sharing Task Group (to improve information sharing between the asset-owners and the government intelligence community) and the ONG SCC Metrics Working Group. Ms. Denbow continues to chair the ONG/Pipeline SCCs Joint Cybersecurity Working.

Ms. Denbow has a Bachelor of Science in marine biology from the University of Florida and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Ms. Dennis is Senior Manager of Government & External Relations for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), an independent nonprofit organization performing research and development across the electric power sector for the benefit of the public.

Located in EPRI’s Washington, DC office, Ms. Dennis serves as liaison between EPRI’s executive management and the federal and state
governments including Congress, the administration, federal regulatory agencies, state public utility commissions, state legislators, governors, consumer advocates, and energy trade associations.

Prior to joining EPRI in May 2015, Ms. Dennis led the state government affairs and advocacy program for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). At NEMA, Ms. Dennis advocated on issues
impacting the electro-manufacturing industry including electric grid modernization, energy efficiency, electric transportation, and building design standards.

She has testified before state legislatures in California and North Carolina and has participated in state public utility commission proceedings in
California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York.

Ms. Dennis began her career in the energy policy industry through her work at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, a national state-based organization representing the 50 state public utility commissions.

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.

Adam Diamant is a Technical Executive in the Energy and Environmental Analysis Group at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Mr. Diamant manages EPRI's Integrated Portfolio Planning and Market Analysis program, and its Natural Gas Interest Group. Mr. Diamant also manages EPRI’s Electric Generation Expansion Analysis (EGEAS) software used widely to conduct production cost and capacity expansion modeling in the United States and internationally. He also provides analytic support for EPRI's climate change related research programs.

Mr. Diamant's research focuses on the interactions between natural gas and coal markets and electricity markets, and key emerging issues in long-term, integrated resource planning for electric companies. His climate-related research focuses on the development of international greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading and GHG emissions offsets programs. His research develops information and improves analytic methods that electric companies and others can use to make strategic decisions in response to the ongoing evolution of fuel and electric power markets and climate policies. Mr. Diamant formerly was a Project Manager at EPRI Solutions, Inc.—EPRI's application consulting subsidiary—where he managed ecological asset management projects.

He has worked in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Executive Office of the President of the United States, where he was responsible for oversight of all of the regulatory programs of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service. Mr. Diamant earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has received several professional awards recognizing his outstanding performance at OMB and EPRI, and he is a past recipient of a Presidential Management Internship.

Alana Duerr is the Offshore Wind Lead in the Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) at DOE. Alana utilizes her background in naval architecture and ocean engineering by leading the offshore wind R&D activities within the office, including the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium, the Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects, the offshore wind lidar buoy program, as well as research awards with industry leaders and offshore wind initiatives with the national labs.

Alana joined DOE in 2013 as a NOAA John A. Knauss Policy Fellow after wrapping up her graduate studies, and became Offshore Wind Lead in 2016. Before joining DOE, Alana received her B.S. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Webb Institute, and her Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University where she studied the resource potential of the Florida Current for marine hydrokinetic turbines.

Matthew Duncan serves as the Policy and Coordination Manager at the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), focusing on electricity subsector resilience policy, cross-sector coordination, and international partnerships. The mission of the E-ISAC is to reduce cyber and physical risk to the electricity industry across North America by providing unique insights, leadership, and coordination, and his engagement activities are key to managing partnerships and developing new sources of information and analysis. Prior to the E-ISAC, Duncan was a Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Energy, managing sector specific agency and state government outreach. Other previous roles include: Deputy U.S. Political Officer at the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan, supporting provincial governance and transition activities; a strategic Policy Analyst at the Pentagon; and a Research Assistant for a U.S. Attorney. Duncan holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from Saint Joseph’s University.

Dan Farrell is a Program Manager with the Division of Energy at Virginia’s Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME).   Dan oversees DMME’s suite of energy efficiency programs and efforts on Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE), including managing the Mid-Atlantic PACE Alliance (MAPA), funded by a grant from US Department of Energy.

Dan previously served as Project Manager with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in Albany, NY.  Prior to joining NYSERDA in 2008, he worked for the King County Solid Waste Division (Seattle, WA) and Washington State Department of Ecology.  Dan has over 15 years of state and local government experience in the high-performance building, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and waste management fields.  Dan serves as co-chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials’ (NASEO) Energy Financing Committee, and on the Board of Directors of Viridiant.  He holds an M.P.A. from the University of Washington, and an Environmental Management Certificate from the University’s Program on the Environment.

Sandy Fazeli serves as Managing Director, Policy, of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO).  She leads NASEO’s programs covering workforce development, communications, energy financing and investment, planning, and low-income housing. She also heads NASEO’s private sector Affiliates program, an initiative which connects policy makers, companies, and non-profits to enhance state energy policy making and program development. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Fazeli worked on wide range of energy efficiency and state policy issues at the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Colorado Energy Office, and the Alliance to Save Energy. She holds a master’s degree in international economic development from the University of Denver and bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University. Ms. Fazeli serves on the Advisory Board of the Energy Policy Institute and the City of Minneapolis’s Community Environmental Advisory Commission.

David Foster served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz from 2014-2017 on energy, environmental, climate, economic development, workforce development and labor relations issues.  During that period he designed and implemented the creation of the Department of Energy’s Jobs Strategy Council, an initiative that linked the department’s technical and financial resources to a wide group of external stakeholders including state and local governments, private sector energy and manufacturing businesses, non-profits, academic institutions, and labor unions.

He also designed and oversaw the annual production of the U.S. Energy and Employment Report, a survey driven study of labor markets in four key energy-related sectors of the U.S. economy.  In addition, he led the interagency effort to create the Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Initiative, which formally linked the Department of Energy with the Departments of Labor, Education, Commerce, Defense, and the National Science Foundation on workforce development issues.  He also spurred the formation of the Utility Industry Workforce Initiative that joined six utility trade associations with four government agencies and two national labor unions to promote veterans hiring in the utility industry.

Prior to working at the Department of Energy, David Foster served as the founding Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance (BGA), a strategic partnership of 14 of America’s most important unions and environmental organizations with a combined membership of 14.5 million. The BlueGreen Alliance is the country’s foremost labor/environmental advocacy group on climate change policy solutions with a special emphasis on energy intensive industries, job creation, and the interchange between global warming and trade policy.  He also formed BGA’s Clean Energy Manufacturing Center which provided technical support and analysis on manufacturing growth opportunities through grants from the Departments of Commerce, Labor, and the private sector.

David Foster has a BA from Reed College in Portland, OR.

Peter Fox-Penner is a Professor of Practice in the Questrom School of Business and the Director of Boston University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy. In addition, he serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Energy Impact Partners, and an Academic Advisor to The Brattle Group where he served as chairman for 14 years. He now works mainly in the areas of electric power strategy and regulation; energy and climate policy; sustainable investing and clean technologies. He is a former senior Department of Energy official and author of numerous books and articles on clean energy and electric power.

Joe Francis has been with the Department of Environmental Quality his entire career, starting in 1975 (gas was 36 cents a gallon).  Joe has a Bachelor’s in Environmental Health from the University of Nebraska and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Joe has served in several capacities with the Department of Environmental Quality beginning as an Air Quality inspector. He has served as Assistant Director responsible for management of all Air and Waste programs and is now responsible for the Assistance Division. Joe is currently on assignment to the Nebraska Energy Office at the request of Jim Macy, Interim Director. Joe has been active in a number of state and national organizations associated with emerging environmental issues, all having significant energy implications. Most significantly leading a unique environmental partnership with the Nebraska Public Power District, Nebraska’s largest producer of electricity. He has also served as Co-Chair for the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council and Chair of the Dept. of Defense, Science Advisory Board for the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.

Mr. François is responsible for managing the regulatory framework that governs the development of renewable energy projects on public lands of the U.S. outer continental shelf.  His responsibilities include policy development and management oversight of the review of technical and engineering design aspects of project plans and offshore survey activities and compliance with terms and conditions related to safe project design, deployment and operations.  In addition to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Mr. François’ 39 year career with the U.S. Department of the Interior includes service with the U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Management Service and Indian Affairs in the analysis of energy, environmental, technology, and economic development issues across the Department’s spectrum of public land management.  He received his B.S. in Physics from Bradley University and his M.S. in Geophysics from the Pennsylvania State University.

Natalie Mims Frick is an Energy Efficiency Program Manager in the Electricity Markets and Policy Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Natalie conducts research and manages projects on energy efficiency technical assistance, policy, program design, implementation and evaluation.

Prior to joining LBNL, Natalie was the principal at Mims Consulting, LLC, where she served as an expert witness in demand-side management regulatory proceedings across the country. Before starting her company, Ms. Mims Frick was the Energy Efficiency Director at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and, prior to that, a Senior Consultant at Rocky Mountain Institute. During her work at both of these non-profit organizations she focused on regulatory issues pertaining to clean energy adoption, most recently on planning, portfolio design and integrated resource planning for utility energy efficiency programs.

While at SACE Natalie was an expert witness for energy efficiency proceedings throughout the Southeast. She has extensive experience evaluating and testifying on energy efficiency potential studies; energy efficiency goal-setting and compliance; evaluation, measurement and verification; and efficiency portfolio and program planning. At Rocky Mountain Institute her research focused on quantifying energy efficiency potential and the best opportunities to capture energy, environmental and economic savings. She also was a contributing author of Reinventing Fire. Natalie holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.

Anthony Fryer is the coordinator of the Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) and is the
contact person for utilities regarding CIP activities, according to organizational changes made
recently at the Minnesota Department of Commerce State Energy Office (SEO).bFryer has been with the SEO since January 2015, serving as building technologies program administrator and working with the CIP team. He was a senior analyst for the Appliance Standards Awareness Project in the Twin Cities for nearly 3 years prior to that. He earned a law degree at William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul in 2009, served as a judicial law clerk in 2010, and was an attorney for Open Access Technology International, Inc. from January 2011 to July 2012. From 2002 to 2006, he managed a team for D&R International that was responsible for implementing the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR® Appliance Program.

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.

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.

Chris Gearhart joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 2012 as director of the Hydrogen Technologies and Systems Center. In 2013 he was appointed to his current position as director of NREL’s Transportation and Hydrogen Systems Center, where he manages a staff of 150 scientists and engineers developing advanced transportation technologies. Before embarking on his NREL career, he held various leadership positions focusing on fuel cell and hydrogen storage research at Ford Motor Company, and also played pivotal roles in product development, safety research, and quality assurance. On the academic front, he has taught at Michigan State University and the School for Renewable Energy Science in Iceland. He has authored or co-authored more than 55 publications and holds three patents.

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.

Mark Glick is a tenure track faculty of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, overseeing energy policy and innovation and coordinating State and University of Hawaii assets towards fulfillment of Hawaii’s ambitious energy transformation and supporting similar objectives in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.  Glick previously served five years as Administrator of the Hawaii State Energy Office where he led Hawaii’s internationally regarded clean energy transformation efforts.  He also served as Vice Chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), the only national non-profit association for energy officials from each of the 56 states and territories with the purpose of advocating for the interests of the state energy offices to Congress and federal agencies.  Selected highlights of his tenure as Hawaii’s Energy Administrator include: 1) exceeding Hawaii’s 2015 interim renewable portfolio and energy efficiency portfolio standards; 2) contributing to passage of the nation’s first 100 percent renewable portfolio standard and interim goal of 30 percent RPS by 2020; 3) leading the nation for five consecutive years in the per capita value of energy savings performance contracts; 4) spearheading the statewide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement process culminating in publication by the U.S. Department of Energy of a programmatic EIS that examines the potential environmental impacts of energy efficiency activities and renewable energy technologies that could assist the State of Hawaii in meeting the goal established under the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative; and 5) overseeing all energy related regulatory filings and legislative testimony of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

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 three terms as Executive Committee Chair of the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club and as Vice Chair of the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority.  Glick has a Master of Science, Public Management & Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Lamar University.

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

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.

Tom Harris is a Project Leader in the Project Development and Finance Group within NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Directorate, where he leads NREL’s support for the Federal Energy Management Program’s Energy Services Performance Contracts Program; NREL’s renewable energy and energy security project planning and development support for NASA; and development and deployment of a NREL-hosted and freely available model for cost-optimized energy system planning being used to comprehensively plan Hawaii’s energy eco-system and now being deployed in Puerto Rico. The model provides scenario analysis results data to energy ecosystem visualizations for rapid feedback and scenario exploration for broad energy stakeholder participation in program and policy deliberations.

Tom is an electrical engineer and lawyer with a background as an electric utility distribution system engineer for a large municipal utility where he managed system reactive compensation, power quality for industrial and large commercial customers, and engineering support for metering and billing. Tom holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and a JD/MBA joint degree with a concentration in enterprise consulting. He is admitted to practice law in Colorado.

Mr. Herzog is the Manager of Competitive Transmission at Burns & McDonnell. His primary responsibilities are to:

• Manage relationships with non-traditional clients and other organizations related to competitive transmission
• Manage resolution of potential multi-engagement conflicts
• Coordinate with traditional client leads on competitive transmission engagements
• Interface with business line leads on competitive transmission pursuits and projects
• Manage business development with competitive transmission clients
• Direct Burns & McDonnell and client/partner competitive transmission pursuits
• Sponsor execution of competitive transmission projects
• Secure financial support for development participation of transmission projects

Prior to his current role, Mr. Herzog was a Project Manager at Burns & McDonnell responsible for managing the complete life cycle of large multi-facility and multi-discipline power delivery projects, from planning through construction. Prior to joining Burns & McDonnell Mr. Herzog spent 14 years at the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD). During his tenure at OPPD he worked in Distribution Planning, Transmission Planning, T&D Project Management, Field Supervision and Transmission Engineering & Land Rights.

Mr. Herzog received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and his MBA from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. He is a registered Professional Engineering and a licensed Project Management Professional.

Travis started working at GDS in 2011 as a Project Engineer from his home office. Before joining GDS, he worked for Honeywell for 5 years as a Product Test Engineer. Travis has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota. He also earned a Master’s degree in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute. Currently, Travis is managing three projects focused on leveraging conservation programs in Minnesota to drive electric utility infrastructure efficiency (generation, transmission, and distribution systems). The team created measures for infrastructure to add to the MN TRM, conducted an infrastructure potential study, and they are exploring the policy landscape to reduce barriers to implementation. Travis is supporting the implementation of the Ameren Illinois business energy efficiency program as a technical reviewer. He also has a handful of other projects supporting energy efficiency efforts with clients.

Serving as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity (OE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Ms. Patricia A. Hoffman also served as Acting Under Secretary for Science and Energy from January 2017 until November 2017 when the U.S. Senate confirmed Mark Menezes as Under Secretary of Energy. Ms. Hoffman served as Acting Assistant Secretary for OE from January 2017 until October 2017 when the OE Assistant Secretary was confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Ms. Hoffman was named Assistant Secretary for OE from June 2010 to January 2017, after serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary since November 2007. The focus of her responsibility was to provide leadership on a national level to modernize the electric grid, enhance the security and reliability of the energy infrastructure and facilitate recovery from disruptions to the energy supply both domestically and internationally. This is critical to meeting the Nation’s growing demand for reliable electricity by overcoming the challenges of our Nation’s aging electricity transmission and distribution system and addressing the vulnerabilities in our energy supply chain.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Hoffman served in a dual capacity as Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Research and Development (R&D) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) within OE. During her tenure as the DAS for R&D, she developed the long-term research strategy and improved the management portfolio of research programs for modernizing and improving the resiliency of the electric grid. This included developing and implementing sensors and operational tools for wide-area monitoring, energy storage research and demonstration and the development of advanced conductors to increase the capacity and flexibility of the grid. She also initiated a new research effort focused on integrating and distributing renewable energy through the electric grid, such as promoting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and implementing smart grid technologies to maintain system reliability. As COO, she managed the OE business operations, including human resources, budget development, financial execution, and performance management.

Prior to joining OE, she was the Program Manager for the Federal Energy Management Program within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at DOE. This program guides the Federal government to “lead by example” promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart energy management. Complementing her building energy efficiency experience, she also was the Program Manager for the Distributed Energy Program, which conducted research on advanced natural gas power generation and combined heat and power systems. Her accomplishments included the successful completion of the Advanced Turbine System program resulting in a high-efficiency industrial gas turbine power generation product.

Ms. Hoffman holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Ceramic Science and Engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

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, and is focused on creating a marketplace where solar will constitute a significant percentage of America’s energy generation.

Before joining SEIA, Abby served as Director of the Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Director of the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), Energy Advisor to Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, and Deputy General Counsel with the Maryland Public Service Commission. Before embarking on a career in public service, Abby spent nine years in private practice.

Abby graduated Cum Laude from the University of Maryland School of Law and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dartmouth College. She is the very proud mom of three children and loves to read and run.

As the Legislative Director at the U.S. Green Building Council, Bryan Howard has oversight over education and advocacy efforts before the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Bryan has broad experience in federal policy, advocacy, and political and issue campaigns. He has developed and implemented outreach strategies, public policy solutions and grassroots activities including successful legislation efforts in the clean energy and education and training area.

Prior to joining USGBC, Bryan worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for Mark Udall of Colorado. For a great deal of his tenure he served as a legislative assistant in charge of policy advising and development on a wide range of issues including housing, urban development, transportation, agriculture, trade and small business. Bryan has also served as a field organizer for the U.S. Senate Campaigns of Ken Salazar and Tom Strickland, where he assisted in political
management, voter persuasion and get-out-the-vote activities.

Bryan holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

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

Lisa Jacobson serves as the President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and manages the day-to-day operations of the organization. Lisa has advised states and federal policymakers on energy, tax, air quality and climate change issues.  She serves as a private sector observer to the World Bank's Climate Investment Fund and is a member of the Department of Energy's State Energy Efficiency steering committee. Lisa has testified before Congress and has represented clean energy industries before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Prior to her position with the BCSE, Lisa was a legislative aide to the U.S. Congress; received a Masters in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science; and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Vermont.

Judith Judson was appointed as Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources in April 2015. Prior to joining the DOER, Judith worked at Customized Energy Solutions as Director of Emerging Technologies for the U.S. where she advised clients on the use of innovative technologies to cost-effectively modernize the US electric grid.  Judith joined Customized Energy Solutions from Massachusetts-based clean energy technology company, Beacon Power LLC, where she served as Vice President of Asset Management and Market Development. As a nationally recognized expert on energy storage, Judith has participated in numerous hearings and technical conferences at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Judson chairs the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council and represents Massachusetts on the Boards of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Inc.; and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

Previously Judith served as Chairman and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Public Utilities Commission during the Romney Administration. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University.

Melanie Kenderdine is a principal of Energy Futures Initiative and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. She is also currently a Visiting Fellow at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).

Ms. Kenderdine served at the Department of Energy from May 2013–January 2017, as the Energy Counselor to the Secretary and concurrently as the Director of DOE’s Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. Her 100-person office was responsible for analysis and policy development in areas that included: DOE’s role in the annual review of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program requirements, energy innovation, and climate change. She produced two installments of the Quadrennial Energy Review and helped conceive of and develop the Energy Security Principles adopted by G-7 leaders in 2014. In her capacity as energy counselor to the Secretary, Ms. Kenderdine provided key strategic advice on a range of issues across the Department of Energy, including Mission Innovation, a 22-country+EU initiative that supports transformational clean energy RD&D; North American grid integration and security; and the modernization of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Prior to her service at DOE, Ms. Kenderdine helped to establish the MIT Energy Initiative and served as its Executive Director. From 2001 to 2007, Ms. Kenderdine served as the Vice President of Washington Operations for the Gas Technology Institute. From 1993 to 2001, Ms. Kenderdine was a political appointee in President Bill Clinton’s administration, where she served in several key posts at DOE, including Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary, Director of the Office of Policy, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.

John F. Kwant currently serves as Ford’s Global Director of Mobility Matters initiatives.Priors to this, he was Director of City Solutions, focusing on Smart Mobility programs. In this headquarters based role, Mr. Kwant interfaces with both global business units and Dearborn based functional teams to ensure enterprise alignment on mobility strategy.

Before this, Mr. Kwant worked in Ford’s Asia Pacific Group for over 10 years in a variety of roles. Most recently, he was Director of Asia-Pacific Integration, interacting on behalf of the business unit with Dearborn based functional teams to ensure enterprise alignment on key Asia-Pacific matters. Before this, he was Ford’s Director of International Government Affairs for Asia-Pacific Matters in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for ensuring corporate alignment and collaboration between the US and AP markets on Ford’s public policy and lobbying priorities. Mr. Kwant’s assignment just prior to this was as Vice President for Government Affairs for Ford’s Asia-Pacific and Africa Operations based in Shanghai and oversaw the Government Affairs activity for the entire region. Before to moving to Shanghai in 2009, he was the head of the Strategy & Business Development and Planning Group for Asia-Pacific which was based in Dearborn.

Mr. Kwant joined Ford in August of 1999 to assist in business development, mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances surrounding Internet distribution channel partners. He was the founder and Managing Director of Ford Motor Company’s Venture Capital Group which managed numerous corporate investments. He has served on the Boards of several of the Group’s holdings. The Group was recognized in 2001 by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation as a recipient of a Michigan Investment and Commercialization Success Award. Mr. Kwant then moved on to serve as the Director of Business Intelligence and Corporate Initiatives within Automotive Strategy at Ford.

Before joining Ford, Mr. Kwant spent four years at Pitney Bowes, Inc, where he was responsible for Internet Business Development, Strategic Planning, and M&A. Prior to this, he worked as a Consultant with Deloitte & Touche and also held various management positions with General Motors in manufacturing and operations.

Mr. Kwant holds an MBA, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and MSE in Engineering Management, McCormick Graduate School of Engineering, both from Northwestern University as well as a BSE, Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan.

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 cybersecurity. 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.

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.

Kate Marks is currently a senior advisor in ISER managing the SLTT program. In collaboration with State and local governments, Ms. Marks leads efforts to secure U.S. energy infrastructure against all hazards, reduce the impact of disruptive events, and respond to and facilitate recovery from energy disruptions. Previously Ms. Marks served as the office director for state, local, and tribal policy analysis in the Office of Policy, overseeing state and local regulatory and policy analysis and supporting stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining DOE, Ms. Marks was the managing director for the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) where she was responsible for informing the nation’s 56 state and territory energy offices of Federal action, sharing energy program best practices, and coordinating peer exchange. There she managed NASEO’s regional activities and program staff covering efficient buildings, energy security, renewable energy, and electricity issues. Before NASEO, Ms. Marks served as the energy program director in the Environment, Energy and Transportation Division of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) where she advised state legislators and legislative staff on energy policy. Ms. Marks has authored numerous publications and testified before state legislative bodies on energy and environmental issues. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University and a Master of Resource Law Studies in Energy Law and Policy from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.

Ariel Marshall serves as the senior domestic policy advisor to Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), helping to advance the Senator's legislative initiatives in the areas of energy, environment, advanced manufacturing, science and innovation, and additional domestic policy goals. Ariel began her career on Capitol Hill through a congressional fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Optical Society and the International Society for Optics and Photonics. As a fellow, she worked on energy and environment issues for Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) and subsequently for Senator Shaheen.

Ariel holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a doctorate degree in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.

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

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

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.

Ruth McCormick is the Director of Federal and State Affairs for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), representing the Council's clean energy industries on a wide range of state and federal issues including tax policy, and energy and environmental policy. In her role with the BCSE she manages the coalition’s outreach and advocacy before the United States Congress and federal agencies, as well as outreach to state utility commissions, energy offices and other state officials. Ms. McCormick has over twenty-five years of experience in energy and environmental policy development. Prior to joining the Council Ms. McCormick represented the Western Regional Council, a coalition of businesses in the Western United States, and served as a press secretary, legislative assistant and legislative director for House Energy and Commerce Committee member Congressman Howard Nielson (R-UT), serving as a key policy advisor during consideration of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. She is a graduate of the University of Utah.

Mr. McGlynn is responsible for the management of the System Operation Division to ensure the secure, reliable, economic, and coordinated operation of the PJM Interconnection system.  In this role, Mr. McGlynn directs and oversees all System Operation Division activities for the efficient and reliable operation and coordination of the PJM bulk power system including load forecasting, scheduling and dispatch of generating units, coordinating generating unit and transmission outages, scheduling power interchange transactions with neighboring systems and monitoring and control of the loading and voltages of the system within established reliability standards.

Prior to assuming his position in System Operation, Mr. McGlynn was the senior director – System Planning, PJM Interconnection.  In that role, he was responsible for the development of the PJM Regional Transmission Expansion Plan, including transmission planning, interregional planning and the analytic activities in support of the interconnection process.  These responsibilities include assessing long-term transmission system adequacy and reliability, and recommending bulk transmission system expansions or enhancement options. 

Prior to joining PJM, Mr. McGlynn held various positions in engineering and operations at Exelon. Mr. McGlynn earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Drexel University.  He is a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is a senior member of the IEEE.

Robin Millican is Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations at Gates Ventures, where she manages the organization’s work on energy innovation. Prior to joining Gates Ventures in 2017, Ms. Millican was a senior public sector consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, working in the Commerce and defense energy sectors. Ms. Millican has also held positions as the Director of Federal Affairs at the Institute for Energy Research, and as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator John Cornyn. She has a B.A. in International Studies from Southern Methodist University, and a Master of Public Policy degree from Duke University.

Matthew A. Morrissey is Head of New England Markets,  Ørsted US Offshore Wind, where he oversees the company’s market development efforts. Mr. Morrissey has been involved in executive leadership positions in the offshore wind industry for over a decade.

Matt founded the New Bedford Wind Energy Center where he led efforts with key local leaders and state officials to attract public investment in the development of the state owned New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, the first offshore wind terminal in the nation.

As the founder and Managing Director of Offshore Wind: Massachusetts, Matt spearheaded the industry’s successful efforts to include offshore wind in the Commonwealth’s energy portfolio, resulting in the historic 1600MW bill signed into law in August 2016.

Most recently, as Vice President, New England, for Deepwater Wind, Matt was a key part of the company’s New England development efforts resulting in three offshore wind power contracts totaling 700 MW.

Matt has a degree in English literature from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He is a graduate of Harvard’s highly competitive, non-degree granting Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate. He is the fifth generation of his family hailing from the Port City of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Maureen Neighbors is a graduate of Auburn University. She has been with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) since 2002.  She currently serves as ADECA’s Energy Division Chief. As the Energy Division Chief, she is responsible for programs including the State Energy Program, Alabama Energy and Residential Codes, AlabamaSAVES, Weatherization Assistance Program, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and Community Services Block Grant, among others.  She currently serves as the ADECA Director’s Designee to the Alabama Space Authority Commission and the Alabama FirstNet Commission as well as coordinating ADECA’s broadband initiative.

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

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

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

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

Brandon Nicholson is a founding principal of Nicholson Kovalchick (NK) Architects, a Seattle-based firm established in 2004 and known for its focus on sustainable, urban infill housing with projects that scale in range from single-family homes to high-rise towers.

Under Brandon’s leadership, NK’s area of expertise has expanded to include building design, development, urban and neighborhood planning, preservation and adaptive reuse, project rescue, and economic feasibility.

Brandon is actively involved with the City of Seattle as a code advocate, and has been instrumental in obtaining much-needed changes to the city’s land-use codes. Brandon is the recipient of the AIA’s 2011 Community Service Award.

Brandon chairs the Southwest Seattle Design Review Board and is an elected board member of the West Seattle Junction Association. He is also a member of the Urban Land Institute and the Admiral Neighborhood Association.

Jake Oster is dedicated to promoting, advancing and scaling clean energy. He heads energy policy for Amazon and works with policymakers to address climate change and expand access to clean energy. Prior to joining Amazon, Jake worked as the Senior Director for Regulatory and Government Affairs for EnergySavvy, a Seattle-based clean tech company. At EnergySavvy, he crafted and secured new policy changes to modernize the measurement of energy efficiency savings. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Representative Peter Welch (VT) and oversaw the Congressman’s work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Jake received a BA from the University of Vermont.

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

Brandon Peck serves as Director at Flywheel Government Solutions, based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining Flywheel, Brandon was a Senior Associate member of Dutko Grayling’s Energy Infrastructure and Sustainability team. He assisted with political, policy and market research, analysis, and strategic outreach/positioning for clients at the federal, state and local levels. To date, Brandon represents a range of energy-oriented interests ranging from natural gas to energy efficiency.

In May of 2013, Brandon was also selected to be part of a Republican-led U.S. delegation focused on promoting best practices and transatlantic partnership building for clean energy and energy efficiency policies. This delegation met with several clean energy regulators, utility cooperatives, and energy producers/suppliers, as well as staff from the EU Parliament representing all of its political parties.

At Flywheel, Brandon works to help clients position, brand, affect public policy and sell to state government customers. Though the firm covers a variety of hot button issues, Brandon focuses primarily on energy, infrastructure, and Internet of Things policy issues in states and at the federal level. Brandon also works extensively with a number of leading trade associations, third party advocacy groups and political organizations, and he helps develop and manage client relationships with these respective organizations in order to advance industry and/or legislative/executive advocacy goals. Brandon strategically collaborates with these respective organizations in order to leverage the value of a client’s product and/or service, and to leverage the client’s industry and political capital to the rest of the organization’s membership.

Peck is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross.

Congressman Scott Peters serves California’s 52nd Congressional District, which includes the cities of Coronado, Poway and most of northern San Diego. First elected in 2012, Scott has worked across the aisle to fix a broken Congress and stand up for San Diego’s military and veterans community. Scott Peters currently serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he advocates for investment in basic scientific research, supports the military’s goals to enhance their energy security, and fights for commonsense healthcare reforms that work for families and small business owners. He also serves on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, where he advocates for improving the quality of care at VA medical centers, increasing collaboration in the federal government to end veterans homelessness, and encouraging the hiring of veterans for military construction projects.

Scott Peters is a civic leader who has made improving the quality of life in San Diego his life’s work.  After a 15-year career as an environmental lawyer, Scott was elected to the San Diego City Council, where he later became the City’s first City Council President.  On the Council, Scott helped lead the $2 billion redevelopment of downtown San Diego, the cleanup of the city’s beaches and bays, and the completion of a number of major infrastructure projects.  He also pursued greater accountability and efficiency in government through the creation of a new Council/Mayor form of government with an independent budget review function.

In 2001, the governor appointed Scott to the Commission on Tax Policy in the New Economy, and in 2002, the Speaker of the Assembly appointed Scott to the California Coastal Commission.

Scott also later served as chairman of the San Diego Unified Port District – a major economic engine that supports over 40,000 high-skill, high-wage jobs for San Diegans, with $3.3 billion in direct regional economic impact.

Scott earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and worked as an economist for the United States Environmental Protection Agency before attending New York University School of Law. He and his wife of 29 years reside in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, where they raised their son and daughter.

During his time in Congress, Scott has passed legislation to give the military the advanced technology it needs to fight terrorism and level the playing field for small businesses competing for government contracts, and has succeeded in getting the federal government to make changes to the homelessness funding formula that disadvantages San Diego. Ranked the 4th most independent Democrat in Congress by the National Journal, Scott Peters understands that business problems have bipartisan solutions, and is never afraid to work across party lines to build consensus and get things done.

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.

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

Her professional experience includes 10 years working in the built and natural environment, in the fields of natural resources and restoration, community planning and engagement, energy management, and sustainability. Kaci previously worked for city and county governments in the Northwest, focused on program implementation, inter-jurisdictional coordination, environmental systems, and stakeholder engagement. She is an Oregon Project Management Associate, Board Member for Oregon Green Schools, Master Recycler, and has a Bachelor degree in Environmental Science from Western Washington University.

Maria Redmond is director of the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation. Redmond has worked for the State of Wisconsin for over  17 years. She has considerable experience and extensive knowledge of renewable energy, alternative fuels, biofuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Redmond has worked to develop and implement competitive energy programs and services on behalf of the state agencies and businesses. She has extensive knowledge in alternative fuels, biofuels, and advanced vehicle technologies, as well as securing and managing federal grant programs. Redmond assisted the Wisconsin State Energy Office in securing and managing $80 million in federal grant funding for energy related programs for local governments and businesses in Wisconsin and managed a $15 million program to advance the use of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies for both public and private fleets throughout the state.

Christopher Russell brings over 25 years of energy industry experience to the Maryland Energy Administration, where he is the program manager for State Buildings and Energy Codes.  He holds an M.B.A. and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Maryland and a B.A. from McGill University. His publications include "Managing Energy from the Top Down" and "North American Energy Audit Program Best Practices."

Stan Salwocki is the Manager of Architecture & Engineering at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the entity in Pennsylvania responsible for the allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which are the primary funding source for affordable housing in the state.  He is responsible for updating the design, sustainability, and energy efficiency standards for the agency’s multifamily programs.

Kellen Schefter is Manager of Sustainable Technology at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the association for U.S. investor-owned electric companies. At EEI, Kellen focuses on technologies that enable clean energy, grid modernization, and new customer solutions. His work at EEI on transportation electrification and energy storage includes policy advocacy, business model development, and cross-industry coordination. He previously worked on regulatory and compliance issues at plug-in electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker Automotive. Prior to that, Kellen managed R&D projects in the Vehicle Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy. Kellen has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

Laura Marshall Schepis is Senior Director, National Security for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). She leads EEI’s participation in and support of the Electricity Sub-sector Coordinating Council (ESCC). After passage of the 2005 Energy Policy Act put new mandatory standards in place for many energy companies, she created the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) legislative grid security practice, fostered creation of the electric utility grid security coalition, and helped standup the initial ESCC.

Across 19 years of federal advocacy, she has directed federal lobbying efforts on telecommunications, appropriations, commodity trading, natural gas regulation, energy efficiency and renewable energy standards. She also designed and led significant political campaigns on climate change, solar energy and retail competition and ran one of the largest national energy Political Action Committees. Laura is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and practiced civil and criminal law in Georgia before relocating to Washington. D.C. in 2000.

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.

Basav Sen joined the Institute for Policy Studies as the Climate Justice Project Director in February 2017. His work focuses on climate solutions at the national, state, and local level that address racial, economic, gender and other forms of inequality.

Prior to joining IPS, Basav worked for about 11 years as a strategic corporate campaign researcher at the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). He has also had experience as a campaigner on the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and global finance and trade issues. As a member of a grassroots neighborhood-based environmental group, he has been involved in local struggles on energy justice in Washington DC.

Jessica Shipley liaises with regulators, policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders to provide policy support to decision-makers in the U.S. She supports RAP’s work on climate-related issues, utility regulatory policy, energy efficiency, integrated resource planning, and other energy policy topics.
Ms. Shipley came to RAP in early 2017 after serving as a senior policy analyst with the Oregon Department of Energy, where she was the agency’s lead analyst and advisor on climate and energy policy issues. She conducted technical analyses of energy strategies for meeting climate goals and participated in multi-state efforts to coordinate policy and regulatory action. Prior to working for the state of Oregon, Ms. Shipley was a senior advisor on energy and environmental policy at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Shipley holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental economics and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

In his role as Assistant Secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Daniel Simmons leads EERE to achieve its vision of a strong and prosperous America powered by clean, affordable, and secure energy. He oversees technology development in the energy efficiency, renewable power and sustainable transportation sectors.

He previously served on the Presidential Transition Team. Beforejoining the Department of Energy, Daniel served as the Institute for Energy Research's Vice President for Policy, overseeing its energy and environmental policy work at the state and federal level.

He also served as director of the Natural Resources Task Force at the American Legislative Exchange Council, was a research fellow at the Mercatus Center, and worked as professional staff on the Committee on Resources of the U.S. House of Representatives.

He is a graduate of Utah State University and George Mason University School of Law.

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

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

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

Kelly Speakes-Backman is CEO of the Energy Storage Association. She is a former Commissioner of the Maryland Public Service Commission, who has spent more than 20 years working on energy and environmental issues in the public, NGO and private sectors.

Prior to this, she worked at the Alliance to Save Energy, a premier trade association representing the energy efficiency sector. As the Senior Vice President of Policy and Research, she directed the policy efforts, working closely with industry and policy makers to advance energy efficiency.  Prior to that, Speakes-Backman served as a Commissioner at the Maryland Public Service Commission and the Director of Clean Energy for the Maryland Energy Administration.  Earlier in her career, she held strategy, marketing and sales roles at SunEdison, UTC Power, Wärtsilä and Jenbacher.

Robert works within NREL's Scientific Computing and Energy Analysis Directorate. His work focuses on scientific data-driven applications that enable decision makers in understanding clean energy transition scenarios through cost-effective modeling tools, collaborative and exploratory data analytics, and interactive visualizations of large high-dimensional datasets. He is currently designing and building a collaborative web application for optimal energy system planning and supporting Hawaii and Puerto Rico in its application to their bulk power systems. Robert holds a master's degree in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering.

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

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.

David works with CTC Global Corporation as Director of Public Policy where he communicates with Federal and State policy makers about the benefits of using high performance transmission conductors to increase electric grid efficiency, capacity, and resilience. With over 39 years of experience in energy service and technology companies, his experience has been in both the regulated electric utility industry as well as the fast-paced electric technology development world. He is an executive with S&P 100 managerial experience, an adviser to multiple electric technology startup companies, and participated in the White House Executive Exchange Program. David has a Bachelor of Nuclear Engineering (Georgia Tech); Bachelor of Arts – Religion, Psychology (Lee University); MBA Studies at Georgia State University; and International Business Studies at Harvard University. Married with 2 children, David currently lives with his wife, Claudia, in Las Vegas, NV.

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

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

Unruh joined as Executive Director of NAESCO after over 26 years in energy efficiency and clean energy development. Most recently, he served in two senior roles at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), director of the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and deputy assistant secretary of Renewable Power.

Prior to his work at DOE, Dr. Unruh spent several years working for ESCOs, including Con Edison and Custom Energy. Early in his career, Dr. Unruh worked for CMS Energy, finding efficiency and power quality solutions for commercial and industrial energy users, where he developed his energy engineering foundation.

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.

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

Bruce J. Walker was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity (OE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in October 2017. The focus of his responsibility is to provide leadership on a national level to develop technologies to enhance the security and reliability of energy infrastructure and facilitate the federal and state electricity policy planning that shapes electricity and market operations. This is critical to meeting the Nation’s growing demand for resilient electricity by overcoming the challenges of our Nation’s aging electricity transmission and distribution system and addressing the vulnerabilities in our energy supply chain.

He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College and a Juris Doctor in Law from Pace University where he was the technical editor on the Environmental Law Review and received an Environmental Law Certificate.  He has completed the Distribution Systems program from Siemens – Power Technologies International.  He is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School and received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Military Academy.

Dr. Karen Wayland is Principal for kW Energy Strategies, a boutique shop offering strategic consulting to businesses, states, nonprofits and others working to accelerate the clean energy transformation. Before that, she was execytive director of the Clean Energy Project. She also served as a senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she established the State, Local and Tribal Policy Office in the Energy Policy and Systems Analysis Office and was a Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary. She served as a senior advisor to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and was named by Roll Call magazine as one of Capitol Hill’s top ten energy staffers to know. She was the Legislative Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council for five years and chaired the national environmental community’s climate and energy coalition. She also worked for Senator Harry Reid, where she covered energy, nuclear waste, water, and Native American issues.  She directed the Earth and Marine Sciences Program at Earthwatch, a nonprofit organization that funds scientific research by recruiting paying volunteers. Wayland has appeared as a commentator on major TV and radio programs, including CNN, MSNBC, and the Diane Rhem Show.  She holds a Master’s of Science from the University of Connecticut and a Dual Ph.D. in the fields of geochemistry and resource development from Michigan State University.

Carol Werner serves as Executive Director of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute in Washington, DC - a non-profit education and policy organization. EESI is dedicated to sustainable development, believing that a sound environment and a sound economy go hand-in-hand. Ms. Werner came to EESI in 1987 as director of EESI's Energy & Climate Change Program. In 1998, she was named Executive Director. Ms. Werner has more than 35 years of public policy experience on energy and environmental issues. She has organized hundreds of Congressional briefings on science, technology and policy issues and has been a frequent speaker at many conferences and workshops on energy and environmental issues in EESI’s program areas.

Carol was an Advisory Member of the President’s Climate Action Project (PCAP) and a co-founder of the U.S. Climate Action Network and the Surface Transportation Policy Project. She served on the steering committee for the peer review of the Department of Energy's Bioenergy R&D Program, the Environmental Advisory Committee of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, the Policy Committee of the American Solar Energy Society, and the editorial board of BioCycle Magazine.

Before joining EESI, Ms. Werner served as the legislative director of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, the legislative representative for the National Consumer Law Center, and as a legislative assistant to Rep. Neal Smith (D–IA).

Graduating from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, Carol then pursued graduate work in Eastern European History at George Washington University.

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

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

Pamela Williams currently serves as the Executive Director of the BuildStrong Coalition, a group of firefighters, emergency responders, insurers, engineers, architects, contractors and manufacturers, as well as consumer organizations, code specialists, and many others committed to building a more resilient America.  She most recently served as Counsel for the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management and has more than 15 years of federal agency and congressional experience.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Ms. Williams advised the Committee and Congressional leadership on Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Stafford Act, and disaster-related matters. Most notable, she was the principal drafter and successfully led negotiations with multiple committees, House leadership, the Senate, and the Administration, culminating in enactment of the most transformational piece of legislation since Hurricane Katrina, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, P.L. 115-254.

Previously, Ms. Williams served as the Deputy Director of Congressional Affairs for FEMA, where she was responsible for directing and executing the Agency’s legislative program. Prior to joining the FEMA Congressional Affairs office, Ms. Williams served as the Associate Chief Counsel for Legislation and Policy for FEMA, where she managed the Agency’s response to the congressional, White House and departmental investigations. During this time, Ms. Williams served as an Advisor to FEMA, DHS leadership, and the Administration on congressional actions, dispositions, and recommended legislative activities. She was also detailed to the House Appropriations Committee, Homeland Security Subcommittee to work on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) portfolios. 

Ms. Williams holds a J.D. from the University of Denver, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Baylor University.  After growing up in Central Texas, Pam now lives with her two children, Camilla (9) and Gabriel (5), along the Potomac River in Virginia.

Malcolm leads AEE’s public policy efforts to promote the advanced energy industry, including federal, state legislative, and state regulatory initiatives, outside of California. These efforts include campaigns to expand corporate access to advanced energy, remove regulatory barriers in retail and wholesale markets, and inform policy makers about innovative, new technologies transforming the energy system.

Before joining AEE, Malcolm served as a Cabinet-level official with Governor Martin O'Malley. As head of the Maryland Energy Administration, he helped design, enact and implement an ambitious package of state laws to promote affordable, reliable, and clean energy. One of the programs launched to achieve the new standards was recognized by Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School as one of the “top 25 innovations in American government.”

An energy expert with experience at the national level and in the private sector, Woolf was chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), has testified before Congress on numerous occasions, and has been appointed to serve on several US DOE and EPA Advisory Committees.

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.

Sarah Zaleski serves as a senior advisor for the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office, where she leads the Commercial Building Integration zero energy efforts, district-scale solutions, and a portfolio of data infrastructure projects. In previous roles at DOE, Sarah led local government clean energy innovation programs including the development of DOE’s Community Energy Strategic Planning Guide, a step-by-step process for creating a robust strategic energy plan for cities and counties.

Sarah has more than 15 years of experience in sustainability and energy work. She helped create the first comprehensive sustainability planning initiative in Teton County, Wyoming, designed and marketed energy-efficiency programs for government and utility-sponsored initiatives in North Carolina, researched economic implications of expanding global biofuel markets while with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and developed comprehensive energy-efficiency and sustainability programs for large commercial real estate portfolios.

Before joining DOE in June 2010, Sarah worked for the City of Baltimore, where she helped establish their Office of Sustainability. In this role, she launched a range of efforts including the Baltimore Sustainability Plan, the city's original green building requirements, the Baltimore Neighborhood Energy Challenge, and multiple other initiatives.

Sarah received a bachelor of science degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and both a master's of environmental management and a master's of public policy from Duke University.

Dr. Charles Zelek is a senior economist with the DOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE).  In this capacity, he conducts energy market analyses to inform FE’s fossil energy research, development, and demonstration programs and contribute to related policy and regulatory decision making.  Dr. Zelek has worked in the field of energy economics for over 20 years across positions in academia and government. He has conducted research on terrestrial carbon sequestration internationally in the Philippines, supported formulation of the Energy Title of the 2008 Farm Bill as a senior economist for the Department of Agriculture, and evaluated the impacts of advanced energy technologies at the Department of Energy.  Currently Dr. Zelek’s research focuses on the energy-water-food nexus.