Full Agenda

David Althoff, Jr.

Director, Energy Programs Office, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

David’s office, DEP’s Energy Programs Office, is involved in supporting, designing, and implementing energy-focused programs to encourage the development and deployment of energy efficiency, energy resiliency and alternative energy projects in Pennsylvania.  The Energy Program’s Office’s mission is to support energy activities which result in environmental improvements including mitigating the effects of and adapting to climate change.

David along with his staff have spent the last several years developing forward-looking plans and new incentive programs centered on positioning Pennsylvania to take advantage of its wealth of natural resources and existing infrastructure while considering the needs of communities and improving justice.

During his career with DEP, David has served as the Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, is currently the Secretary for National Association of State Energy Officials Board of Directors and serves on the National Council on Electric Policy’s Executive Committee.

Dave has proudly served the citizens of Pennsylvania through his work at DEP for over 30 years, is a life-long Pennsylvanian, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and lives in Hummelstown, PA.

Kristofor Anderson

Director, Energy Resources Division, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority

Kristofor Anderson is the Director of Energy Resources with the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), which is the state’s energy office. Kris leads the state energy office programs, including the Weatherization Assistance Program, the State Energy Program, and the Fuel Storage Tank Program. Kris joined GEFA as a program manager in 2010 and prior to that was a planning consultant and worked on a range of planning and management programs for federal and energy industry clients. At GEFA, Kris has managed millions of dollars of federal grants for energy efficiency, energy emergency planning, renewable energy, and weatherization.

Kris has a master’s of city and regional planning degree from Georgia Tech and a Bachelor of Science in geography from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Dr. Jennifer Arrigo

Senior Advisor, Fusion Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy

Dr. Jennifer Arrigo is a Senior Advisor for Fusion Energy Science (FES) at the Department of Energy (DOE), where she leads strategic development and implementation of DOE’s U.S. Fusion Roadmap, a national strategy to accelerate the development and commercialization of fusion energy on the most rapid, responsible timeline in history.  Jennifer has been with the DOE since 2020. Before joining FES in January 2025, she served as the Director for Crosscuts for the Under Secretary of Science and Innovation, leading signature crosscutting RD&D work to foster “One DOE” approaches to deliver on promising energy technologies. Jennifer has over 20 years’ experience in the academic, non-profit, consulting and federal government sectors, including program manager roles at DOE’s Office of Science and NOAA’s Climate Program Office and Global Ocean Monitoring Division,  as a senior scientist and manager at the U.S. Global Change Research Program National Coordination Office, and as Deputy Director at the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Sciences (CUAHSI). Jennifer has a PhD in Geography and Environment from Boston University.

Adam Barth

Senior Partner, McKinsey and Company

Adam serves private and public sector energy leaders on future growth, decarbonization, capital productivity, and operational transformations. His deep experience in the private energy sector informs his views on how to help public and private sector leaders design and deliver on their strategies. He currently leads McKinsey’s transmission and distribution work globally, supporting clients through grid-related challenges, as well as the firm’s public sector energy and sustainability work in North America.

Adam’s work is driven by a desire to help leadership teams and organizations accelerate progress on ambitious goals and build effective implementation efforts rooted in long-term impact. For the last 15 years, Adam has built and scaled new firm capabilities to help clients rapidly analyze the impacts of their energy strategies and operational efforts.

Adam is a member of the Genesys Works Houston Board of Directors, which connects high school students from typically underserved communities with internships, providing them with essential training and meaningful work experiences to empower their career success. In his personal time, he enjoys spending time with his two daughters, volunteering, traveling, and playing soccer.

Dr. Youba Nait Belaid

Research Engineer, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Youba Nait Belaid is a research engineer at the Grid Integration Group (GIG), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), USA, working on transmission planning and grid-enhancing technologies. He received a BSc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Boumerdes, Algeria. He holds a MSc. in Telecommunication Engineering and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Paris Saclay, France (2018, 2023). His research interests include smart grids, reliability, resilience, transmission planning, advanced conductors, mathematical modeling, and optimization.

Janine Benner

Director, Oregon Department of Energy

Janine Benner is the director of the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). Janine joined ODOE in 2017 as assistant director for Planning and Innovation and was confirmed by the Oregon Senate as director in February of 2018. Janine came to ODOE from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), where she served as associate assistant secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. Janine also spent 12 years working for Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), as energy and environmental policy advisor, legislative director, and deputy chief of staff. She grew up in Portland, OR and has a degree in history from Princeton University.

Melissa Birchard

Mitigation Program Director, Georgetown Climate Center

Melissa Birchard is the Mitigation Program Director at the Georgetown Climate Center, where she supports state and federal decision-makers to craft and implement policies in the areas of clean energy and climate change. Prior to joining Georgetown, Melissa worked to accelerate the deployment of a clean energy grid at the U.S. Department of Energy in the Grid Deployment Office. Previously she has served as counsel to state and local governments, municipal utilities, community choice agencies, clean energy companies, and non-profits in state and federal energy regulatory matters.

Melissa holds a law degree from Georgetown Law, a Masters from UCLA, and a BA from Bryn Mawr.

Ben Brouwer

Bureau Chief, Energy Office, Montana Department of Environmental Quality

Ben Brouwer has served in the Energy Bureau at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) since 2016, stepping into leadership of the Bureau in 2023. The Bureau is engaged in energy and transmission planning, conducts energy policy analysis, provides energy information to the public, and delivers grid reliability and energy project financing. The Bureau also implements wind and solar facility decommissioning requirements and leads the state’s energy security planning and emergency response. Prior to joining DEQ, Ben spent nearly a decade working in local government and public interest organizations with a focus on Montana energy policy. He lives with his family in Helena.

Nick Burger

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

Nick Burger is the Deputy Director of the Energy Administration. He was previously a Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation and the director of RAND’s Washington office. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his research has focused on energy, climate, and resilience issues. At DOEE, Nick leads a team that is working to improve the District’s building energy efficiency, access to renewable energy, and clean transportation options. His team designs and implements a range of programs that make energy cleaner and more accessible for District residents.

Nick was a Lead Author on the Fourth Assessment Report produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and is the author of two dozen academic papers and reports. Nick has worked with Habitat for Humanity of DC for ten years, helping them construct eight Passive homes for District residents. He served as an ANC Commissioner in ANC 6B for four years and has worked extensively on zoning and housing expansion. Most recently he served on the District’s Green Building Advisory Council.

Dan Burgess

Acting Commissioner, Maine Department of Energy Resources

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

Peter Cappers

Staff Scientist and Strategic Advisor to the Electricity Markets and Policy Department, Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory

Peter Cappers is a Staff Scientist and Strategic Advisor to the Energy Markets and Planning Department at Berkeley Lab.  For the past 25 years, Peter has conducted research and provided technical assistance to territorial, state, federal, and international regulators and policymakers on electric utility regulatory and business models, pricing and rate design, demand response, and energy efficiency market and policy issues. His research has been showcased in the Economist, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, and Associated Press. Mr. Cappers received a B.A. from Syracuse University in Mathematics and Economics, and a M.S. from Cornell University in Applied Economics.

Shelsea Carbonell

Cyber Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Lokesh Chandra

President, All India Discoms Association; Chairman and Managing Director, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited

Shri Lokesh Chandra (IAS) joined as ‘Chairman and Managing Director’ of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), Mumbai on Friday, 2nd June 2023. Earlier he was working as ‘General Manager’ of ‘BEST’ Undertaking, Mumbai.

Shri. Lokesh Chandra is from 1993 Batch of ‘Indian Administrative Service’. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and M.Tech (Structures) from IIT (Delhi). Shri. Lokesh Chandra has previously served on various key posts viz. ‘Chairman and Managing Director’ of CIDCO, Commissioner of Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Also, he has previously worked as ‘Collector’ of Nagpur, Bhandara and Gondia Districts of Maharashtra and as a President of Nagpur Reform ‘Pranyas’. Shri. Lokesh Chandra also served in the service of the Central Government from 2008 to 2015. During this time, he has served as ‘Joint Secretary’, Ministry of Steel and as ‘Director’, Ministry of Power.

Brad Crabtree

Senior Director and Global Head of Commercial Policy, ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions

Brad Crabtree is Global Head of Commercial Policy for ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions with responsibility for carbon capture and storage, low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia, low-carbon power, and critical minerals. He brings three decades of experience working with industry, governments and stakeholders to advance technology and policy solutions for reducing carbon emissions in the U.S. and globally.

Brad recently served as Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the U.S. Department of Energy. He led over 2,000 federal employees and contractors and oversaw a domestic and international portfolio spanning oil and gas, methane mitigation, natural gas exports, carbon management, hydrogen, and critical minerals.

Prior to DOE, Brad was Vice President for Carbon Management at the Great Plains Institute. There, he co-founded and directed the Carbon Capture Coalition, bringing together over 80 companies, labor unions, and environmental organizations in a successful decade-long campaign to reform and expand the U.S. federal 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and storage.

Brad has lived, studied and worked in Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America and holds a bachelor’s degree from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and a master’s in history from Johns Hopkins University.

Stephanie Crawford

Regulatory Affairs Director, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Stephanie Crawford is a Regulatory Affairs Director at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). In this role, Stephanie advocates on behalf of electric cooperatives before the executive branch in a number of areas, with a focus on resource adequacy, distributed energy resources (DER) and supply chain issues.

Before joining NRECA, she was an ORISE fellow in the Department of Energy’s Office of European and Eurasian Affairs and advised international clients on U.S. energy policy and regulation at a consulting firm in Washington, DC. Stephanie earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from the University of Michigan.

Molly Cripps

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

Molly is the Director of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs (OEP). In addition to Molly’s energy-related work, she serves as the Director of Operations for the Bureau of Environment, including emergency and environmental response efforts.

Molly leads teams that focus on the design and implementation of clean energy and sustainable transportation programs and projects, including those funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and Tennessee’s allocation under the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust.  She has served on the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Board of Directors since 2014 and is currently serving as the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee.  She also serves as the Co-chair of the NASEO & National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Advanced Nuclear State Collaborative and supports Governor Lee’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Council.  Molly is a member of the Executive Committee for the Drive Electric TN Consortium and represents TDEC on the Energy Efficient Schools Council and various TVA information exchanges and working groups.

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.

Dr. Lucy Darago

Chief Commercial Officer, XGS Energy

Lucy Darago, Ph.D., VP, Strategy is an expert in clean energy strategy and implementation. Previously, Lucy was a Principal at Boston Consulting Group, where she served as a strategic advisor to Fortune 500 energy companies and energy consumers in both the private and public sectors. Lucy holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

Toby Deen

Senior Advisor, Office of Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Toby Deen serves as a Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy. A licensed Professional Engineer, he brings over 15 years of experience in both the public and private sectors of the energy industry. He began his career developing unconventional oil and gas assets across the Lower 48, where he led technical and commercial initiatives that advanced resource recovery and capital efficiency. Over the past five years, he has played a key role in multiple acquisition and divestiture transactions totaling more than $5 billion.
A native of Choctaw, Oklahoma, Toby earned his bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Susanne DesRoches

Senior Vice President, Clean and Resilient Buildings, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

Susanne DesRoches is NYSERDA’s Senior Vice President of Clean and Resilient Buildings, leading the Authority’s work on building modernization to expand New York residents’ access to healthier, more comfortable homes and workplaces. Susanne leads NYSERDA’s programs and initiatives to retrofit buildings at scale, provide support for new clean technology innovation, develop and implement energy codes and product standards, and accelerate approaches that move beyond single-building solutions to effective deployment at the community level. Prior to joining NYSERDA, she served as Regulatory Director for Energy Policy at the New York City Mayor’s Office. She is highly regarded in the clean energy and resilience space, bringing expertise and rich experience in areas including climate policy, energy regulation, city and state partnerships, and building decarbonization. Susanne holds a Bachelor of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and an MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and is a LEED Accredited Professional. She is on the faculty of Columbia University’s Earth Institute and School of Professional Studies.

Katie Dykes

Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Katie Scharf Dykes is the Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP).  She was nominated by Governor Ned Lamont to serve as the Commissioner of DEEP, and was confirmed on February 20, 2019.  Katie previously served as Chair of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) from 2015-2018, and as Deputy Commissioner for Energy at Connecticut DEEP from 2012-2015. Katie also served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Inc. (RGGI) from 2014 to 2017.  RGGI is a multi-state effort focused on reducing carbon emissions from electric generating facilities.  Katie joined CT DEEP in March 2012 after prior service as Deputy General Counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality and as a Legal Advisor to the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Energy.  She is a graduate of Yale College and the Yale Law School.

Bryan Early

Chief of Staff, California Energy Commission

Maria Effertz

Director, Division of Community Services, North Dakota Department of Commerce

Maria Effertz is the Community and Economic Development Lead with the North Dakota Department of Commerce. She works with the Main Street Program, ED&F developers and state liaison for community development programming. Prior to joining Commerce in April 2020, Maria worked in marketing and external relations for engineering and oil and gas development.

Maria has degrees in public relations, political science and management. Maria is from and currently lives near Velva, has two kids, two horses, one dog and too many cats to count.

Patrick Ellis

Director, Business Development, Type One Energy

Patrick Ellis serves as Director of Business Development at Type One Energy, where he supports partnerships, government relations, and strategic engagement with utilities, industry, and research institutions to develop the world’s first stellarator fusion power plant.

Tom Erb

Government Affairs and Policy Manager, Fervo Energy

Sandy Fazeli

Senior Managing Director, National Association of State Energy Officials

Sandy Fazeli leads NASEO’s Energy Economy and Buildings programs and helps lead content development for NASEO's major conferences and events. She serves as an Adjunct Fellow for the Center for Strategic and International Studies Chair in U.S. India Policy Studies and on the Advisory Board of the Energy Policy Institute at Boise State University. Previously, she served as the Vice-Chair of the City of Minneapolis's Community Environmental Advisory Commission and on the National Academies' Committee on Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Fazeli worked on energy efficiency and state policy issues at the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Colorado Energy Office, and the Alliance to Save Energy. She received a Bachelor of Science in foreign service from Georgetown University and a Master of Development Practice from the University of Denver.

Dr. Yakov Feygin

Director of Energy Programs, Center for Public Enterprise

Yakov previously worked as an Associate Director at the Berggruen Institute and as a Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He has a Ph.D. in Economic History from the University of Pennsylvania and is an expert on green bank design, public finance, and industrial policy.

Travis Fisher

Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Studies, CATO Institute

Travis Fisher is the director of energy and environmental policy studies at the Cato Institute. He has nearly 20 years of experience in energy policy, including leadership roles at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Institute for Energy Research, Department of Energy, Electricity Consumers Resource Council, and Heritage Foundation.

Fisher’s research focuses on the economics and reliability of electricity; the role of free markets in improving the availability and affordability of energy and natural resources; and environmental regulations that affect energy. He was the lead author of the Department of Energy’s 2017 Staff Report to the Secretary on Electricity Markets and Reliability and has published dozens of reports and op-eds. He also serves as a council member of the US Association for Energy Economics.

A native of North Carolina, Fisher holds a BS and an MS in economics from North Carolina State University. He lives in Maryland with his wife, three kids, and two dogs.

Jon Ford

Executive Director, Indiana Office of Energy Development

Danielle Gagne

Co-Founder, Coalition Helping America Rebuild and Go Electric

Danielle is the co-founder of the Coalition Helping America Rebuild and Go Electric (CHARGE), a nationwide coalition bringing together environmental, consumer, industry, transit and EV advocates to promote smart policies that accelerate transportation electrification and promote alternative modes of transportation. Danielle is also the Director of the CVC and prior to these roles spent over a decade working for both small and large nonprofits, dividing her time between regulatory, legal, congressional, and international work on a variety of policy topics. Danielle graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with bachelors degrees in International Politics and Geography and with a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Jeffrey Genzer

General Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials

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

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

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

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

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

Mark Glick

Chief Energy Officer, Hawaii State Energy Office

Mark serves as the Chief Energy Officer for the State of Hawai‘i, leading the Hawai‘i State Energy Office (HSEO) in its mission to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation to help achieve a resilient, clean energy, decarbonized economy.

Dr. Ashish Kumar Goel

General Secretary, All India Discoms Association; Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited

Dr. Ashish Kumar Goel, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1995 batch,currently serving as the Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL). He assumed this role in July 2023 after returning from central deputation, where he held the position of Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development and served as Director General of the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA).

Dr. Eli Goldstein

Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, SkyCool Systems, Inc.

Eli received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. Eli has a passion for energy systems and thermal science. He has led teams of engineers in both industrial and academic settings and previously worked with two cleantech startups. He also led thermal modeling/testing for an entry into the Gates Foundation’s Reinventing the Toilet Grand Challenge.

Steve Griffith

Executive Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs, Mobility, National Electrical Manufacturers Association

Steve Griffith is an Executive Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs for NEMA’s Mobility Sector. He oversees NEMA’s engagement with regulatory agencies of jurisdiction in mobility. He leads a matrix team to develop a strategy to advance NEMA’s policy positions and desired regulatory outcomes, actively engages on relevant regulatory agency programs and rulemakings, and serves as a subject matter expert on mobility sector issues and priorities for both internal and external audiences.

Steve has over 27 years’ experience in program/project management including a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.  Before joining NEMA he managed projects for various Department of Defense facilities, and the Transportation Security Administration.

Andrew Grinalds

Chief Operating Officer, Critical Loop

Andrew Grinalds is Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Critical Loop, where he leads policy, supply chain, project finance, and customer delivery for grid-edge power solutions serving manufacturing, commercial real estate, transportation, and critical infrastructure. His work focuses on aligning policy, markets, and technology to meet growing electricity demand rapidly while improving grid utilization and energy affordability.

Andrew is a finance and operations leader with experience building innovative financial and infrastructure products for Uber, Airbnb, Privateer, and Lloyd’s of London. He began his career on the deal team at Andreessen Horowitz, supporting strategic investments in high-growth technology companies.

At Critical Loop, Andrew oversees domestic-content- and NDAA-compliant supply sourcing, structures financing for portfolios of distributed energy projects, and engages with state and federal regulators, including work in California, Texas, and before FERC.

Deb Harris

Vice President, Climate Planning and Energy Transition, ICF

Deb leads ICF's multisector and energy resource solutions business, helping clients navigate the energy and economic transition?amid the challenges of low emissions, affordability, load growth, economic development, and resource adequacy. She brings deep expertise in emissions; energy; climate risks; carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration; cost/benefit analyses; resource-efficient operations data and metrics; actionable planning; and monitoring, reporting, and verification. Deb and her team partner with states, cities, utilities, and federal agencies.

Nora Hawkins

Interim Director, Energy Policy Office, Washington State Department of Commerce

Christina Hayes

Executive Director, Grid Action

Christina Hayes is Executive Director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG), representing a diverse coalition of utilities, customers, developers, environmental advocates, and labor interests who support the development of high-capacity transmission to expand and modernize the grid cost-effectively and reliably. While at ACEG, Christina has been a leading advocate for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) historic regional transmission planning rule, Order No. 1920. She’s also pushed for reformed siting and permitting processes, increased funding mechanisms to support large-scale regional and interregional transmission projects, and improved interregional transmission planning and development, among other transmission-related issues.

A regulatory energy attorney for 20 years, Christina previously served as Vice President for Federal Regulatory Affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy, an attorney at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for nearly a decade, including as an advisor to Chairman Wellinghoff, and as an administrative law judge at the Public Utility Commission of Oregon.

Dr. Asa Hopkins

Senior Vice President, Consulting, Synapse Energy Economics

Asa Hopkins, PhD, is an expert in the development and analysis of public policy and regulation regarding energy and greenhouse gas emissions, including cost-benefit analysis, stakeholder engagement, state energy strategy and planning, and utility planning. He has provided analysis and testimony supporting decision-makers in both legislative and regulatory contexts, including state utility regulation and state and federal rulemaking.

Since arriving at Synapse in 2017, Dr. Hopkins has focused on utility and demand-side issues, including demand response in Quebec, rate design in Massachusetts, and utility performance metrics in Puerto Rico, as well as multi-state analysis of strategic end-use electrification across the Northeast region.

As the Director of Energy Policy and Planning at the Vermont Department of Public Service from 2011-2016, Dr. Hopkins was responsible for development and analysis of state policy regarding renewable energy, ratepayer-funded energy efficiency, energy-related economic development, and innovative utility rates and programs. He was responsible for developing the state’s Comprehensive Energy Plan and for review of utility integrated resource plans. Dr. Hopkins also directed the actions of the Planning and Energy Resources Division, including the evaluation of utility energy efficiency programs, evaluation of utility power supply contracts and costs, economic analysis of proposed energy infrastructure projects, advancement of clean energy finance tools, funding to foster key energy industries, development of standards for the energy portions of regional and town plans, analysis and tracking of state energy data, and programs advancing the strategic electrification of transportation and heating. He also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Energy Officials. During his tenure, Vermont rose in the rankings on national clean energy state scorecards: ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard from 5th to 3rd and U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index from 10th to 3rd.

Prior to 2011, Dr. Hopkins was an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of the Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy. In that role, he was the Assistant Project Director for the DOE’s first Quadrennial Technology Review, responsible for ensuring that the stakeholder engagement and report-drafting processes were completed successfully. He was also the primary author of the QTR’s section on building and industrial energy efficiency. Dr. Hopkins came to DOE from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he worked on economic and market analysis of appliance energy efficiency standards and led LBNL’s support for the first rulemaking on small electric motors.

Dr. Hopkins holds a B.S. in Physics from Haverford College and a Masters and PhD in Physics from California Institute of Technology.

Susan Howard

Director of Policy and Government Relations, American Association of Highway Transportation Officials

Susan Howard serves as Director of Policy and Government Relations at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). She works to advance AASHTO’s federal legislative and policy efforts and serves as a key liaison between AASHTO and Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other national organizations.

Melissa Hulting

Renewable Thermal Collaborative and Director of Industrial Decarbonization, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

Melissa Hulting is the Director of Industrial Decarbonization at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. She leads C2ES’ work to decarbonize industrial heat through the Renewable Thermal Collaborative, particularly in state and federal policy and industrial electrification. Prior to C2ES, Melissa was at U.S. EPA Region 5 in Chicago, where she worked on a variety of topics including ENERGY STAR’s industrial program and the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. Melissa has a degree in Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s in Environmental Management and Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Abigail Hunter

Executive Director, Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, Securing America’s Future Energy

Abigail Hunter leads the SAFE’s Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy (Minerals Center). Previously, Abigail served as Director of International Affairs and Partnerships within the Minerals Center. In this role, she nurtured existing and new SAFE partnerships to advance sustainable and ethical supply chains amongst allies and like-minded countries for the future minerals-based global economy.

Before joining SAFE full time, Hunter headed federal government affairs for Quebec for nearly three years as the senior attachée in Washington, D.C. Her mandate focused on the energy, environment, and trade relationship between the province and United States. Hunter started her career at the National Governors Association, where she led the association’s international work.

Hunter completed her Masters in Sustainable Energy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Her four-part capstone on aluminum's clean energy paradox was published by the SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Metals. She received her Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University with a double major in International Management and Managing for Sustainability.

Born in Toronto and growing up in New Jersey, Hunter is a proud dual citizen and conflicted hockey fan.

Suzanne Jaworowski

Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

The Honorable Catherine Jereza

Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy

Catherine (Katie) Jereza serves as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity (OE). She leads the Department's research, development and demonstration programs to strengthen and modernize our nation’s power grid.

She returns to OE in 2025 after serving as OE’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transmission Permitting and Technical Assistance from 2017-2019. During that time, she led Department efforts to promote the reliability, security and affordability of electricity infrastructure. In between her positions at OE, she served as a Corporate Vice President for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), providing strategic leadership for government and external engagement.

Ms. Jereza has more than 30 years of experience in the energy, water, and manufacturing industries, where she led multiple startups, turnaround and major problem-solving initiatives. Specifically, she was the Director for Infrastructure Resilience at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Program Director at Energetics Incorporated, and Environmental Specialist at the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Water Supply Program. She also worked as a sales engineer for GE Water and Process Technologies and the Lincoln Electric Company.

Ms. Jereza was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025. She holds an MBA from the Loyola University Maryland and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Dr. Stephanie Johnson

Program Manager, Supply Chain Cyber Risk Management Program, Risk Management Tools and Technology Division, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, U.S. Department of Energy

Ksenia Kaladiouk

Partner, McKinsey and Company

Ksenia Kaladiouk is a Partner in McKinsey & Company’s Boston Office who serves as a leader in the Electric Power & Natural Gas and Strategy & Corporate Finance practices. Her work spans corporate and business strategy, investor relations, valuation, strategic financial planning, as well as M&A in the context of the energy transition. She works across the energy value chain with utilities, renewables developers, energy technology players, IPPs and infrastructure investment firms. She is the author of several external publications on the future of the power sector and grid evolution.

Prior to McKinsey, Ksenia was a Research Associate at MIT’s Lab for Regional Innovation and Spatial Analysis, a Harvard Kennedy School Rappaport Fellow with the City of Boston and a Product Manager at the Corporate Executive Board (now Gartner).

Ksenia holds a Master of City Planning (MCP) from MIT in Cambridge, MA and a BA magna cum laude from the Cornell University.

Julie Kempf

Chief of Staff, Indiana Office of Energy Development

Alex Kizer

Executive Vice President, EFI Foundation

Kizer oversees the Foundation’s business operations and ensures the mission is carried out efficiently and effectively. He directs a broad range of activities to help the organization with its planning, budgeting, and project management structures. Kizer is also the chief manager of the organization’s research team and a senior policy advisor—responsible for overseeing the development of analysis, managing the portfolio of research projects, and advising senior leadership on strategic issues.

Kizer (pronounced KI-zer) also leads a range of analytical projects, including the Foundation’s hydrogen portfolio, which culminated in the influential 2023 report The U.S. Hydrogen Demand Action Plan.  Previously, Kizer led major analytical studies, including Building to Net-Zero: A U.S. Policy Blueprint for Gigaton-Scale CO2 Transport and Storage Infrastructure; Optionality, Flexibility & Innovation: Pathways for Deep Decarbonization in California; Advancing the Landscape of Clean Energy Innovation, for Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy; Investing in Natural Gas for Africans, a project sponsored by the Africa50 infrastructure fund. He has also overseen white papers on blockchain technology applications for energy—an examination of the U.S. nuclear enterprise and the role it plays in national security, studies on large-scale carbon management, and a variety of budgetary analyses.

Kizer brings more than 15 years of experience advising clients at institutions including Sandia National Laboratories, the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as energy companies that operate in the Middle East and Europe.

Kizer holds a Bachelor of Arts in public policy from Ohio University and a Master of Arts in international security studies from American University.

Alok Kumar

Director General, All India Discoms Association

He has completed 35 years long career in public policy and economic development in India’s premier federal civil service (IAS) reaching up to distinguished position of Secretary in federal government with extensive experience in electricity, renewable energy, energy transition, infrastructure development and skill development domains. He has led several large commercial organisations as CEO and played a key role in formulation and implementation of several national/state level policies, programmes and regulatory interventions. During 2021 – 2023, he Successfully managed the operations of India’s power system, one of the largest in the world, along with steering wide-ranging sectoral reforms. He has deep understanding of global energy transition aspects as chair of G20 Energy Transitions Working Group in 2022- 2023.

Presently he is Professor of Practice in Department of Hydro and Renewable Energy at IIT Roorkee ,and chairs the Inter- Ministerial Working Group set up by NITI Aayog to develop power sector pathway to achieve Net Zero commitment by India. In 2025, he has been appointed as Independent Director on the Board of Power Exchange India Limited. He is also Partner with The Lantau Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

He obtained bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from IIT Roorkee in 1983, and Master of Business Administration (Finance) from National Open University in 2009.

Authored the book ‘Electricity Sector in India- Policy and Regulation’ published by Oxford University Press in 2012, and has been writing regularly on energy related topics for business publications in India.

Jennifer Layke

Executive Director, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Jennifer Layke is the Executive Director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. She is a global energy expert with over 30 years of experience delivering innovation and action to advance clean affordable energy solutions.  Jennifer has designed private sector energy efficiency and sustainability programs, corporate partnerships to scale clean energy technology, and driving capacity building and energy policy analysis in the United States and around the world.

Jennifer focuses on the market experience for consumers, and how smarter energy use can unlock emissions reductions, improve air quality, and drive sustainable economic opportunity. Jennifer works across sectors - with governments, businesses, and utilities - to adopt energy measures that deliver real, scalable impact for all people.

Jennifer has championed energy efficiency as a cornerstone of climate action and economic development throughout her career. She directed large-scale initiatives that advance building efficiency, industrial decarbonization, and urban energy planning. At Johnson Controls, Jennifer launched the Institute for Building Efficiency, bringing a practitioners’ perspective to accelerate action on energy efficiency and high-performance buildings. This partnership included recruiting and supporting over 50 cities in the U.N.’s Sustainable Energy for All “Building Efficiency Accelerator” which helped cities around the world implement energy efficiency policies and projects.

From 2016-2025, Jennifer was the global director of the Energy Program at World Resources Institute (WRI).  In that role, Jennifer worked in six countries on innovative strategies and partnerships to accelerate the shift to clean, abundant, affordable, and reliable energy.

Earlier in her career, Jennifer co-founded and directed WRI’s Green Power Market Development Group, pioneering corporate renewable energy purchasing and demonstrating corporate models for private sector renewable energy action. Her early work on Montreal Protocol implementation for ozone protection included program work for the U.S. EPA and the World Bank.

Jennifer holds a double MBA and MS in Natural Resource Policy from the University of Michigan and an AB in Political Studies/Asian Studies from Pitzer College in Claremont CA. She held a Watson Fellowship in 1990-91. She has been active in several Boards and in 2025 stepped down as Chair of the World Green Building Council Board of Directors.

Dr. Steve Letendre

Senior Advisor, Vehicle-Grid Integration Council

Steve Letendre is an economist and regulatory strategist with more than 25 years of experience advancing the valuation, regulation, and market integration of distributed energy resources (DERs). He serves as Senior Advisor to the Vehicle-Grid Integration Council (VGIC), where he focuses on vehicle-grid integration policy and regulatory engagement across the Northeast. Steve holds a PhD from the University of Delaware, where his doctoral research examined the economics of distributed energy systems. He brings deep industry experience from senior policy and regulatory roles at Nuvve and Fermata Energy, helping shape market strategy and regulatory pathways for managed and bidirectional charging. He has worked as an independent consultant and as a Senior Principal consultant at Synapse Energy Economics, supporting leading public- and private-sector organizations in regulatory proceedings nationwide on a range of clean energy issues, including distributed solar, storage, demand flexibility, and vehicle-grid integration. He is also the founder and editor of V2G News, a widely read publication providing analysis and insight into the technologies, policies, and market trends shaping the future of bidirectional charging.

Dr. Johannes Loschnigg

Senior Technical Advisor, GHGSat

Dr. Johannes Loschnigg is a Senior Technical Advisor for U.S. Government at GHGSat. He previously worked at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), where he was responsible for the development of federal policies for Earth satellite observations, renewable energy, and climate change. Prior to that, he was the Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics of the Committee on Science in the U.S. House of Representatives, overseeing NASA and U.S. civil space programs. Dr. Loschnigg holds BA degrees in both physics and international relations from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and MS and Ph.D. degrees in astrophysical, planetary and atmospheric sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Maren Mahoney

Director, Office of Resiliency, Arizona Executive Office of the Governor

Maren Mahoney is an experienced attorney passionate about building an equitable, resilient future for all Arizonans. Trained in systems-level analysis, her expertise is in energy regulation, law, and policy development, analysis, and advocacy. Prior to joining the Hobbs Administration, she advocated for state-level energy efficiency and decarbonization policies around the country, served as a Policy Advisor at the Arizona Corporation Commission, managed an energy policy think tank at Arizona State University, and was a litigator in New York. She holds a J.D. from New York Law School, where she was a John Marshall Harlan Scholar and earned a Certificate for Public Service. Maren earned her M.A. in Sustainability from ASU, where she is a Senior Sustainability Scholar. Maren lives in Phoenix with her husband, two children, and their dog, Mr. Bunny.

Elizabeth Mahony

Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Elizabeth Mahony most recently worked for Attorneys General Andrea Joy Campbell and Maura Healey as an Assistant Attorney General and Senior Policy Advisor for Energy. Elizabeth served in the Energy and Telecommunications Division, focusing on utility clean energy procurements, solar program development, clean energy rate design, consumer protections, and legislative engagement. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Elizabeth was Acting General Counsel for the Department of Energy Resources and Committee Counsel to Benjamin Downing, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy before that. Prior to her work in the energy field, Elizabeth was an associate at a small litigation firm in Quincy, Massachusetts, and was Public Affairs Director for the late Senator Susan C. Fargo (D-Lincoln). She is a member of the Boston Bar Association’s Energy Committee. Elizabeth is a graduate of Marist College and Suffolk University Law School. She lives in Walpole.

Vince Maiden

Managing Director, State Energy Office, Virginia Department of Energy

Vince Maiden currently serves as the Director of the State Energy Office at Virginia Energy. Mr. Maiden previously served as the Transportation Program Manager and Grid Resilience Lead.

He formerly worked the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in Richmond, VA and has 6 years of experience managing petroleum remediation cases and 6 years experience managing groundwater remediation projects for the Solid Waste Division, and 5 years experience in RCRA Corrective Action. Mr. Maiden also served as the Brownfields Program Coordinator for nearly 6 years.

Amanda McClinton

Executive Director, Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy

Amanda McClinton serves as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy, bringing over 17 years of experience in state government. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Louisiana State University and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification from Villanova University. Amanda has been instrumental in advancing federal energy grant programs, driving grant management and strategic planning efforts, and fostering key partnerships across sectors. Leveraging her expertise in business analytics and personnel management, she focuses on enhancing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable energy initiatives.

Dwayne McClinton

Director, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy

Dwayne McClinton – a proud United States Marine Corps veteran – has spent the past two decades working in renewables, utilities, and government affairs, amassing a wealth of multi-industry experience in the energy sector. In February 2023, his work ethic and knowledge of energy policy resulted in his appointment as Director of the Nevada Governor's Office of Energy by Gov. Joe Lombardo.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the Sr. Legislative Advisor for Southwest Gas Corporation, where he advised the company on federal, state, and local policies for the state of Nevada and California. McClinton was also Staff Project Manager and Manager of Operations for Granite Services, where he planned and executed all O&M and warranty activities and Regional Operations Manager for Gamesa North America, where he was responsible for the wind farm activity of over 500 megawatts and a multi-million-dollar annual budget.

In 2017, McClinton was appointed by former Governor Brian Sandoval to the Nevada Commission on Mentoring, and he currently serves on the board of the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC), Western Interstate Energy Board (WEIB), Western Regional Partnership (WRP), Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He is also a member of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) and 100 Black Men of Las Vegas.

Jeff McClure

Senior Advisor, Office of Energy Dominance Financing, U.S. Department of Energy

Jeffrey M. McClure joined the U.S. Department of Energy as a Senior Advisor to the Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) in September 2025. A distinguished financial executive with decades of success in capital formation and innovative deal structuring, Mr. McClure has built joint ventures managing over $1.5 billion in assets, launched business development corporations, and led investment vehicles that align with evolving market demands, founding and managing financial entities while overseeing multi-faceted regulatory and personnel operations.

Before entering government service, Mr. McClure most recently served as Managing Director at Commerce Street Capital, spearheading business development strategies and aligning financial services and real estate investments with institutional capital objectives. Previously, as Interim CEO and Supervisory Principal at Assured Partners Financial Services, he led the firm to achieve full regulatory compliance nationwide, securing SEC and FINRA approvals with exemplary results, including a flawless inaugural FINRA examination. As CEO and Managing Principal of The Bear Companies and its affiliates, he spearheaded over $4 billion in transactions, including $250 million in equity capital, secured $1.5 billion in institutional financing for proprietary vehicles, and delivered tailored financial solutions across complex real estate and financial portfolios.

Mr. McClure holds a Juris Doctor with Distinction from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Texas A&M University. He maintains active securities registrations, including Series 7, 24, 63, 79, and 99.

Trent McFadyen

Director of Strategic Initiatives, Project InnerSpace

Trent McFadyen is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Project InnerSpace, where he works to mobilize the oil and gas industry to accelerate next-generation geothermal. Before joining InnerSpace, Trent served as a domestic policy advisor to U.S. Senator Mitt Romney, advising on everything from tax to healthcare, appropriations to natural resources, education to entitlements, and everything in between. His work focused on policies that could pass a polarized Congress, including serving as the lead negotiator for Drinking and Clean Water funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Prior to the United States Senate, Trent worked in small business and entrepreneurship, where he found himself lobbying state governments to eliminate bureaucratic overreach and accelerate innovation. Trent is passionate about eliminating energy poverty and accelerating energy superabundance.

Dr. Jeremy Mehta

Technology Manager, Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, U.S. Department of Energy

Dr. Jeremy Mehta works as a Technology Manager for The Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In this role, Jeremy is responsible for the Critical Minerals and Materials portfolio, including technology development and derisking, recycling and reuse strategies, and education and workforce development. Previously, Jeremy has worked on Industrial Strategy at the White House’s Made in America Office and advanced manufacturing strategy and technology development as a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow including the 2021 DOE Critical Materials Strategy and the 2022 National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing. His expertise includes semiconductors and critical minerals with a focus on material security and sustainability.

Graeme Miller

Principal Research Specialist, Energy Resources Center, University of Illinois Chicago

Graeme Miller is a Principal Research Specialist at the Energy Resources Center (ERC)— an interdisciplinary public service, research, and special projects organization that works to advance energy sustainability and improve the environment, based out of the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago.  At the ERC, Mr. Miller serves as the assistant director of the US Department of Energy’s Midwest Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership where he leads end-user and stakeholder engagement activities. He also leads the forthcoming Illinois Industrial Concierge program. In his 15-year tenure at the ERC, Mr. Miller has focused on identifying, quantifying and addressing barriers to distributed generation technologies such as combined heat and power (CHP), waste heat to power (WHP), district energy (DE), and energy efficiency (EE) installations. Mr. Miller specializes in utility rate policy; focusing on how utility tariff structures – specifically standby rates, demand ratchets, and interconnection policies - effect onsite energy deployment. His current research is focused on modelling how Combined Heat and Power, Waste Heat to Power, and other DG technologies can promote industrial resilience and competitiveness.  

Mr. Miller is a member of the International District Energy Association (IDEA), the CHP Alliance, and he currently serves on the policy committee of the Midwest Cogeneration Association.    Mr. Miller holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts from Grinnell College.

Brandon Mooney

Executive Director, Natural Gas Innovation Network; Vice President, CO2EFFICIENT

Brandon Mooney is Vice President at CO2EFFICIENT and Executive Director of the Natural Gas Innovation Network. A trusted advisor in Washington, D.C., Brandon guides clients, Administration officials, and Members of Congress through complex challenges at the intersection of energy, electricity, and AI infrastructure. He also leads a coalition of companies dedicated to increasing transparency across the natural gas value chain, advancing innovation, and reducing emissions.

Prior to joining CO2EFFICIENT, Brandon served as Deputy Chief Counsel for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Over nearly 14 years on Capitol Hill, he served under four Committee Chairs and played a key role in shaping and overseeing major energy and environmental legislation.

Earlier in his career, Brandon worked in environmental consulting, performing emissions testing for petrochemical and power generation clients. He also served as an advisor to the Texas Legislature and conducted graduate research on advanced drilling technologies.

Brandon holds a B.A. from Austin College, where he was a collegiate football player, and an M.S. from Rice University.

Liz Pardue

Director, Economic and Regulatory Analysis, American Gas Association

Liz Pardue is an economist and quantitative analyst with nearly 20 years of experience in economic, fiscal, and energy market analysis. Prior to joining the American Gas Association’s Energy Markets, Analysis, and Standards team, Liz served as the Economist for the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, where she provided expert testimony as a cost of capital witness in utility regulatory proceedings. Liz serves on the Board of the Society of Utility and Regulatory Financial Analysts (SURFA) and holds SURFA’s Certified Rate of Return Analyst designation.

Joe Pater

Director, Office of Energy Innovation, Wisconsin Public Service Commission

Nicholas Preservati

Director, West Virginia Office of Energy; Deputy Secretary, West Virginia Department of Commerce

Mr. Preservati has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry as a C-suite executive, general counsel, and litigator.  He has received an AV Preeminent Peer-Review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers.  He has also been nominated by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Energy Law and Natural Resources Law and has been recognized by Chambers USA for Energy & Natural Resources Law.

Heather Reams

President and Chief Executive Officer, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions

Heather Reams is a highly respected non-profit executive and a nationally recognized conservative leader of clean energy and climate advocacy. She currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) and CRES Forum, leading nonprofit organizations based in Washington, DC, dedicated to conservative solutions to address our nation’s energy, economic, and environmental security while increasing America’s competitive edge. She joined CRES and CRES Forum in 2016.
 
Under Ms. Reams’ visionary leadership, drawing from three decades of experience advancing mission-driven initiatives and shaping public discourse, CRES has helped shift the narrative around clean energy, influencing legislative outcomes in support of carbon reduction strategies, advanced energy technologies, and economic opportunity.
 
One major part of her work includes being the architect of center-right clean energy engagement and education. Among her most notable achievements are the founding of National Clean Energy Week, an annual convening of industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders recognizing the benefits and contributions of clean energy, as well as the founding of the Conservative Climate Foundation, a nonprofit organization that educates members of Congress, their staff and the public about clean energy and climate policy from a conservative angle. Reams also launched the CRES Clean Energy Champions program, which recognizes influential voices in advancing clean energy policy, and established CRES Academy, educational programming exclusively for Capitol Hill staff and emerging leaders. She is a Western Caucus Foundation advisory board member and serves on the board of directors for the American Conservative Coalition Action. Additionally, she is a member of the National Academies Forum on Energy Systems Transformation and Decarbonization.
 
A frequent commentator on the politics and policy of clean energy and the environment, Ms. Reams has been featured on NPR, Newsmax TV, FOX News, CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, the Washington Examiner, Politico, Newsweek, Time, Roll Call, The Hill, Morning Consult and The Atlantic, among others. She is also a regular contributor to Real Clear Energy. 

Ms. Reams began her career as a staffer in the offices of U.S. Senator Bob Smith (R-N.H.) and U.S. Congressman Gerald Weller (R-Ill.), and earlier as an intern for U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) while pursuing her degree. Since then, she has held a number of senior nonprofit positions and spent a decade at several top D.C.-based public affairs firms. 
 
A graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Political Science, Ms. Reams resides in her home state of Virginia, with her husband, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, and their two children. In her limited spare time, Ms. Reams enjoys cooking, traveling and volunteering for veterans’ causes.

Rebecca Respicio

Director, Guam Energy Office

Ava Richardson

Sustainability Director, Office of Sustainability, City of Baltimore

Ava Richardson first joined the Office of Sustainability in 2018. In her role as the Sustainability Director, she oversees climate mitigation, adaptation and strategic planning aimed to make Baltimore City more sustainable, equitable and resilient. Ava works with the Sustainability team, city agency staff and many partners across the city to advance the implementation of citywide plans including Baltimore’s 2019 Sustainability Plan, 2023 Disaster Preparedness Plan and 2024 Climate Action Plan. She works closely with the team to coordinate, advise and direct the Commission on Sustainability which hosts monthly public meetings on various climate topics and an internal Sustainability & Resiliency Subcabinet including six working groups focused on buildings & energy, extreme heat mitigation, flooding & infrastructure, people & nature, sustainable transportation and waste. Ava also advises on budget planning, grant proposals, and leads many external collaborations that connect the city with tools, technical assistance or peer-learning opportunities which contribute to the Offices pioneering and innovative work. Ava has over a decade of experience leading public health initiatives, advocating for environmental policies, and managing programs designed to address social and racial inequities and environmental justice. She previously served as the Sustainability Manager and a Food Matters Technical Advisor in the office, where she led the implementation of special projects, supported the updated of several citywide climate-related plans and helped to pilot new sustainability programming. Ava also served as the ReCAST Project Director at the Baltimore City Health Department, advancing efforts to address decades of trauma in West Baltimore, where she gained keen skills and knowledge in public health. Ava graduated from Frostburg State University with a Bachelors in Biology in 2010. In 2013, she received a Masters of Public Health (MPH) from Morgan State University, and is currently obtaining a Doctorate of Public Health (DrPH) with a focus on environmental health and engineering from The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She loves Baltimore’s Farmers Markets where she buys fresh produce and local groceries, monthly Bike Parties where thousands of Baltimore areas bikers have a party in the streets of Baltimore on two wheels and riding the Charm City Circulator as it provides convenient, sustainable access across many parts of the city.

Kara Saul Rinaldi

President and Chief Executive Officer, AnnDyl Policy Group, LLC

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

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

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

Eric Ritter

Supervisor, Renewable Integration Unit, Energy Supply Branch, Energy Research and Development Division, California Energy Commission

Eric Ritter is a Unit Manager in the Energy Research and Development Division at the California Energy Commission (CEC), where he leads research portfolios focused on distributed energy resource (DER) integration, load flexibility, and grid-edge strategies that support California’s clean energy and electrification goals. He oversees the CEC’s DER-Integrated EV Charging portfolio, which advances innovative approaches that pair EV charging with solar, battery storage, and advanced controls to manage grid impacts, reduce infrastructure costs, and accelerate transportation electrification. Eric’s work emphasizes deployment-oriented demonstrations, utility and regulatory coordination, and translating research results into actionable insights for grid planning, policy, and market design. He brings over a decade of experience bridging energy research, infrastructure deployment, and state energy policy.

Brooks Rumenik

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

Brooks Rumenik is the Director of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)’ Office of Energy (OOE) and is a proud graduate of Florida State University. She has been with the OOE since February of 2023 and leads the OOE in developing energy policy and implementation of energy efficiency programs for the State of Florida. Her responsibilities include providing recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on energy policies and programs that will move Florida toward more diverse, stable, and reliable energy options.

Prior to joining the FDACS, Brooks served as the Deputy Director within the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Safe Schools for 21 years. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of training, compliance, and policy recommendations for matters of safety and security within the approximately 4,000 public and public charter schools in Florida.

Amul Sathe

Director, Guidehouse

Amul Sathe is a Director in Guidehouse’s Energy, Sustainability & Infrastructure segment and part of its Western US market leadership team. Amul has 15 years of industry experience in DER programs, policies, technologies, and markets. working with leading governmental agencies, U.S. energy utilities, and water utilities. He currently directs all of Guidehouse’s work for state energy agencies in California. Amul oversees the development of forecasting models, analytical tools, evaluation studies, and market studies that are used by California state agencies to inform energy policy and planning decisions in the 5th largest economy in the world. He’s led the CPUC’s energy efficiency forecasting efforts for nearly a decade to inform multiple regulatory and planning processes. He’s also directed the team that provides technology and market research support to the state’s $100M/year energy RD&D program.

Randy Satterfield

Executive Director, NextGen Highways

Randy is helping to lead the NextGen Highways initiative working with stakeholders to re-examine the use of existing rights-of-way for co-location of transmission and communications infrastructure. He has more than 20 years of energy industry experience, including helping to site and permit hundreds of miles of transmission lines, including multiple projects using highway right-of-way.

Joe Schambach

Director, Energy Consulting and Analytics, ICF

Joe Schambach has a decade of experience in demand-side management programs and leads ICF's DSM planning and strategy business. He has worked across all stages of the DSM cycle including program design, evaluation, benefit cost analysis, implementation, and energy modeling. He specializes in tailoring DSM solutions across energy efficiency, load management, decarbonization, and distributed energy resources to fit within state energy policies, regulatory guidance, and stakeholder positions while meeting the needs of communities that these programs serve. He has previously supported national energy efficiency programs run by federal agencies.

Jarred Shaffer

Director, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, Office of the Texas Governor

Jarred Shaffer was appointed the Director of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office (TANEO) by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on September 18, 2025. Prior to his appointment, Shaffer served as Governor Abbott’s Energy and Electricity Advisor. Additionally, he’s served as an Advisor in the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate, and at various state agencies.

Shaffer received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Global Studies and Government with minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies from The University of Texas at Austin.

Ajitabh Sharma

Principal Secretary (Energy), Government of Rajasthan

Justin Sherwood

State Energy Program Manager, Division of Energy, Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Justin Sherwood is manager of Missouri’s State Energy Office, housed within the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. His work revolves around expanding the vision, awareness, and role of the SEO to the national and international scale and driving Missouri to assume a more proactive stance as it relates to the state’s contributions to fortifying critical mineral and material supply chains to support collective national security and regional economic prosperity. Justin is also actively focused on coordinating Missouri’s “all in on nuclear” approach to meeting national energy demand.

Justin is a career public servant, with experience spanning both state and federal government. Prior to joining the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, he served as an American citizen services clerk with the U.S. State Department at the U.S. Embassy in London as well as a congressional aide within the US House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. with a focus on energy, environment, and foreign affairs.

Justin holds a Master’s in Environment, Politics, & Globalisation from King’s College London where his focus was political ecology and natural resources trade. Justin also holds a Bachelor’s in Geography and Environmental Studies from University of Kansas.

Mitchell Simpson

Director, Energy Office, Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment

Mitchell Simpson is the director of the Arkansas Energy Office (AEO), a division of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Mr. Simpson has managed various local, state, and federal programs and divisions in municipalities like Little Rock and in branches of state government including the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services. At AEO, he directs the office’s energy efficiency, weatherization, transportation, financing, and market preparation programming. He holds a master's degree in public administration from Arkansas State University and a juris doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Scott Sinclair

Senior Consultant, National Insulation Association; National Specifications Manager (Industrial Insulation), Johns Manville

Scott Sinclair has worked in industrial insulation for over twenty years and has been the National Specification Manager for Johns Manville’s Industrial Insulation team since joining JM in June 2019.  Prior to joining the insulation industry, he had 20+ years of experience in various technical, operations and sales/product management positions within the semiconductor and telecommunications industries.  Mr. Sinclair has a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech. 

Scott represents JM and the mechanical insulation industry on various Association for Materials Performance & Protection (AMPP), American Petroleum Institute (API), National Insulation Association (NIA) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) committees.  He is a NIA Certified Thermal Insulation Inspector and Insulation Energy Appraiser, and an instructor for both of these NIA certification classes.

Varun Sivaram

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Emerald AI

Dr. Varun Sivaram is CEO and Founder of Emerald AI, which transforms energy-intensive data centers into AI-powered grid allies. One of the world's foremost authorities on energy technologies, Dr. Sivaram was formerly the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Orsted A/S (NASDAQ: DOGEF), a $20 billion Fortune 500 Global energy firm where he led a team of 200, and he previously served as Chief Technology Officer of India's largest clean energy company, ReNew Power (NASDAQ: RNW). He served as a senior U.S. diplomat as the Managing Director for Clean Energy at the U.S. State Department, where he created the First Movers Coalition. Dr. Sivaram is a senior fellow for energy at the Council on Foreign Relations; a senior advisor at the Boston Consulting Group, Aventurine Partners, and Everview Partners; and a board member of the Atlantic Council.

He is the author of three books, including the bestselling "Taming the Sun" on the future of solar energy. TIME Magazine named Dr. Sivaram to its TIME 100 Next list of the next hundred most influential people in the world, MIT Technology Review named him one of the top 35 innovators under 35, and the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader. A Rhodes and Truman Scholar, he holds a PhD in condensed matter physics from Oxford University, and undergraduate degrees from Stanford University.

Laura Sorey

Petroleum Scientist Manager, Policy and Rules Division, Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy

Laura Sorey is a petroleum scientist manager for the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy – Office of Energy. Before joining the Office of Energy, she worked as the geology manager for C&E’s Underground Injection Control program where she oversaw the permitting and compliance of injection wells used for salt water disposal, solution mining, cavern storage, industrial waste disposal, and carbon sequestration. Laura joined C&E in 2019 and previously worked as a geologist in the oil and gas industry and in environmental consulting. She is a licensed professional geoscientist in Louisiana and holds a bachelors in geology from Millsaps College and a masters in geology from Louisiana State University.

Julie Staveland

State Energy Office Director and Assistant Division Director, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Julie is the Assistant Division Director for the Materials Management Division (MMD) within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and Director of the State Energy Program. She is responsible for overseeing energy, pollution prevention, and recycling grant and technical assistance programs. Programs range from energy efficiency and renewable energy, food waste reduction, recycling infrastructure, the electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, to installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state and includes establishing program objectives, goals, and priorities, and determining operating policies and implementing methods within the context of federal, EGLE, and MMD policies, procedures, and guidelines. Julie also coordinates the Catalyst Communities Initiative.

Born and raised in Michigan, Julie lived in Alaska for 18 years where she received a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Alaska Southeast. She and her husband have 4 children, and spend as much time as possible outdoors hiking, camping, skiing, gardening, and raising chickens on their fledgling homestead. Julie is passionate about working with communities and businesses to meet them where they are on their decarbonization journey and to help them prepare for a sustainable future.

Sue Stocker

Chief Financial Officer, National Association of State Energy Officials

Susan Stocker is responsible for oversight of the financial and accounting functions of NASEO.  She leads budget planning and execution and oversees compliance with federal cost allocation and related regulations. Ms. Stocker has over 30 years of accounting experience. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Stocker was the Senior Accounting Manager at Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc. She reports to NASEO’s President.

Kenya Stump

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

Kenya Stump was appointed as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy in March of 2020. Prior to that, Kenya served Assistant Director for the Division of Energy Assistance within the Office of Energy Policy. Before her work in energy, Kenya managed the environmental assistance programs at the Cabinet including environmental leadership, brownfields, and compliance assistance with the Division of Compliance Assistance. She also served as environmental scientist and policy advisor for the Director’s Office at the Division for Air Quality.  Prior to moving to state government in Frankfort, she served as an environmental consultant with the Kentucky Business Environmental Assistance Program at the University of Kentucky.  Kenya has master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Public Administration from Indiana University and the University of Kentucky, respectively.  She also holds a post-graduate certificate in Environmental Systems and graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry.

David Terry

President, National Association of State Energy Officials

David Terry is the President of NASEO. Mr. Terry leads NASEO's policy actions and programs in support of the 56 governor-designated state and territory energy directors and their offices. NASEO communicates the states' views on virtually all national energy issues. Mr. Terry has participated in governor-led policy meetings, testified before U.S. Congressional Committees and presented at White House and international energy forums.  Mr. Terry has 25 years of experience working on a range of energy issues for such organizations as the Governors’ Wind and Solar Energy and Coalition and U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to working in the energy area, Mr. Terry was researcher at the National Academy of Sciences and an analyst for a federal advisory committee focused on U.S.  energy technology innovation and global competitiveness.

Curtis Thayer

Executive Director, Alaska Energy Authority

Curtis W. Thayer is the executive director at the Alaska Energy Authority, the state's energy office and lead agency for statewide energy policy and program development. His past roles include president and CEO for the Alaska Chamber, commissioner of the Department of Administration and cabinet member for Governor Parnell, deputy commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, and working with Alaska’s Congressional Delegation. He also held roles at ENSTAR Natural Gas Company and the Alaska Gas Producers Pipeline Team. His board experience includes Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, Alaska Retirement Management Board, Alaska Royalty Oil and Gas Development Advisory Board, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 and current Chair of Alaska's Board of Marine Pilots. He is a graduate of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Executive Energy Leadership Academy and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Dr. Will Toor

Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office

In January 2019, Will Toor joined the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) as its Executive Director appointed by Governor Jared Polis. Will’s background spans transportation electrification, sustainable transportation, smart growth, electric vehicle policy, clean energy finance, green building policy, local government policy and regional planning. Prior to CEO, Will was Transportation Program Director at the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP). Before SWEEP, Will served as Boulder County Commissioner for eight years where he led the effort to create and adopt a countywide Sustainable Energy Plan, the BuildSmart green building code, the EnergySmart program, and the ClimateSmart Loan Program. Prior to being elected Boulder County Commissioner, Will served as Mayor of Boulder for six years where he developed Boulder's community transit network, EcoPass unlimited access transit pass programs, and policies for denser, mixed-use urban infill development as an alternative to sprawl. Will previously served on and chaired the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). He was appointed by Governor Ritter to the state Transportation Funding and Implementation blue ribbon panel, the Governor's Climate Action Panel, and the Regional Air Quality Council. He was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to the Air Quality Control Commission and the state oil and gas taskforce. Will spent 12 years as Director of the University of Colorado Environmental Center, where he developed campus sustainability programs in the areas of solid waste, building energy use, and transportation planning. Will holds a BS in Physics from Carnegie Mellon University and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago.

Eddy Trevino

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

Eddy Trevino is the Director of the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). Through energy efficiency, SECO helps public entities improve working and learning environments. Energy efficiency assistance is provided through a technical assistance program, emerging clean energy technology program, education and training program, and an energy-efficiency revolving loan program. Mr. Trevino’s professional designations include a registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Energy Manager. He has 35 years of engineering and management experience.  While attending the University of Texas at Austin, Mr. Trevino earned the following degrees: Bachelor’s in architectural engineering, an MBA, and a Master in Technology Commercialization.

John Tsoukalis

Principal, Brattle Group

Mr. Tsoukalis is an expert in electric market modeling, analyzing regional market participation, transmission rate design, wholesale market design, utility strategic planning, and the detection of market manipulation and resulting damages analyses.

He has provided expert testimony in front of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in US Federal District Court, and before the Alberta Utilities Commission and several state public utility commissions. Mr. Tsoukalis has advised electric utilities, cooperatives, public power authorities, transmission developers, generation owners, and power traders. He has worked with independent service operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) to develop market rules governing wholesale markets, greenhouse gas emission pricing rules, ancillary service products, capacity auctions, and financial products. He has also helped ISOs and RTOs to design market power mitigation regimes and auction-clearing mechanics.

Mr. Tsoukalis has modeled power systems to assess the benefits of participating in wholesale power markets, analyzed the benefits of new transmission, and valued generation assets. He has assisted clients in analyzing alternative transmission rate designs and led strategic planning initiatives to help clients plan for the ongoing transition to clean energy. Additionally, he has worked with transmission developers to analyze investment opportunities throughout the United States and Canada.

His experience extends to assisting clients with antitrust and competition issues in North America and Europe. Mr. Tsoukalis has helped create systems to monitor and prevent potential market manipulation and market power abuse. He has also assisted clients in analyzing allegations of market manipulation, including assessing liability and the potential distortion or harm to the market.

Bill Updike

Director of U.S. Policy and Programs, Smart Surfaces Coalition

Prior to joining the Smart Surfaces Coalition, Bill served as a principal with the cutting-edge engineering and consulting firm Integral Group where he completed numerous climate action plans for cities and zero-carbon campus plans for colleges and universities. Before joining Integral, Bill served as the Chief of the Green Building and Climate Branch of Washington, DC's Department of Energy and Environment, where he was responsible for green building and climate policies and programs for the city. Bill chaired the group that led to the first city adoption of all the major chapters of the International Green Construction Code, and the first model net zero energy construction code for a city in the U.S. Among other activities, Bill also led efforts to create the first city-based Green Bank in the U.S. and helped introduce legislation that led to the first mandatory minimum energy performance standard for existing buildings as well as a requirement for 100% of the electricity purchased in Washington DC to come from renewable sources by 2032.

Bill also worked as a project manager for a renewable energy company, a green building construction manager for a design/build firm, and an outside sales representative for a green building supply company. In the early part of his career, Bill worked as an environmental journalist for two national magazines. Bill received one of the inaugural BOLD Awards from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2015 and a Living Building Challenge Hero Award from the International Living Future Institute also in 2015.

Alexa Voytek

Deputy Director of Programs, Innovation and Transportation, Communications, Office of Energy Programs, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Alexa is TDEC OEP's Deputy Director of Programs, Innovation and Transportation, and Communications. Alexa serves as the Principal Investigator for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) State Energy Program, oversees OEP’s sustainable transportation and alternative fuels programming, and assists with the administration of a variety of funding sources, including the State of Tennessee’s initial allocation under the Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust, the State’s annual allocation under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Program, and the implementation of formula funding under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. Alexa also serves as the Coalition Director for U.S. DOE’s Clean Cities Middle-West Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, through which she acts as a technical resource for fleets and individuals evaluating alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Alexa is Co-Chair of the National Association for State Energy Officials’ (NASEO) Transportation Committee and also serves as the Governor’s designee to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Regional Energy Resource Council, which provides guidance on how TVA manages its energy resources against competing objectives and values. Alexa is also the Principal Investigator for the U.S. DOE Grid Resilience Formula Grant Program in Tennessee, funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The objective of this Program is to maintain and enhance the reliability and resilience of the electric grid, with the goal of minimizing the frequency and duration of power outages resulting from natural hazards. Since the passage of the IIJA and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), she has supported TDEC OEP with program design tied to the implementation of additional funding programs (e.g., Home Energy Rebate Programs, Solar for All, Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant Program, Revolving Loan Fund Capitalizations Grant Program, Training for Residential Energy Contractors, etc.). Prior to joining TDEC, Alexa interned with the UN Division for Sustainable Development and the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia. Most recently, Alexa served as Asst. Account Executive for the 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 from Duke University, with a B.A. in History and Russian Language / Area Studies.

Chris Watkins

Energy Security Advisor, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Emily Wilbur

Director, Division of Energy, Missouri Department of Natural Resources

John Williams

Chief Policy Officer, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

John Williams was appointed Chief Policy Officer for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on June 24, 2025.

In this position, Mr. Williams is responsible for providing guidance for energy policy development for New York State, which includes work with NYSERDA's Government and Regulatory Affairs unit, as well as supporting statewide policy activities including the Energy Planning Board, the Climate Action Council, and the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. He oversees the Policy, Analysis, & Research team, providing economic analysis and scientific research to best inform policymakers in energy and environmental issues as well as the Business Performance Management unit, which provides market characterization and evaluation, markets and statistical insights, and metrics and performance analysis, all of which guide effective clean energy strategies. In addition, Mr. Williams’ responsibilities include the reporting and performance of NYSERDA’s West Valley Site Management Program.

Mr. Williams serves as NYSERDA’s designee on the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment. Mr. Williams currently serves as Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Energy Officials. Mr. Williams is the recipient in 2021 of a Public Service Excellence Award from the State Academy for Public Administration.

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 combined electric and natural gas utility 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.

Andrew Wishnia

Senior Vice President, Boundary Stone Partners

Andrew has served in both chambers on Capitol Hill, in multiple Administrations, and as a political appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration as the first ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Policy in the U.S. Department of Transportation. He has also served in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, White House, Federal Highway Administration, and stood up the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.

Andrew was a principal architect of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including conceiving, authoring, negotiating, and implementing the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) and National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program provisions that total the largest federal investment of EV charging infrastructure in our nation's history.

Andrew has played a unique and pivotal role infusing climate and sustainability into federal transportation programs and institutions. He has designed and deployed transformative investments of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act in ways that have advanced health outcomes and expanded U.S. clean technology and good paying jobs.

Within Andrew's roles, he also served as USDOT's Chief Environmental Review and Permitting Officer (CERPO), established DOT's vision for the first-ever U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, and co-designed the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation - which facilitates collaboration across USDOT and the U.S Department of Energy. Andrew also led USDOT's delegation at the Conference of the Parties (COP-27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and created and oversaw climate and sustainability initiatives and policy across every DOT modal administration.

Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Andrew was a Senior Policy Advisor to the Committee on Environment and Public Works in the U.S. Senate, and held leadership roles at the White House Council on Environmental Quality in the Office of Federal Sustainability and worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for Congressman John Yarmuth.

Andrew earned a Juris Doctorate at Hamline Law School in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a B.S. in speech and political communication from Emerson College.

Malcolm Woolf

President and Chief Executive Officer, National Hydropower Association

Malcolm Woolf is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hydropower Association.

Woolf comes to NHA after decades of experience in the energy and environment field. He was a Senior Vice President with Advanced Energy Economy and has extensive markets experience. He served in a cabinet level position for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley where he worked to promote affordable, reliable, clean energy, and he also led energy policy for the National Governors Association.

Woolf has experience in both the executive branch and Capitol Hill having served at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and as a Congressional committee staff member.

Woolf earned his law degree, as well as a Masters of Public Administration and Public Policy, from the University of Virginia. He holds a B.A. magna cum laude from Tufts University, with a year at Pembroke College, Oxford University.

Dr. Pete Wyckoff

Deputy Commissioner for Energy, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Pete Wyckoff leads the Energy Resources Division at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, including the Offices of Energy Affordability, Energy Development, Regulatory Affairs, and Energy Modernization.  He has worked closely with the Governor’s Office and Legislature to coordinate efforts to bring millions in federal clean energy funds to Minnesota. Prior to joining Commerce, Wyckoff served as Senior Policy Advisor for Energy for U.S. Senator Tina Smith. He also worked for former U.S. Senator Al Franken and at the U.S. Department of Energy during his time in Washington, DC. Wyckoff is an environmental scientist by training and an emeritus professor of the University of Minnesota Morris.

Cally Younger

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

Cally Younger currently serves as the Administrator for the the Idaho Governor's Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR). This office coordinates energy and mineral planning, permitting processes, and policy development in the state of Idaho. OEMR works to ensure that Idaho’s energy and mineral resources are developed and utilized in an efficient, effective, and responsible manner that sustains the quality of life for its residents and enhances the economy. OEMR serves as the clearinghouse and first point of contact for the state on and energy and mineral matters. It oversees the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance (ISEA), serves as a resource for policymakers, and coordinates efforts with federal and state agencies and local governments. Prior to joining OEMR, Ms. Younger worked at the U.S. Department of the Interior, where she served as both a staff attorney and the Deputy Solicitor for Land Resources. She also had the privilege of serving as Counselor to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director. Ms. Younger also served as legal counsel for Governor Otter and for the Governor's Office of Species Conservation. She holds a law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law  and a bachelor's degree from Northwest Nazarene University.

Chris Yunker

Managing Director, Resiliency, Clean Transportation and Analytics, Hawaii State Energy Office

Chris Yunker is the Managing Director for Resiliency, Clean Transportation, and Analytics 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.