Full Agenda

David Althoff

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 and is currently a Board Member of the National Association of State Energy Officials 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.

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 E. Birchard is Mitigation Program Director at the Georgetown Climate Center, where she directs clean energy, transportation, infrastructure, and climate-related initiatives that strengthen community outcomes by reducing the impacts of climate change, increasing access to economic opportunity, and improving environmental health.

Prior to joining the Georgetown Climate Center, Melissa served as Senior Policy Advisor in the Grid Deployment Office at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she contributed to the establishment and implementation of multi-billion-dollar programs and served as lead creating and advancing energy and environmental justice initiatives.  She has also served as Director for Clean Energy and Grid Transition at the Acadia Center and Senior Attorney at Conservation Law Foundation and has represented clients at energy-focused law firms.  She has represented state and local governments, clean energy companies, community choice aggregators, transportation electrification companies, municipal utilities, and non-profit organizations in states and regions across the country.  Her work has addressed topics ranging from demand response and energy efficiency, to electric transmission and wholesale markets, to climate laws and environmental justice.

Melissa holds a law degree from Georgetown University, a Masters from UCLA, and a Bachelors from Bryn Mawr College.

Ben Brouwer

Bureau Chief, Energy Office, Montana Department of Environmental Quality

Ben Brouwer has served in the Montana Energy Office at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) since 2016, stepping into leadership of the office in 2023. The Energy Office delivers programs including energy emergency response, clean energy finance, and electric vehicle planning and deployment. Prior to joining DEQ, Ben spent nearly a decade working in local government and public interest organizations with a focus on Montana energy policy. Ben received a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College.

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.

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.

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.

Toby Deen

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

Susanne DesRoches

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

Andrew Grinalds

Chief Operating Officer, Critical Loop

Andrew Grinalds is the Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Critical Loop, specializing in reliable power solutions and operational leadership. They bring expertise in integrating various power sources and managing power systems in real time.

Prior to Critical Loop, Andrew was Vice President, Business Development at Privateer Space, contributing to business growth within the aerospace sector. Their responsibilities included cultivating partnerships and expanding market reach in space situational awareness services.

Andrew's background includes significant involvement in venture capital and AI community building. As Managing General Partner and Consultant and Founder at Fellows Fund, they focused on early-stage AI investments and community development within the AI sector.

Their career also includes AI-driven business development. As Chief Business Officer at TalentSeer, Andrew spearheaded business growth and managed strategic partnerships in the AI talent acquisition space. Earlier, as Business Development Manager at Hive, they developed product strategies and fostered client relationships with a leading AI moderation firm.

Building on experience in business operations and market analysis, Andrew's work history includes a Business Operations Internship at Twitter, where they led an operational review of the hiring process and initiated European market research. They also served as a Marketing Analyst at MapR, analyzing market trends and generating marketing insights. Earlier, they contributed as an Intern on the Deal and Portfolio Team at Andreessen Horowitz and as a Consultant at General Catalyst Partners, developing investment theses.

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 partners with states, cities, utilities, and federal agencies across the country.

Christina Hayes

Executive Director, Grid Action

Christina Hayes is the Executive Director of Grid Action. She previously served as Vice President for Federal Regulatory Affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy and has been an energy regulatory attorney for nearly 20 years, helping Midwestern and Western utilities navigate FERC, NERC, and other federal agencies. Prior to joining BHE, Christina was an attorney with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, serving in the office of general counsel, the western division of the office of energy market regulation, and as an advisor to Chairman Wellinghoff. While at FERC, Christina worked on a variety of issues, from transmission development to mergers and market power issues to credit reforms in organized markets. A native Oregonian, Christina has also served as an administrative law judge at the Public Utility Commission of Oregon, presiding over mergers, rate cases, and rulemakings, advising state commissioners, and drafting final decisions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Joe Schambach

Director, Energy Consulting and Analytics, ICF

Ajitabh Sharma

Principal Secretary (Energy), Government of Rajasthan

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.

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.

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.

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.

Emily Wilbur

Director, Division of Energy, Missouri Department of Natural Resources

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.