Speakers
Speaker Biographies Received to Date (as of 02/08/2008)
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Welcome and Introductions
The Honorable Anne C. George, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control and Chair, NARUC Electricity Committee
Ms. George was first appointed Commissioner of the Connecticut Public Utility Control Authority on July 1, 2003. She was reappointed by Governor M. Jodi Rell to a second four-year term commencing on July 1, 2007. As Commissioner, Ms. George focuses on electric, renewable energy and natural gas issues. Commissioner George currently serves as Chair of NARUC's Committee on Electricity and as a member of the National Council on Electricity Policy. She is a former President of the New England Conference of Public Utility Commissioners and is a member of the Leadership Group for DOE/EPA’s National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency. Prior to her service on the Authority, Commissioner George served as Special Counsel on Energy, Chief Legal Counsel and Deputy Legal Counsel to Governor John G. Rowland. Commissioner George received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
The Honorable Phyllis A. Reha, Vice Chair, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Chair, NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment
Phyllis A. Reha was appointed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by Governor Jesse Ventura in 2001 and was reappointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2007 and serves as its Vice Chair. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and currently serves as the Chair of the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. She is also a member and past President of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference. Commissioner Reha also serves on the Advisory Councils of the Electric Power Research Institute, the New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities and the National Council on Electricity Policy. Recently she was selected as one of seven Commissioners nationally to participate on a Leadership Group, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, whose charge was to develop a National Energy Efficiency Action Plan. She is also Co-Chair of the FERC/NARUC Demand Response Collaborative which will explore how to coordinate federal and state approaches to electricity demand response policies and practices. Before joining the PUC as a Commissioner, Ms. Reha spent 20 years as an Administrative Law Judge at the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings specializing in public utility, telecommunications and environmental regulation. Commissioner Reha has a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.
Keynote Speakers
The Honorable Marsha H. Smith, Commissioner, Idaho Public Utilities Commission and NARUC President
Marsha H. Smith is serving her third term on the commission. Smith, a Democrat, served as commission president from 1991 to 1995. Commissioner Smith is the President of NARUC, serves on the NARUC Board and Executive Committee, is a member of NARUC’s Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment and past chair of NARUC’s Electricity Committee. She is an elected member of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Northern Tier Transmission Group. She represents Idaho on the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body and chaired the Western Interstate Energy Board’s Committee for Regional Electric Power Cooperation from 1999 to 2005. She is a member of the Electric Power Research Institute's Advisory Council, the National Council for Electricity Policy Steering Committee, the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners and the Idaho State Bar. Smith received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/education from Idaho State University, a Master of Library Science from Brigham Young University and her law degree from the University of Washington. Before her appointment to the Commission, Commissioner Smith served as Deputy Attorney General in the business regulation/consumer affairs division of the Office of the Idaho Attorney General and as Deputy Attorney General for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. A fourth-generation Idahoan, Commissioner Smith has two sons.
The Honorable Kevin Kolevar, Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
In August 2007, Assistant Secretary Kolevar was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability at the United States Department of Energy. Assistant Secretary Kolevar has led the Office as its Director since its creation in February of 2005. Assistant Secretary Kolevar is the Department lead for implementation of the Electricity Title of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. His responsibilities have included analysis of electricity congestion, the designation of draft National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors, the coordination of energy corridors across federal lands, and workforce issues related to the electricity utility industry. Before assuming his current position, Assistant Secretary Kolevar served as chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Energy, Kyle McSlarrow, from 2003 to 2005. In that position, he supported and advised the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on policy, regulatory, and legislative matters as well as Departmental program management. His accomplishments while serving at the Department of Energy include chairing the Department of Energy National Security Working Group and serving as an advisor to the U.S.-Canada Task Force investigating the 2003 blackout. Before joining the Department of Energy, Assistant Secretary Kolevar spent over ten years serving as U.S. Senate staff in the offices of Senators Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.) and Connie Mack (R-Fla.). He is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS
Panel #1 (Keynote Panel) Moderator
Michael T. Burr, Editor-in-Chief, Public Utilities Fortnightly
Michael T. Burr is Editor-in-Chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly magazine, published by Public Utilities Reports Inc. (PUR) in Vienna, Virginia. Mr. Burr has been writing for the Fortnightly since 2001, on a variety of topics from environmental policy to smart grid developments. He also has served as editor-at-large for InsideCounsel magazine (not affiliated with PUR), and has provided consulting services to various corporate and law firm clients. Before joining the Fortnightly team in 2001, Mr. Burr was Editor-in-Chief for Telecom Business magazine, part of PRIMEDIA’s Telephony franchise, and previously was Editor of PennWell’s Electric Light & Power and Independent Energy magazines. He has covered utility industry issues since 1989, and his work has appeared in a variety of business and consumer publications.
Panel #1 (Keynote Panel) Speakers
The Honorable Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Joseph T. Kelliher was nominated by President Bush to a Republican seat on the Commission and was sworn in on November 20, 2003. He was designated Chairman by President Bush effective July 9, 2005. Prior to FERC, Mr. Kelliher was Senior Policy Advisor to Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. In that capacity, he advised the Secretary on a wide range of energy policy matters. He helped develop the National Energy Policy. Before joining the Department of Energy, Mr. Kelliher served on the Bush/Cheney Presidential Transition Team. Previously, he was of Counsel with the law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. He served as Majority Counsel to the House Committee on Commerce from 1995–2000, where he was responsible for electricity, hydropower, conservation, nuclear waste, and other energy legislation. From 1991–1995, Mr. Kelliher represented Public Service Electric and Gas Company before the Congress on a wide range of energy legislation. In the late 1980s, he worked for the American Nuclear Energy Council. In the mid 1980s, he served on the staff of Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX). In the early 1980s, he worked at the law firm of Preston, Thorgrimson, Ellis & Holman. Mr. Kelliher has worked on energy issues for more than 20 years. His education includes: Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, B.S.F.S. and American University Washington College of Law, J.D., Magna Cum Laude.
The Honorable Sam J. Ervin, IV, Commissioner, North Carolina Utilities Commission and Chair, 2008 U.S. Electricity Delivery Working Group
Commissioner Ervin attended Davidson College, where he received an A. B., Magna Cum Laude, in 1978, and Harvard Law School, from which he received a J.D., Cum Laude, in 1981. After becoming licensed to practice law in North Carolina in 1981, he entered private practice in Morganton, N.C., with the firm of Byrd, Byrd, Ervin, Whisnant, McMahon & Ervin, P. A., and its predecessors. While in private practice from 1981 to 1999, Commissioner Ervin represented clients in a variety of administrative, civil, and criminal cases before various governmental agencies, the North Carolina trial and appellate courts, and the United States trial and appellate courts for North Carolina. Commissioner Ervin left the practice of law to take office as a member of the Commission on July 2, 1999. He served as Chairman of the NARUC Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues and Waste Disposal from 2002 through 2005. Commissioner Ervin currently chairs the 2008 U.S. Electricity Delivery Working Group, which is an ad hoc group of electricity experts who developed and planned the 2008 DOE-NARUC National Electricity Delivery Forum.
The Honorable Phil Sharp, President, Resources for the Future
Phil Sharp became President of Resources for the Future in 2005. His career in public service includes 10 terms as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. During his 20-year congressional tenure, Mr. Sharp took key leadership roles in the development of landmark energy legislation. He helped to develop a critical part of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, was a driving force behind the Energy Policy Act of 1992, and served on several House committees. Mr. Sharp joined Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government where he was a Lecturer in Public Policy and served as Director of Harvard’s Institute of Politics. He also was a Senior Research Fellow in the Environmental and Natural Resources Program from 2001–2003. Mr. Sharp was Congressional Chair of the National Commission on Energy Policy, a panel established by the Hewlett Foundation and other major foundations to make energy policy recommendations to the federal government. Mr. Sharp served on the Board of Directors of the Cinergy Corporation from 1995–2006 and on the Board of EPRI from 2002–2006. He is Co-Chair of the Energy Board of the Keystone Center, a member of the National Research Council’s Board of Energy and Environmental Systems, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Energy Foundation.
The Honorable Eileen Claussen, President, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Ms. Claussen is the President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Strategies for the Global Environment. Ms. Claussen is the former Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Prior to joining the Department of State, Ms. Claussen served for three years as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Environmental Affairs at the National Security Council. She has also served as Chairman of the United Nations Multilateral Montreal Protocol Fund. Ms. Claussen was Director of Atmospheric Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she was responsible for activities related to the depletion of the ozone layer, Title IV of the Clean Air Act and the EPA’s energy efficiency programs, including the Green Lights program and the Energy Star program. Ms. Claussen is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is the recipient of the Department of State’s Career Achievement Award and the Distinguished Executive Award for Sustained Extraordinary Accomplishment. She also served as the Timothy Atkeson Scholar in Residence at Yale University.
Kurt E. Yeager, Executive Director, Galvin Electricity Initiative
Kurt E. Yeager joined the Galvin Electricity Initiative, an effort to perfect the electric power system, shortly after it was launched by former Motorola chief, Bob Galvin, in 2005. As its leader, Mr. Yeager works with electricity experts, innovators and entrepreneurs to design and build prototypes of a smart, efficient electric power system that cannot fail the consumer. Mr. Yeager previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), retiring in 2004 after 30 years with the organization. Before joining EPRI, Mr. Yeager was director of energy research and development planning for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research. He received a bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College and completed post-graduate studies in chemistry and physics at Ohio State and the University of California, Davis. He has also completed post-graduate management programs at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Finance. Mr. Yeager is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and its Industry Advisory Board, and a trustee of the Committee for Economic Development. He currently serves on the board of APX Corporation. Mr. Yeager was named the 2003 Technology Policy Leader for Energy by Scientific American. He has authored more than 200 technical publications on energy and environmental topics and chairs the World Energy Council Study on energy and climate change.
Panel #2 Moderator
The Honorable Frederick F. Butler, Commissioner, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and NARUC First Vice President
Commissioner Butler is a member of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities currently serving in his second term. He represents New Jersey on the Board of the Organization of PJM States (OPSI). He is a former President of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (MACRUC) and is an active member of NARUC. He has served as Chairman of NARUC’s International Relations Committee, Committee on Water, and Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Change. He currently serves as NARUC’s First Vice President and is a member of its Executive Committee. In addition, he serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI). He currently serves on the advisory board of the Michigan State University Institute of Public Utilities, the New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities’ Advisory Council, and the advisory council to the University of Florida’s Public Utilities Research Center. He received a bachelor’s degree in modern languages and political science from Villanova University in 1968 and earned a master’s degree in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in 1973. He participated in the Ph.D. program at Rutgers, the State University from 1973-1979.
Panel #2 Speakers
Jeff Sterba, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, PNM Resources
Jeff Sterba is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of PNM Resources, the parent company of PNM, TNMP and First Choice Power. Mr. Sterba first joined PNM in 1977. He left in 1998 to become Executive Vice President of USEC, a global energy company headquartered in Maryland, but returned to PNM in 2000. He is Chair of the Edison Electric Institute, the National Association of Shareholder Owned Utilities, and the Electric Power Research Institute, a non-profit center for energy and environment research. Under his leadership, PNM Resources was a founding member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a national coalition of businesses and environmental organizations seeking federal action to cap and reduce carbon emissions. He is on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is actively involved in New Mexico’s community and economic development efforts.
Jan Schori, General Manager, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Jan Schori was appointed as SMUD’s General Manager in February 1994. She reports directly to SMUD’s community-elected Board of Directors and is responsible for leading one of the largest public power systems in the nation. Ms. Schori is past Chair of the Board of the American Public Power Association. She is also past Chair of the Large Public Power Council and continues to serve on its steering committee. She is on the Board and is a past Chair of the California Municipal Utilities Association and the National Business Council for Sustainable Energy. She is a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of the California Climate Action Registry and was elected as its treasurer. She also serves on the Board of the National Alliance to Save Energy. Locally, Ms. Schori is Vice Chair of the Board of Valley Vision in Sacramento. She also actively supports the United Way California Capitol Region’s Foster Youth Initiative and was the recipient of the 2006 DeTocqueville philanthropy award. Ms. Schori joined SMUD in 1979 as an attorney. She served as General Counsel for five years prior to her selection as general manager. A native Sacramentan, Ms. Schori graduated from the school of law at the University of California, Davis. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Schori is a member of the California State Bar.
Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated
Ralph Izzo was elected Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG), in April 2007. He was also named as the company’s president and chief operating officer, and a member of the board of directors of PSEG, in October 2006. Previously, Mr. Izzo was President and Chief Operating Officer of PSEG. Mr. Izzo is a well-known leader within the utility industry, as well as the public policy arena. His public policy experience includes service as an American Physical Society Congressional Science Fellow, in the office of U.S. Senator Bill Bradley. He also served four years as a senior policy advisor in the Office of New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean, specializing in energy, science and technology. Mr. Izzo received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in applied physics from Columbia University. He also completed the requirements for a Master of Business Administration degree, with a concentration in finance from the Rutgers Graduate School of Management. Mr. Izzo serves on the Board of Directors for the Electric Power Research Institute, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the American Gas Association, the New Jersey Utilities Association, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI).
Masheed Saidi, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Transmission, National Grid
Masheed Saidi is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Transmission with responsibility for running National Grid’s U.S. transmission business. She was previously the Vice Chairman of the NERC Reliability Assessment Subcommittee responsible for analyzing and reporting on the long term and short term reliability of the electric system for North America. Ms. Saidi was appointed Chief Operating Officer of GridAmerica in 2004. In her previous position as Vice President and Director of Transmission Regulation and Policy at National GridU.S.A., her responsibilities included directing the transmission business through the regulatory process, RTO/ISO participation and coordination, and participating in the U.S. policy debates on electric industry restructuring and market structure. In recent years, she has chaired the Transmission Owners Committee in New England and has represented National Grid on numerous New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) and New York ISO committees on reliability, transmission and market issues. Prior to that, as Vice President and Director Transmission Marketing, she had oversight of the Transmission Planning group, transmission tariffs and contracting, and was a member of the NEPOOL Executive Committee. She represented National Grid and New England transmission owners on the Reliability Committee and Members Committee of the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC). Ms. Saidi earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Power Systems Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Lloyd Yates, President and Chief Executive Officer, Progress Energy Carolinas
Lloyd Yates is President and Chief Executive Officer for Progress Energy Carolinas, an electric utility serving 1.4 million customers, with over 12,000 megawatts of generation in a 30,000 square-mile service area in the Carolinas. In that role, Mr. Yates is responsible for management and strategic direction of the utility. Mr. Yates was promoted to his current position on July 1 2007, after serving for over two years as Senior Vice President in Energy Delivery. Previously, Mr. Yates served as Vice President, Transmission for Progress Energy Carolinas from 2003 to 2005. He also served as Vice President, Fossil Generation from 1998 to 2003. He came to then-CP&L from PECO Energy, where he had served in a number of engineering and management roles over 16 years. Yates graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He attended the Advanced Management Program at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and the Executive Management Program at the Harvard Business School.
Lunch Speaker
Richard P. Sergel, President and Chief Executive Officer, North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Richard P. Sergel is President and Chief Executive Officer of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), effective September 12, 2005. Until 2004, Mr. Sergel served as President and Chief Executive Officer for National Grid U.S.A., and was National Grid Group PLC Executive Director for North America upon the completion of the National Grid and New England Electric System (NEES) merger in March 2000. From 1998 through the date of the merger, Mr. Sergel was President and Chief Executive Officer of NEES, where he held positions of increasing responsibility since 1979. Mr. Sergel is presently a director of State Street Corporation. He also served on the Boards of the Edison Electric Institute, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, and the United Way of the Merrimac Valley. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Florida State University, a Master of Science in applied mathematics from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami.
Panel #3 Moderator
The Honorable Patricia Hoffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
Patricia Hoffman is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability at the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability leads the U.S. Department of Energy’s efforts to modernize the electric grid through the development and implementation of national policy pertaining to electric grid reliability and the management of research, development, and demonstration activities for "next generation" electric grid infrastructure technologies. Ms. Hoffman is responsible for developing and implementing a long-term research strategy for modernizing and improving the resiliency of the electric grid. Ms. Hoffman directs research on visualization and controls, energy storage and power electronics, high temperature superconductivity and renewable/distributed systems integration. She also oversees the business management of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability including human resources, budget development, financial execution, and performance management. Before joining the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Ms. Hoffman was the Program Director for the Federal Energy Management Program which implements efficiency measures in the federal sector and the Program Manager for the Distributed Energy Program that developed advanced natural gas power generation and combined heat and power systems. Before this, Ms. Hoffman managed the Advanced Turbine System program resulting in a high-efficiency industrial gas turbine product. Ms. Hoffman holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Ceramic Science and Engineering from Penn State University.
Panel #3 Speakers
Susan Tomasky, President, Transmission, American Electric Power
Susan Tomasky is President, American Electric Power (AEP) Transmission, responsible for transmission operations and new transmission business ventures. Prior to this, she was Executive Vice President, Shared Services. Ms. Tomasky joined AEP in 1998 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel and served as Executive Vice President. She took responsibility as Chief Financial Officer in 2001. Prior to joining AEP, Ms. Tomasky was a partner with the Washington, D.C., office of Hogan & Hartson, where she was a member of the firm's energy group. From 1993–1997, she served as General Counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where she was a primary legal and policy advisor to the Commission. Ms. Tomasky has testified before Congress, federal agencies and state utility commissions on a wide range of federal regulatory issues. In 2001 and 2002, she was named one of the world's "50 key women in energy worldwide" by energy consultancy Rader Energy in association with Commodities Now and corporate sponsors. Ms. Tomasky holds a Juris Doctor degree with honors from George Washington University National Law Center in Washington, D.C., where she was a member of the Law Review. She also is an honors graduate of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Ms. Tomasky participates in numerous civic and community activities. She lives in Columbus with her husband, Ronald Ungvarsky, and their daughter, Victoria.
Robert Gilligan, General Manager, Transmission and Distribution, GE Energy
Mr. Gilligan is the General Manager for GE Energy’s transmission and distribution (T&D) business. In this role he is responsible for delivering integrated network reliability solutions to the T&D, Oil & Gas and Telecom sectors. The business includes a diverse group of products and services including intelligent electronic devices, meters, transformers, GIS software, distribution management systems software and energy management systems software. He was appointed to his current position in January 2004. Mr. Gilligan joined GE Energy from GE Industrial Systems where he held a series of management leadership positions with increasing responsibility. His most recent role was General Manager for the Automation Technology & Services business. In this position, Mr. Gilligan was responsible for Turbine Control, Variable Speed Drives, and Uninterruptible Power Supply Products; as well as GE Industrial Systems Projects, Field Services, and Parts operations. Prior to joining Industrial Systems in 1996, Mr. Gilligan worked for GE Medical Systems where he held a series of assignments in Service Operations and in Global Product Management. Mr. Gilligan holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University.
Michael Howard, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Electric Power Research Institute
Michael Howard is Senior Vice President of Research and Development at the Electric Power Research Institute. Dr. Howard has over 26 years of results-driven, multi-faceted leadership experience ranging from entrepreneurial start-up to large public companies with increasing responsibilities in operations, finance, sales and marketing, product development, and strategic planning. Most of Dr. Howard's experience is in providing technical consulting services and products to both U.S. and international electric utility companies. Prior to his most recent appointment, Dr. Howard served as President and Chief Executive Officer of EPRI Solutions, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of EPRI. EPRI Solutions was created by the merger of three companies, one of which was the EPRI Power Electronics Application Center (PEAC) Corp., where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer. Previously, he was the President of the Tennessee Center for Research and Development (TCRD) located in Knoxville, Tennessee and he was President of Beta Development Corporation (BDC), an early-stage venture capital firm focused on providing equity investment in technology-based companies. Dr. Howard began his career in 1980 with Westinghouse Electric Corporation as an applications engineer for the fossil and nuclear digital control systems group. Dr. Howard holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, a Master of Science in Business and Engineering Management, and a PhD in Engineering Science from the University of Tennessee.
Dan W. Reicher, Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives, Google.org
Dan W. Reicher has over 20 years of experience in business, government and non-governmental organizations focused on energy and environmental technology, policy, finance and law. He recently joined Google where he serves as Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives for the company's venture called Google.org which has been capitalized with $2 billion of Google stock to make investments and advance policy in the areas of climate change and energy, global development, and global health. Prior to his recent position at Google, Mr. Reicher served as President and Co-Founder of New Energy Capital Corp. Mr. Reicher is a member of General Electric's Ecomagination Advisory Board, Co-Chairman of the Advisory Board of the American Council on Renewable Energy, and a member of the Board of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Mr. Reicher was Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. He was also a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Climate Change Negotiations. Previously, Mr. Reicher served as Assistant Attorney General for Environmental Protection in Massachusetts. Mr. Reicher holds a B.A. in Biology from Dartmouth College, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and has studied at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Mr. Reicher is married to Carole Parker, who formerly headed the Office of Pollution Prevention at the U.S. Department of Defense. Carole and Dan have three children and live in Piedmont, California.
Panel #4 Moderator
The Honorable Jim Sullivan, President, Alabama Public Service Commission and Chair, NARUC Committee on Critical Infrastructure
Jim Sullivan has been President of the Alabama Public Service Commission since 1983, making him the country’s longest-serving active public utility commissioner. In November 1998, he was elected President of NARUC. He was recently named as Chairman of NARUC’s Committee on Critical Infrastructure. Commissioner Sullivan holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi, which he attended on a football scholarship. He also earned his master's degree in banking and finance in 1969 and his Juris Doctor in 1973 from the University of Alabama. In addition to his national leadership role through NARUC, Commissioner Sullivan recently held a seat on the University of Chicago Board of Governors for the Argonne National Laboratory and also served on the Advisory Council of the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California. His other professional affiliations have included membership on the advisory boards of the Keystone Energy Board, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, the Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited, and the National Regulatory Research Institute. Commissioner Sullivan has served as a dedicated member of the Board of Directors of Glenwood Mental Health Services, Inc., a renowned health care facility serving children, adolescents, and adults who are affected by autism or severe mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. Commissioner Sullivan and his late wife, Susan, were married for over 30 years. He has two daughters and three grandchildren.
Panel #4 Speakers
The Honorable Paul Hudson, Commissioner, Texas Public Utility Commission
Paul Hudson, appointed in 2003, is in his fifth year of service as member of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT). After serving almost four years as Chairman, Commissioner Hudson stepped down to continue service on the Commission in November of 2007. Commissioner Hudson has worked diligently to open electric and telecommunications markets while demanding that, ultimately, the benefits of those markets accrue to customers. Prior to his Public Utility Commission appointment, Commissioner Hudson served as Director of Policy, Deputy Director of Policy, and Policy Director for Business/Regulatory Issues in the Office of the Governor. He has also served as Advisor to Commissioner Brett Perlman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and as a member of the Policy development staff under former PUCT and FERC Chair Pat Wood. During his career, at various intervals, he has focused on policy issues including telecommunications, energy, economic and workforce development, criminal justice, banking and insurance. Commissioner Hudson has served on the Boards of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Clean Coal Technology Council. Early in his working life, Commissioner Hudson was a member of the Austin Fire Department and certified to teach high school economics, government, and history. Hudson earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and received a master’s degree from Arizona State University. He lives in Austin, with his wife Shannon, daughter Ella and son Cooper.
The Honorable Carl Holmes, Representative, Kansas House of Representatives and Chair, Kansas Legislature Committee on Energy and Utilities
Carl Holmes has been a Kansas State Representative since 1985. He is Chairman of the Kansas Legislature House Energy and Utilities Committee, the Kansas Electric Transmission Authority, and Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations. Representative Holmes is also a member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. With the National Conference of State Legislatures, Representative Holmes is Past Chairman of the Energy and Electric Utilities Committee and Chairman of the Advisory Council on Energy. He is also active with the 25x25 Steering Committee and the Kansas Energy Council.
Paul Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Independent Electricity System Operator
Paul Murphy was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Electricity System Operator of Ontario in October 2006. Under Mr. Murphy, Ontario's IESO is responsible for overseeing the safe and reliable operation of Ontario's bulk electrical system, one of the most diversified, reliable and efficient in the world. The organization also oversees the IESO-administered wholesale electricity markets. Prior to his appointment as President, Mr. Murphy was the Chief Operating Officer for the Independent Electricity System Operator. In that role, he was responsible for managing the operation of Ontario’s competitive wholesale electricity market and for directing the operation of the IESO Controlled Grid; forecasting and assessing resource and transmission adequacy; developing and administering contracts and operating agreements and for settling market transactions. Mr. Murphy is past chair of IESO’s Technical Panel—the panel of market participant representatives that recommend market rule changes to the IESO Board. He has worked in the integrated operation of Ontario’s electrical system for over 25 years and in the development and operation of competitive markets for the last ten years. Mr. Murphy has been the Vice Chair of NPCC’s Reliability Coordinating Committee and represents Independent System Operators on NERC’s Member Representatives Committee. Mr. Murphy has a Bachelor of Applied Science from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Ontario.
Paula Carmody, Consumer Advocate, Maryland Office of People's Counsel
Paula Carmody was appointed People’s Counsel by Douglas F. Gansler, Attorney General of Maryland, effective on January 17, 2007. Her extensive experience working on consumer issues for government agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the Office of People’s Counsel, provided an exceptional foundation for her position as People’s Counsel, the advocate for residential utility consumers in Maryland. Ms. Carmody previously served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, from 2004 to 2007. While there, she was responsible for investigating violations of, and enforcing, Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act and related consumer protection laws. From 1988 to 2003, Ms. Carmody served as an Assistant People’s Counsel with the Office of People’s Counsel, representing the interests of residential consumers of gas and electricity before the Maryland Public Service Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Maryland General Assembly. While in that office she developed a particular expertise in issues relating to the protection of residential consumers in the restructured gas and electric industries. She has also appeared as a speaker, panelist and trainer at numerous conferences, forums and community meetings, and developed consumer education materials for consumers and service providers in Maryland. Ms. Carmody graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree from Antioch School of Law, Washington, D.C. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Panel #5 Moderator
The Honorable Patrick Oshie, Commissioner, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission and Vice Chair, NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment
Commissioner Oshie was appointed to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission in 2001. Prior to his Commission appointment, Commissioner Oshie was a partner in his Yakima law firm, specializing in federal Indian and environmental law. In his career, Commissioner Oshie has served as an assistant city attorney for the City of Seattle, representing Seattle City Light, and as an Assistant Attorney General in Utah. In that capacity, he represented the Division of Public Utilities and the Committee for Consumer Services before the Utah Public Service Commission on natural gas, electricity and other utility matters. In 1986, Commissioner Oshie was an adjunct professor of law at the University of Utah’s College of Law. Commissioner Oshie is currently Vice Chair of the NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. He is also a member of the NARUC Committee on Consumer Affairs, the National Council on Electricity Policy, the Electric Power Research Institute Advisory Council, the National Wind Coordinating Committee and the Gas Technology Institute’s Public Interest Advisory Committee. Commissioner Oshie graduated from Western Washington State College in 1977, and received his law degree from the University of Washington in 1980.
Panel #5 Speakers
The Honorable Dian M. Grueneich, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Dian M. Grueneich was appointed to the California Public Utilities Commission by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and was sworn in on January 18, 2005. Her term will end on January 1, 2011. She served on the Board of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and is a past President of the Board of the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV), where she oversaw development of CLCV's strategic plan and its evolution into a bipartisan spokesperson for California environmental groups. She has also served on the Board of the Mono Lake Committee. In 1986, Commissioner Grueneich founded her own law and consulting firm, known as Grueneich Resource Advocates (GRA). In addition to assisting clients on strategic energy planning, rate analysis, utility negotiations, and energy efficiency opportunities, she has analyzed California’s energy and environmental problems, assisted in the implementation of energy efficiency programs and is the author of energy reports on energy efficiency to the California State Legislature and others. From 1982–1985, Commissioner Grueneich was a Senior Associate at Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe, a major San Francisco law firm specializing in West Coast energy issues, including Pacific Northwest matters. From 1977–82, she was Staff Counsel at the California Energy Commission. Commissioner Grueneich earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1977 and a B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University in 1974.
Nick Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, Southwest Power Pool
Mr. Brown was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) in November 2003. In his current position, he is responsible for ensuring that SPP achieves its mission and goals. Mr. Brown also serves on the Board of Directors. Mr. Brown received Bachelor of Science degrees in physics and math from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981 and in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 1982. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu engineering honor societies, and IEEE and NSPE technical and professional societies. Mr. Brown is a Registered Professional Engineer, a Master Electrician in the state of Arkansas, and an instrument rated private pilot. Mr. Brown also serves on the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Research Institute.
William McCollum, Chief Operating Officer, Tennessee Valley Authority
Mr. McCollum was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 2007. He is responsible for the management of TVA’s power production, transmission, power trading, and resource management programs. Mr. McCollum came to TVA from Duke Energy where he served as Group Executive and Chief Regulated Generation Officer. Mr. McCollum was in charge of fourteen fossil plants in four states; five gas-fired plants and thirty-two hydroelectric plants that have a combined capacity of 21,000 MW. In addition, he was responsible for Engineering and Technical Services, Procurement, Regulated Bulk Power Marketing and New Generation Construction. Mr. McCollum joined Duke Power in 1974 and held numerous management positions. Mr. McCollum graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree and a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering. He received a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Mr. McCollum is a Registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina and South Carolina. He has held a Nuclear Regulatory Commission-issued senior reactor operator license for Catawba Nuclear Station. He previously served on the Executive Review Group of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, the Nuclear Power Council of the Electric Power Research Institute, and the Program and Resources Committee of the Nuclear Energy Institute. Mr. McCollum is also a member of the Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni at Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. McCollum and his wife, Sylvia, have a daughter and a son.
Will Kaul, Vice President, Transmission, Great River Energy
Will Kaul is Great River Energy’s Vice President, Transmission. Great River Energy’s transmission system includes over 4,500 miles of line and 100 substations covering 62 percent of the state. He has been employed by Great River Energy and one of its predecessor companies for over 29 years. Mr. Kaul is chair of the CapX 2020 project. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Mid-Continent Area Power Pool and serves as President of WIRES, a working group that promotes investment in the transmission grid. Mr. Kaul serves on the Agriculture Advisory Council to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and is a Director on the Will Steger Foundation Board. Mr. Kaul holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Minnesota.
Panel #6 Moderator
The Honorable David Coen, Member, Vermont Public Service Board and NARUC Second Vice President
Commissioner Coen was appointed as a Member to the Vermont Public Service Board in 1995 by then-Governor Howard Dean. Commissioner Coen was reappointed in 2001 and has subsequently been reappointed again to a third six-year term by Governor Jim Douglas. His current term expires in 2013. During his tenure, Commissioner Coen has served in a variety of regional and national leadership positions, including Chair of the Consumer Affairs Committee of the New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners (NECPUC) and as a member of the Electricity, Gas, and Finance and Technology Committees of NARUC. He currently serves as NARUC’s Second Vice President and is a member of the Association’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. In addition, Commissioner Coen serves as the Vice Chair of the Consumer Affairs Committee and he currently chairs the Board of Directors of the National Regulatory Research Institute. Commissioner Coen holds a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and pursued graduate study at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut. His prior government service includes the Vermont Goals 2000 Commission, the Lake Champlain Management Conference, and the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Educational and Municipal Financing Reform. He also served as Deputy Mayor, Alderman and Water Commissioner in the City of Vergennes.
Panel #6 Speakers
Gordon van Welie, President and Chief Executive Officer, ISO New England Inc.
Gordon van Welie is President and Chief Executive Officer of ISO New England, Inc., having previously served as the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating officer. He joined ISO New England from Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution LLC, where he served as Vice President and General Manager of the Power Systems Control Division and was responsible for delivering and supporting power system automation and information technology solutions for electric companies. Before moving to Siemens, Mr. van Welie held the position of Chief Engineer at ESKOM, South Africa's electric utility based in Johannesburg. He also serves as a member of ISO New England’s Board of Directors and is the current Chair of the ISO/RTO Council. Mr. van Welie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Angela O'Connor, President, New England Power Generators Association
Angela O’Connor is President of the New England Power Generators Association (NEPGA), the largest trade association representing electric power generators in the region. As President, Ms. O’Connor provides strategic leadership to the association and serves as its chief spokesperson for the owners and operators of the electric generating infrastructure in New England. Under her leadership, NEPGA is promoting competitive markets to achieve reliable and affordable energy for business and consumers, balancing a sound energy and environmental policy, as well as the economic development necessary for a healthy New England economy. Specifically, Ms. O’Connor’s focus includes working to ensure affordable and reliable supplies of electricity exist even as electric power needs continue to grow in New England. Prior to becoming President of NEPGA, Ms. O’Connor served as Vice President of Energy Policy at Associated Industries of Massachusetts (A.I.M.), the Commonwealth’s principal statewide employer organization. In that capacity, she represented the interests of A.I.M.’s 7,600 members, as energy customers, in a wide range of public, legislative, and regulatory activities. Before joining A.I.M., Ms. O’Connor was Operations Manager for Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority PowerOptions program. In addition, Ms. O’Connor has worked in marketing for the Boston Celtics, served as an environmental assistant to the City of Boston’s Environmental Department, and as a small business owner. She also served as Chair of the Board of Selectmen for the Town of Rockport. Ms. O’Connor is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts.
Laurie E. Aylsworth, Vice President, Transmission Projects, Engineering and Maintenance, Northeast Utilities System
Laurie E. Aylsworth is Vice President, Transmission Projects, Engineering and Maintenance for the Northeast Utilities System (NU). She is responsible for all field operations within NU’s transmission business, including engineering, project management, maintenance, construction, testing and work management. A native of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Ms. Aylsworth joined NU in 2004. She served as Project Director for the Bethel-Norwalk (B-N) project, one of the most complex transmission projects in the U.S. After B-N, she led NU’s New England East-West Solution project, a transmission build-out of more than 180 miles of new transmission lines across three New England states and 40 communities. Prior to joining NU, she managed transmission planning and projects for Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO), including siting and installation of the first U.S. commercial STATCOM device to maintain system voltage. Additional utility industry experience includes generation planning for Central Vermont Public Service. Ms. Aylsworth graduated from Colorado State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago Graduate School Business Executive Program in Corporate Strategy. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the World Affairs Council.
The Honorable Jack Keir, Minister of Energy, Acting Minister of Supply and Services, and Minister responsible for New Brunswick Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency, New Brunswick, Canada
Minister Keir was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the provincial election held September 18, 2006. He is a Liberal MLA and represents the new riding of Fundy-River Valley. Between 1995 and 2002, Minister Keir was General Manager for the Saint John Harbour Bridge Authority where he managed all bridge operations. In 2002, Minister Keir headed up the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission where he built a cohesive team that propelled the facilities operations into the 'black' while introducing a highly successful and growing recycling program. The recycling program alone helped divert over 30,000 tons of garbage from the area's landfill. Minister Keir was first elected to the Grand Bay council in 1995. He served a second term on the Town Council between 1998 and 2001 where he was the founding Chairperson of the Regional Facilities Commission. Minister Keir has also volunteered and supported many projects including ProKids, Milk for Moms, Moosehead Skate-to-Care and Enterprise Saint John. Minister Keir is married to Barbara Jeffrey, his high school sweetheart and partner of 23 years. Mrs. Keir works as a Director of Rehabilitation, Development and Evaluation at Workplace, Health, Safety and Compensation Commission. They currently reside in Grand Bay, Westfield.
Breakout Session A Moderator
The Honorable Marshall E. Whitenton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Siting and Analysis, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
Since September 2006, Marshall Whitenton has served in the DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability as head of the Permitting, Siting and Analysis (PSA) Division. He is responsible for implementing several provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, including congestion studies and National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (Section 1221(a)), coordination of Federal authorizations for transmission facilities (new Federal Power Act Section 216(h)) and the inter-agency effort to identify energy transport corridors on Federal Lands (Section 368). The PSA Division also issues Presidential permits and export authorizations, and provides financial and technical assistance to states and regions to develop effective solutions and assess alternatives increasing the reliability and efficiency of electric market operations. Mr. Whitenton previously served the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for 18 months as Deputy Director, Office of External Affairs, and Director for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. For the previous seven years, he served as Vice President for Energy and Environmental Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers. From 1991–1997, he was the Energy and Environmental Policy Analyst for the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee. Mr. Whitenton's background also includes working for the Standard Oil Company (Ohio); Associate Minority Counsel to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; and staff attorney at DOE. He served as an officer in U.S. Army Intelligence, including one tour in Vietnam. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his A.B. from Princeton University.
Breakout Session A Speakers
The Honorable Robert Lieberman, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission
Robert Lieberman is one of five Commissioners on the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Illinois State Senate for a five-year term. Commissioner Lieberman assumed Commissionership in February 2005 and his term will end in January 2010. He previously served as the Manager of the Division of Energy and Environment Assessment at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. He was the director of the Office of Research and Planning, Manager of the Energy Planning Section and Policy Analyst for the Office of Coal Development (1979–1997). From 1998–2005, he was the Chief Executive Officer for the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Commissioner Lieberman earned a B.A. from Oakland University and an M.P.P. in Public Policy Studies at the University of Michigan.
Paul J. Tyno, Executive Vice President, Program Development, Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.
As Executive Vice President of Program Development for Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc. (ECS), Mr. Tyno has been intensely involved in the energy arena since the beginning of electricity deregulation several years ago. ECS emphasizes a collaborative relationship with clients working hand-in-hand with them to develop market specific demand response solutions that deliver consistent, reliable and successful load reduction portfolios. Mr. Tyno is responsible for the implementation of the ECS demand response curriculum in both existing and new markets (regulated or restructured) working closely with utility companies, regulatory agencies, prospective clients, current participants, business/trade associations, economic development corporations and affiliate service providers. Mr. Tyno is a Member of the Board of Directors for Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) and for the Association of Energy Service Professionals. Mr. Tyno holds a B.A. from the State University of New York at Empire State College in Business Administration.
Brett A. Perlman, Vice President, Corporate Development, EnerNOC, Inc.
Brett A. Perlman is Vice President, Corporate Development for EnerNOC, Inc., a leading demand response provider that serves commercial and industrial customers in competitive wholesale energy markets. Prior to his current role, he served as Commissioner of the Public Utility Commission of Texas from 1999 to 2003. Perlman was appointed to the Texas PUC in 1999 by then-Governor George W. Bush and served until September 2003. He was responsible for leading the successful restructuring of Texas’ $17 billion electric utility industry and $4 billion telecommunications industry as these markets opened to competition. Prior to his appointment to the Texas PUC, Perlman was a management consultant with the Texas office of McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm known for its leadership role in business consulting. A native of Houston, Perlman graduated Phi Beta Kappa in economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He received a law degree from the University of Texas Law School where he was associate editor of the Texas Law Review. He also holds a master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Kathleen Hogan, Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Kathleen Hogan is the Director of the Climate Protection Partnerships Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She manages many of the Agency’s industry partnership programs designed to remove market barriers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving businesses and consumers money. These programs include the EPA’s flagship voluntary program, ENERGY STAR, which offers energy efficiency solutions across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors; partnership programs to promote renewable energy and combined heat and power; Climate Leaders, a corporate leadership program for addressing climate change; and a state partnership designed to promote clean energy policies with state decision-makers. Earlier efforts included the design and implementation of partnership programs with the U.S. natural gas, waste management, and livestock industries to reduce methane emissions, the U.S. primary aluminum industry to reduce emissions of perfluorocarbons, and a joint effort with the Russian natural gas industry. Ms. Hogan has been with the EPA since 1989. Prior to EPA, she worked in consulting and for a water resources planning commission for the Potomac River. She received her doctorate in systems analysis and environmental engineering from the Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Bucknell University.
Breakout Session B Moderator
The Honorable William Bryan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
Mr. Bryan is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. The Office of Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration Division (ISER) works with the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to enhance the security and resiliency of the nation’s critical energy infrastructure and facilitate the reconstruction and recovery of damaged or disrupted energy systems. Overseeing ISER's collection, analysis, and dissemination of vital information to all involved in response and restoration efforts, Mr. Bryan serves to keep the office in the essential coordinating role for the energy sector during a disruption. He also leads the office in its assistance to energy sector asset owners in the development and implementation of infrastructure protection strategies and methodologies. Before assuming his current position, Mr. Bryan served as the Director for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Mr. Bryan previously acted as the liaison to the Joint Programs Office for Special Technology Countermeasures in Dahlgren, Virginia within the Defense Intelligence Agency where he capped off his military career in Signals Intelligence. He holds a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington D.C. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Logistics Systems Management (Summa Cum Laude) from Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Breakout Session B Speakers
David Hawkins, Principal Engineer, Renewables Integration, California Independent System Operator
David Hawkins is the Lead Industry Relations Representative in the External Affairs Division at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Mr. Hawkins focuses on industry issues and proposed changes in national reliability standards and the CAISO’s compliance with those standards. Mr. Hawkins is a national electric industry expert knowledgeable in all aspects of the industry and is a technical expert on system operation issues. He is a Principal Investigator for the integration of renewable resources at the CAISO. The CAISO has conducted a major project to assess the operational impact on intermittent resources such as wind generation. The objective of the study is to identify potential grid operations, market operations and transmission issues and develop strategies to mitigate these issues. Mr. Hawkins is also responsible for assessment of new technologies and their potential application for solving operating issues. He has served on many professional and industry committees and is the Past Chair of the WECC Performance Work Group and Chair of the Wide Area Measurement Task Force. He is a Life Member of the IEEE, a graduate from the University of Michigan in electrical engineering and a graduate of Kalamazoo College with a degree in physics.
Mladen Kezunovic, Eugene E. Webb Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University
Mladen Kezunovic received the Dipl. Ing. (Diplom-Ingenieur), M.S. and PhD degrees in electrical engineering in 1974, 1977 and 1980, respectively. Currently, he is the Eugene E. Webb Professor and Site Director of the Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC), a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center at Texas A&M University. Dr. Kezunovic worked for Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, 1979–1980 and Energoinvest Company, in Europe 1980–1986. Dr. Kezunovic was a Visiting Associate Professor at Washington State University, Pullman, 1986–1987. Dr. Kezunovic spent his sabbaticals at EDF Research Center in Clamart during 1999–2000 and at the University of Hong Kong during fall 2007. He has served as the Principal Consultant since 1992 for Test Laboratories International, Inc., an engineering firm specializing in substation automation. His main research interests are monitoring, control, and protection of power systems and the 21st Century grid developments with related innovation in engineering, technology, policy, economic, societal, and environmental issues. He has published over 350 papers, given over 100 seminars, invited lectures and short courses, and consulted for over 30 major companies in the utility business worldwide. Dr. Kezunovic is a Fellow of the IEEE, an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, a member of CIGRE, and a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas.
Michael Petrucelli, Vice President, Government Affairs, GridPoint
Michael Petrucelli is Vice President of Government Affairs for GridPoint, Inc., the pioneer of an innovative smart grid platform to address energy challenges while aligning the interests of electric utilities, consumers, and the environment. He is responsible for engaging federal and state policymakers, representing the company in a variety of policy forums, and undertaking government-wide initiatives that raise awareness of GridPoint’s capabilities. Mr. Petrucelli joined GridPoint from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where he served as Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after working as Deputy Director. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Operations and Chief of Staff of the Export-Import Bank of the United States and worked at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He has promoted U.S.-Asia trade relations, serving as Executive Director of the U.S.-Thailand Business Council and as a Director at the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council. As a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer, he served in Bangkok and Netherlands Antilles. Mr. Petrucelli holds a master's degree in Business Administration from Goizueta Business School, Emory University and studied international business at Nijenrode University, the Netherlands. He also holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Joe Miller, Senior Vice President, Horizon Energy Group
Joe Miller is Senior Vice President at Horizon Energy Group (HEG). He provides expert insights to the energy industry in the areas of grid modernization and process/technology optimization. Mr. Miller has participated in a number of grid modernization projects over the past several years in the U.S. and has recently expanded his work to Eastern Europe. He is currently a member of DOE’s Modern Grid team. The Modern Grid team has developed the vision and key features of a Modern Grid and is assisting interested state regulators as they pursue grid modernization in their states. Prior to joining HEG, Mr. Miller spent 28 years at Illinois Power where he had the opportunity to work in the nuclear generation, transmission and distribution business units. In the nuclear program he held various senior management positions including Startup Manager, Work Management Manager, and Chief Engineer. He was also the Public Information Officer for the Nuclear Emergency Response Program. As Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services for the transmission and distribution business, he was responsible for engineering, planning, project management, and construction for the electric and gas assets. Mr. Miller has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Illinois.
Lunch Speaker
Andrew Weissman, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, EnergyBusinessWatch
Andrew Weissman is a nationally recognized expert on the natural gas, oil and electric utility industries and emerging issues related to climate change based in Washington, D.C. During his 30-year-plus career as a lawyer, consultant and corporate advisor to the energy industry, he has provided strategic advice to scores of major energy companies and financial institutions. In a pivotal series of articles and interviews in early 2002, Mr. Weissman was among the first to warn of the emerging natural gas crisis and to predict that oil would reach $65 per barrel. As a result of this work, Mr. Weissman has become recognized as an expert on the imbalance between the supply and demand for oil and natural gas markets and its likely impact on market participants. He also helped to pioneer the market for emissions trading in the U.S., structuring many of the earliest transactions under Title IV of the Clean Air Act (the acid rain provisions). He continues to provide groundbreaking research and insights into the natural gas, oil, coal and electric power markets. With the market repeatedly confirming the accuracy of Mr. Weissman's predictions, his analysis on the natural gas market is widely sought. Mr. Weissman is Founder and Chairman of Energy Ventures Group, L.L.C., an investment management and consulting firm based in Washington, where he first published Energy Business Watch, his widely followed energy research and analysis service (www.EnergyBusinssWatch.com ).
Panel #7 Moderator
The Honorable Garry Brown, Chairman, New York Public Service Commission
Garry Brown was named Chairman of the New York Public Service Commission on January 2, 2008. Commissioner Brown has nearly 30 years of experience in the public, private and not-for-profit energy and electricity sectors, including previously holding a position as Senior Policy Analyst for the former New York State Energy Office, which had been charged with developing a sustainable and sound energy policy and promoting energy efficiency, while protecting the environment and fostering economic development. Immediately prior to his appointment, Commissioner Brown had been Vice President of External Affairs at the New York Independent System Operator, a not-for-profit company that manages New York’s electricity transmission grid and oversees New York’s wholesale electricity markets. He has also worked for Sithe Energies, Inc. In addition, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Independent Power Producers of New York. As PSC Chairman, Commissioner Brown is also Chairman of the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment. He sits on the Board of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the New York State Environmental Board, and the Board of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Inc. Commissioner Brown is a member of the New York State Council for Universal Broadband and the Governor’s Economic Security Cabinet.
Panel #7 Speakers
The Honorable Phyllis A. Reha, Chair, NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment and Vice Chair, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
Phyllis A. Reha was appointed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by Governor Jesse Ventura in 2001 and was reappointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2007 and serves as its Vice Chair. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and currently serves as the Chair of the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. She is also a member and past President of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference. Commissioner Reha also serves on the Advisory Councils of the Electric Power Research Institute, the New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities and the National Council on Electricity Policy. Recently she was selected as one of seven Commissioners nationally to participate on a Leadership Group, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, whose charge was to develop a National Energy Efficiency Action Plan. She is also Co-Chair of the FERC/NARUC Demand Response Collaborative which will explore how to coordinate federal and state approaches to electricity demand response policies and practices. Before joining the PUC as a Commissioner, Ms. Reha spent 20 years as an Administrative Law Judge at the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings specializing in public utility, telecommunications and environmental regulation. Commissioner Reha has a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.
T. Graham Edwards, Chief Executive Officer, Midwest Independent System Operator
T. Graham Edwards is an experienced utility executive with an astute understanding of the concerns of both public and private power. As Chief Executive Officer of the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (ISO), Mr. Edwards leads one of the nation’s largest Regional Transmission Organizations, including one of the nation’s largest energy markets. He was selected to serve as Midwest ISO’s Chief Executive Officer on May 31, 2006, after serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer following the departure of former President and CEO Jim Torgerson. Before accepting his current position, Mr. Edwards served as a member of the Midwest ISO Board of Directors. Prior to his service with the Midwest ISO, Mr. Edwards served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Santee Cooper, the nation’s fourth-largest public power system in terms of kilowatt hours sold. Santee Cooper provides power, directly or indirectly, to approximately two million customers. During his 23 years at Santee Cooper, Mr. Edwards helped position the company for competition in a deregulated environment and helped start The Energy Authority, a wholesale energy and marketing company. Mr. Edwards also chaired that organization’s Board of Directors.
Sandra Hochstetter, Vice President, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation
Sandra Hochstetter serves as Vice President of Strategic Affairs for the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation. Most recently, Ms. Hochstetter served as Chair and Commissioner of the Arkansas Public Service Commission for seven years. Ms. Hochstetter also served as Assistant General Counsel for Centerpoint Energy. In 1999, she moved into the public sector to serve Governor Mike Huckabee as his Regulatory Policy Advisor. In July of 2000, Ms. Hochstetter began her tenure as Chairman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission. During her years as a state regulator, Ms. Hochstetter served in a variety of regional and national capacities. She was President of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference (MARC) and was a member of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. On a national level, Ms. Hochstetter was Chairman of the Critical Infrastructure Committee of the NARUC; a member of the NARUC Board of Directors; an active member of NARUC's Electricity and Washington Action Committees; and a member of NARUC's Climate Change Taskforce. Ms. Hochstetter received her bachelor's degree in social work and political science from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and her Juris Doctorate from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Ms. Hochstetter is the proud mother of a son, Christopher, and they reside in Little Rock.
Linda Ceylor, Vice President, Save Our Unique Lands
Linda Ceylor is currently serving her sixth term as Vice President of Save Our Unique Lands which is one of the largest grass roots organizations in Wisconsin, boasting members and affiliates in several states. In representing this group, she has served on the steering committee for Wisconsin Distributed Interconnected Resource Collaborative (WDIRC), organized with Wisconsin Stewardship Network (WSN) Wisconsin's first Citizen's Energy Forum, and is involved in both state and national policy work for Wisconsin Farmers Union. She has been involved in various collaborations with both environmental and social justice organizations in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Ms. Ceylor has appeared before both the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and the Public Utilities Commission of Minnesota. She has a B.A. from California State University, Humboldt.
CLOSING SESSION SPEAKERS
Closing Session Speaker
The Honorable C.H. "Bud" Albright, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
Mr. Albright was unanimously confirmed by the Senate to serve as Under Secretary of Energy in 2007. Under Secretary Albright oversees the Department’s Energy and Environment programs, including its diverse portfolio of applied energy research and development activities, nuclear waste management efforts, and environmental cleanup of the nuclear weapons complex. Prior to joining the Department of Energy, Mr. Albright was Republican Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. In that role he worked to address issues facing the nation’s energy, environmental, telecommunications and health industries. Before joining the Committee, Mr. Albright was Vice President of Federal Affairs for Reliant Energy. Mr. Albright also served as Deputy Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Additionally, Mr. Albright was Associate Counsel on the U.S. Senate Select Committee investigating the Iran-Contra incident. From 1981 through 1986, he also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. Under Secretary Albright has worked as a law clerk at a private law firm. A native of Rock Hill, South Carolina, Under Secretary Albright holds an undergraduate degree in history and political science from Presbyterian College in his home state and a Juris Doctor Degree from George Mason University School of Law in Virginia. Mr. Albright lives in Virginia with his wife and their two children.
The Honorable Sam J. Ervin, IV, Commissioner, North Carolina Utilities Commission and Chair, 2008 U.S. Electricity Delivery Working Group
Commissioner Ervin attended Davidson College, where he received an A. B., Magna Cum Laude, in 1978, and Harvard Law School, from which he received a J.D., Cum Laude, in 1981. After becoming licensed to practice law in North Carolina in 1981, he entered private practice in Morganton, N.C., with the firm of Byrd, Byrd, Ervin, Whisnant, McMahon & Ervin, P. A., and its predecessors. While in private practice from 1981 to 1999, Commissioner Ervin represented clients in a variety of administrative, civil, and criminal cases before various governmental agencies, the North Carolina trial and appellate courts, and the United States trial and appellate courts for North Carolina. Commissioner Ervin left the practice of law to take office as a member of the Commission on July 2, 1999. He served as Chairman of the NARUC Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues and Waste Disposal from 2002 through 2005. Commissioner Ervin currently chairs the 2008 U.S. Electricity Delivery Working Group, which is an ad hoc group of electricity experts who developed and planned the 2008 DOE-NARUC National Electricity Delivery Forum.
Information about the speakers from last year's Forum is available on the 2007 Forum website.