The Grid Forward Board of Advisors draws a diverse group of experts from across our membership to help guide our focus and activities. Join Grid Forward, and become part of this forward-looking group!
Grid Forward maintains a group of diverse industry professionals to help steer the key activities of the organization. Advisors are invited to serve from among members in good standing to align with the core interests and efforts of the organization. The Executive Committee of the Board reviews Advisor candidates which are confirmed by the Executive Director. There are no term limits for Advisors. Advisor meetings are generally held monthly. Typically four to six Advisors are selected each year.
Our advisors commit to three-year terms, so there are often opportunities for new leaders to help us move forward. Contact Grid Forward if you or someone you know would like to serve.
Director of Innovation, Technology and R&D
Ankush is responsible for developing and delivering a robust Grid Transmission and Distribution analytics capability and program for Exelon’s six utilities. Ankush is passionate about enabling awareness and adoption of analytics across organizations to help accelerate development of an analytics-driven culture and co-founded Exelon Utilities’ premiere Analytics Academy program. He’s spent 10 years at Exelon in various Analytics and Audit leadership roles and currently leads its Utility Analytic Institute’s Safety Analytics Community initiative, serves on the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies’ (AEIC) Analytics Council, and previously co-chaired the joint Data Analytics Committee for Edison Electric Institute and American Gas Association (EEI-AGA). Ankush is a University Gold Medalist from Louisiana State University, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
CEO and Co-Founder
Kaitlyn Albertoli is the CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions, where she leads the use of artificial intelligence to help electric utilities modernize how infrastructure is inspected and maintained. Buzz Solutions enables utilities to convert large volumes of inspection imagery into prioritized insights that support faster decision-making and more effective asset management. Over nearly a decade, Kaitlyn has led work with power utilities to deploy AI-driven inspection solutions across critical infrastructure assets. Earlier in her career, she served as CEO of a sustainable food nonprofit. Kaitlyn holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.
CEO
Emeka Anyanwu became CEO of Lincoln Electric System (LES) – the municipal public utility serving Lincoln, Nebraska and surrounding communities – in January 2024. Prior to LES, he served as Energy Innovation & Resources officer at Seattle City Light, one of the nation’s largest community-owned, not-for-profit utilities. In that role, he was responsible for leading strategic functions that included utility technology (IT/OT), information security, electrification, grid modernization, and current and future power resource strategy. Earlier in his career, Emeka spent 16 years at Kansas City Power & Light (now Evergy) in various roles, starting out as a Distribution Engineer, moving into progressive leadership roles in T&D operations. He has served on industry Boards including the Public Power Council, the Public Generating Pool, and Energy Northwest. Recent awards for him include the SEPA’s Individual 2021 Power Player of the Year and the Energy Thought Summit’s 2023 Thought Leader of the Year.
Director of Regulatory Affairs and Industry Relations
Drawing from her consulting experience, Marguerite supports external and government relations for Landis+Gyr’s by analyzing “the four levers” of energy policy at the state and national level: regulation, technology, policy, and markets. Past clients include Fortune 500 companies, the Department of Energy, municipalities, energy developers, energy efficiency product developers, environmental nonprofits, smart grid advocates, and national laboratories. Areas of expertise include grid modernization, investor-owned utility regulation, DER policy, advanced rate design, smart metering business cases, and demand-side management portfolios. Marguerite is passionate about event production, public speaking, systems thinking, and creative approaches to solving complex problems, including decarbonization of the grid and energy equity issues in the U.S.
General Manager
Stephen Boorman, PE, General Manager for Idaho Falls Power, has been in engineering and management for over 30 years, with 25 of those years working for electric utilities. His previous positions have included Light Department Director for the City of Cheney, Washington, City Administrator for the City of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and Engineer for Missoula Electric Coop. He also worked for the Boeing Company after graduating with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Montana State University. With his extensive experience in engineering, city planning and utility operations, in his role as Assistant General Manager, Boorman focuses on engineering with utility planning and operations. He also supports internal staff needs across various Idaho Falls Power and Fiber Divisions, working both internally and externally to support collaborations with other City departments and with customers.
Executive Director of Government Capture in Corporate Affairs
Andy Coleman leads strategy and federal, state and DOD business development opportunities at EPRI. Coleman held positions as a Senior Technical Executive, Senior Program Manager and Account Executive. His areas of technical expertise are in structural geology, geothermal sciences and environmental remediation. During a hiatus from EPRI, Andy was appointed the Director of Energy Systems Engineering at Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Before joining EPRI, he worked on company-wide projects at Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) in Newark, New Jersey. Andy earned a Bachelor’s degree in geology from Lehigh University. He also earned a Master of Arts degree in geology and a Doctorate in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
VP Transmission Planning and Asset Management
Jeff oversees the transmission planning and asset management program to promote the reliability, efficiency and economical use of the transmission-related physical assets. Planning and Asset Management is responsible for the development of an asset management system framework that informs decisions on near and long-term activities and strategies to meet the predicted future demands on BPA’s transmission system, achieves its desired performance levels and realizes the lowest life-cycle costs for these assets. Prior to BPA, Jeff worked for several utilities and communication companies, including CenturyTel and Pacific Power and Light. Jeff earned his bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Colorado State University, and he holds a professional engineering license in Oregon.
President and CEO
Scott Corwin is the President & CEO of the American Public Power Association. He previously served as executive director of the Northwest Public Power Association in Vancouver, Washington, where he worked on behalf of utility and associate members in ten western states and British Columbia. Prior to NWPPA, he served as the executive director of the Public Power Council, advocating for public power’s access to federal power from the Bonneville Power Administration. Corwin has extensive experience developing and advocating for federal policy positions before Congress, executive branch agencies, industry partners, and the media. He has served on numerous industry task forces relating to power supply, has been an expert witness before Congress, and served on various charitable and community boards.
Advisory Services, Director – Grid Modernization
Chris Erpelding is POWER’s Director of Grid Modernization Advisory Services. His 40 years of industry
experience have encompassed roles in IT/OT software development, system integration, program
management, and advisory services. A cornerstone of his work involves partnering with utilities of varying sizes
to develop pragmatic, accessible technology roadmaps. These roadmaps, particularly focused on grid
modernization, are instrumental in steering organizations toward a grid of the future that is not only safe,
reliable, and flexible but also affordable, resilient, and sustainable. Chris empowers stakeholders to embrace
transformative strategies, fostering a robust infrastructure that anticipates the evolving needs of the power
sector. Chris loves sharing actionable insights from his vast experience, focusing on best practices for IT/OT
convergence and the development of innovative approaches that are crucial for the advancement and
sustainability of our future power systems.
Executive Director
Charity Fain has over 25 years of experience building stronger communities in the US and around the world. As the Executive Director of the Community Energy Project (CEP), Charity is responsible for the strategic direction, leadership and management of the organization to fulfill our mission that everyone deserves a safe, healthy and efficient home, regardless of income. In this effort, she designs programs that provide free home services focused on safety, health, and energy efficiency for low-income Oregonians. Charity also leads CEP’s advocacy efforts at the city and state level to push for climate and energy justice. Prior to CEP, Charity’s professional experience focused on increasing civil engagement and political participation around the world. She has a BA in International Relations from The American University with a minor in Russian language.
Partner
Dr. Carolin Funk is a Partner at Blue Bear Capital, a venture and growth equity firm investing in digital technologies across energy, infrastructure, and climate. The firm backs companies in areas like AI, IoT, and cybersecurity that help modernize and scale critical industrial systems. Carolin has spent her career driving the energy transition across government, large corporates, and startups. Before Blue Bear, she was COO of two energy storage companies in the Bay Area. Earlier, she worked at Siemens, focusing on digital products for energy and industrial automation. She began her career in Germany as a Project Director at the German Energy Agency and as a researcher at TU Berlin.
She holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from TU Berlin.
Managing Director, Resource Planning and Power Procurement
Matt Futch is the Managing Director of Integrated System Planning at Black and Veatch. In this role he leads a dedicated team and portfolio of work service electric and gas utilities, data centers developers, and other large commercial/industrial client segments. Prior to this role, he led strategic partnerships for the Tapestry project at Google X, which is creating a single virtualized view of the power system. Matt has worked in the power industry in different positions for two decades focused on technology, regulation, and business partnership formation. He is an expert in energy-related technology, utility regulation, and new products and services for the power industry. Matt holds a Master of Arts in Global Finance and International Trade from the University of Denver. He lives with his family in Golden, Colorado and is a lifelong tennis fan / player.
Principal
Cara Goldenberg is a Principal on RMI’s Carbon-Free Electricity Program where she leads RMI’s work with utilities, regulators, and advocates to evolve utility business models and regulations to affordably decarbonize the power sector. In this capacity, Cara has managed engagements with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel, Illinois Commerce Commission, and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality on regulatory reforms needed to support the equitable integration of clean and distributed energy resources (DERs). Cara also leads RMI’s support for the NARUC-NASEO DER Integration & Compensation Initiative, which is focused on supporting utility regulators and state energy offices navigate topics related to aggregated DERs and integrated distribution system planning. Cara is an experienced facilitator, leading stakeholder processes across the US to make progress on complex issues related to the energy transition. She is the co-author of various RMI reports focused on performance-based regulation, regulatory process design, market structures, and DER utilization. Prior to joining RMI, Cara pursued a Master’s in Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School, where she received a certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy. Prior to Princeton, Cara worked at Dian Grueneich Consulting in San Francisco. Her work focused on analyzing state and regional clean energy policies and regulations.
Chief Operating Officer
Amy Grice, Chief Operating Officer, has been with Peninsula Light since 2011 focusing on new operational technologies to improve distribution system efficiencies, data visualization and outage response. Amy embarked on her utility career in the early 2000’s as an electrical engineer for a municipality in the SCADA/Control Center. She has a Master of Engineering and Technology Management and a Bachelors of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, both from Washington State University. She is a registered PE in Washington State and has completed the NRECA Management Internship Program (MIP).
Commissioner, Vice Chair
Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Gunda in February 2021 to serve as the Energy Commission’s public member. Gunda was later appointed to Vice Chair in September 2021. He is the lead commissioner on energy assessments. Gunda served as manager of the Demand Analysis Office and deputy director for the Energy Commission’s Energy Assessments Division. The division forecasts and assesses energy demands and supplies.Before joining the Energy Commission, he served in a variety of capacities at the Energy Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, including as the director of research, where he directed the institute’s operations and research portfolio.
He holds a master of science in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Utah State University. Gunda is pursuing his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from UC Davis. He is a serious cricket fan and former captain of his college team. He lives with his family in Davis.
Energy Product and Program Supervisor
Josh Hebert is the Energy Product and Program Supervisor at Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative. He has also held management positions at Great River Energy focused on demand response programs and other improvements to grid planning and optimization. He has also been a professor in energy and utility topics at Bismark State College.
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Tim Heidel is Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at VEIR. Tim served as VEIR’s first Chief Technology Officer from January 2020 when the company was founded until February 2023.
Prior to VEIR, Tim was a member of the investments team at Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), investing in companies that leverage innovative technologies to significantly address climate change. Prior to BEV, Tim served as Deputy Chief Scientist at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), where he helped lead NRECA’s technology scouting and research and development activities on behalf of NRECA’s 900 non-profit, member-owned electric utility members. Prior to NRECA, Tim served as a Fellow and Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), where he led the development of 3 new programs and managed a portfolio of over 75 research projects. His focus at ARPA-E included new approaches for controlling and optimizing the transmission and delivery of electric power. Dr. Heidel also managed programs focused on high-efficiency power electronics, including new magnetic materials, new capacitor technologies, and wide band gap semiconductor devices.
CEO and General Manager
Brian Heithoff has served as CEO and General Manager of Trico Electric Cooperative since 2021, leading operations that support more than 53,000 members in the communities surrounding Tucson, Arizona.
He is a leader in rural grid resilience and distributed energy systems and has more than 30 years of experience in the electric cooperative industry, including 26 years as a CEO.
Head of Strategic Innovation, R&D and Grants
Partner
Mark leads the US commercial team for Opus One Solutions, which was recently acquired by GE Digital. Prior to Opus One, Mark was VP of Sales & Strategy at Varentec, acquired by Koch, where he was responsible for key accounts & go-to-market. He began his career as a distribution engineer with Manitoba Hydro and then took on various roles from utility sales to buy-side M&A within Siemens Energy. Mark was the team lead for the acquisition integration of eMeter to Siemens prior to taking on global product responsibility for cloud based solutions within eMeter. Mark holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manitoba and completed his MBA at Rollins College in Florida.
President
Philip Jones is currently President of Phil Jones Consulting LLC based in Seattle, Washington, that provides expert advice and consulting services for organizations in the fields of energy and utility regulation, communications regulation, and cybersecurity compliance and regulation. Besides his consulting work, Mr. Jones serves as a Director of the Western Grid Group which advocates for clean energy resources and an efficient transmission grid in the Western States. He also serves as a Board Advisor to Energy Impact Partners (EIP), based in New York City. Mr. Jones is on the Board of Directors of Greenlots, one of the leading innovators developing intelligent solutions for EV infrastructure for utilities. He also serves on the non-profit Boards of Directors of Carbon WA and Climate Solutions. Commissioner Jones served on the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) from March 2005 to March 2017. Mr. Jones was active nationally with the FERC, U.S. Department of Energy, DHS, and the FCC. He also served on the Advisory Council of EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute).
Shiv Kumar is the Vice President of Operations, Asset and Grid Modernization at ENMAX Power Corporation. Shiv has over 30 years of experience working in the energy industry spanning over five different countries. He has an extensive understanding of the electrical systems, Operational Technologies, and processes and how they fit within the regulatory framework.
In his current role, Shiv’s focus is advancing T&D energy transition plan, within the regulated utility, through automation of business applications and systems, for increased grid reliability, resiliency and operational excellence. Shiv is passionate about leadership and leads a dynamic team of skilled professionals committed to advancing ENMAX’s Transmission and Distribution business. Currently he oversees the Operations, Technology, Engineering, Asset Management and Grid Modernization areas within ENMAX Power.
Shiv is registered Professional Engineer with APEGA and currently represents ENMAX on various Executive Committees including the Western Energy Institute (WEI) and Electricity Canada.
Americas Executive Leader for Power & Utilities
Director of Electrification and Strategic Technology
David Logsdon is Seattle City Light’s Director of Electrification and Strategic Technology. In this role David works with City leaders to achieve the strategic intent of deep decarbonization through electrification, leading the development and implementation of a portfolio of electrification and innovation projects, programs, and partnerships. This includes the implementation of leading-edge technologies and projects including Grid Modernization and emerging technology pilots as key components of Seattle City Light’s objective to promote and facilitate equitable electrification. David previously worked at Con Edison for a decade where he led Product and Service Development, revamping energy efficiency programs and launching new non-wires, electrification, and non-pipeline solutions portfolios.
President & CEO
Jessica Matlock is President and CEO of PNGC Power, a generation and transmission cooperative that provides wholesale power and strategic services to 25 rural electric cooperatives across seven Western states. She leads PNGC’s efforts to secure reliable, cost-effective energy for rural communities while advancing new generation development and long-term power supply strategies across the Pacific Northwest.
Prior to joining PNGC, Matlock served as CEO of La Plata Electric Association in Colorado, where she was the first female CEO in the cooperative’s 85-year history and strengthened the utility’s financial position while launching innovative energy programs. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Snohomish County PUD, served as an energy policy advisor in the U.S. Senate, and worked at the Bonneville Power Administration. Matlock is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and holds degrees from the University of Washington and Portland State University.
Commissioner
Ann McCabe is a commissioner at the Illinois Commerce Commission. She has over 25 years of energy and environmental policy and regulatory experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Prior to rejoining the ICC in February 2022, Ann led the US program at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) for two years. In her prior term as an Illinois commissioner from March 2012-January 2017, Ann focused on grid modernization, power transformation, regional transmission and nuclear issues. She was president of the Organization of PJM States, Inc. (OPSI) and of the MidAmerica Regulatory Conference (MARC) boards. Her consulting experience includes two years as the interim executive director of The Climate Registry and assisting nonprofit and trade association clients on regulatory and policy issues. Ann has a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago’s Harris School and a bachelor’s in political science from Williams College.
Senior Director of Grid Research Innovation and Development (GRiD)
organization
Quinn Nakayama is the senior director of Grid Research Innovation and Development (GRiD) organization at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). GRiD’s role is to provide insight into the future of the grid, perform research and development on key areas impacting the company’s energy system strategy, pilot new grid architectures and technologies, identify pathways of pilots to full programs, and drive and collaborate on energy policies to ensure a safe, clean, reliable, and affordable energy future in meeting the needs of energy resilience and climate change. This includes areas of focus such as Distributed Energy Resources, microgrids, electric vehicles, sensing, new forms of generation and storage, load management, infrastructure maintenance and construction innovations, and energy system planning. Prior to his current role, Quinn held various roles at the company, including directing Electric Distribution Planning, running the Central Distribution Control Center, executing as the Chief of Staff for the VP of Electric Distribution, and assisting in the startup of the company’s Emergency Preparedness and Response program and department. He also held leadership positions in management consulting with the Big 4, and graduated with a Business Administrations degree from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!). But most importantly, he has a wife and 2 kids, which are the center of his world.
President & Board Chairman
Steven Parker, CISA, CISSP, is President of EnergySec, and is a founding director of the organization. He has been engaged in critical infrastructure protection within the electric sector since 2001, including 8 years as a senior security staff member at a large investor-owned utility. As one of the original CIP auditors, he helped establish the NERC CIP audit program at the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) in 2009. At EnergySec, he developed and established its NERC CIP training program, and has instructed more than 1000 industry professionals on this topic. Mr. Parker is also a partner at Archer Security Group, a leading consulting firm specializing in compliance and security in the energy sector. His experience includes a broad range of security disciplines including e-commerce, identity management, intrusion detection, forensics, incident response and investigations, security event monitoring, and NERC CIP compliance.
Global Industry Solutions Infrastructure Director
Matt Piper is Esri’s Global Industry Solutions Infrastructure Director. He focuses on technology telecommunications, utilities, water, and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) and leads Esri Digital Twin Initiatives. As a professional senior leader working for the largest GIS company in the world, he focuses on exploring new opportunities for how location intelligence is applied to utilities and how GIS aligns to future strategies to enable organizations to evolve to meet the changing demands of the industry. As an industry thought leader Matt represents GIS capability and value to improve upon efficiency and decision making.
CEO
Jeff Ressler is Chief Executive Officer of Clean Power Research. Since joining the company in 2007, he has overseen the inception of the SolarAnywhere(r) and WattPlan(r) software families, and grown PowerClerk(r) from a nascent, online incentive processing tool into a powerful, general purpose energy program automation solution. Today, the company’s cloud software solutions serve ten of the top ten utilities in the United States as well as countless project engineers, renewables developers and independent power producers around the world. Earlier in his career, Jeff spent more than ten years at Microsoft, with leadership roles on Exchange and SQL Server as well as a nearly three-year assignment as speech assistant to Bill Gates. Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University.
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Adam Richins is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Idaho Power. Since joining Idaho Power in 2011, he has served as Vice President of Customer Operations and Business Development; General Manager of Customer Operations Engineering and Construction, and Senior Counsel. Richins holds two Bachelor of Science degrees (Mathematics from the University of Puget Sound and Civil Engineering from Columbia University). He earned a law degree from the University of Washington and clerked for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Richins serves on boards at Saint Alphonsus Health System, Boise School Foundation, the Boise Chamber of Commerce and the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee.
Strategic Energy Consultant, Smart Grid & DOE Grant Initiatives
Michael Ryan provides program management and technical integration support for Kit Carson Electric Cooperative’s resilience and grid modernization initiatives, including coordination of DOE and State of New Mexico–funded projects involving microgrids, energy storage, and advanced distribution technologies. He delivers solutions for energy companies and distribution utilities through strategic planning, operational situational awareness, distributed energy resource management, BESS and microgrid development, and grant application and management.
Recently an operator and co-founder of Camus Energy, he has over 20 years of experience in software development, service delivery, business operations, and executive leadership in the areas of data integration, business process management, Web, IOT, and industrial and data management. He has delivered key strategies, products, and programs for GE Power, GE Power Conversion, NetApp, BD Bioscience, Sony Biotechnology, and utilities in the US, including rural electric cooperatives in the Intermountain West. Michael received his degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley, has been certified as a Stanford Advanced Project Manager, and received an MBA at Santa Clara University.
Director of the Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings (EI&B) Division
Dr. Karma Sawyer is the Director of the Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings (EI&B) Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). She is responsible for vision and strategy to tackle the nation’s most important energy efficiency, clean energy, and electricity infrastructure challenges. The Division consists of about 450 staff members in eight technical groups in electrical, mechanical, and systems engineering, data and computer sciences, cybersecurity, policy and economics by building diverse, multi-disciplinary teams to provide innovative and actionable solutions to Department of Energy and Department of Defense clients.
Director of Policy and Strategy and COO
Julia Selker is the Director of Policy and Strategy and Chief Operating Officer for Grid Strategies. In this role, she facilitates new business and coordinates the Future Power Markets Forum. Julia also serves as the Executive Director of the Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT) Coalition, leading policy advocacy and education on Grid Enhancing Technologies. She previously worked in communications for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and technology startups, interned with Congressman Peter DeFazio focused on energy and climate policy, and worked on the launch of Monterey Bay Community Power through the public relations agency Miller Maxfield, Inc. She has a bachelor’s degree in physics from Reed College.
Sr. Managing Director of Energy
Marc Spieler is a seasoned executive in the technology and energy sectors, and currently the Senior Managing Director for the Global Energy Industry at NVIDIA. Since his appointment in July 2019, Marc has been instrumental in crafting and executing NVIDIA’s strategic direction across the energy sector, encompassing key areas such as oil and gas, renewables, power generation, and utilities.
In his role at NVIDIA, Marc is responsible for leveraging the company’s accelerated computing platforms to drive innovative applications in HPC, visualization, deep learning, data science, and artificial intelligence in all segments of energy with a focus on accelerating decision-making and optimizing outcomes for energy companies. Marc’s key responsibilities include spearheading business development initiatives, steering product innovation in collaboration with engineering, and leading targeted marketing strategies. He is pivotal in cultivating a diverse industry ecosystem, forging connections with influencers, system integrators, solution providers, startups, and established corporations, thus driving NVIDIA’s market expansion and revenue growth in the energy sector.
Founder & CEO
Mischa’s product development and management experience in the embedded electronics, wireless, and software industries was honed at organizations such as ECO Fuel Systems, Newpoint Thermal and the Okanagan Research & Innovation Centre. Mischa is a frequent speaker and panelist at industry conferences, university programs and government events on the smart grid and the innovation potential of technology to transform business and society. He represented Awesense as a voting and participating member during the inception of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and an active volunteer at Science World to encourage school children to pursue careers in math, science, and engineering. Mischa holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Victoria and in Wireless, Electronics, Engineering Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, after leaving a PhD path at Simon Fraser University in Mathematics.
Founder & President
Travis has been at the forefront of utility transformation since 1998, and leads the established utility consulting practice for JTS based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. With a focus on business operations and emerging technologies, he has worked on numerous AMI and Smart Grid initiatives in multiple countries. Travis provides strategic leadership and support to more than 30 JTS consultants who are actively working with utility customers around the globe on projects ranging from demand side management to people, process and tools relating to bulk electric system operations. Prior to founding JTS in 2004, Travis worked as an application consultant implementing utility customer information system throughout North America, and previous to that was employed by BC Hydro as a business analyst. Travis has worked both above and below the meter, with utility scale as well as distributed generation, and been in the field to appreciate how water, gas and electric utilities have operated in the past and need to operate in the future.
Director of Digital Cloud Strategy & Business Development
Joe Tellez, Director of Digital Cloud Strategy at TRC, where he supports market strategies and business development activities centric to TRC Digital services and has been on the Advisory Board since 2015. Joe provides vision for both short-term and long-term strategies to improve utility performance through the effective use of utility technology. He brings over 25 years of industry experience serving in a number of senior leadship roles in organizations including UiPath, Tacoma Power, Utility Integration Solutions / Alstom Grid, and Sempra Utilities – San Diego Gas & Electric / Southern California Gas Co. He is a sought-after panelist and author, serves on the UW-Tacoma School of Engineering & Technology Advisory Board, and served as the Executive in Residence at University of Colorado’s Global Energy Management Program. He obtained a B.S. in industrial and systems engineering and an M.S. in systems architecture & engineering from University of Southern California.
Professor | Director of Energy Systems Innovation Center
Mani V. Venkatasubramanian is a Boeing Distinguished Professor in Electrical Engineering at Washington State University (WSU), Pullman, WA. He also serves as the Director of the Energy Systems Innovation Center (ESIC) which manages the power engineering research and education at WSU. He serves as the Chair of the IEEE PES Working Group on Power System Dynamic Measurements. He is an elected member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences. He was an invited member of the working groups that studied the 1996 Western interconnection blackouts and the 2003 Northeastern blackout. Mani has been working on modeling, stability analysis, and control designs for power grids for the past thirty years. He is an IEEE Fellow for his contributions to the online detection of oscillatory behavior of electric power systems. He is a recipient of the IEEE PES Prabha S. Kundur Power System Dynamics and Control Award.
CEO
Dr. Karen Wayland is a recognized expert in national energy and environmental policy and served in leadership positions at the highest levels of government and nonprofits. Through her business, kW Energy Strategies, she has been providing strategic consulting on grid modernization policy, coalition building and communications for major clean energy companies, national environmental organizations, local officials, and foundations. At the U.S. DoE, she established a team for former Secretary Moniz to conduct analyses and develop strategies for DOE’s work with states, local authorities, served on leadership team for the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), and was the primary author of the QER “Modernizing the Grid” chapter and policy recommendations. Dr. Wayland worked on energy and climate legislation for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid when he was Majority Whip. She has extensive experience working with nonprofit organizations, including as CEO of the Clean Energy Project, Legislative Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Director on the Board of Center for Sustainable Energy, and Distinguished Associate at the Energy Futures Initiative. She has been the Policy Advisor to GridWise Alliance for the last year. Dr. Wayland is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Boston University Institute for Sustainable Energy and an Equity in Energy Ambassador at the US DOE. She holds a Master of Science from the University of Connecticut and a Dual Ph.D. in the fields of geochemistry and resource development from Michigan State University.
Executive Director Origination
Jordan White is Executive Director Origination at NextEra Energy Resources, formerly GridLiance, where he focuses on electric transmission development in the western United States. Prior to joining GridLiance, Jordan served as a Vice President of Strategic Engagement and Deputy General Counsel for the Western Electricity Coordinating Counsel (WECC). Before his time at WECC, Jordan worked as legal counsel to the Utah Public Service Commission until his appointment as a commissioner by Governor Gary Herbert in 2015. During his time at the Commission, Jordan served as President of the National Conference of Regulatory Attorneys, Chair of the CAISO Western Energy Imbalance Market Body of State Regulators, Chair of the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body, Regulatory Liaison to RC West, President of the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners, and as a Class 5 Representative on Peak Reliability’s Member Advisory Committee.
Founder and CEO
Josh is the Founder and CEO of ThinkLabs AI, a specialized AI company developing AI digital twins and agents for electrical grid planning and operations, to empower critical infrastructure towards energy autonomy and sustainability. Josh brings over 20 years of experience in cleantech, including utility grid modernization, solar, storage, microgrids, hydrogen, and DERMS. Josh was formerly founder and CEO of Opus One Solutions, rated #1 Grid DERMS by Guidehouse, and General Manager of Grid Orchestration at GE Vernova.