Katherine Hamilton, Chair, 38 North Solutions

Katherine is Chair of 38 North Solutions. In this role, Katherine is listed on the #Solar100 board by kWh Analytics and received a Cleanie Award as Entrepreneur of the Year. Katherine has led several councils at the World Economic Forum and is currently Co-Chair of the Global Future Council on Clean Electrification. Katherine served as President of the GridWise Alliance, advocating for nearly $5 billion in funding for smart grid projects in the Recovery Act. Prior to that role, Katherine was a policy advisor for Good Energies, Inc., a private investment company with a portfolio in clean energy technologies of nearly $6 billion. She co-directed the American Bioenergy Association, working with the states of Maryland and New Jersey to develop renewable portfolio standards. At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Katherine led buildings research and then managed government relations in Washington, DC. Katherine spent a decade at Virginia Power, designing overhead and underground electrical systems for commercial and residential developments. Katherine studied electrical engineering at Northern Virginia Community College and holds degrees from Cornell University and the Sorbonne. Katherine is part of The Energy Gang podcast through Greentech Media.

Phyllis Currie, Chair, MISO

Phyllis Currie has more than 45 years of public service, over half of which has focused on electric and water utilities.  For the past five years, she has provided consulting services on water and electric issues.  She is chair of the board of directors of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, and an executive consultant for Hometown Connections, Inc., doing strategic planning and training for utilities in California.  She is a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops on utility finances and customer service and active in several non-profit and community organizations.

From 2001 to July 2015, Ms. Currie was General Manager of Pasadena Water and Power (PWP), which serves the city and portions of Los Angeles County. Under her leadership, the utility added new electric generation units to its power plant, built a water treatment plant funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to clean up ground water contamination; and embarked on multi-year infrastructure improvement programs to upgrade the city’s water and electrical distribution systems.  She led the development of water and energy resource plans which include aggressive goals for renewable energy, water conservation, and launched a water reclamation project which has completed its environmental review and is now pursuing funding options. She successfully engaged and educated the community to develop broad support for these initiatives. 

She spent 30 years with the city of Los Angeles in several positions, including Chief Financial Officer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Assistant City Administrative Officer and Rent Stabilization Director.

Ms. Currie has been board president of the California Municipal Utilities Association, board president of the Southern California Public Power Authority and board chair of the American Public Power Association.  She has also served on the DOE Electricity Advisory Committee, the Electric Power Research Institute and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

Current non-profit and community service includes the boards of the Association of Women in Water, Energy and the Environment, a California organization which encourages women to pursue careers in these fields; Grid Alternatives which provides solar systems for low income residents and hands-on job training for people in the communities served; the Water and Power Associates, which provides education on local and state water and energy issues, Pasadena Rotary and the Ebell Club of Los Angeles.

Her education includes a BA in political science and an MBA from UCLA., and the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Christina Hajj, Manager of Strategy and Special Projects, Business Planning and Development, DTE Energy

Jennifer Haverkamp: Director, Graham Sustainability Institute, and Professor of Practice, University of Michigan Law School and School of Public Policy

Madeleine Klein: Managing Director of Policy and Market Strategy, ENGIE Distributed Renewables

As Managing Director of Policy & Market Strategy, Madeleine is responsible for helping ENGIE Distributed Renewables gain a strategic advantage by fostering new customer relationships and driving revenue development through the application of high-value and actionable market intelligence. Formerly Edison Energy’s Managing Director of Energy Storage Solutions, Madeleine led SoCore Energy and Edison Energy’s diversification beyond solar into integrated load management, smart energy storage and customized distributed generation.

Madeleine has nearly 20 years of experience in energy policy and market analysis. Prior to joining ENGIE, she was a Senior Policy Advocate with the Environmental Law & Policy Center in Chicago, where she was involved in renewable energy policy development and regulatory proceedings across the Midwest. She was also a member of the management team for the City of Chicago’s Solar Market Transformation Project, part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative.

Madeleine previously served as Deputy Director of Policy & Communications for the City of Knoxville, Tennessee, where she led downtown redevelopment activities and launched the City’s Energy & Sustainability Initiative, including the Solar America Cities program. Between 2002 and 2006, Madeleine worked as a Policy Analyst for Environment Northeast and as Coordinator of the Community Clean Air Initiative for the City of New Haven, Connecticut.

Madeleine holds a Master’s of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and a BA from Carleton College.

John Moore: Director, Sustainable FERC Project/Climate and Clean Energy Program, Senior Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council

John Moore focuses on developing a modern, flexible, and efficient high-power electrical grid that will help accelerate renewable and clean energy use. Moore is the Director of The Sustainable FERC Project, a coalition-based initiative housed within Natural Resources Defense Council. The Project promotes the transition to a cleaner, low-carbon, and sustainable energy future through reforms to FERC-jurisdictional markets, operations, and planning. Its mission is to integrate wind, solar, energy efficiency, demand response, energy storage, and similar zero-carbon resources into the electric grid. (Visit www.sustainableFERC.org to learn more about the Project’s work.)

Mr. Moore advocates on behalf of the Project and other clean energy and environmental groups at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and at PJM, MISO and other regional transmission organizations. He is a regular speaker on topics such as market design, reliability issues, energy efficiency and demand response, and renewable energy development.  

Mr. Moore previously was a Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago, where he specialized in conceiving and developing clean transmission initiatives at RTOs and clean energy development policies. He started his career in Washington, DC as an environmental attorney at the firms Akin Gump and Squire Sanders & Dempsey (now Squire Patton Boggs). Moore holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Denison University and a JD from the University of Pittsburgh. He is based in Chicago.

Dan Scripps, Chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission

Dan Scripps was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Public Service Commission in February 2019 and was designated as Chair in July 2020. His term ends July 2, 2023. He also serves on the Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force and Michigan Dam Safety Task Force.

Mr. Scripps is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and serves on NARUC's Committee on Critical Infrastructure and its Task Force on Emergency Preparedness, Recovery, and Resiliency. He is also active with NARUC’s Committee on Electricity, Committee on International Relations, and Washington Action Program. Mr. Scripps also serves on the executive committee of the Organization of MISO States, and he is a past president and the current secretary of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference (MARC).

Mr. Scripps served one term representing Benzie, Leelanau, Manistee, and Mason counties in the Michigan House of Representatives, where he chaired the House Banking and Financial Services committee and served on committees dealing with energy, telecommunications, and environmental protection.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Scripps worked for the Energy Foundation, where he coordinated policy and grantmaking strategies in the Midwest and Plains and led efforts to double regional grantmaking to groups engaged in equity-oriented climate and energy work. He previously served as president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, where he led efforts to expand deployment of advanced energy resources in Michigan, and as a Vice President with Advanced Energy Economy, focusing on energy finance. As an attorney, Mr. Scripps practiced law in the Washington D.C. office of Latham & Watkins LLP, advising regulated utilities, project developers, and financial institutions on cutting-edge domestic and international energy projects.

Mr. Scripps is a graduate of Alma College and a 2005 honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. He lives with his family in northern Michigan.

Cory Lankford: Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Before joining Orrick, Cory served as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at FERC, where he provided expert counsel on a variety of issues arising under the Federal Power Act, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. During his tenure in the Office of the General Counsel, Cory led numerous multidisciplinary teams in rulemaking proceedings establishing revisions to the pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff and evaluating national and regional mandatory reliability standards proposed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.

Cory also was instrumental in the development and drafting of many Commission orders addressing Regional Transmission Organizations, compliance with open access requirements, transmission, interconnection and qualifying facility certification. 

Among his accomplishments, Cory coordinated with staff at the U.S. Department of Energy to draft the National Action Plan on Demand Response and the corresponding Implementation

Tony Reames: Assistant Professor, Energy Justice, U-M School for Environment and Sustainability

Pilar Thomas: Partner, Quarles & Bradley LLP

Pilar Thomas is a partner in the firm's Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Practice Group. She focuses her practice on tribal renewable energy project development and finance, tribal economic development, federal Indian Law, and natural resource development.

Pilar assists clients with strategic legal advice on tribal energy policy and planning; clean energy and infrastructure project development and finance; federal and state energy regulatory, programs, and policy efforts; and federal requirements for tribal lands development. She has negotiated or assisted with agreements related to transmission lines, landfill gas, solar projects, a natural gas power plant, and mineral development on tribal lands. She serves as general counsel for several tribes, Section 17 and tribal business entities.

Prior to entering private practice, Pilar was the Deputy Director for the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the US Department of Energy, where she was responsible for developing and implementing policy and program efforts within the department and federal government to achieve the office's policy objectives related to the promotion of energy development, electrification, and infrastructure improvement on tribal lands. She also is the former Deputy Solicitor of Indian Affairs for the US Department of the Interior; served as the Interim Attorney General and Chief of Staff to Chairwoman Herminia Frias of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe; and was a trial attorney in the US Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Indian Resources Section.

Regina Strong: Environmental Justice Public Advocate, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Regina Strong is the former Michigan Director for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign and brings an extensive background in advocacy and public affairs to her new role. She previously served in a variety of leadership roles, including as the executive director of Community Development Advocates of Detroit.

Isaac Baker: Co-CEO and Founder, Resonant Energy

Isaac has over 5 years of experience developing clean energy projects and programs with impact investment in underserved markets. Prior to Resonant, Isaac co-founded a biogas development start-up, served as the founding Vice President of Co-op Power’s community solar division where he piloted new financial models for nonprofit and low-income solar, and co-authored Energy Democracy: Advancing Equity in Clean Energy Solutions (2017). Isaac brings expertise in community organizing, project finance, and team building to the work today. As a student at Middlebury College, Isaac worked on an award winning, net-zero, solar powered home as part of the US DOE Solar Decathlon, organized around fossil fuel divestment, and earned his BA in Environmental Studies & Writing.

Elizabeth Palchak: Senior Consultant, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation

Elizabeth designs and consults on customer-focused strategies and programs to reduce energy use in residential settings and on college campuses. She leverages behavioral science to develop effective, research-based approaches for pro-environmental behavior. She also serves as the acting Sustainable Funds Coordinator at the University of Vermont integrating the Clean Energy Fund and socially responsible investing towards a comprehensive approach to funding sustainability efforts at UVM. This is all driven by a love of winter and a passion for effectively addressing climate change impacts.

Parth Vishnav: Assistant Professor, Sustainable Systems, U-M School for the Environment and Sustainability

Allison Myers: General Partner and Head of Platform, Buoyant Ventures; Senior Manager, Accenture

Allison Myers  is a Senior Manager of Growth & Strategy at Accenture. She focuses internally on Accenture’s efforts to grow and evolve its North American business.Concurrently, she is a founding General Partner & Head of Platform for Buoyant Ventures, investing in digital solutions addressing climate risk. 

Previously, Myers was a client facing strategy consultant focusing on energy, mobility and built environment sectors helping large energy and community clients develop new strategies to solve for challenges and opportunities related to new & emerging business models or technologies.

Myers is an advisor to the Michigan Social Venture Fund, a student-run VC fund, and the Clean Energy Trust, a cleantech seed fund focused on the Midwest. She is also a Chicago Council on Global Affairs 2021 Emerging Leader. 

Myers received her BA in International Business from Dickinson College and an MBA from the Ross Business School at the University of Michigan.

PJ Deschenes: Managing Director, Nomura Greentech

PJ Deschenes is a Partner in the New York office of Greentech Capital Advisors, an investment banking and asset management firm focused on sustainable infrastructure. He has nearly 15 years of experience advising companies and investors in a variety of Sustainable Infrastructure sectors. PJ focuses on cleaner conventional energy and environmental services, and offers expertise in M&A, project finance and financial structuring.

PJ joined GCA from GE Energy Financial Services where he worked on equity investments in wind, biomass, and solar energy projects and companies, including nearly 900 MW of wind energy assets. Previously, he was a founding member and Partner of BlueWave Strategies, a cleantech-focused consulting firm.

PJ holds a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of the South with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Mathematics. PJ is also a CFA Charterholder.

Zeina El-Azzi: Chief Development Officer, Brightmark

Zeina El-Azzi is responsible for operations for all renewable natural gas (RNG) projects, as well as development of Brightmark’s plastics renewal facilities in North America. Zeina has spent nearly 20 years in the power and energy fields, with a focus on renewable energy. Half of that time has been spent in the United States and the other half abroad.

Zeina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Bachelor of Arts degree in Middle Eastern Studies from University of Texas, Austin, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Energy and Mineral Resources from University of Texas, Austin.

Tanya Willacy: General Counsel (formerly Green Charge), ENGIE Storage

Tanya Willacy is responsible for overseeing corporate policies, intellectual property, risk management and corporate transactions.

Prior to her role at Engie Storage, Tanya served as the Head of Legal for SunEdison’s North America Distributed Generation division where she served as the lead attorney for the channel partners group working on M&A  and joint development of solar projects. Prior to SunEdison, she spent thirteen years with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, where she was lead counsel on multiple renewable energy initiatives. At PG&E she helped launch the utility’s first energy storage solicitation. This included efforts to purchase energy storage services and build projects on a standalone basis or with solar.

Tanya began her legal practice at the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP working on securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. She holds a  JD from New York University School of Law and a BA in Political Science from Stanford University.

Lauren Bigelow: CEO, Growth Capital Network; Lecturer, University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Jahi Wise: Policy Director, Coalition for Green Capitall

At Green Capital, Jahi helps lead development of policy and strategy to establish the National Climate Bank, an independent, nonpartisan, non-profit specialized financing entity that will be capitalized with $35 billion of federal appropriations and charged with facilitating clean energy and climate infrastructure transactions across the country. Previously he was General Counsel and Head of New Markets Strategy for BlocPower, an energy technology company that finances deep electrification projects in small to mid-sized buildings and an attorney.  Prior to BlocPower Jahi was an associate in the Energy and Infrastructure Projects practice at Skadden Arps and a community organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation in Washington, DC. Jahi received his JD from Yale Law School and his MBA from Yale School of Management where he focused his studies on community economic development and clean energy finance. Jahi received his BA in Political Science and Economics from Morehouse College. He is a member of the District of Columbia bar and the Maryland bar.

Ian Adams: Managing Director, Clean Energy Trust

As Managing Director, Ian Adams leads Clean Energy Trust’s efforts to identify new innovations and investment opportunities and works to develop new initiatives to support early-stage innovation. Ian also supports Clean Energy Trust’s portfolio, serving as a board observer for five companies.

Prior to joining CET, Ian served as an aide to the U.S. Secretary of Energy and worked at the White House. He began his career on former President Obama’s first presidential campaign. Ian completed his undergraduate studies in economics and political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received his MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Michael K. Dorsey: IberSun

Dr. Michael K. Dorsey is a recognized expert on global energy, environment, finance and sustainability matters. In 1997, in Glasgow, Scotland, Dorsey was bestowed Rotary International’s highest honor, The Paul Harris Medal for Distinguished Service to Humanity. Dr. Dorsey is a “Full member” of the Club of Rome and in 2013 the National Journal named him one of 200 US “energy and environment expert insiders”. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Yale and the Johns Hopkins University, presently Dr. Dorsey is a JV partner in the Indian based panel manufacturer Pahal Solar and a limited partner in the Spanish solar concern IberSun, s.l. For fall 2020 Dr. Dorsey is the Macmillan Scholar in Residence and Global Affiliate in the Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont.

Britta von Oesen: Managing Director, CohnReznick Capital

Britta is a Managing Director with CohnReznick Capital and leads the San Francisco Office.  She has 10+ years of experience in investment banking, tax equity, corporate strategy, and development in the wind, solar, and broader environmental sector.

Britta primarily focuses on transaction management, including M&A, structuring, and negotiation of tax equity with over $4B raised for renewable energy to date. She has previously been involved in numerous renewable energy transactions including utility-scale and distributed generation solar transactions in the US market and utility scale wind and solar transactions internationally.

Before joining CohnReznick Capital, Britta was Head of Corporate Strategy and Development for Gestamp Solar, focusing primarily on M&A transactions and project financing for US solar projects, both DG and utility-scale. Prior to Gestamp Solar, Britta was a Group Manager for Windkraft Nord AG, a German wind and solar developer, managing the Italian operations for development of a portfolio of over 1GW of wind and solar assets throughout mainland Italy and Sicily. Before moving to Italy, Britta worked in Lehman Brothers’ investment banking team within the Global Power Group.

Britta received an MBA with honors in Finance from Cornell University’s Johnson Business School in 2009 and a B.A. in Environmental Biology from Colgate University in 2003.

Britta also serves as Co-Chair of the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Women’s Empowerment Sub-Committee.