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Raghu co-founded Enphase Energy with Martin Fornage in 2006. He has more than 25 years of experience in the clean energy and high-technology industries, and has been at the forefront of developing Enphase’s leading integrated energy system—with solar generation, storage, monitoring, and control. Prior to Enphase, Raghu developed high-speed optical communication technology for Cerent, which was later acquired by Cisco Systems. Before Cerent, Raghu was an engineer at the Indian Institute of Science, where he played a key role in the development of an alternative energy gasification system. Raghu received an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University and an M.B.A. degree from the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley.
Art Fletcher leads the sourcing, procurement and logistics teams on Invenergy projects from late-stage development through construction and into operational phases. He is also responsible for developing long-term supply strategies with key partners. Fletcher has more than 30 years of experience leading engineering, project management and sourcing teams on heavy civil and power projects domestically and abroad. During his 15 years at Invenergy, he has worked across the full spectrum of Invenergy’s clean energy generation projects. A registered professional engineer in the state of Illinois, Fletcher graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and aerospace engineering, and he holds a master's degree in geo-environmental engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Ms. Powell has served as our Chief Executive Officer since August 2021 and as a member of our Board since 2018. From 2008 to 2019, Ms. Powell served as the president and chief executive officer of Green Mountain Power Corporation ("GMP"), an electric services company that serves 75 percent of the State of Vermont’s residential and business customers. At GMP, Ms. Powell successfully executed strategies to drive increased customer satisfaction and growth, delivered on an ambitious energy vision to provide low-carbon, low-cost and highly reliable power to Vermonters, and positioned the company as a leading energy transformation business. Ms. Powell's previous roles at GMP include serving as senior vice president and chief operations officer from 2001 to 2008, and as senior vice president of Customer and Organizational Development from 1999 to 2001. Ms. Powell is nationally recognized for her work disrupting the energy sector and has received numerous industry awards, including being named Utility Dive’s 2019 Executive of the Year and one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2016. Prior to joining GMP in 1998, Ms. Powell held executive roles within the banking industry, and served in state government. Ms. Powell currently serves on the board of directors of CGI Inc., a global IT and business consulting services firm, and Energir, the largest gas distributor in Québec and Vermont. From 2019 to 2021, served on the board of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., the largest utility in Hawaii. She has also served on the boards of a number of other privately held companies and nonprofits. Ms. Powell also recently chaired the board of Climate Change Crisis Real Impact | Acquisition Corporation, a former special-purpose acquisition corporation that combined with EVgo Services and enabled the fast charging network for electric vehicles to become a publicly listed company. Ms. Powell holds an Associate’s degree from Keene State College.
Mr. Berger founded Sunnova in 2012 and has since then served as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board. With more than two decades of experience in the electric power industry, Mr. Berger is an energy entrepreneur who has always supported free market competition, consumer choice and the advancement of energy technology to power energy independence. Before Sunnova, Mr. Berger served as Founder and Chief Executive Officer at SunCap Financial, a residential solar service provider. He also founded Standard Renewable Energy, a provider and installer of renewable energy and energy-efficient products and services. Mr. Berger received his Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.
Leslie Elder serves as Vice President of Political and Regulatory Affairs for Summit Ridge Energy. In this role, Leslie drives the company’s strategic efforts to engage federal and state governments. With more than fifteen years of regulatory and campaign work, most recently as Director of the MidAtlantic Region for CCSA (Coalition for Community Solar Access), she educates leaders on the economic and social benefits of community solar energy and energy storage. She held prior leadership roles as Executive Director at the Pennsylvania Solar PAC and as Director at the Energy Foundation. Leslie holds an M.C. in Women in Leadership from Cornell University and an M.S. in Community Nutrition from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has a B.S. from Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Bobby McFadden is an Underwriter at kWh Analytics. Before joining kWh, he worked at Chubb for eight years in the commercial marine division, writing multi-line middle market risks throughout the United States. Prior to Chubb, Bobby worked at PwC for two years in audit services, earning his CPA license.
Bobby holds a B.S. & M.S. in Accounting from Penn State University. He grew up in Villanova, Pennsylvania and currently lives in Philadelphia.
Scott is responsible for evaluating and developing regulatory, legislative and business strategies focused on ensuring the ComEd business model evolves as our customer and stakeholder expectations change while meeting the needs of our investors. In addition to strategy, he is also responsible for Energy Acquisition which conducts wholesale market operation and settlement including energy supplier support, energy and clean energy procurement and contract management.
Scott was a key member of the development and negotiation teams for both the Electric Infrastructure Modernization Act and Future Energy Jobs Bill.
Scott holds a bachelor's degree in Business Analysis from Indiana University.
John Albers oversees Advanced Energy United’s regulatory engagement in the central region of the United States with a focus on advancing and defending renewable energy and energy efficiency policies at public utility commissions. Prior to joining United, John oversaw SunPower’s policy and strategy efforts in the Midwest. He developed his policy and regulatory experience as an Administrative Law Judge at the Illinois Commerce Commission and as an attorney in private practice assisting local and national organizations and businesses achieve their regulatory goals.
Meteorologist and climate analyst Susie Martin serves as President at Praedictix, a Minnesota-based weather company that specializes in weather consulting, media, and graphics. Susie has extensive experience in providing forecasts, briefings, and historical (forensic) weather reports to clients in the renewable energy industry. Staying one step ahead of rapidly changing weather and understanding both risks and opportunities, with climate change top of mind, are key to making informed decisions and protecting investments. Susie has served as a meteorological expert in over 40 legal cases. She is certified with the American Meteorological Society and is a University of Miami meteorology alumni.
Mr. Giddens has expertise in the regulatory compliance field and in erosion control. He manages and provides oversight of multiple staff performing environmental compliance field inspections, project site environmental compliance management, SWPPP & SPCC development, GIS platform development, and environmental compliance for construction & industry in multiple states. Mr. Giddens has served as an owner’s environmental representative on a federal highway project, provided management of multi-state staff for a major utility and provided oversight of staff on substantial solar installations. Mr. Giddens has also developed web-based training materials for use by construction teams to inform teams of environmental regulatory requirements and compliant construction methods.
Jon Carson is the Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Energy Partners, a Midwest-based solar development company that works closely with landowners and communities to develop community solar and small utility scale projects with deep community engagement. Prior to founding Trajectory, Jon spent 2 years at SolarCity, serving a year each as Senior Director on the Policy and Electric Markets team and as the Senior Director of the Solar Ambassador program.
Prior to joining SolarCity in December 2014, Jon was the Executive Director of Organizing for Action, a grassroots advocacy movement built by millions of volunteers and focused on building local capacity and training the next generation of progressive organizers. Carson was previously the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Deputy Assistant to the President from January 2011 through January 2013. Before leading OPE, he served as the Chief of Staff at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) from 2009-2010. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Carson was the National Field Director for President Barack Obama's campaign in 2008 and worked on the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition team. Prior to the Obama campaign, Jon worked on political campaigns across the country.
Carson served in the Peace Corps in southern Honduras for two years, building water systems for rural villages and teaching land surveying. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering and received a Master’s Degree in Geography from the University of California-Los Angeles. He lives in Highland Park, IL, with his wife Rebecca and their three children.
Aviv Shalgi, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Solar Simplified, is challenging industry conventions and reshaping the Community Solar landscape. With a relentless commitment to aligning incentives, advancing technology, and breaking barriers, Aviv is on a mission to make clean energy accessible to all while driving the success of Community Solar.
Since 2007, Eric Pasi has been instrumental in helping communities meet economic development and sustainability goals with clean energy. He is the new leader of Enterprise Energy, a solar development company committed to a just energy transition, improving people's lives and livelihood.
Previous to Enterprise, Eric was an executive at IPS Solar and New Energy Equity. Some of his favorite milestones included assisting over 50 schools in adopting solar energy and STEM curriculum, participating in projects like Green Line Solar and Eichten's Community Solar Garden, and expanding installation efforts from Florida to Washington state.
Eric is also the author of the book "CleanWave: A Guide to Success in the Green Recovery" (available at cleanwavebook.com), it's an insightful journey through the past, present, and future of cleantech, while also providing actionable solutions for jobseekers interested in this field.
David heads business development for Intelligent Generation, a virtual power plant provider that optimizes the economics of energy storage, usually paired with solar, located at commercial and industrial properties. David has spent his 30-year career working across a broad spectrum of the energy and utilities space, particularly with large commercial and industrial customers as well as in renewables. His experiences provide him with a unique skill set to lead through the on-going energy transition. Prior to joining IG, David was president of GlidePower Power Solutions, where he was responsible for its 450 MW of wind, solar, and battery energy storage operating projects. Earlier in his career, he held executive roles in origination, marketing, and operations for Engie Resources, Direct Energy, Exelon Energy and ComEd, and also worked as a consultant focused on procurement of renewable and traditional energy for large energy users.
David holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University.
Jenna is the Midwest Regional Director for Vote Solar focusing on Minnesota and Michigan. Through this work, Jenna builds and supports collaborative campaigns that drive legislative and regulatory solutions aimed at a 100% clean energy transition that puts the interests, health, and well-being of people at its center.
Jenna is a public policy professional with over 15 years of utility and industry experience. Before joining Vote Solar, she was a Senior Public Policy Advisor at Minnesota Power - an investor-owned utility in northeastern Minnesota - focusing on regulatory policy. She also served as Interconnection Policy Advisor at Nexamp - a national clean energy company headquartered in Boston, MA - where she focused on solutions to interconnection issues facing solar and storage projects in multiple regions. In these roles, she delved deep into grid modernization, integrated distribution planning, electrification, equity, and stakeholder engagement. Jenna is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association and the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority.
Jenna received her Master’s in Advocacy and Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Her time in this program shaped her advocacy philosophy of creating change via education, engagement, honesty, and inclusion.
Michael Cosgrave specializes in placing complex property and casualty programs for renewable energy portfolios that are non-recourse financed. He has 14+ years of experience in renewables and serves as the agency Principal for Renewable Guard. As a leading concierge insurance brokerage, Renewable Guard insures more than 30% of the industry’s top solar developers, including the #1 ranked IPP in the country as reported by Solar Power World annual rankings. In 2021, Michael was named by Insurance Journal as one of 25 National Agents of the Year, due in large part to his team’s innovative strategic approach to insuring all aspects of renewable energy projects from pre-development into operations. His personal experience spans risk consulting, broking, and placement of more than 12 GWs of renewable energy assets throughout the United States. Michael holds the designations of Certified Risk Manager (CRM) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).
Sam has been with RENEW Wisconsin since 2018, starting as Program Manager and eventually rising to Executive Director in late 2022. As the Executive Director, Sam is responsible for building renewable energy advocacy networks among organizations, businesses, utilities, government agencies, and individuals across Wisconsin. Sam holds a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Nick Hylla is the Executive Director of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association where he works in partnership with organizations throughout the Midwest to advance solar energy education and market development initiatives. Nick holds an MS degree in natural resource management, has 15 years of experience in non-profit leadership, and has served as the Principal Investigator on 6 US Dept. of Energy assistance agreements to support solar workforce development and reduce solar energy costs in Midwest states.
As host of the popular Clean Power Hour podcast, Tim Montague brings invaluable industry insights to solar and storage professionals. He also serves as President of Clean Power Consulting Group, advising solar companies on strategies for accelerated growth and success. With deep solar expertise cultivated over his extensive career, Tim is a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs and executives seeking to expand their reach and improve operations. His comprehensive guidance at both the strategic and project levels empowers clients to capitalize on opportunities in the marketplace. Tim readily shares his wealth of solar knowledge and passion for the industry with his podcast audience and consulting clients alike. His dual roles as advisor and educator make him an influential force for growth and innovation across the solar sector. Tim enables professionals to maximize their potential and make a greater impact in the renewable energy field.
Jonathan Roberts serves as the Vice President of Development at Soltage, spearheading project and business development efforts for the Midwest and Southeast Regions in the United States. With over 17 years of collective experience in the utility and solar energy sector, Jonathan has played a pivotal role in overseeing more than 150 MW of projects, spanning 72 projects across 9 states and internationally. His expertise spans diverse solar photovoltaic systems, ranging from commercial and industrial rooftop installations to large-scale utility projects. Before joining Soltage, Jonathan held the position of Senior Project Manager at SoCore Energy, where he collaborated with a team to deploy solar capacity across North America and various power generation ventures worldwide. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, an MBA from Iowa State University, and is certified by NABCEP as a Solar PV Installation Professional.
Currently, as the Program Manager for Operations Training and Technical Support Consultant at Omnidian, Emmitt oversees essential training programs for solar and Ess (Storage) asset operation and maintenance in North America and Australia, affirming his commitment to renewable energy efficiency. Prior to joining Omnidian, Emmitt provided LMS Learning Management system Training coordination programming, and Field installation training for solar and battery products.
Emmitt Muckles is an influential public speaker, author, podcaster, and a distinguished figure in corporate Solar and technical training. Since launching the Field Service Provider Program for Fronius USA LLC in 2014, he has significantly impacted the solar inverter sector in North America and Canada, demonstrating his ability to drive sustainable educational and operational improvements. As the former Field Installation Trainer for Sunrun in Illinois, Emmitt elevated solar installation standards across the Midwest and East Coast, ensuring high-quality service delivery.
A respected voice in the Solar and podcasting communities, Emmitt has utilized online media and AI learning to spread his message on learning and personal growth. His leadership at Podcast Movement 2018 and his course for new podcasters reflect his passion for empowering others through technology and communication.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Emmitt is dedicated to fitness, health, roller skating, and yoga, showcasing his holistic approach to life. His dynamic career and personal interests highlight his multifaceted expertise and dedication to impacting others positively.
Molly Brown is the EVP of Corporate Strategy for GenPro Energy Development based out of Piedmont, SD where she helps steer the company’s overall vision and strategy while overseeing distributed generation project development. Her background in quantitative economics has allowed her to see and create market opportunities in underdeveloped regions. After being promoted to VP of Energy Production in the Fall of 2016, GenPro has shot up Solar Power World’s Top Solar Contractors list and has a sterling reputation for best-in-class installations. In Nebraska and South Dakota, Molly has been involved in many firsts. She developed and project managed the first municipal utility solar farm for the City of Lexington which was at the time the largest system (AC) in the State of Nebraska. She also oversaw the construction of the two pilot projects for Nebraska Public Power District’s SunWise Community Solar Program, a program which has since expanded and includes the 4.6MW AC system in Scottsbluff, NE that was placed online in 2020 and the first solar + storage project in Norfolk, NE that was energized in August of 2022. In South Dakota, she developed a 1090kW roof-top portfolio with Black Hills State University which with the combination of hydroelectric power from WAPA has allowed them to meet their goal to be powered by 100% renewable energy. Molly’s team works actively with end-users to provide custom behind-the-meter solar + storage solutions for Municipal & C&I customers ranging from manufacturing facilities to community solar gardens and utility-scale projects.
Monroe is a 35-year real estate & 1tle industry leader. A former bank
president, then 15-yr 1tle company owner, he has combined his
extensive experience and insight to greatly improve the lives of
renewable energy developers. He’s created free soEware that
automates the 1tle management process for the first 1me, saving
developers months of 1me in land acquisi1on. Monroe has been
requested to share his extensive 1tle knowledge and insight as a
featured speaker at over 250 events.
As Innovation Engineer of product development, Ameer brings mechanical engineering and product evolution experience to his 5-year tenure at Terrasmart. Ameer’s unique ability to integrate his creativity and analytical skills, paired with hundreds of hours spent in wind tunnel and product testing, have produced innovative solutions for Terrasmart’s ground mount systems team.
Holding a degree from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Ameer’s education, experience, and collaborative approach has showcased his passion in wanting to create a more sustainable future for all.
Dan is Founder and Executive Producer of the Solar Farm Summit, known as North America's Agrivoltaics Expo, which is held annually in Chicago, as well as the Virginia Solar Summit in Richmond. Facilitating dozens of dynamic development events from California to Minnesota to New Hampshire to Virginia, and many states in between, Dan serves as market-maker, meta-developer and macro visionary. Respected for deeply substantive, catalytic and market-moving events of exceptional caliber, Dan’s work has connected thousands in uncommonly constructive interdisciplinary collaboration and professional cross-pollination.
Mr. French is also Founder and Principal of dbForesites, a global advisory boutique translating planetary megatrends in economics, energy, and environment into actionable intelligence for funds, family offices, corporations, and governments. Known for his intense candor, cutting insights, sharp analyses and unorthodox strategies, Dan is a former corporate attorney with a diverse blend of domestic and international experience as well as deep expertise with complex transactions and exotic classes of real estate and risk. He helps decision-makers facilitate both ideation and implementation from the strategic level to the tactical; from brainstorming grand strategies and baselining scenario frameworks to developing guidance re individual investments, site selection, real estate development and/or divestment, and portfolio de-risking.
As Deputy Program Director for the Midwest, John coordinates campaigns for Vote Solar’s legislative and regulatory priorities throughout the Midwest. Prior to joining Vote Solar, John helped build low-income solar programs for solar companies. He has prior experience coordinating grassroots advocacy efforts for the Sierra Club and voter turnout initiatives for electoral candidates. John is also a Boren Fellowship recipient for Swahili, having worked overseas on off-grid solar and electricity access in India and East Africa. He believes that the climate crisis provides an invitation to begin addressing long-standing economic injustice and that historically overburdened communities should lead the way to our renewable energy future.
Matt Van Arkel is New Leaf Energy's Policy and Business Development Lead in the Midwest. Matt works closely with industry colleagues, state agencies, and state legislators to advance solar and storage markets. Prior to joining New Leaf, Matt worked at the Illinois Power Agency supporting the implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the development of the Agency's Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan. He also has previous experience leading regulatory and legislative affairs for Wind Energy Transmission Texas, a transmission utility created through legislation to interconnect new renewable generation and storage projects to the ERCOT grid. Matt holds a law degree from Indiana University and a B.A. from Drury University.
Andrew Hughes is a Director of Business Development at Scale Microgrids. He leads the expansion of Scale's business development efforts on the East coast and brings a wealth of experience from his past at Constellation, Exelon and Eos Energy Storage. Within the Power Origination team at Constellation, he helped structure corporate renewable offtake agreements and negotiated utility scale PPAs with fortune 500 clients and renewable developers across ERCOT, PJM, and the Southeast. Then at Eos, he started and led the Sales and Business Development team where he sold over 2 GWh of Eos' zinc-bromine energy storage systems across the US, Europe, and Africa. Andrew holds a B.B.A. from George Washington University with a concentration in International Business.
Will Kenworthy is the Regulatory Director, Midwest for Vote Solar, where he has been shaping policies to transition to equitable clean energy since 2018. Will's responsibilities include guiding regulatory interventions and offering expert witness testimony in electric utility regulatory proceedings, including integrated resource planning, distribution system planning, distributed generation compensation and valuation, as well as rate cases. Previously, Will worked in private sector startups in renewable energy development and industrial energy efficiency. Prior to his experience in solar energy, Will worked extensively in federal environmental and energy policy as a consultant and as a Congressional staffer. He holds a BSFS from Georgetown University and a Master of Public and Private Management (MPPM/MBA) from Yale University. Will is married and has three grown sons. Depending on the season and location, he enjoys sailing, golf, mountain sports, scuba, wine, gadgets and energy data.
Jackie Chambers joined New Energy Equity in 2024. With 13 years of being involved in the solar industry, she brings valuable perspective and experience, spanning areas of project finance, direct project origination and project acquisitions. In her role as CIO, Jackie is responsible for the shaping of the project finance strategy and execution of monetizing and financing New Energy Equity’s pipeline of projects. Previously, in her many years spent at PNC Energy Capital, Jackie developed tax equity financing solutions across nearly all solar industry segments, including behind-the-meter roof-mounts, utility-scale, and community solar, via sale-leasebacks and partnership flips. She also participated in the financing of over $500MM of solar assets in addition to fuel cell and battery storage projects. Most recently, as Vice President of Channel Origination, Jackie led Nexamp’s community solar project acquisition team, successfully closing on over 300MWdc of assets.
Samantha Weaver is the Senior Director of Interconnection and Grid Integration Policy at the Coalition for Community Solar Access, where she leads CCSA’s engagement in policy discussions and regulatory proceedings related to interconnection, grid planning, cost allocation, and grid modernization. Sam previously served on the Public Policy and Local Development teams at East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), where she led EBCE's initiatives aimed at low-income customers, and launched EBCE’s first community solar program. Prior to EBCE, she held roles at Pacific Gas & Electric focused on internal strategy, policy, and regulatory affairs. Sam spent the first half of her career doing data analysis and market research, including within the Electricity Markets & Policy Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She holds an M.A. in Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning from Tufts University and a B.A. from Kalamazoo College in Michigan.
Anna Toenjes is an Associate VP of Impact & Business Development at Sol Systems and is responsible for developing infrastructure and impact portfolios for strategic customers. Since 2011, she has cultivated relationships with a wide variety of corporate, municipal, and higher education customers, solar developers and EPC firms, sourced over 750 projects, and successfully closed over 150MW of solar and storage projects through direct customer origination, project acquisition and debt financing. In addition, she led an origination team that was responsible for over 200MW of on-site solar and storage projects originated, developed, and constructed over the last three years in markets across the country and a variety of customer types. Ms. Toenjes has presented at some of the industry’s largest conferences, including Solar Power International and Solar Power Northeast. In 2015, Ms. Toenjes was elected to the NYSEIA Board of Directors. In addition to her seat on the Board, she also served as Vice President of NYSEIA and Chair of the Business Development Committee where she worked to cultivate relationships with local New York solar companies interested in joining the organization and becoming more engaged in New York solar policy. Previously, Ms. Toenjes worked for U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) in Washington, D.C. During her time in the Senator’s office, Ms. Toenjes worked directly with Senator Snowe’s Senior Advisor on Energy/Environmental Policy. Ms. Toenjes holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College with a double major in Government and Legal Studies and Environmental Studies.
Kate Howling focuses on outreach and business development in the energy storage industry for the Department of Energy Loan Programs Office (LPO), identifying innovative companies and technologies that LPO can help bring to full commercialization through flexible financing. Kate has almost a decade of experience in utility scale energy storage. Most recently, she has worked at developers such as Invenergy and GlidePath to directly lead the design, procurement, commissioning, and operations of over 800MWh of projects. Throughout her career, Kate has focused on the technical aspects of battery systems and coordinating cross functional teams to execute ESS strategy. Kate received her BS in Electrical Engineering from University of Virginia.
Responsible for finances, product development, solar developer relationships, and financial inclusion. Sandhya began her career in Barclays’ investment banking division in New York and London, advising on and executing public equity transactions for Technology, Media and Telecom companies, and was also deeply involved in Barclays Philanthropy.
Her volunteer work included Endeavor, Women’s World Banking, and Barclays’ Social Innovation Fund. During graduate school, Sandhya worked at Buen Power Peru, a for-profit social enterprise that distributes solar lamps and water heaters to off-grid communities in Peru. She holds a BBA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she received the Sustainability Certificate.
A highly seasoned government affairs professional and attorney. Carlo previously served as Director of Business Development at Aquify, an Exelon company based in Chicago, Illinois, where he was responsible for government affairs and opening new markets across the nation. Before Aquify, Carlo served as External Affairs Manager at ComEd, handling government affairs for the largest electric utility in Illinois. He has also been Director of Government Affairs & Senior Legal Counsel to recycling innovator USAgain and Director of Government Affairs at multinational telecommunications giant Comcast.
Josh Libby is the Director of Operations, Renewables at Day & Zimmermann, a construction leader in the power industry. For the last 6 years Josh has worked with and overseen the construction of over 300 megawatts of solar projects throughout the Midwest and Northeast. Josh has a heart for working with local labor to build solar at community and utility scale, allowing local families access to clean power and a career at the same time.
Austin Carr, Founder and President of Greenlink Energy Solutions, Inc., is a distinguished leader with a remarkable journey shaped by his military service and unwavering commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability. Since founding Greenlink in 2011, Austin has steered the company to remarkable growth, recently expanding its services to include an HVAC division, and leading a team of nearly 60 professionals. Greenlink is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and a Building Performance Institute (BPI) GoldStar Contractor that combines building efficiency technologies with solar energy and next-gen HVAC to increase the health, comfort, and efficiency of their customers’ properties. Under Austin's visionary leadership, Greenlink has become a trusted industry leader known for its holistic approach to energy efficiency. His renewable energy expertise and ability to bridge gaps extends beyond business success to community empowerment—evident in his involvement with multiple utility programs, nonprofit organizations focused on environmental advocacy, and community development projects.
David Okuwobi is the Business Development Director at Nautilus Solar Energy, bringing over 12 years of experience in both the energy industry and investment banking. He has executed agreements for over 180MWdc of projects across various markets including New York, New Jersey, California, Maine, Minnesota, and Hawaii. At Nautilus, he focuses on acquiring late development-stage DG projects and community solar portfolios. Prior to joining Nautilus, he worked at AES Clean Energy and NextEra Energy, focused on M&A efforts for solar projects. He also has a background in investment banking, having worked at financial giants like J.P. Morgan, BNY Mellon, and Credit Suisse. David holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Morgan State University and an MBA from Duke University. With his extensive experience, he's a key player driving Nautilus Solar Energy's growth in the renewable energy sector.
Public policy professional focused on advancing citizen-centered, local clean energy solutions. Expertise lies in developing strategy to implement clean energy policy through legislation and regulatory proceedings. Focused on finding solutions by building diverse coalitions, ensuring precise legislative drafting and regulatory filings, and creating trustworthy community and stakeholder relationships.
Proud to be a leader of Sunrun's policy team - building solutions to expand home solar, storage, and electrification solutions across the country. Helping to develop low-income solar policy solutions through strategic partnerships and localized implementation.
Prior to joining Sunrun, honored to have been a part of City of Milwaukee's leadership on increasing access to solar through financing, permitting and zoning solutions, and MREA's work to expand solar training and education throughout the Midwest.
Lifelong Wisconsinite. Midwest Proud. Frequent Flyer. Invited speaker on topics such as inclusive local solar policy, start-up solar market challenges and opportunities, and municipality-led sustainability leadership. Always happy to chat about solar-powered Midwest brews and solar-loving Texas honky tonks. Find me on Twitter @theamyheart.
A little less conversation, a little more action.
Kevin has played a leadership role in renewable energy policy for over a decade. For over 15 years, he has engaged with state and federal legislators and regulators to implement forward-thinking energy policy nationwide. With experience including clean energy advocacy groups, solar project developers and one of the world's largest panel manufacturers, Kevin brings a broad perspective on the policy drivers impacting the clean energy industry.
Brad is a Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for clean energy development, pollution reduction, transportation and land use reform, and natural resources protection in Midwest states. Brad leads ELPC’s clean energy team, which develops and promotes ambitious policies to modernize the energy grid, accelerate renewables, reform energy markets, and decarbonize the economy. Brad engages at utility regulatory commissions and courts at the state, regional, and federal level to advance ELPC’s clean energy goals.
Brad previously served as a federal judicial law clerk in Washington, D.C., a law fellow at the Environmental Law Institute, and an environmental engineer at CH2M Hill, Inc. Brad received his law degree with honors from New York University School of Law and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.
Ariel Toron is a dynamic addition to the innovative team at enSights, bringing with him a wealth of strategic leadership and operational expertise as Chief Revenue Officer. With over two decades of industry experience, Ariel has showcased unparalleled proficiency in steering revenue growth and navigating intricate business landscapes. His journey encompasses diverse leadership roles in both startups and enterprise-scale organizations, each contributing to his versatile skill set.
Having worked in various technological domains such as Cyber Security, Telecom, and Renewable Energy, Ariel's expertise extends across a spectrum technologies, with a particular emphasis on Software as a Service (SaaS). At enSights, Ariel envisions revolutionizing how Owners and Managers oversee their renewable assets. Through innovative automation, enSights empowers its customers to significantly reduce operational expenses while enhancing operational efficiency by an impressive 7.8%. With the power of artificial intelligence, enSights and Ariel are committed to propel the clean energy industry into a sustainable future.
Michelle Shiu is an experienced engineer with a strong background in solar module technology and plant performance analysis. She leads the company's solar project waste management initiatives. Michelle graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
Paul Grana is the General Manager of Helioscope at Aurora Solar. Previously, he was the CEO of Folsom Labs, Acquired by Aurora Solar in 2021. He is the lead inventor on a patent regarding combiner box design. He holds a BS in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
As the Deputy Director for Technology Policy, Dr. Elke Hodson leads teams at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that provide technical expertise to the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department to implement the clean energy tax provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act. In addition, she leads a team that develops policies and analysis to understand and advance clean energy deployment. Prior to rejoining DOE, Elke served as Deputy Director and senior staff of the Natural Resources and Environment branch at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Executive Office of the President, where she oversaw federal government review of federal stationary source air quality regulations. She previously served as staff in the Office of Climate and Environmental Policy at DOE. Dr. Hodson holds a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Chemistry from Cornell University.
Josh is the founder and president of Certasun, the largest installer of customer-owned residential solar in northern Illinois. Previously, he was the managing partner at Woodlawn Associates, a strategy and financial consulting firm. At Woodlawn, he advised dozens of companies in residential and rooftop solar on strategy, marketing, operations, and project finance.
Scott Nguyen is co-founder and CEO of Bodhi, a software company helping residential solar companies deliver amazing customer experiences with ease. Previously, he was Energy Transition Fellow at University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute, helped spur Austin's 1st low-income solar program, sent robots to explore the oceans, and introduced renewable energy technology into Shell’s portfolio. He holds a PhD in Physics from Harvard and an inventor on 18 USPTO patents.
Marc Palmer is the founder and CEO of Conductor Solar. As an expert in solar financing with a track record of funding over $1 billion in solar and wind projects, Marc has been working at the intersection of renewable energy and capital markets for over a decade. This experience led him to build Conductor Solar, a marketplace that improves financing and development for C&I and community solar projects through faster timelines, higher success rates, and lower soft costs.
Prior to founding Conductor Solar, Marc worked in consulting and brokerage for C&I solar with New Resource Solutions, utility scale renewable energy project finance with Invenergy, and management and strategy consulting with PwC. Marc lives in Cincinnati with his family and holds a BSE from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Leanne unintentionally pivoted a career in real estate to a career in clean energy when she joined then enXco (now EDF Renewables or EDFR) in 2009 as a Land & Title Specialist in a hopeful temp-to-hire gig. She spent 12 years at EDFR holding a variety of roles, primarily focused on project development of utility-scale wind and solar projects in SPP and MISO and later supporting origination efforts for those projects and more across a range of US power markets. In January 2022, Leanne took a leap of faith into the world of startups, becoming the first employee at Ambient Fuels, a green hydrogen development company founded by former EDFR colleague Jacob Susman. Today Ambient Fuels is a team of 12 and growing, has the support of Generate Capital, and is tackling tough decarbonization challenges with green hydrogen solutions. Leanne’s role with the company has adapted and flexed with the needs of the business, currently her “primary hats” are focused on sales and marketing operations as well as team culture. An active member of WRISE, Leanne has served on the Leadership Forum planning committee and co-chaired the event in 2016 & 2017. Leanne is also a member of ACP's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Raised around the world as an “Army brat,” Leanne eventually planted roots with her wife, three children, and an ever-changing number of pets near Minneapolis, MN. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, bird watching, hiking, and snowshoeing.
Rob Wallace is the President of 548 Energy Solutions, and a Co
Founder of Power52 Foundation. As an electrical and energy
engineer, project manager and business consultant, Rob’s
experience traverses 20 years in the areas of program
management, renewable energy systems design, development,
implementation, as well as training and technology management,
and 7 years of experience in Solar Training and Workforce
development. Rob has developed and built more than 350 MW
of solar and wind projects in numerous states across the US, and
various countries in North America and Africa. Rob has also
established 7 accredited Solar Technician training programs, including Ecademy and APEX Clean Energy Institute, which span across 5 states and 2 countries. Mr. Wallace has worked in the power market, focusing on frequency response, energy arbitrage and battery storage.
Nick has been working with solar for over 15 years and has passion for sustainability and making electricity from sunlight.
Nick is a NABCEP certified PV Installation Professional with WI Master Electrician and Commercial Electrical Inspector licenses and is currently the Project Manager at the MREA, helping coordinate installations and trainings across the region. He has worked in a variety of capacities throughout the years, installing and servicing photovoltaics ranging from multi-megawatt systems across the Midwest, to small off-grid remote systems.
Lewis is a Senior Account Executive at TotalEnergies, focused on developing behind the meter projects throughout the US.
He serves on the Boards of the Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association (ISETA), Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA), and Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association (MOSEIA), and is an Advisory Board Member of the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA).
Lewis earned a B.S. in Economics from Hillsdale College and a Master’s in Economics from George Mason University.
Outside of work, Lewis enjoys spending time with his wife and two rescue Weimaraners, boating on the Great Lakes, flying, serving as Board President for a non-profit school in Detroit (Detroit Achievement Academy), and has an ‘award-winning’ Christmas light show.
Ms. Jackson has worked at the Department of Energy for seven years. She currently serves as the Chief of Energy Justice Policy Division for the Office of Energy Justice and Equity. In her role, Ms. Jackson leads a team of environmental and energy justice advisors who ensure government policies and programs promote equity, justice, and sustainability to disadvantaged communities. This involves partnering with internal and external agencies, offices, labs and sites across the DOE enterprise, covering 146 programs, totaling upwards of $21B. Ms. Jackson is also on the board for two employee resource groups: Director for POWER (Professional Opportunities for Women at Energy Realized) whose mission is to foster connections between female and non-binary employees at DOE, while supporting professional and personal development. She is Vice Chair of Operations of EnergyVets, her goal is to facilitate collaboration among veterans across diverse DOE sub-agencies, offering resources and information vital to the Veteran community. She previously worked in NNSA in the Office of Defense Programs and Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation as a Management and Program Analyst, focusing on business operations, training and development and DEIA Initiatives.
Ms. Jackson dedicated over ten years in active-duty Air Force and has been in the Air Force Reserves for ten years—most of her experience surrounds IT, training and development, and HR. She holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Development and Change, and a Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education and Development.
My name is Harvey Cohen and I am the president of Magid Glove & Safety Mfg. Company. I have been with Magid Glove for almost 60 years. When our company moved to Romeoville almost 10 years ago, we decided to look into solar panels as a source of “GREEN” energy. After researching this possibility, we decided to install the largest rooftop solar array in the Midwest and one of the largest in the country; consisting of 10,500 panels. During the installation of this array, we also looked into the possibility of adding batteries to back up the solar array, during a grid outage, as well as having a revenue stream from the batteries. We decided to add Tesla batteries to our facility to both back up our energy needs during a grid outage as well as being a
sound financial decision.
Natasha Healey is the founder-CEO of Bantam Communications, a strategic consulting and communications firm specialized in large-scale renewable energy siting and permitting issues. With 15 years experience in communications and public affairs, Natasha's firm was built to support the United States largest wind and solar developers' with critical local affairs issues across their project pipelines. Bantam's robust team of local engagement strategists, digital communications experts, and community organizing specialists have supported over 4,500 MWs of wind and solar projects onto the grid in communities across the country. Natasha and the Bantam organization are mission-driven with a singular focus on clean energy deployment.
In her role as Sr. Director of Real Estate and Redevelopment Colleen oversees site acquisition of real estate, as well as helping mitigating risk across the portfolio, having extensive brownfield experience in both the public and private sector. This provides a unique perspective in managing projects from initial site identification through closing on the real estate.
Colleen has a wealth of experience and expertise, having worked in various programs at the NJ Department of Environmental Protection prior to joining us. Notably, she played a crucial role in managing the Site Remediation's financial incentive programs and spearheading the brownfield redevelopment initiative. Her efforts extended to establishing the NJDEP's Sustainability and Green Energy Office, where she worked on advancing policies for solar energy installations on brownfields and contaminated sites.
Colleen has published several articles on the redevelopment of contaminated sites that focused on the acquisition and redevelopment of Superfund sites, interagency cooperation and transforming power plants into hubs to support offshore wind. Colleen received a B.S. in Geology and a Master’s in Public Administration, both from Rutgers University.
Chris Thompson is Vice President of Product and Technical Marketing at SolarEdge. In this role Chris manages the Grid Services, Technical Marketing and Regulatory functions in North America. Chris has over 30 years of diversified global experience in the power electronics and power systems markets.
Gene is the Executive Director of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – National Electrical Contractors Association (IBEW-NECA) Technical Institute (IN-Tech). Over his 25-year career Gene has developed a passion for the unionized electrical industry. His passion for the first 20 years in his career was to become a great electrician. After having the privilege of running work for one of Local 134’s great contractors, Gene’s passion shifted to teaching the next generation of apprentices. He then spent two years as an instructor developing apprentices into journeypersons. Now, as Director of IN-Tech Gene’s passion has changed to help support and develop the people of the unionized electrical industry. Beginning when his oldest son turned one and through his career as journeyperson, general-foreman, instructor, and now Director, Gene has earned a B.S. from Illinois Institute of Technology, a M.S. in Education Design from Purdue University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership at Concordia University. Gene’s amazing wife, three wonderful children, and passion give him the energy, dedication, and discipline to utilize every minute of experience from the field and life, every interaction as an instructor, and every bit of knowledge learned from higher education to create opportunities to benefit the unionized electrical industry including the contractors of NECA and the members of IBEW Local 134.
Brian Maillet is Founder and CEO of solar industry leader Renewable Energy Evolution, bringing more than 20 years of management experience in originating and managing renewable energy projects for public, private, and non-profit clients. Brian has been responsible for delivering over 2GW of renewable energy projects over the years, a majority of which have been solar energy generation projects. Brian’s vision is forged in a philosophical belief that fosters collaboration, team creativity, and delivery of positive results for all stakeholders. His current primary focus is the development of solar and battery storage projects in the Midwest.
Prior to REE, Brian held leadership and director positions for national solar EPC and solar development companies. A majority of Brian’s early career development was at Arcadis, where he reached the position of Associate VP, Solar Program Manager for North America. Brian has a Bachelor of Science in Soil Engineering from Louisiana State University. Brian is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Brian resides in Milwaukee with his wife, three kids, and always enthusiastic French bulldog.
Robert Hattier is the Director of Renewable Energy for IBEW Local 134. He also serves as the Executive Director for the Illinois IBEW Renewable Energy Fund, a State of Illinois grant-funded Workforce Development Organization authorized under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA).
Bob has over 20 years of experience in the solar energy and adjacent technology industries. Since 2008, Bob has been teaching courses on Solar, Energy Storage, and Electric Vehicle Charging Systems throughout the Midwest.
Bob holds several industry specific credentials and licenses. Bob’s dedication to advancing the renewable energy industry can be seen in his involvement with several organizations as a Board Member, his codes and standards development committee appointments, and his allied professional training initiatives.
