Shishir Shekhar
General Manager - Digital Solutions Division
Mitsubishi Electric Power

Dr. Babak Enayati
VP of Grid Integration
Nexamp

Glen Sartain
Managing Director
Sai Partners

Laura Manz
Principal and Owner
L J Manz Consulting

Paul Gogan was named Director of Electric Distribution Asset Management for WEC Energy Group in January 2020, where he oversees the design, maintenance, operation, and construction of electric distribution and transmission systems. He leads the multibillion-dollar Deliver the Future initiative across We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, and Upper Michigan Energy Resources—an ambitious 10-year program modernizing grid infrastructure through asset replacement, equipment hardening, undergrounding, advanced communications, sensors, substation upgrades, and smart devices. The initiative is rebuilding more than 600 miles of distribution lines annually, converting significant overhead infrastructure to underground service, and deploying systemwide communications-enabled equipment to enhance reliability, resilience, and operational visibility. In recognition of this work, Gogan received PA Consulting’s Outstanding Contributor to Reliability Award in 2020.

Gogan joined the company in 1989 as a senior electrical engineer and has held a series of leadership roles spanning project engineering, substation construction and maintenance, transmission support, and distribution engineering, reliability, and planning. Prior to his current position, he served as Manager of Electric Distribution Engineering, Asset Management, Reliability, and Planning from 2010 to 2019, following earlier experience with Sargent & Lundy. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an MBA with Beta Gamma Sigma honors from Marquette University and is a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin and Illinois. Gogan is active in industry leadership, serving as second chair of the Edison Electric Institute Electric Distribution Executive Committee, a member of EPRI’s Power Delivery and Utilization Sector Council, a senior IEEE member, and an advisor and board member to several academic and energy research organizations.

Director, Electric Distribution Asset Management
WEC Group

Jessie Calderon-Knapstein is an energy and climate policy leader with deep expertise in regulatory affairs, energy systems planning, and clean energy transition strategy. She currently serves as Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Gridware, where she advances innovative solutions to grid resilience challenges, including wildfire risk mitigation and reliability in rapidly evolving energy systems. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Energy and Environmental Economics (E3), guiding analytical teams and advising utilities, regulators, and public agencies on decarbonization strategy, resource planning, and equitable energy transition pathways. Jessie has also contributed to climate resilience and regulatory strategy at Pacific Gas & Electric and supported energy efficiency initiatives at the U.S. Department of Energy. She holds dual master’s degrees in Energy & Resources and Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Physics.

Director of Regulatory Affairs & Policy
Gridware

Richard Saporito is a consulting engineer in DLC’s Advanced Grid Solutions team. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and has 17 years’ experience at DLC, primarily in distribution planning. Richard’s professional accomplishments include developing DLC’s latest compact, urban-style substation that largely supplies underground distribution in one of Pittsburgh’s most load-dense areas, redesigning Downtown Pittsburgh’s electrical network and performing technical analysis for DLC’s first battery projects

Consulting Engineer
Advanced Grid Solutions
Duquesne Light Company

Ryan Patzer is an experienced logistics and supply chain professional currently serving as Wildfire Mitigation Implementation Lead for FortisAlberta in the Greater Calgary Metropolitan Area, where he focuses on strategic planning and implementation of wildfire mitigation initiatives to support operational resilience and community safety.

With a strong network and proven background in transportation and logistics, Ryan has previously held roles that span key sectors of supply chain management, equipment and trailer sales, and client relations. His professional journey reflects a commitment to connecting operational strategy with real-world execution—especially in environments where efficient transportation solutions and risk mitigation are critical.

Ryan is also recognized for community engagement, often involving family-oriented outreach and educational experiences that help bridge industry awareness with local audiences.

Wildfire Mitigation Implementation Lead
FortisAlberta

Shishir Shekhar is a technology and business executive with more than 15 years of experience driving innovation, product strategy, and digital transformation across the energy, utilities, mobility, and industrial technology sectors. He currently serves as General Manager of the Digital Solutions Division at Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, where he leads growth and innovation in grid modernization, DERMS, data centers, edge computing, and advanced digital infrastructure platforms to enable real-time grid intelligence and accelerate the energy transition. Previously, Shishir held senior leadership roles at Landis+Gyr as Global Head of Technology & Strategy for EV and energy transition initiatives, and as CEO of True Energy A/S, where he led AI-driven EV charging innovation, along with key positions at Itron, MathWorks, and National Grid USA. A recognized industry speaker, published researcher, patent holder, and Senior Member of IEEE, he combines deep technical expertise with strategic vision, holding an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Northeastern University and an MBA from Harvard University, and having served as a Research Fellow at MIT.

General Manager
Digital Solutions Division
Mitsubishi Electric Power

Lisa Ann Pinkerton is a communications strategist, entrepreneur, and advocate for the cleantech and sustainability sectors, serving as Founder and CEO of Technica Communications, an award-winning public relations firm that helps clean energy, electric transportation, and climate tech organizations build visibility and accelerate growth. An award-winning former environmental science journalist whose reporting aired on NPR, PBS, and other major outlets, she brings a media insider’s perspective to strategic storytelling and high-impact coverage. Lisa Ann is also the Founder and Chairwoman of Women In Cleantech & Sustainability (WCS), a global professional network advancing leadership and career opportunities in the climate economy. A frequent international speaker and recognized industry leader, she has received honors including PR Executive of the Year (American Business Awards), Industry Innovator (PRNEWS), and Female Entrepreneur of the Year (Women World Awards).

CEO, Technica
Vice Chairwoman, Women in Cleantech and Sustainability

Chris Villarreal is an electricity regulatory and policy expert with nearly two decades of experience shaping modern energy frameworks and market design. As President of Plugged In Strategies, he advises utilities, technology providers, and policymakers on grid modernization, emerging technologies, and complex regulatory and policy challenges across the evolving energy landscape. Chris previously spent 11 years at the California and Minnesota Public Utilities Commissions, where he led major initiatives on rate design reform, data access and privacy, cybersecurity, energy storage policy, and grid modernization. He is widely recognized for his thought leadership, including authoring influential white papers and serving as lead author of the NARUC DER Rate Design and Compensation Manual, a key industry resource. Known for translating complex technical and regulatory issues into actionable strategy, Chris helps stakeholders advance innovation while maintaining reliability, affordability, and consumer protections.

President
Plugged In Strategies

Ted Ko is Founder and Executive Director of the Energy Policy Design Institute (EPDI), a Denver-based nonprofit focused on accelerating the clean energy transition through more effective policy design. A recognized expert in electricity policy, distributed energy resources, energy storage, and grid modernization, he leads research and initiatives that help regulators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders develop resilient, equitable, and cost-effective energy frameworks, including EPDI’s Virtual Power Plant Convergence Project. Prior to founding EPDI, Ted served as global lead for policy and government affairs at Stem, Inc., where he shaped state and federal policies on storage incentives, interconnection, and market participation. With experience spanning both energy and software sectors, he frequently provides testimony and thought leadership on clean energy market design and distributed energy integration, and holds advanced degrees in computer science and sustainable management.

Executive Director
Energy Policy Design Institute

Dr. Babak Enayati is Vice President of Grid Integration at Nexamp, where he leads strategies to interconnect renewable generation and distributed energy resources with utilities and grid operators across the United States. With more than 20 years of experience in grid modernization, DER integration, and power system engineering, he oversees multidisciplinary teams navigating interconnection, regulatory compliance, and technical requirements to enable reliable, affordable, and equitable clean energy deployment at scale. Prior to Nexamp, Babak held engineering and leadership roles in the utility sector and served as Director of Engineering at New Leaf Energy, supporting wind, solar, and storage development. A Senior Member of IEEE and Vice President of Education for the IEEE Power & Energy Society Governing Board, he plays a key role in developing industry standards including IEEE 1547 for DER interconnection and has received honors such as the IEEE PES Ramakumar Family Renewable Energy Excellence Award. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University and remains active in advancing technical standards, education, and policy for the energy transition.

VP of Grid Integration
Nexamp

Julieta Giraldez, Ph.D., is Director of Integrated Grid Planning at Electric Power Engineers (EPE), where she leads the development of holistic planning frameworks that coordinate generation, transmission, distribution, and distributed energy resources to support a reliable and cost-effective clean energy transition. A nationally recognized expert in DER integration, grid modeling, and advanced planning methodologies, she brings more than a decade of leadership and technical experience, including prior roles as Director of Grid Planning at Kevala and Senior Engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she led smart grid and grid integration initiatives for emerging technologies such as solar, storage, and microgrids. Julieta is a frequent industry speaker and serves as chair of the Energy Systems Integration Group’s Long-Term Load and DER Forecasting Task Force. She holds degrees from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Colorado School of Mines, and Colorado State University, and is known for bridging technical innovation with practical planning solutions that enhance grid reliability, resilience, and equitable clean energy integration.

Director of Integrated Grid Planning
Electric Power Engineers

Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan, Ph.D., P.E., is Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Founding Director of the Center for Microgrid Research at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he leads pioneering work in microgrids and distributed energy resources to improve grid reliability, resilience, and sustainability. A recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, he has secured more than $22 million in research funding and led the development of a $3 million industry-grade microgrid facility that supports applied research and workforce training. Dr. Kabalan has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications, serves as a technical advisor to organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Minnesota. His honors include multiple IEEE awards, and he previously co-founded a social enterprise focused on rural electrification in the Philippines, reflecting his commitment to advancing practical and globally impactful energy solutions.

Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
University of St. Thomas
and Founding Director, Center for Microgrid Research

Brendan Miller is Principal Energy Storage Engineer at Westwood Professional Services in Denver, Colorado, where he leads the technical design, evaluation, and implementation of energy storage solutions across utility-scale and distributed energy projects. With extensive experience in renewable energy and civil engineering, he guides clients through complex engineering and integration challenges while shaping Westwood’s strategic approach to storage and hybrid renewable systems. Brendan has held senior roles overseeing multidisciplinary solar and storage developments and is known for delivering resilient, cost-effective solutions that support clean energy adoption and grid reliability. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona and is a shareholder at Westwood, reflecting his technical leadership and contributions to the firm’s growth and client success.

Principal Energy Storage Engineer
Westwood

Glen Sartain is a recognized Top 25 Thought Leader in Utility Analytics with more than 35 years of experience leading digital transformation, advanced analytics, and AI-driven strategy across the energy, utilities, oil & gas, and industrial sectors. Based in Houston, he currently leads strategic growth and client delivery for key markets at Sia Partners, helping organizations translate data into actionable insight, operational efficiency, and measurable business value. Glen has held senior leadership roles with global consulting firms including Accenture, West Monroe, and BRIDGE Energy Group, where he built and scaled analytics practices, developed enterprise AI and data strategies, and guided Fortune 500 clients through complex technology and organizational transformations. Known for his collaborative leadership style and focus on execution, he specializes in aligning business strategy with digital innovation—leveraging AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics to improve asset performance, reliability, and enterprise decision-making while enabling sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Managing Director
Sai Partners

Julien Debard is a Houston-based energy and technology executive with global experience spanning data, AI, cloud, and industrial operations. He currently serves as Director of Energy and Utilities at Databricks, where he helps utilities and energy companies accelerate digital transformation by building unified data foundations and scaling AI from pilot to production. Previously, Julien led global technology and strategic partnerships for energy at Amazon Web Services and held senior leadership roles with Schlumberger and Cameron, overseeing large-scale operations and strategy across international markets. He is also a venture advisor and investor supporting companies focused on innovation and positive societal impact. A graduate of Georgia Tech and Arts et Métiers ParisTech, Julien combines deep industrial expertise with a passion for data-driven transformation, while also pursuing endurance athletics and outdoor challenges that reflect his commitment to resilience, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Director or Energy and Utilities
Databricks

Goutam Ghatak is a senior grid modernization and digital transformation executive with more than 25 years of experience guiding leading electric utilities through complex, large-scale technology initiatives. Currently serving as Vice President of Grid Modernization at iGreenTree.Ai, he partners with utility executives to shape and execute enterprise strategies across ADMS, DERMS, OMS, AMI, SCADA, EMS, asset management, and advanced analytics, ensuring multi-vendor programs are interoperable, secure, and aligned with regulatory and business objectives. With deep expertise in QA governance, solution assurance, and enterprise architecture, Goutam translates strategic goals into measurable, testable outcomes that reduce risk and accelerate time to value. His prior leadership roles with organizations including Pacific Gas & Electric, National Grid, KPMG, and Wipro have included oversight of smart grid architecture, cloud data platforms, AI-driven analytics, and end-to-end system integration, positioning utilities to build resilient, digitally enabled, and future-ready grid operations.

Strategic Partner
Smart-Grid Innovation Leader
KPMG

Sai Shetty is a Senior Energy Associate at The Brattle Group based in Chicago, specializing in electricity markets, econometrics, and energy policy analysis. With more than six years at Brattle, he focuses on advising utilities, regulators, and market participants on complex issues spanning wholesale market design, pricing, regulatory strategy, and grid transformation. Prior to joining Brattle, Sai worked as a Decision Analytics Associate at ZS Associates, where he developed financial and pricing models for large pharmaceutical portfolios and led client-facing analytical engagements. He holds a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he conducted rigorous empirical research using R and STATA, and a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka.

Senior Energy Associate
The Brattle Group

Laura Manz is a nationally recognized energy industry leader with more than 30 years of experience spanning electric transmission, wholesale market restructuring, distributed energy resources, and regulatory strategy. She has led FERC-compliant transmission planning for a 50,000 MW grid, played a key role in California’s Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI), and negotiated complex generator and transmission interconnection agreements. Laura was instrumental in launching nodal wholesale electricity markets in PJM, California, and ERCOT, aligning them with international best practices, and has developed and implemented reliability compliance programs under FERC, NERC, WECC, and CPUC standards, including serving as an industry representative to NERC’s Board of Trustees. Her expertise also includes retail choice design, demand response, smart grid and microgrid initiatives, and guiding business and regulatory strategy through federal and state proceedings, making her a trusted leader in navigating complex technical, market, and policy challenges.

Principal and Owner
L J Manz Consulting

Aaron Snyder is Director of Grid Technology Consulting at EnerNex in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he leads grid modernization initiatives for utilities and industry clients across North America. With deep expertise in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart grid technologies, electricity metering standards, and transmission and distribution system analysis, Aaron helps organizations navigate complex technical, interoperability, and standards-based challenges in an evolving energy landscape. He has been with EnerNex for more than 18 years, serving in progressive leadership roles spanning smart grid labs, technology services, and consulting engineering.

Aaron is an elected member of the GridWise Architecture Council (GWAC), a DOE-affiliated thought leadership body focused on the future design of the power grid, and he actively contributes to national and international metering and interoperability standards development. A Senior Member of IEEE, he has also held board and executive roles with the UCA International Users Group and the Smart Electric Power Alliance, supporting industry collaboration on real-time systems and grid interoperability. Aaron holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech, as well as a DEA and doctorate in electrical engineering from Grenoble INP in France.

Director of Grid Technology Consulting
EnerNex

Paul A. DeCotis is a veteran energy and utilities executive with more than 40 years of experience shaping strategy, policy, and innovation across the power sector. He serves as Senior Partner and Head of the East Coast Energy & Utilities Practice at West Monroe, where he advises major investor-owned, municipal, and independent utilities on grid modernization, clean energy integration, digital transformation, advanced analytics, and customer value strategies. Prior to joining West Monroe, Paul held senior leadership roles at the Long Island Power Authority, including Managing Director and Vice President of Power Markets, overseeing generation strategy, integrated resource planning, market policy, and major contract negotiations, and he previously served as Energy Secretary for two New York Governors, chairing the State Energy Planning Board and advancing key clean energy initiatives. A widely recognized thought leader and mentor, he has authored numerous publications on energy policy and utility performance, serves on several national energy and editorial boards, and has received honors including Crain’s New York Notable Leader in Accounting & Consulting and City & State’s Responsible 100. He holds degrees from SUNY Brockport, the University at Albany, and The Sage Colleges.

Senior Partner - Utilities
West Monroe

As the CEO of Switched Source, Charles Murray leads the company’s efforts to revolutionize energy distribution systems. With a strong focus on grid modernization, Charlie’s leadership drives the company’s mission to provide cost-effective, resilient, reliable, and scalable solutions for utility infrastructure. Prior to his role at Switched Source, Charles worked at Invergy and Bloom Energy, gaining extensive experience in developing and deploying cutting-edge technologies. His expertise spans strategic planning, operations, and business development, enabling Switched Source to push boundaries in power system optimization. Charles Murray is an experienced speaker on grid modernization, distributed energy resources (DERs), and utility innovation.

CEO and Co-Founder
Switched Source