Speakers
Speaker Biographies 2024 Annual Meeting
Keynote Speakers
General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Seattle City Light
Seattle, WA
Dawn Lindell joined Seattle City Light as the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer in February 2024. She has 20 years of utility experience in electric distribution and transmission, water, wastewater, and gas.
Chief Executive Officer, General Manager, Snohomish County PUD
Everett, WA
The Board of Commissioners appointed John Haarlow to serve as CEO/General Manager beginning October 8, 2018. He joined the PUD in February 2017 as Assistant General Manager of Distribution & Engineering Services, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in the electric utility industry.
President, Pacific Power
Lake Oswego, OR
Ryan Flynn is President of Pacific Power, an electric utility serving over 800,000 customers in California, Oregon and Washington. In his role, Mr. Flynn is responsible for regional strategy and engagement, and leads customer and community affairs, government affairs and the legal department.
Special Addresses
Moderator
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Bonneville Power Administration
Portland, OR
Dr. Marcus A. Harris was appointed acting executive vice president and chief financial officer in July 2021, and was named to the position permanently in June 2023.
Senior Legal Advisor to Commissioner Judy Chang, FERC
Washington, DC
Steven Wellner currently serves as the Senior Legal Advisor to Commissioner Judy Chang at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where he advises her regarding Western wholesale power markets and transmission issues, the Commission’s market-based rate and corporate programs, and the Commission’s reliability and enforcement work.
Panel 1
Beyond Hobson: Market Choices in the West
Power General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Tacoma Power
Tacoma, WA
Chris Robinson has served as the Tacoma Power General Manager/COO since 2015. He brings over 27 years of experience to his role.
Director of Regional Markets and Transmission Strategy, PNM
Albuquerque, NM
Kelsey Martinez is the Director of Regional Markets and Transmission Strategy at Public Service Company of New Mexico. She concentrates on Western markets and RTO evolution.
Moderator:
Moderator
Executive Director, Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition
Portland, OR
Spencer Gray joined NIPPC as Executive Director in February 2020. He is responsible for leading NIPPC’s efforts toward a more competitive and nimble electric power system that can satisfy the region’s evolving policy objectives.
Panel 2
Linear Momentum: Transmission’s Long Moment
Senior Manager, Transmission Development, Portland General Electric
Portland, OR
Shaun Foster has been with PGE for nearly 17 years, currently serving as the Senior Manager of Transmission Development. In this role, he is responsible for the on-time development of PGE’s portfolio of transmission projects.
Vice President, Transmission Marketing & Sales, Bonneville Power Administration
Portland, OR
In October 2022, Michelle Manary returned to the position of Vice President for Transmission Marketing and Sales for the Bonneville Power Administration.
Regional Vice President, Development, Grid United
Houston, TX
Brant Johnson provides strategic leadership for several of Grid United’s development projects, including North Plains Connector, Wyoming Intertie and others in development.
Executive Director, Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG)
Washington, DC
Christina Hayes is the Executive Director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid. She previously served as Vice President for Federal Regulatory Affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy and has been an energy regulatory attorney for nearly 20 years, helping Midwestern and Western utilities navigate FERC, NERC, and other federal agencies.
Moderator:
Chair, Oregon Public Utility Commission
Salem, OR
Megan Decker was appointed to the Oregon Public Utility Commission by Governor Kate Brown in April 2017 and was promoted to Commission Chair in May 2018.
Panel 3
Hatch, Match, and Dispatch: Storage and Thermal on a Low Carbon Grid
Partner, E3 - Energy & Environmental Economics
San Francisco, CA
Arne Olson leads E3’s Bulk Energy Infrastructure practice helping clients navigate changes to bulk electric system operations and investment needs brought about by increasing policy and market interest in clean and renewable energy production.
Partner, Orrick
San Francisco, CA
Wolfram Pohl, a tax partner in the San Francisco office, focuses on the tax aspects of project finance and corporate transactions, with an emphasis on renewable energy and infrastructure projects.
CEO, GridStor
Portland, OR
Chris Taylor is the CEO of GridStor. He has two decades of experience in the clean energy sector and has developed over 2 GW of wind, solar and storage projects now in operation or construction.
Moderator:
Partner, Perkins Coie
Washington, DC
Jane Rueger helps clients advance their energy policy goals at both federal and state levels in areas such as transmission planning, grid interconnection, and adoption of policies favoring technologies that decarbonize the grid.
Panel 4
Gray Rhinos and Smart Money: Risks and Opportunities in Power Sector Finance
Vice president, Regulatory Affairs, Puget Sound Energy
Bellevue, WA
Jon Piliaris has nearly 30 years of utility and energy industry experience. He has been with Puget Sound Energy since 2009, currently serving as its Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.
Commissioner, Oregon Public Utilities Commission
Salem, OR
Letha Tawney was appointed to the Oregon Public Utility Commission by Governor Kate Brown in June 2018.
Chief Commercial Officer, LevelTen Energy
Seattle, WA
Ryan Warren is Chief Commercial Officer for LevelTen Energy. Mr. Warren is a 20-year veteran of B2B enterprise marketing and sales, where he has led marketing and selling teams ranging from global, public companies to emerging start-ups, with a special focus on renewable energy, analytics, and information solutions.
Moderator:
Principal, Beveridge & Diamond
Seattle, WA
Eric Christensen is a leading energy and natural resources attorney in the Pacific Northwest. He assists renewable and traditional energy companies, as well as major energy consumers, to navigate the complex legal and regulatory systems governing the nation’s energy industry. With more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Christensen has successfully represented clients in litigation and regulatory matters, ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court to proceedings before federal and state agencies.
NIPPC's 'TED Talks'
Fusion Energy: A Potential Game-Changer Emerging in Washington State?
Head of Communications, Zap Energy
Everett, WA
Andy Freeberg is the Head of Communications at Zap Energy, leading the company’s efforts to engage and educate key audiences about Zap’s work to unlock the transformative potential of fusion energy.
