2025 Speakers
Rizwan James
Power Generation System Operations Director
Dominion Energy, Inc.
Kate Bowling
Plant Manager Eastern Gas
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Michael Burroughs
Plant Manager - Plant Scherer (retired)
Georgia Power
Don Cribb
Founder/Principal, 3600 Consulting Group
Santee Cooper
Darren Buck
Director of Power Delivery
Platte River Power Authority
Caroline Brannock Ph.D.
Senior Sales Manager, Battery Technology
BASF Stationary Energy Storage GmbH
Ed Myers
Vice President - Development
Long Ridge Energy
Stephen Martz
Vice President Integrated Planning
Xcel Energy
Jamie Choate
Director, HR & LR Support Services
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Jan Kulmann PE
SVP and COO
United Power, Inc.
Britney Strout
Director of Asset Mgmt
Summit Utilities, Inc.
James Goosby
Executive in Residence-McCrary Institute
Southern Company
Justin Buckman
Manager of Power Production
Kissimmee Utility Authority - Cane Island
Michael Craig
Energy Management Systems Manager
Great River Energy
Aaron Larson
Executive Editor
POWER magazine
Tom Quinlan
Vice President / COO Products Business
Yokogawa Corporation of America
Paul DeCotis
Senior Partner, Utilities
West Monroe
Diane Fischer
Director, Generation Services
Kiewit
Eric DeCristofaro
Vice President
Sargent & Lundy
Darren McGuire
Commercial Product Manager
Siemens Energy
Giovanni Damato
President
CMBlu
Chilukuri Maheshwar
ex-Sr Training Supdt - Engg
ex-Anglo Eastern Maritime Academy
Maher Damak Ph.D.
Co-Founder & CEO
Infinite Cooling
Mukesh Chatter
CEO, President, and Co-founder
Alsym Energy
Dave Hopson
Founder and Managing Partner
Triumphus
Matthew Fioretti
Senior Manager Market Development
Wartsila North America, Inc.
Prof John "Yiannis" K Galiotos, Ph.D.
Dean of Workforce Development and Associate Professor of Chemistry
Southern University at Shreveport
Alexandra Pony
Founder and Principal/PR Representative
PONY Communications
Rick Lank
President
Resilient Power Works, LLC
Thomas Overton
Senior Strategic Development Specialist
General Atomics
Justin Lindemann
Senior Policy Analyst
NC Clean Energy Technology Center
Nicholas Meyer
Marketing Manager
Yokogawa Corporation of America
Siva Kondapi
Founder/CEO
Jaajitech digital
Ray Rasmussen
Founder and Managing Principal
rGen Consulting
Stewart Nicholson
President
Primex
Hal Corin
Head of Development
Viridi Parente
Matt Bosch,
Executive Vice President of Growth and Development
Sparkfund
Beth Crouchet
Director Energy Markets & Resource Planning
Budderfly
Wayshalee Patel B.S.ChE, MBA, P.E.
Director of Environmental Technologies, Licensing and Permitting
Sargent & Lundy
Pareez Golub
Vice President Digital Modernization
Sargent & Lundy
Dawn Lima
VP - Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies
Foss & Company
Leet Wood PhD
Senior Energy Advisor
Space Frontier Foundation
Chad Swope
Project Delivery Director
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.
Brita Formato
President
Heimdall Power
David Carpenter
VP of Development & Chief Legal Officer
Green Lantern Solar
Vihann Kong
Senior Executive Director
Ampion, PBC.
Laura Rippentrop
Senior Director, Land
rPlus Energies, LLC
Galen George
Director Digital Sales
Siemens Energy
Ged Moree
Manager
Winyah Generating Station
Kevin Dahm
Director of Engineering
Vital Tech Services
Whitaker (Whit) Irvin, Jr.
CEO
Q Hydrogen
Siraj Taj
Founder / Principal
ST Power Services Consultants, LLC
Michael Caravaggio
Vice President of Fleet Reliability
EPRI Electric Power Research Institute
Sonal Patel
Senior Editor
POWER magazine
Michael Craig PE
Energy Management Systems Manager
Great River Energy
Darrell Proctor
Senior Editor
POWER magazine
Clive Nickolay
CEO - Heavy Duty Gas Turbines & Aeroderivatives
GE Vernova
Peter Suyderhoud
Scientific Computing & AI Deputy Division Director
Idaho National Laboratory
Eric Stein
President
Viridi
Thomas M. Poteet III, P.E.
Senior VP, Corporate Development
Mesa Solutions
Sarbari Basu
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) & General Manager (GM)
Prismecs
DeAnna C. Myers
Senior Manager, Learning & Development
Sargent & Lundy
Matt McNeil
Head of Solution (Gas, Trading, Cloud Services)
Energy Exemplar Llc
Jim Smith
Director, Operations & Maintenance
Fluor Corporation
Christian Mueller
Sr. Sales Manager
INNIO Jenbacher
Ann Runnalls
Senior Program Manager/Department Manager
WSP USA, Inc
Nicholas Torres P.E.
Sr. Project Manager
Sargent & Lundy
Cassandra Heller
Energy Consultant
Everllence
John Nixon
Vice President of Strategy for Energy, Chemicals, and Infrastructure
Siemens Industry Software, Inc.
Tony White
Head of Vertical Market Chemical, Glass & Energy US Sales
Siemens Industry, Inc.
Sarah Osborn PMP, FS Eng
Energy, Chemicals and Infrastructure Presales Industry Program Lead
Siemens Industry Software, Inc.
Sarah Ruen
VP of Regulatory & Origination
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
Tricia Schulz
Group Leader, Embedded Systems Security
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Luke Martin
Partner
Scott Madden Inc.
Patrick Daou
Project Director
Sargent & Lundy
Nicholas Papanastassiou
Director of Market Development
Energyhub
Jennifer Atcheson
Sr. Product Manager
ION Engineering
Sarbari Basu
Vice President, Technology Strategy
CAEL - Council for Adult and Experiential Learning
Galen George
VP
Siemens Energy
Rizwan James
Power Generation System Operations Director
Dominion Energy, Inc.
Sessions:
Rizwan James, Director-Power Generation System Operation Joined Dominion Energy in 2004 as a combustion turbine technician at the Fairless Energy Power Plant. Through series of career advancements his new role is Director Power Generation System Operations. Rizwan James is responsible for providing fleetwide operational support to Power Generation assets which include regulated fleet asset management and budgetary oversight, regulatory reporting, and oversight of the PG Operational Excellence team. He is also responsible for leading Power Generation operations teams, leading Power Generation's hydrogen strategy for combustion turbines, and providing support for Project Construction
Kate Bowling
Plant Manager Eastern Gas
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Sessions:
Kate has spent the last 20 plus years working for Tennessee Valley Authority honing her skills and knowledge in the policy procedures and power production and core business of the industry. She currently serves as site management in rotational development capacity for several power plants in the TVA network.
Michael Burroughs
Plant Manager - Plant Scherer (retired)
Georgia Power
Michael Burroughs is an an almost 34 year veteran of the electric utility industry with experience in coal, gas, fuels, solar, wind, operations strategy, environmental rules impact, Plant closures, and leadership development.
Michael began his career in 1991 as a Plant Engineer with Alabama Power Company's Barry Generating Plant which is part of the Southern Company. During the next 15 years, Michael held positions at Alabama Power Company and Gulf Power Company (former subsidiary of Southern Company) in front line supervision and management in Engineering, Planning, Maintenance, Operations, and Compliance in Power Plants. Michael was afterwards selected to be the Assistant To Executive Vice President of Alabama Power and Chief Production Officer for the Southern Company.
Since 2007, Michael has been in the Plant Manager roles at Alabama Power Company's Barry Steam Plant and Georgia Power Company's Plant Yates and Plant Scherer. He was also elected to be the Vice President of Generation and Senior Production Officer for Gulf Power Company before retiring at the end of 2024 after a long impactful and accomplished career.
Michael also served on the Plant Scherer Managing Board, Board member Coal Users Group, Florida Solar Energy Center Policy Advisory Board, Board member of Southeast Labor and Management Public Affairs Committee, Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida, and Pensacola Sports Association.
Michael earned his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in December 1990.
Michael is a native of Birmingham, Alabama and has one daughter Genesis Nicole, who is a school teacher in Pensacola, Florida.
Don Cribb
Founder/Principal, 3600 Consulting Group
Santee Cooper
Sessions:
Don Cribb brings over three decades of expertise in the power generation industry to his role on the Planning Committee for the 2025 Experience Power Conference. As the Owner and Lead Consultant of 3600 Consulting Group, he drives excellence in capital planning and reliability, leveraging advanced analytics to deliver customized, data-driven solutions for resilient and cost-effective power generation.
With a distinguished career at Santee Cooper, a state-owned power utility in South Carolina, Don held pivotal leadership roles, including Senior Director of Generation, where he managed a 5,200 MW asset portfolio, overseeing $185 million in annual O&M budgets and $90 million in Capital budgets ensuring compliance with state, federal, and NERC regulations. As Manager of Cross Generating Station, he led a 2,400 MW facility, fostering safety, reliability, and employee engagement through innovative continuous improvement initiatives like idea-driven systems and workplace optimization programs. His earlier roles, from Superintendent of Operations to Maintenance Engineer, honed his technical and strategic acumen, with hands-on experience in turbine overhauls, boiler maintenance, and predictive maintenance.
A graduate of The Citadel with an MBA and Clemson University with a BS in Engineering, Don combines technical proficiency with visionary leadership. His commitment to the industry extends to community involvement, including serving on the University of South Carolina's SAGE Research Institute board and volunteering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. As a member of the Experience Power 2025 Steering Committee, Don is dedicated to shaping a forward-thinking conference that addresses the evolving challenges and opportunities in power generation.
Darren Buck
Director of Power Delivery
Platte River Power Authority
Sessions:
Darren Buck joined Platte River Power Authority in 2021 as the director of power delivery and has 30 years of experience in the electric utility business. Platte River has 800 miles of transmission and manages 30 facilities. Darren is responsible for overseeing real-time operations across transmission, maintenance, engineering, construction, fiber telecommunications and physical security. Prior to his position at Platte River, Darren served in numerous executive positions responsible for maintenance, construction and operations for 8,000 miles of transmission lines and hundreds of substations across eight western states. He is active in electric industry organizations including the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and the North American Transmission Forum. Darren has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit, community-owned public power utility that generates and delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland, Colorado, for delivery to their utility customers. In addition to providing a public health and safety service to the owner communities, Platte River is working toward a 100% noncarbon energy future through a Resource Diversification Policy approved by its board of directors in 2018.
Caroline Brannock Ph.D.
Senior Sales Manager, Battery Technology
BASF Stationary Energy Storage GmbH
Caroline is the Senior Sales Manager of Battery Technology for BASF Stationary Energy Storage, where she is responsible for finding new projects for the NAS Batteries system and expanding the division's North American presence. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from North Carolina State University, an MBA from Duke University, and a BS in Chemistry from Salem College. She joined BASF in 2012 and has gained a broad experience through various positions in sales, project management and business development.
Ed Myers
Vice President - Development
Long Ridge Energy
Ed Myers, Vice President of Business Development at Long Ridge Energy and Power, brings over 20 years of experience in power, data center, and telecommunications infrastructure sales and transactions. Before joining Long Ridge, Ed served as Vice President of Business and Corporate Development at Tillman Global Holdings' in-building wireless systems integrator and finance company, TDC.
Earlier, he co-founded and led the telecommunications group at Parallel Infrastructure, a national build-to-suit communications tower and fiber service provider. Ed also managed offer development and the national spectrum program for FiberTower, a cell tower backhaul and fixed wireless service provider. His leadership journey spans notable roles with AT&T, Level 3, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile.
A University of Virginia graduate, Ed holds BA and MA degrees in English Literature and frequently lectures at UVA's Darden School of Business and the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology.
Stephen Martz
Vice President Integrated Planning
Xcel Energy
Sessions:
In his current role, Steve oversees the integrated planning organization at Xcel Energy. In this role he is responsible for the long-term system planning and strategy of the electric distribution and transmission, generation, and natural gas businesses.
Prior to his current role, Steve was the vice president of engineering with responsibility for technical design, system planning, asset management, integrity, and project management. He started with Xcel in 2015 as head of the planning group where he was responsible for company growth planning and asset optimization.
Steve was previously employed by Sempra Energy where he worked in various capacities including design engineering, operations management, R&D, corporate development, and marketing.
Steve holds a BS in Chemical & Materials Engineering from Cal Poly and Masters degrees in Finance and Business Administration. He actively serves on several industry committees with the American Gas Association and the Southern Gas Association. He also serves as a board member for the Energy Systems Integration Group, Rocky Mountain Pipeliners Club and Reach Out Students for Education.
Jamie Choate
Director, HR & LR Support Services
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Sessions:
Jamie Choate is the Director of Workforce Strategy and Development (WS&D) at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
In this role, she leads a newly created team focused on ensuring TVA's workforce remains adaptable and equipped with the skills, capabilities, and technology needed to safely power TVA's energy future.
Jamie is passionate about developing an agile and diverse workforce through strong community partnerships. Towards that mission, Jamie leads her team in pursuing several key objectives: making strategic workforce development investments, fostering cross-functional enterprise alignment, enhancing partnerships, alliances, processes, and tools, and developing diverse workforce pathways and pipelines. In her current role, she is also focused on equipping our current and future workforce with robust skills and capabilities.
As a results-driven leader, Jamie excels in strategic planning, organizational leadership, financial management, training programs and change management. She is committed to bolstering innovation across TVA and continuously evaluating progress with an eye on the future of work.
Her extensive background in the energy sector has provided her with deep technical knowledge and a strong leadership presence. With over two decades of experience at TVA, Jamie has held several leadership positions, including Director of Learning and Development, Director of Technical Training, Senior Manager of Regulatory & Corporate Training, and Manager of Power Production Operations Training.
Jamie holds an MBA from Ashford University Forbes School of Business and Technology, a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and an Associate's degree in General Studies from Columbia State Community College.
Jamie currently resides in Ooltewah, TN with her husband and three children. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with community events and spending time with family traveling to her kids' sporting events.
Jan Kulmann PE
SVP and COO
United Power, Inc.
Jan Kulmann is a licensed professional engineer with over 27 years of experience in the energy industry, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at United Power. In this role, she oversees operations, maintenance, and safety for the electric cooperative, drawing on a career that spans both the utility and oil and gas sectors.
Jan has led major initiatives in emissions reduction, power transitions, automation, and infrastructure safety. Her background includes managing drilling and production facilities, developing engineering standards, and directing regulatory compliance programs across national and international projects.
Elected Mayor of Thornton, Colorado, in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, Jan has served in public office since 2013. She previously held roles as Ward 4 Councilmember and Mayor Pro-Tem. Regionally, she serves on the executive committee of the Metro Mayors Caucus, is Vice Chair of the Mile High Flood District, is part of the leadership circle for the Adams County Regional Economic Partnership, and previously chaired the Rocky Flats Stewardship Council.
Jan holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Music Performance from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Colorado State University. She and her husband, Dave, have been married since 2002 and are proud parents of two teenagers.
Britney Strout
Director of Asset Mgmt
Summit Utilities, Inc.
Britney Strout is the Director of Pipeline Integrity at Summit Utilities, Inc., where she leads safety and reliability programs for natural gas distribution and transmission systems across six states (CO, MO, ME, AR, OK, TX). With more than 14 years of experience spanning design engineering, field operations, and integrity management, she oversees teams responsible for advanced leak detection, corrosion prevention, TIMP/DIMP programs, quality, and compliance with federal and state standards.
A recognized champion of Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS), Britney drives a culture of quality, continuous improvement, risk reduction, and safety excellence across the organization. She has served as a subject matter expert for pipeline integrity and corrosion control at major operators including Southwest Gas, Xcel Energy, Marathon (MarkWest/QEP/Tesoro), and DCP Midstream (Phillips 66/Enbridge), and has consulted with leading utilities nationwide such as PG&E and Southern Company.
Britney holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona along with certifications in project management and cathodic protection. She is passionate about advancing pipeline safety, operational excellence, and sustainability in the energy sector.
James Goosby
Executive in Residence-McCrary Institute
Southern Company
James currently serves as the Southern Company Executive in Residence at Auburn University's McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security. In this role he works closely with industry, academia, and federal partners, including national laboratories on electric grid cyber security strategies. James also served as a senior fellow at the McCrary Institute, a prestigious group of nationally renowned cyber and critical-infrastructure security experts.
With more than 28 years of service at Southern Company, James co-led an initiative to implement an enhanced Operations cyber and NERC-CIP program support model and has held various operational and engineering support leadership positions. Prior to joining Southern Company, James served in the U.S. Marines. He holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from Auburn University.
Justin Buckman
Manager of Power Production
Kissimmee Utility Authority - Cane Island
I spent 20% of my life underwater. After serving 20 years in the U.S. Nuclear Submarine Navy- operating and maintaining nuclear reactors and associated steam equipment, I retired and had to find a real job. Transitioning to the wild west that is Pulp and Paper, I spent 4 years at a Mill, 2 years on shift supervising 3 distinct areas- the Wood Yard, Power House (Recovery boiler, power boilers, biomass boiler, along with turbines), and Kraft Mill (Continuous Digester), before being promoted to the Power House Supervisor. After the mill closed, I spent 3 years managing the Deerhaven site for Gainesville Regional Utilities- a 450 MW capacity site, with 1 coal/ natural gas (NG) steam unit, 1 oil/NG steam unit, a 7EA simple cycle combustion turbine (CT), and 2 frame 5 simple cycle dual fuel CT's, following which I moved to my current position as Manager of Power Production at Kissimmee Utility Authority. I hold a Bachelor's of Science in Nuclear Engineering Technologies from Excelsior University, a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee, and have been the recipient of numerous commendations, awards, distinctions, and leadership programs. In my spare time, I still like going underwater- scuba diving.
Michael Craig
Energy Management Systems Manager
Great River Energy
Michael Craig, manager of energy and distribution management systems at Great River Energy, is a professional engineer in the state of Minnesota. Michael has worked at Great River Energy for 14 years and helps to ensure reliable operation of the supervisory control and data acquisition system as well as working with new technologies pertaining to system operations and the electric utility industry.
Aaron Larson
Executive Editor
POWER magazine
Sessions:
- Fireside Chat with Clive Nickolay, CEO, Heavy Duty Gas Turbines & Aeroderivative, GE Vernova
- Fireside Chat: Project Finance Strategies and Best Practices
- Panel Discussion: Decentralized Power: Unlocking the Potential of Microgrids and
- How DLR Deployment Unlocked Nearly 50% More Transmission Capacity
- Closing Keynote: Blueprints for the Unknown: Testing Innovative Technology and Building First-of-a-Kind Projects
Aaron Larson joined the POWER team in September 2013 as an associate editor and was named executive editor in 2017. Aaron has a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering technology and a master's degree, specializing in finance. He spent 13 years in the U.S. Navy nuclear power program, advancing to Chief Petty Officer. He has worked at commercial nuclear, biomass, and coal-fired power plants, functioning in operations, maintenance, safety, financial, and management capacities. Aaron holds a Chief A Engineer boiler operator license in the state of Minnesota.
Tom Quinlan
Vice President / COO Products Business
Yokogawa Corporation of America
Sessions:
Tom Quinlan has 30 years of experience in the process industry, 16 of those years as the Executive leader of the Measurement Instrumentation business. He is currently leading a transformation project for Yokogawa's Newnan, GA facilities....expanding U.S. manufacturing and building a Customer Experience Center. Tom lives in Sharpsburg, GA, where he is active in fitness, travel and food and is a major sports fan. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, where both his sons will graduate with one following in his footsteps as a Chemical Engineer in the Process Industry.
Paul DeCotis
Senior Partner, Utilities
West Monroe
With 40 years' experience, Paul leads innovative grid modernization projects, helping North American utilities negotiate major contracts, digitize operations and use advanced analytics to drive enterprise and customer value. Paul supports private equity firms in commercial diligence for acquisitions offering energy technologies and related services.
Paul joined West Monroe from Long Island Power Authority, where he was vice president of power markets and managing director for utility service provider contract oversight. Paul oversaw human resources during the Power Authority's reorganization and restructuring. Paul negotiated over $10 billion in power purchase agreements, and over $400 million in union labor contracts. Paul has a bachelor's degree in international business management, a master's degree in economics, and an MBA in finance. Prior to joining the utility, Paul was deputy Energy Secretary and senior energy advisor to two governors.
Paul invests great energy in academic, industry and not-for-profit organizations. Paul has been active, serving on professional and community boards of directors for over 30 years. Paul served on the Board on Energy and Environmental System at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), and chaired and served on several NASEM committees. Paul also chaired several peer review advisory panels for the US Department of Energy and served as an advisor to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Paul is currently a board member with the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University, an editorial board member for Wiley's Climate and Energy Journal, and Springer's Energy Efficiency Journal. Paul is also Deputy Supervisor in the Town of Malta, New York, and advisory board member to the Critical Infrastructure Security Consortium.
Paul has published over 13 dozen professional articles and papers. Paul was named one of New York City & State's ""Responsible 100"" recognizing 100 of New York's most outstanding corporate citizens, executives, thought leaders, visionaries, and influencers in promoting core principles of social responsibility: charity, community engagement, customer service, diversity and inclusion, equity, ethics, transparency, sustainability, and volunteerism. Paul was also recognized as a notable leader in Accounting and Consulting by Crain's New York, and is a member of Montclair Publishing LLC. "Who's Who in North America."
Diane Fischer
Director, Generation Services
Kiewit
Sessions:
Delivering asset development, operational improvements and performance enhancement services, Diane Fischer, the Director of Generation Services at Kiewit, leverages her 30+ years of experience in the power industry to provide detailed engineering and design solutions. Throughout the project lifecycle, she partners with clients to address environmental issues, engineer components and systems and conduct facility evaluations and feasibility analyses.
A recognized subject matter expert in the power market, Diane has shared her insights on combustion turbine issues, fuel flexibility, hydrogen combustion and energy storage at 12 conferences over the last three years. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University, she is also a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri.
Eric DeCristofaro
Vice President
Sargent & Lundy
Eric DeCristofaro is a vice president in Sargent & Lundy's Consulting Group. He joined the firm in 2009 and is based at its Chicago headquarters. In the last decade Eric has led multi-disciplinary teams on over 300 power projects. Eric's support for clients covers a wide range of services including project development support, permitting, feasibility studies, owner's engineering, technical due diligence, wind and solar resource assessments, independent engineering, construction monitoring, condition assessment, technology evaluation, contract reviews and technical advisory services. Eric graduated from the University of Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in mechanical engineering. He also has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance from DePaul University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Illinois.
Darren McGuire
Commercial Product Manager
Siemens Energy
Darren manages global commercial and business development for the Siemens Energy Omnivise Performance team with special focus on the Omnivise Energy Management System. He has been with Siemens Energy for 17 years working in power generation and digital solutions. He also holds a masters degrees in both engineering and business administration from the University of Florida.
Giovanni Damato
President
CMBlu
Giovanni Damato serves as President at CMBlu Energy, Inc. (CMBlu), commercializing Organic SolidFlow battery storage technology in the United States. Giovanni is responsible for all aspects of CMBlu's U.S. energy storage project and product development while also leading the expansion of CMBlu's manufacturing capacity into the USA. He has nearly two decades of professional experience leading the exploration of grid-connected energy storage. At the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Giovanni provided innovative grid storage and DER techno-economic analyses with strategic recommendations to energy industry stakeholders while managing the program's integrated modeling frameworks for EPRI's grid storage practice areas. In this capacity, he produced cutting-edge research and traveled around the world to present ERPI's work on energy storage.
Giovanni holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BS in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Chilukuri Maheshwar
ex-Sr Training Supdt - Engg
ex-Anglo Eastern Maritime Academy
Chilukuri Maheshwar is a Marine Engineer (DMET-1980 pass out) recently retired as Faculty-Engineering at Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy belonging to Hong-Kong based Anglo-Eastern Univan group managing about 700 ships of various types. Chilukuri has an MBA, MEE (Masters in Ecology and Environment) and M Phil in Management. His first book titled CONTAINER REFRIGERATION was published in 2008 by Witherbys, UK and is used as reference material for US MARAD's Marine Engineers License Examinations.
His second book titled REFRIGERATION AND PERSONAL SAFETY was published by Bhandarakar Publications, Mumbai in 2023.
He is accessible at
in.linkedin.com/pub/maheshwar-chilukuri/1/60a/443/
Maher Damak Ph.D.
Co-Founder & CEO
Infinite Cooling
Maher is the Co-Founder and CEO of Infinite Cooling, an award-winning start-up disrupting the way cooling is done in industrial processes and commercial buildings. He has led the development and commercialization of water recycling technology and optimization software for cooling systems in multiple verticals including power generation, data centers, manufacturing, and commercial HVAC. Maher has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT where he developed a novel patented technology to efficiently capture water from fog and cooling tower plumes using electric fields. He received several awards for his work including Forbes 30 Under 30 in Energy and the Edison Awards Gold Medal.
Mukesh Chatter
CEO, President, and Co-founder
Alsym Energy
Mukesh Chatter is CEO, president and co-founder of Alsym Energy, a battery developer with a high-performance, low-cost, non-flammable solution for global electrification. In addition to his role at Alsym, Mukesh co-manages NeoNet Capital LLC, an investment firm focused on funding out-of-the-box, innovative ideas. Previously, Mukesh co-founded Nexabit Networks and was CEO until its acquisition by Lucent Technologies. He was named to Red Herring Magazine's Top 10 Entrepreneurs in 1999, and Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001. Mukesh received his Master's degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
Dave Hopson
Founder and Managing Partner
Triumphus
As one of the founding partners of Triumphus, Dave brings 25 years of experience as a leader in the Information Technology field.
Prior to founding Triumphus, Dave held executive-level IT roles with Union Carbide Corp, BHP Billiton, and Devon Energy. As a Director with Devon Energy Inc., Dave aligned people, process, and technology to create an efficient and seamless technology group.
Dave retired from the US Marine Corps after serving as Team Leader for the USMC 3rd Force Recon, specializing in anti-terrorism, hostage rescue, special ops logistical planning, and training. He earned a BS in Political Science from Sam Houston State University, a MAIS from Claremont Graduate School, and a PhD from Claremont Graduate School in the Peter Drucker's School of Management. He lives in Clear Lake Shores, Texas, with his wife, Amy.
Matthew Fioretti
Senior Manager Market Development
Wartsila North America, Inc.
Matthew Fioretti is a Senior Manager for the Market Development department at Wärtsilä North America. In his role, Matt advises on wholesale electricity markets, sales opportunities, and resource capabilities that support decarbonization, while highlighting the critical role flexible gas generation plays in the evolution of the power grid. He has over 10 years of experience in the energy industry and previously held the title of Market Research & Development Manager at Mitsubishi Power Aero, where he worked on expanding market intelligence services to identify global sales opportunities and guide strategy decisions. Prior to that, Matt worked as a Market Monitor for ISO New England identifying market manipulation, opining on new wholesale electricity market designs, and conducting empirical analysis of market performance. He is a graduate of Springfield College and holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Finance.
Prof John "Yiannis" K Galiotos, Ph.D.
Dean of Workforce Development and Associate Professor of Chemistry
Southern University at Shreveport
John "Yiannis" Galiotos holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Northeastern Illinois University and both a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago. While completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a production specialist at Dynamic International Chemical Fertilizing Company in Chicago.
Currently, Dr. Galiotos serves as the Dean of Workforce Development and a tenured Associate Professor of Chemistry at Southern University A&M College in Shreveport. John serves as a Board Member of the Consumer Energy Education Foundation and a former President of the Houston Abu Dhabi Sister Cities Association.
In 2008, Dr. Galiotos established the first Power Engineering Technology program at the Energy Institute in Texas.
In 2022, he was asked to serve as Senior Executive Advisor to the CEO at PHOS Global Energy Solutions for his exceptional contributions to the global Energy and Infrastructure sector.
An active participant in the STEAM community of Northwest Louisiana, Dr. Galiotos serves on the Advisory Board for the NWLA STEAM Alliance. His previous positions include Senior Vice President for Workforce-STEM/CTE-Economic Development at Suffolk County Community College, NY; Academic Service Department Manager at ADNOC Technical Academy, Abu Dhabi; Dean of the Energy and Manufacturing Institute at Lone Star College, Houston; and Professor and Division Chair at Houston Community College-Northeast.
Dr. Galiotos is the founder of the Houston Community College Global Energy Institute and has developed several programs addressing STEAM education and industry needs, earning recognition from the State of Texas and nationally. With over 15 years of industry experience in the Chemical Fertilizers, Chemical, and Petrochemical sectors, he brings valuable expertise.
With more than 35 years in Workforce Education, Economic Development, and STEAM Education, Dr. Galiotos is a successful grant writer, published author, internationally recognized presenter, and acclaimed educator, leader, and trainer.
Alexandra Pony
Founder and Principal/PR Representative
PONY Communications
Alexandra Pony is the founder and principal of PONY Communications, an award-winning PR and social agency specializing in the energy sector. Known for delivering standout results for the world's most innovative energy companies, PONY helps clients dominate headlines and shape the energy narrative--from cleantech and grid-edge innovation to next-gen battery storage.
Recognized by Inc., NASA, and top industry awards--including a Stevie Award for Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Advertising, Marketing + Public Relations)--Alexandra transforms bold ideas into headline-grabbing stories that drive meaningful impact and propel disruptive brands into the media spotlight.
She helped launch Pivotal's (formerly Opener) electric flying vehicle--the world's first, backed by Larry Page--into mainstream recognition; amplified OhmConnect's success leading to its acquisition by Google; and supported energy pioneers like Renew Home, Recurve, and Climeworks, the world's largest direct air capture company. PONY has also amplified Glydways--backed by Bill Gates and Sam Altman--as it reimagines personal mass transit. Notably, Alexandra led one of the largest viral crowdsourcing campaigns in history for NASA.
Rick Lank
President
Resilient Power Works, LLC
Rick is leading a consortium of entities, including a manufacturer (Pillar Innovations) and a federal lab (National Energy Technology Laboratory), to bring to market the H2PWR Microgrid, a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) generation technology. For the past decade, he has guided the evolution of the tightly coupled hybrid system (while in development at the federal lab), assuring that it has the capacity to be a utility asset: dispatchable and with load-following capabilities.
Thomas Overton
Senior Strategic Development Specialist
General Atomics
Sessions:
Tom Overton is Senior Strategic Development Specialist with the General Atomics Energy Group in San Diego, where he supports GA's inertial and magnetic fusion energy programs by pursuing new opportunities and applications for GA's world-leading R&D efforts. Over his 25 years in the science, defense, and energy fields, Tom has had a wide-ranging career including tenures as a nuclear operator in the US Navy, an editor of POWER magazine, and an attorney specializing in intellectual property issues. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California, a law degree from UCLA, and a Certificate in Finance from UCSD.
Justin Lindemann
Senior Policy Analyst
NC Clean Energy Technology Center
Sessions:
Justin Lindemann is a Senior Policy Analyst at the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, where he contributes to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) and the DSIRE Insight report series. He monitors clean energy legislation and regulatory activity across parts of the Northeast and Southeast. Justin also leads the Center's nuclear energy policy research, tracking developments in all 50 states--including legislation, regulatory proceedings, studies, federal and state incentives, and broader market trends. In addition, he provides policy analysis for the U.S. Department of Energy's Southeast Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnership, supporting the deployment of onsite clean energy technologies. Justin holds a Master's degree in International Studies from NC State University, with a concentration in climate policy and global climate resilience.
Nicholas Meyer
Marketing Manager
Yokogawa Corporation of America
Nicholas Meyer is the Head of Industry and Product Marketing at Yokogawa Corporation of America. He joined Yokogawa in 2019 and has 23 years of experience in the process industry, with expertise in industrial automation, product strategy, and digital transformation.
Nick currently leads initiatives in the energy and sustainability sectors, with a particular emphasis on power generation. He is passionate about the evolving landscape of the energy transition and how digital transformation and industrial autonomy can enhance energy reliability, efficiency, and security--key themes shaping the future of power.
Nick lives in Fayetteville, Georgia, with his wife and three children, where they are active in local soccer and music programs. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
Siva Kondapi
Founder/CEO
Jaajitech digital
Siva Rama Brahmam KV is the Founder and CEO of Jaaji Technologies, an industrial software company specializing in digital transformation for the process and manufacturing industries. With over two decades of experience in chemical engineering, operations, and software development, he leads the development of the inSis Suite--a unified digital platform for real-time analytics, digital operations, connected-worker and lab-to-field integration.
Under his leadership, Jaajitech has delivered solutions to over 70 customers across 110+ sites in 10 countries, enabling digital operations across power, refining, chemical, and steel sectors. Focused especially on mid-sized industries, Siva champions scalable solutions that offer lower total cost of ownership while delivering high operational value and efficiency. His work bridges domain expertise and digital innovation, applying technologies like AI, IIoT, and connected worker systems to solve complex manufacturing challenges globally.
Ray Rasmussen
Founder and Managing Principal
rGen Consulting
With a career spanning over four decades in the technology and energy industries, Ray Rasmussen brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge, vast experience, and a proven track record of successful leadership roles. Ray began his journey in technology as an engineer at IBM at the dawn of the personal computer era. He quickly developed an infatuation with the revolutionary potential of this technology. He worked for 10 years at Deloitte Consulting leading mergers and integration of energy companies. He deepened his knowledge of leading-edge AI technologies as Microsoft's worldwide leader of business application strategies.
Today, Ray is the co-founder and managing principal of rGen Consulting, a management consulting firm specializing in AI business transformation. Under his leadership, rGen Consulting has become an ideal partner for companies seeking rapid growth and increased revenues. Through comprehensive services encompassing strategic planning, organizational design, process automation, and ongoing operations, Ray and his team enable clients to navigate the complexities of AI adoption and realize their vision for success.
Stewart Nicholson
President
Primex
Stewart Nicholson is President and founder of Primex Process Specialists, Inc., a professional services firm specializing in generation asset optimization services. Building on thirty years' experience in process optimization, Stewart's mission is to further develop and deploy Primex's suite of advanced forecasting, anomaly detection, and diagnostic services. Stewart is a seasoned executive, patent holder, Professional Engineer, ASME published author, and contributing author of Machine Learning and Data Science in the Power Generation Industry (ISBN 9780128197424).
Hal Corin
Head of Development
Viridi Parente
Hal is Head of Development at Viridi, where he focuses on market development, strategy, partnerships, leading Viridi's "Insights" software and connectivity division, and structuring of large programs.
Hal comes to Viridi from JPMorgan Chase where he was Vice President, Global Head of Energy and Sustainability for Global Real Estate. There he ran global energy management and was responsible for delivery on JPMorgan Chase's public sustainability commitments relating to operations (Scopes 1 and 2). Execution included managing energy procurement, all programs relating to decarbonization, efficiency, sustainability, water conservation, and renewable energy for the firm's operations spanning 7500 properties in over 70 countries. Additionally, he oversaw energy-related capital programs (solar, microgrids, EV, etc.) while crafting strategy and conducting the development, due diligence, underwriting, and implementation of all solutions.
Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Hal served as Energy Manager for Jeffco Public Schools, a 100,000 occupant portfolio, where in addition to running sustainability and energy management function he frequently taught energy and conservation topics to students. Prior to joining Jeffco, Hal worked as a consulting Mechanical Engineer where he designed HVAC, energy plants, and authored technical studies for complex environments for Dewberry and Affiliated Engineers Inc (AEI).
He served on the Corporate Advisory Board of the World Green Building Council. He twice served as Chairperson of the Colorado Association of School District Energy Managers (CASDEM).
Hal is a graduate of the P.C. Rossin School of Engineering and Applied Science with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and also holds a MBA from the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business at Elon University. Hal holds the Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Energy Procurement Professional (CEP) professional designations.
Matt Bosch,
Executive Vice President of Growth and Development
Sparkfund
Matt Bosch is a dynamic and results-driven executive with extensive experience leading transformative initiatives across the energy and utilities sectors. As the Executive Vice President of Programs and Growth at Sparkfund, Matt has been instrumental in shaping the company's revenue strategy and scaling its operations. Under his leadership, Sparkfund transitioned from a direct-to-customer model to a partner led go-to-market approach, securing multi-year partnerships with industry leaders in utilities, retail energy, and oil & gas. Matt also played a pivotal role in crafting Sparkfund's mission and vision, driving strategic corporate initiatives, and participating in board and investor relations. Prior to Sparkfund, Matt held senior roles at Opower (later acquired by Oracle), where he led client success teams managing utility partnerships. At Accenture, Matt served as a consultant in the Utilities Practice, with clients spanning RTO, Smart Grid, and Energy Trading. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Energy Focus) from the University of Michigan and is based in Denver, Colorado.
Beth Crouchet
Director Energy Markets & Resource Planning
Budderfly
With a decade of experience in the energy industry, Beth Crouchet leads Budderfly's efforts in energy markets and resource planning. She focuses on underserved markets, driving initiatives in energy efficiency, load flexibility, and net zero strategies. Beth has a strong background in climate change research and has spearheaded the launch of some of the first Virtual Power Plants in the country, continually expanding dynamic energy solutions across new sectors. At Budderfly, she oversees the integration of cutting-edge DERMS technology, enabling small and mid-sized commercial businesses to achieve significant cost savings and sustainability goals through innovative energy management.
Wayshalee Patel B.S.ChE, MBA, P.E.
Director of Environmental Technologies, Licensing and Permitting
Sargent & Lundy
Sessions:
Wayshalee Patel works for Sargent & Lundy, a comprehensive consulting, engineering and design firm providing solutions for the electric power industry. She is currently the Director of S&L's Environmental Technologies, Licensing and Permitting Group. Mrs. Patel is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Illinois and has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and Masters in Business Administration. She directs multiple project teams, each led by project managers and technical and engineering personnel. Her overall experience encompasses environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, and air pollution controls. She is well versed in existing and proposed environmental regulations, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). She has been involved with several air quality retrofit projects, new generation projects and transmission line projects where she assisted in project management, preliminary engineering and design, specification/procurement, and project implementation.
Pareez Golub
Vice President Digital Modernization
Sargent & Lundy
Passionate leader in digital I&C engineering and licensing for the nuclear industry. Over 25 years of experience in licensing, plant design and modification engineering, training, project management, and leadership. Specializes in successful first-of-kind projects and initiatives. Leads resolution of complex industry and regulatory issues for the operating fleet and new plants. Dedicated to the sustainability and growth of the nuclear industry in the US and worldwide.
Dawn Lima
VP - Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies
Foss & Company
As Vice President of Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies, she manages all aspects of the transaction lifecycle for solar, RNG, and carbon capture utilization and sequestration (CCUS) investments. Ms. Lima has over two decades of experience in full cycle of oil & gas energy development including: operations, business development and acquisitions & divestitures. A graduate from the Canadian Royal Military College of Canada, Ms. Lima holds a B.Eng. in Chemical & Materials Engineering and received her commission as an Officer in the Canadian Airforce.
Leet Wood PhD
Senior Energy Advisor
Space Frontier Foundation
Sessions:
Leet Wood received his doctorate in political science from George Mason University in 2019. He has been publishing on space security and space-based solar power since. He has a professional background in energy policy and regulatory affairs, and has been working with the Space Frontier Foundation on their SBSP advocacy program since 2023. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Chad Swope
Project Delivery Director
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.
Mr. Swope has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology and has 16+ years of experience at Burns & McDonnell in the power generation industry. He leads the Generation Asset Advisory team in 1898 & Co., part of Burns & McDonnell, focusing on early project development including technology evaluation, site selection, early project planning schedule development, and risk assessment. He also supports existing facility condition assessments, O&M Optimization, and independent engineer due diligence.
Brita Formato
President
Heimdall Power
Brita Osmundsvaag Formato is President of Heimdall Power, where she leads the company's North American operations.
Previously, Brita served as CEO of T-Omega Wind Inc. and spent more than 16 years at Duke Energy Corporation, holding executive positions in corporate development, strategy, and risk management across both U.S. and international operations. Her global energy perspective was honed through roles at ExxonMobil, Equinor, and Mercer Management Consulting, where she focused on downstream operations, petroleum market analysis, and energy strategy.
Brita holds an MBA from the Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Eckerd College.
David Carpenter
VP of Development & Chief Legal Officer
Green Lantern Solar
Dave serves as Vice President of Development and Chief Legal Officer for Green Lantern Solar. Prior to joining Green Lantern Solar, Dave served as Associate General Counsel at Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (2007-2012) where he was lead inside counsel on environmental and renewable energy matters. Dave also worked in private practice at firms in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont, where he represented Green Lantern Solar for nearly five years and represented clients in transactional, zoning, land use, brownfield and site remediation matters. Dave earned his J.D and M.S.E.L from Vermont Law School in 1997 and is a 1990 graduate of Penn State University. Dave is a past co-chair of Renewable Energy Vermont's Legislative & Policy Committee and a former Member of the Vermont Bar Association's Board of Managers, and is in his second year as a guest lecturer for the University of Vermont's Sustainable Innovation MBA program. Dave is also a Firefighter, Training Officer and the Chairman of the Orwell Volunteer Fire Department; and has been a soccer coach for the Orwell-Benson Coyotes and Middlebury Union Middle School Tigers. Dave also served as a Member of the Slate Valley Unified School District Board.
Vihann Kong
Senior Executive Director
Ampion, PBC.
Ampion's Senior Executive Director of Enterprise Acquisition, Vihann Kong, is an authority on the sustainable energy efficiency and demand-side management market. For over 15 years, he has delivered customer-centric solutions that enable increased revenue and efficient operational standards. His clients trust him, as he listens and helps many customers across Fortune 1000, public sector, hospitals, and universities develop an overall energy strategy that fits their unique business needs.
With Ampion, he delivers renewable energy solutions to enterprise customers to help lower their energy costs and achieve ESG initiatives. He manages a robust end-to-end sales strategy with a cross-functional business development team, engineers, and project managers. Before Ampion, he led national sales at Metrus Energy. He successfully built the sales strategy and grew their direct and indirect sales channel. Before Metrus Energy, Vihann led demand-side management sales at Constellation, an Exelon company, where he pioneered new products and revenue models for over a decade. He is an engaging presenter and an actor who has appeared in many movies. Vihann is a National Board Member of the Screen Actors Guild's Asian Pacific American Media Committee (APAM).
Laura Rippentrop
Senior Director, Land
rPlus Energies, LLC
Laura Rippentrop, Senior Director, Land with rPlus Energies, brings 20 years of land management experience and expertise in the energy industry to the rPlus team. Laura joined rPlus in 2021 and has successfully utilized her skills and expertise in land management across all rPlus' solar, wind and pumped storage hydro projects. Most recently, Laura has been integral in helping to manage the land and title due diligence matters on some of rPlus' large scale solar projects, notably the Green River Energy Center project in Emery County, Utah, and Pleasant Valley Solar and Pleasant Valley Solar 2 projects in Ada County, Idaho.
Laura started her career in the oil and gas industry in 2004 working onshore projects across the U.S. Her experience includes managing several assets and teams responsible for acquisitions and divestitures, business development and operations on tribal, federal, and private lands. In addition to spending several years working for independent exploration companies, Laura spent ten years with QEP Resources managing multi-billion-dollar assets in Utah, Texas, and North Dakota.
Laura received a Bachelor of Art degree in English and Communications from Northern Arizona University, and a master's degree in Environmental & Natural Resource Law & Policy from the University of Denver College of Law.
Galen George
Director Digital Sales
Siemens Energy
Mr. George has worked in the North American Power industry for more than 35 years in the areas of Automation, Electrification and the Application of Digital Solutions for more than 35 years. In his career he has served as Design Engineering, Construction Engineer, Commissioning and Startup Management, Project Engineering, Project Management, Marketing, Sales, and Sales Management.
Ged Moree
Manager
Winyah Generating Station
Sessions:
Ged Moree, a registered Professional Engineer, joined Santee Cooper in 2008. In October of 2024, he was named Manager of Winyah Generating Station. Previously he served in various leadership roles within the Winyah operations department. Moree obtained his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson University and his master's degree in business administration from The Citadel.
Kevin Dahm
Director of Engineering
Vital Tech Services
Kevin brings 37 years of expertise in commercial nuclear power and fossil generation engineering, a licensed Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and Control Room Supervisor. He has design, construction, and start up experience in the Electrical and DCS (distributed control system) engineering areas for two $1B projects and a $500M project.
Kevin was the Superintendent of Maintenance at a nuclear power station.
College adjunct Professor for over 10 years teaching engineering classes and responsible for curriculum development.
Kevin is also a retired U.S. Navy veteran.
Kevin has spoken at multiple conferences on DCS, control room designs, power plant Simulators, and human factored engineering.
Worked on a research project with Penn State for digital transformation.
Published in Control Magazine for innovative Control Room designs.
Whitaker (Whit) Irvin, Jr.
CEO
Q Hydrogen
Whitaker Irvin, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of Q Hydrogen, based in Park City, Utah. A seasoned entrepreneur, he has wide ranging experience in industries including finance, aerospace/defense, energy and green high-technology companies, including Raytheon, where he managed technology deployment for the northeast region.
Irvin's family has been actively engaged in the Western US oil and gas sector for five generations. In 2010, he left Raytheon to guide the development and commercialization of carbon-free hydrogen production technologies invented by his father, Whitaker B. Irvin Sr. He is responsible for crafting the company's commercialization strategies and is known for his relationships within the commercial and equity communities.
He graduated from Babson College in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Global Business Management. He is also a certified Project Management Professional ("PMP").
Siraj Taj
Founder / Principal
ST Power Services Consultants, LLC
Sessions:
Siraj Taj is a rare Power industry insider who has the experience to look across the entire value chain - from sourcing and generation to transmission and distribution - to optimize plant efficiencies and economics. Siraj and his team at ST Power Services are focused on creating Innovative and Pragmatic O & M strategies that empower plant owners to solve today's problems while laying the groundwork to profitably transform their organization for a carbon-free future.
A sought-after Power industry consultant and thought leader, Siraj Taj has leveraged more than 35 years experience into his latest pursuit: Helping power plant owners prepare for our clean energy future.
Michael Caravaggio
Vice President of Fleet Reliability
EPRI Electric Power Research Institute
Sessions:
Michael Caravaggio is the Vice President, Energy Supply, Fleet Reliability at EPRI.
EPRIs Energy Supply Sector conducts research on all aspects of electricity generation for a global group of generating companies. The sector has collaborative R&D programs covering the Thermal, Renewable & Next-Generation Fleet, Fleet Management and Operations, Digitalization, Materials, Thermal Optimization and Emissions Controls, Air Quality & Health, and Water & Land Management.
Caravaggio has held many roles previously at EPRI including Director Thermal & Hydro Fleet, Senior Program Manager, Major Component Reliability, as well as leading the EPRI Steam and Water Cycle
Chemistry Research area.
Before rejoining EPRI in 2014, Caravaggio ran Integrated Chemistry Solutions Pte. Ltd., a Singapore based Business Development and Technical Consultancy company serving the Power and Water industries. Earlier in Caravaggio's career he held various roles including engineering, supervisory and management, with Ontario Power Generation, a Canadian based Utility Company.
Caravaggio received a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental (chemical) engineering from the University of Waterloo (Canada) and a Master of Business Administration (Strategy) from the Nanyang
Business School (Singapore).
Sonal Patel
Senior Editor
POWER magazine
Sessions:
A national award-winning multimedia journalist, Sonal Patel has covered a wide range of technology, business, and policy issues affecting the power industry worldwide for POWER and its sister publications since 2008. Along with keeping her eye on national and international matters for POWER magazine's monthly department Global Monitor, she contributes in-depth analysis and spot news pieces for POWER and POWERnews. She also surveys, crunches, and visualizes power generation data and trends from around the world for POWER's web and print infographics and other multimedia. She is a graduate of the University of Houston.
Michael Craig PE
Energy Management Systems Manager
Great River Energy
Sessions:
Michael Craig, manager of energy and distribution management systems at Great River Energy, is a professional engineer in the state of Minnesota. Michael has worked at Great River Energy for 14 years and helps to ensure reliable operation of the supervisory control and data acquisition system as well as working with new technologies pertaining to system operations and the electric utility industry.
Darrell Proctor
Senior Editor
POWER magazine
Sessions:
Darrell Proctor joined POWER in 2017. He has years of experience in the energy and publishing industries, including as a writer, editor and energy data analyst for Ponderosa Advisors and Bentek Energy (S&P Global/Platts). He has written numerous reports and white papers on power demand, particularly from industrial facilities, as well as natural gas and crude oil exploration and trading. He also has written about transportation of commodities, particularly coal, crude oil and natural gas, and the operation of crude oil refineries. He was an assistant business editor and assistant news editor as well as Technology Editor for the Rocky Mountain News in Colorado, and also was a senior editor at the St. Petersburg Times in Florida. He is a graduate of Franklin College of Indiana.
Clive Nickolay
CEO - Heavy Duty Gas Turbines & Aeroderivatives
GE Vernova
Sessions:
Clive Nickolay is the CEO of GE Vernova Gas Power's Heavy Duty New Units business.
Clive is responsible for driving the global strategic plan and execution of the Heavy Duty Gas Turbine New Units business. In this role, he manages a rapidly growing, multi-billion dollar global business line, overseeing commercial operations from initiation to project execution and delivering industry-leading gas power generation.
He brings more than 30 years of expertise in the energy industry with specific experience in district energy, combined heat and power and the modular, fast-power space. Previously, Clive led the Aeroderivative business in Gas Power where he was responsible for driving the global strategic plan and execution across the full product and service lifecycle. He has held senior leadership positions at Clearway Energy, NRG Energy, Solar Turbines and Caterpillar Inc. where he has a track record of driving top line growth with improved profitability.
Clive holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial & Business Systems from De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
Peter Suyderhoud
Scientific Computing & AI Deputy Division Director
Idaho National Laboratory
Sessions:
Peter Suyderhoud is the Deputy Division Director for Scientific Computing & AI at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). He began his career in the commercial nuclear industry at Bechtel National Inc., supporting the design of nuclear power and nuclear waste treatment facilities. When he later transitioned to INL, he helped establish model-based systems engineering and digital transformation strategies for engineering acceleration. In his current role, he focuses on integrating modeling & simulation, computing infrastructure, visualization, data management, and AI/ML technologies towards automating the design, construction, and operation of nuclear energy systems. He received his B.S. in Systems Science and Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, with minors in Computer Science and Economics.
Eric Stein
President
Viridi
Eric retired from J.P. Morgan in 2022 after a distinguished 33-year career, most recently serving as Global Chairman of Investment Banking. He joined Viridi in February 2023. Throughout his tenure at J.P. Morgan, Eric advised many of the firm's most important clients on critical strategic initiatives, including capital raising and mergers & acquisitions. He also held several senior leadership roles, leading Investment Banking in North America for nearly eight years, as well as the Global and EMEA Diversified Industries groups and the Global Natural Resources group.
Eric holds an M.B.A. in Finance and an M.S. in Accounting from New York University's Stern School of Business, and a B.A. in Economics from Hobart College. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and on the Advisory Board of Harlem Lacrosse.
Thomas M. Poteet III, P.E.
Senior VP, Corporate Development
Mesa Solutions
Sessions:
Tom Poteet is the Sr. VP of Corporate Development for Mesa Natural Gas Solutions. Tom's purview in this role includes characterizing and casting the vision for the optimal use of natural gas-powered generation, monitoring the innovation stream for future sources of site power, and developing customized rate plans and progressive field applications to meet customers' needs and financial preferences. With over 40 years in engineering, Tom's career has given him experience in electric power, telecommunications, and oil field production. Tom graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Sarbari Basu
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) & General Manager (GM)
Prismecs
With over 20 years of experience in operational, functional, and business HR roles, Sarbari has worked across five countries and multiple industries, including manufacturing, retail, distribution, and services. She brings a wealth of leadership expertise in both human resources and business operations to Prismecs, where she currently serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and General Manager (GM).
In her dual role, Sarbari oversees end-to-end business operations, workforce strategy, and organizational transformation. She plays a pivotal role in aligning business objectives with talent strategies, driving operational excellence, and optimizing workforce performance. Her responsibilities span financial and operational oversight, P&L management, HR governance, employee engagement, and leadership development.
Sarbari holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and an MBA from Calcutta University. She is a 2018 Global Fellow of Talent Management at The Wharton School, a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, and a certified Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) practitioner. Currently, she is further expanding her expertise in Organization Design and Change Management, strengthening her ability to lead large-scale workforce and operational transformations.
DeAnna C. Myers
Senior Manager, Learning & Development
Sargent & Lundy
DeAnna Myers is the Learning and Development Manager at Sargent Lundy, LLC, a prominent engineering consultant in the power generation industry. Ms. Myers orchestrates the design and delivery of more than 500 courses annually. Her company utilizes in-house subject matter experts and an in-house development team to develop course content aimed at sustaining organizational knowledge capital.
Ms. Myers authored the organization's first knowledge transfer process and continues to cultivate the organization's learning culture through classroom training, on-line learning and communities of practice.
Ms. Myers completed her Master's degree in Northwestern University's Learning and Organizational Change Program in June 2013. Her master's research is based on the transfer of knowledge across levels of expertise as a means of sustaining intellectual capital within the organization.
Her research is featured on Northwestern's Knowledge Lens website for exemplary Capstone efforts.
Matt McNeil
Head of Solution (Gas, Trading, Cloud Services)
Energy Exemplar Llc
Mr. McNeil is Head of Solutions for Energy Exemplar's Gas, Trading and Cloud Services, with focus on Natural Gas resource planning and market analysis. Matt has experience in portfolio optimization, Integrated Resource Planning, asset valuation, procurement, and fundamental market modeling. Matt leverages his experience in the energy industry, as well as energy network simulation software, to deploy best-practices and help energy and utility customers cut operating costs, increase revenue, improve reliability, assess policy and satisfy regulatory requirements. Matt has managed all aspects of the software development life-cycle and lead professional services initiatives for many of the energy industry's leading analytics, operations, and energy management solutions. Enterprise software applications in Matt's responsibility areas are deployed at hundreds of customer sites across the globe. Matt has a B.S. in Business Communications from Bentley University.
Jim Smith
Director, Operations & Maintenance
Fluor Corporation
Christian Mueller
Sr. Sales Manager
INNIO Jenbacher
Christian Mueller is the Head of Sales for INNIO Jenbacher North America, responsible for new unit sales of Jenbacher gas engines in the USA and Canada. He brings over 15 years of gas power generation experience to the company, having worked in sales and engineering roles at different gas engine OEMs. Christian holds a degree in industrial engineering from the Technical University in Berlin, Germany. Christian is based in Houston, TX.
Ann Runnalls
Senior Program Manager/Department Manager
WSP USA, Inc
Ms. Runnalls is a Program and Project Manager with a breadth of experience serving clients in the renewable fuels and manufacturing industries. With a background in Chemical Engineering, her experience balances EPC project delivery and environmental permitting services. Her recent experience includes program management for a suite of renewable hydrogen projects supporting front end engineering through construction documents. Her team has supported the design and permitting of hydrogen vehicle charging stations, as well as various colors of hydrogen production (blue, green and turquoise).
Nicholas Torres P.E.
Sr. Project Manager
Sargent & Lundy
Sessions:
Mr. Torres has over 20 years of nuclear industry experience, specializing in engineering and management of large-scale digital upgrades for a variety of commercially operating nuclear plants. As an Instrumentation and Controls engineer, Nick has been on the forefront of modernizing our aging domestic nuclear fleet through various digital upgrades. Most recently, Nick has successfully managed projects including complete Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) Digital Controls Upgrade, Plant Process Computer Replacement, Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) Replacement, and Digital Modernization Implementation Plan (MIP) Strategy.
Mr. Torres is a licensed professional engineer in the States of California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Texas and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Cassandra Heller
Energy Consultant
Everllence
Cassandra Heller is an Energy Consultant with Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solutions), serving in the Power Segment for the Americas. With two decades of experience in the global energy industry, she brings a rich and diverse background spanning thermal power, network distribution management, offshore oil & gas, energy storage, and renewables. Her expertise blends strong sales acumen with strategic analytics and technical insight. In her current role, Cassandra drives market development strategies and delivers analytics-based value propositions to customers. She plays a key role in originating business opportunities and strengthening internal collaboration across the organization. Throughout her career, Cassandra has led projects across a wide range of international markets, with a particular focus on Latin America and the United States. She is passionate about advancing energy systems to be more resilient, reliable, and responsive to the demands of today and tomorrow's evolving energy landscape. She holds a Corporate MBA from Florida International University and undergraduate degrees in International Business and Languages.
John Nixon
Vice President of Strategy for Energy, Chemicals, and Infrastructure
Siemens Industry Software, Inc.
John is the Energy, Chemicals and Infrastructure global strategy lead for Siemens Digital Industries Software. John has over 30 years of experience in energy, chemicals, and infrastructure. He has founded multiple energy
and technology startups and led global business development in China, Romania, Panama, and the USA. He has managed greenfield and brownfield projects with oil and mining companies in Canada and China and implemented pipeline asset integrity programs in the USA and Mexico.
John holds patents for pipe-lining technology and serves as an executive member of the Cleantech Alliance and the Program Advisory Committee for the Government of Canada National Research Council Construction Sector Digitalization and Productivity Program. He has also served on numerous boards of technology firms and university R&D associations.
John graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering and completed executive studies at MIT and INSEAD.
Tony White
Head of Vertical Market Chemical, Glass & Energy US Sales
Siemens Industry, Inc.
Tony is the Head of Vertical Market Chemical, Glass & Energy US Sales at Siemens Industry, Inc. Tony has 30+ Years in the manufacturing industry primarily working with large End Users on solution development. His keen approach to understanding customer's challenges and deploying solution-based applications has generated many successful outcomes for his clients.
Over the past 10 years Tony has been focusing on Digitalization and Sustainability in manufacturing as a personal passion looking at how to help companies embrace this transformation.
Tony resides in the Greater Detroit, MI area and enjoys many of the outdoor actives Michigan has to offer from offshore boat racing, downhill skiing, and snowmobiling.
Sarah Osborn PMP, FS Eng
Energy, Chemicals and Infrastructure Presales Industry Program Lead
Siemens Industry Software, Inc.
Sarah E. Osborn, PMP, FS Eng
Presales Industry Program Lead, Siemens Digital Industries Software (DISW)
Location: Houston, Texas
Sarah is the Energy, Chemicals and Infrastructure presales industry program lead in the USA for Siemens DISW.
In this role, Sarah leads and supports customer digital transformation. Prior to moving to Siemens, Sarah was the Teamcenter program manager leading global deployments and support for one of Siemens' largest marquee customers. Sarah has a BS in Electronics Engineering Technology and has 25+ years in the oil & gas, aerospace, and software industries, including being a DPS/Nav trainer for the space shuttle program, programming offshore BOP control systems, leading systems engineering in R&D, managing business processes, and more at Honeywell, Rockwell Automation, Raytheon, and United Space Alliance.
Sarah Ruen
VP of Regulatory & Origination
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
Sarah Ruen is Vice President of Regulatory & Origination at Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, a not-for-profit wholesale power supplier. Sarah joined Tri-State in April 2021. In her role she leads state regulatory strategy for Tri-State and oversees the teams that prepare filings to meet state regulatory compliance obligations, including for Tri-State's electric resource plan. She also provides advisement on matters related to public policy and rulemakings. In addition, she oversees negotiations with Tri-State counterparties on contractual agreements for power supply. She is involved in emerging energy markets in the west, representing Tri-State on the Markets+ Interim Governance Task Force and the SPP RTO Strategic Planning Committee (SPC).
Sarah has worked in the energy sector for 19 years. Before joining Tri-State, Sarah was employed in regulatory roles at Alliant Energy (2016-2021) and Xcel Energy (2013-2016) and in government consulting (2008-2013). She began her career supporting international energy policy for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2006. Sarah has a Master's Degree in Public Administration.
Sarah also volunteers in her community as a member of the City of Arvada's Park Advisory Committee.
Tricia Schulz
Group Leader, Embedded Systems Security
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Luke Martin
Partner
Scott Madden Inc.
Luke Martin is a Partner at ScottMadden's Raleigh office and a leader in their Energy practice. With over 19 years of management consulting experience, Luke specializes in designing and implementing Digital Transformation strategies for the energy, utility, and clean tech industries. His expertise spans digital, training, and cybersecurity domains, supporting power producers in Generation and grid operators in Transmission & Distribution.
Luke has led numerous initiatives to enhance cybersecurity and physical security, including establishing cybersecurity programs for large generation fleets and supporting IT-OT integration to improve cyber resilience. He has also managed NERC Compliance assessments and program recovery efforts to address gaps in cyber and physical security.
Luke holds an M.B.A. from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in computer engineering and electrical engineering from North Carolina State University.
Patrick Daou
Project Director
Sargent & Lundy
Patrick Daou is a project director at Sargent & Lundy and leads the emerging technologies team within Sargent & Lundy's consulting business unit. He has over 13 years of experience providing engineering services and leading teams supporting novel and first-of-a-kind projects. Patrick's teams provide technical advisory and owner's engineer services to their clients leveraging expertise in conventional thermal power generation, renewable power generation, and industrial processes. His clients include developers, technology providers, industrial manufacturers, utilities, lenders, and investors. Patrick's teams also provide independent engineer services in support of project financing having supported over $15 billion in project transactions. Patrick has a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago (Liautaud Graduate School of Business). Patrick is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois.
Nicholas Papanastassiou
Director of Market Development
Energyhub
Nicholas Papanastassiou is Director of Market Development at EnergyHub, where he leads wholesale market strategy and regulatory affairs to accelerate the adoption of distributed energy resources and virtual power plants. Previously, Nick drove growth for Enel North America's demand response business, expanding market opportunities for clean energy technologies. Earlier in his career, he held roles in regulatory and policy affairs at Enel X and EnerNOC, where he shaped utility engagement strategies and supported the integration of DERs across U.S. markets. Nicholas received a BA in Economics and Environmental Policy from Colby College and an MBA from the University of Denver.
Jennifer Atcheson
Sr. Product Manager
ION Engineering
Sarbari Basu
Vice President, Technology Strategy
CAEL - Council for Adult and Experiential Learning
With over 20 years of experience in operational, functional, and business HR roles, Sarbari has worked across five countries and multiple industries, including manufacturing, retail, distribution, and services. She brings a wealth of leadership expertise in both human resources and business operations to Prismecs, where she currently serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and General Manager (GM).
In her dual role, Sarbari oversees end-to-end business operations, workforce strategy, and organizational transformation. She plays a pivotal role in aligning business objectives with talent strategies, driving operational excellence, and optimizing workforce performance. Her responsibilities span financial and operational oversight, P&L management, HR governance, employee engagement, and leadership development.
Sarbari holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and an MBA from Calcutta University. She is a 2018 Global Fellow of Talent Management at The Wharton School, a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, and a certified Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) practitioner. Currently, she is further expanding her expertise in Organization Design and Change Management, strengthening her ability to lead large-scale workforce and operational transformations.
Galen George
VP
Siemens Energy
Mr. George has worked in the North American Power industry for more than 35 years in the areas of Automation, Electrification and the Application of Digital Solutions for more than 35 years. In his career he has served as Design Engineering, Construction Engineer, Commissioning and Startup Management, Project Engineering, Project Management, Marketing, Sales, and Sales Management.