Fatima Maria Ahmad
Senior Solutions Fellow, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

Fatima Maria Ahmad is a Senior Solutions Fellow at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) where she focuses on transportation policy, including federal and state vehicle emissions standards and regional efforts to reduce transportation emissions. She also researches and analyzes climate finance strategies and policies to deploy carbon capture, use, and storage technologies.

Prior to joining C2ES, Ms. Ahmad was a special assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Fish & Wildlife & Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), where she helped DOI license 10,000 MW of wind, solar, and geothermal energy. In a volunteer capacity, Ms. Ahmad is the immediate past co-chair of the American Bar Association Section of International Law International Environmental Law Committee. In 2018, she was elected a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Ms. Ahmad obtained her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, and her B.A. with distinction in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.

Samina Bharmal
Associate, Sidley Austin LLP

Samina Bharmal represents clients before the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and in federal appeals and local courts. She also advises clients on a wide range of transactions, with an emphasis on energy transactions. Prior to joining Sidley, Ms. Bharmal was an associate in large law firms in Washington, D.C, where her practice focused on matters arising under the Federal Power Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. She also worked in the Environmental & Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she worked directly with foreign delegations on wildlife trafficking enforcement and development of hydrocarbon laws. During her time at the Justice Department, she received Department honors for outstanding achievement and for her pro bono service.

Ms. Bharmal received her undergraduate degree in Arabic from Georgetown University and her Juris Doctorate from American University, where she served on the Administrative Law Review and as Editor-in-Chief of the National Security Law Brief.

Erin Billeri
Energy Portfolio Manager, Bulletin Intelligence

As Energy Portfolio Manager with Bulletin Intelligence, a Cision Company, Erin manages a team of analysts to provide custom-tailored, daily intelligence briefings for clients that include major oil and gas companies, utilities, industry-trade groups, and government agencies. Erin has a proven record of leading research and analytical efforts to create end products that provide industry leaders with the key insights they need to navigate an increasingly complex business climate. Her expertise in the energy industry extends to upstream oil and gas markets, US energy policy and regulatory affairs, and international climate policy.

James Blatchford
Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence

James Blatchford is an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence (BI), Bloomberg’s investment research group. James leads BI’s coverage of government policy in the Americas region affecting the energy industry, with a focus on oil, geopolitics, and transportation. He supports clients, reporters, and Bloomberg’s sales and marketing activities around the country and abroad. Prior to joining BI, James was the Director of Policy at Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) where he was responsible for the organization’s policy department. He was a principal or supporting author of several reports covering topics including U.S. oil production, energy trade and security, vehicle fuel efficiency, and plug-in electric vehicles. James earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

Deborah Conway

Business Development Specialist, Samsung NEXT

Deborah Conway is a Business Development Specialist at Samsung NEXT. She is responsible for strategy and BD efforts across NEXT, specifically focusing on investments in IoT, smart cities, and mobility. Prior to joining Samsung, Deborah worked in a BD and strategy role for a social media and mapping startup, Visor Inc., and for a real estate startup, StreetEasy (acquired by Zillow Group, 2013). Deborah is a graduate of Harvard University, where she served as a member of the Women’s Ice Hockey Varsity Team for 4 years.

Igor Dabik
Senior Consultant, Deloitte LLP

Igor Dabik is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Transactions LLP in Washington DC. His primary focus is investment banking and project finance in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Igor advises a variety of governments and private clients on transactions involving real assets, including high-speed rail, urban transit systems, sea ports, liquid natural gas (LNG), upstream oil and gas, toll roads, water infrastructure, conventional/renewable power, and social infrastructure (Smart Cities, Mixed-use Developments, Smart Transportation, Public Private Partnerships, etc.)

Prior to Deloitte, Igor worked at Enviva Partners LP as primary investor and developer of renewable energy and sea port assets, and as a project finance associate at Taylor-deJongh, an emerging markets investment advisory firm. Igor holds a master’s degree in international security studies from Georgetown University in Washington DC, and a bachelor’s degree in government from St. Lawrence University in New York.

Mehrun Etebari
Senior Analyst, IHS Markit Ltd

Mehrun Etebari is a Senior Analyst with IHS Markit’s LNG practice. He specializes in the markets of the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean Europe. At IHS Markit, Mehrun authors analytical reports on gas developments and energy policy in the region, including interpretive papers, regular analyses of LNG importing markets in the region, liquefaction plant performance and outlooks in LNG exporting countries, and profiles of the gas business strategies of energy companies in Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. He also contributes to the development and maintenance of IHS Markit’s LNG data products and Market Briefings.

Before joining IHS Markit, Mehrun was the Policy Lead for Geopolitics at Securing America’s Future Energy. Prior to that position, he was a Senior Research Assistant at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution focusing on the politics and economics of Iran and the Persian Gulf states. Mehrun holds a BA in Economics from Brandeis University and an MA in International Relations from Yale University.

Fernando Ferreira
Senior Analyst, Rapidan Energy Group

Fernando Ferreira is a Senior Analyst at Rapidan Energy Group. He covers global oil markets, with a focus on geopolitical supply risks, advising finance, corporate, and government clients on geopolitical threats to oil production. He oversees Rapidan Energy Group’s Barrels-at-Risk reporting, which analyzes and forecasts disrupted and threatened oil production on a country-level basis.

Fernando was instrumental in helping Rapidan Energy Group Founder Robert McNally research and write his 2017 book Crude Volatility: The History and Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices (Columbia University Press, 2017). Prior to joining the Rapidan Energy Group, Fernando worked as a research intern with the Energy and National Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, where he focused on oil markets and geopolitics. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Fernando earned his B.S. in Economics and his Masters in International Commerce & Policy from George Mason University.

Arlene Fetizanan
International Relations Specialist, U.S. Department of Energy

Arlene Fetizanan is an international relations specialist in the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Her responsibilities include advancing DOE’s energy and national security mission through international collaborations. She oversees energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that aim to remove market barriers and accelerate the adoption and scale of clean energy and U.S. technologies in China and India. Arlene is a recipient of DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s “Energy Rock Star Award” for boosting U.S. leadership in bilateral programs.

Prior to DOE, Arlene was a senior program manager at the Alliance to Save Energy. She has also worked for the Clinton Climate Initiative, strategic advisory firm Kissinger-McLarty Associates, and Edison Electric Institute. Arlene earned a Master in Planning from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Economics from American University.

Aaron Goldner
Policy Advisor, Office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Dr. Aaron Goldner received his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University where he studied Earth and Environmental Science. After graduation from OSU, he spent time at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a post-baccalaureate fellow in their climate, ocean, and sea-ice modeling group where he looked out how climate change was affecting water resources. Following his work at Los Alamos, Aaron received his PhD from Purdue University where he studied climate dynamics and global climate modeling.

In addition to working on climate and energy modeling, he has spent the last several years working in public policy. Aaron’s work in policy has included working in the office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse as the American Geophysical Union (AGU)-AAAS Congressional Science Fellow and at the Department of Energy in the Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis doing climate and energy policy. Currently, Aaron works in the Office of Senator Whitehouse as his energy and transportation policy advisor.

Sudha Gollapudi
Independent Energy Consultant

Sudha is currently working as an Energy Access Consultant leading projects for the U.S. Government, private sector energy access home solar kit and minigrid companies, and international NGOs. Previously, Sudha served as an Associate Director in the Structured Finance & Insurance Group at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s Development Finance Institution. In this role, she helped mobilize U.S. private sector investments in emerging markets. At OPIC, she facilitated more than $400 million in debt investments for energy, telecom, infrastructure, and banking clients. She also represented OPIC on the inter-agency Power Africa team.

Prior to joining OPIC, Sudha served as Chief Business Officer of Sol Systems, a solar finance and development company specializing in U.S. commercial and industrial solar project deployment. In this role, she oversaw all aspects of sales, business development, marketing, and operations. In addition to her work, Sudha is involved in the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), which helps to train the next generation of clean energy professionals by providing them with the skills and network needed to advance in the sector. As chair of the development committee, she leads foundation and corporate fundraising efforts. Sudha has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Bates College, a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.

Alice Grossman
Policy Analyst, Eno Center for Transportation

Dr. Alice Grossman is a policy analyst at the Eno Center for Transportation where she conducts research in various areas of multimodal transportation policy and planning. Alice has worked extensively on projects relating to metropolitan transportation planning and performance measurement, automated vehicle policy, mobility on demand, electronic travel diary development, K-12 and higher education in transportation, active transportation safety, and pedestrian infrastructure asset management and accessibility.

Living in Catalonia for three years, Alice worked for internationally renowned architecture firm RCR Arquitectes and the local firm BOPBAA. She completed her B.A. at Vassar College in Physics and Astronomy, and her Ph.D. at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Civil Engineering.

Ayla Haig
Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

Ayla Haig is an Energy Associate for Booz Allen Hamilton, and has over 9 years of experience implementing energy and sustainability related policies and initiatives. In her current position, she directly supports the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy. She assists in the development of policy and guidance for the Department of Defense (DoD) at large to improve the energy performance, energy resilience, and the energy security of installations.

Prior to joining at Booz Allen Hamilton, Ayla worked for Baltimore County Government for 8+ years, and was responsible for managing and coordinating the implementation of energy conservation, energy efficiency, alternative energy and sustainability policies and initiatives. Part of this work included tracking and analyzing energy use in government owned buildings and developing strategies to reduce energy use and incorporate alternative energy sources. She worked with other local governments and key stakeholders to share best practices and seek opportunities for collaboration, and was a member of the Maryland Clean Energy Center Advisory Board.

Ayla has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree from Towson University in Environmental Science. She is also a LEED Green Associate.

Tadeh Issakhanian
Senior Consultant, Deloitte LLP

Tadeh Issakhanian is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, advising federal government clients on issues concerning energy, transportation and environment. Currently he is supporting the Department of Navy’s (DoN) Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) team in their efforts to electrify the DON’s fleet of non-tactical vehicles. His role at DoN also includes managing telematics, fleet sharing, cybersecurity and electric vehicle charging infrastructure pilots. His goal is to help DoN and other federal government clients realize the interconnectedness of transportation with energy and national security. Before entering the consulting sector, Tadeh spent time building his legislative acumen on Capitol Hill as a congressional staffer for a Member of Congress from California.

Prior to coming to Washington DC, Tadeh worked as an Air Quality Specialist in California for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. His work in California consisted of technical air quality assessment projects and the management of numerous air quality mitigation incentive programs. This included the development of the nation’s first incentive program for the procurement and installation of electric vehicle charging stations. Tadeh received his M.B.A degree in addition to a B.S. in biology and a minor in chemistry from California State University Fresno.

Tim Kennedy

Graham W. Jenkins
Senior Intelligence Analyst, Novetta Solutions LLC

Graham W. Jenkins is a senior intelligence analyst with Novetta, a federal contractor, conducting structured analysis and assessments in support of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. His background lies in strategic planning, wargaming and red-teaming, and risk management. Graham previously worked as a consultant for Ernst & Young and as a defense analyst at the Scitor Corporation and Institute for Defense Analyses, specializing in nuclear policy and strategy, global energy, logistics, and wargame design.

Graham is an adjunct fellow with the American Security Project; he was a 2017-18 Penn Kemble Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy and a 2013 Nuclear Scholar with the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues. He also served as the communications director for MetroTAG and the WMATA Riders’ Union, two Washington-area transit advocacy groups. Graham holds an MSc in Theory and History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and a BA in history and international affairs from Sarah Lawrence College.

John Koltz
Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

John Koltz is a management consultant in Booz Allen Hamilton’s Installations and Environment account. For over seven years, he has provided strategy, policy, and programmatic support to federal agency clients in the areas of vehicle fleet management, energy efficiency, sustainability, real property and asset management, and environmental compliance. John’s recent projects include identification of standardized prioritization and scoping processes for facility sustainment projects, development of a vehicle fleet management energy and technology strategy roadmap, and a study of optimal vehicle replacement standards. John is a LEED Accredited Professional (Operations + Maintenance) and a Certified Business Energy Professional.

Bijan Koohmaraie
Counsel, House Energy and Commerce Committee

Bijan Koohmaraie serves as Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce and works on policy issues that arise under the jurisdiction of the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee. As Counsel to the Committee, Bijan manages a policy portfolio that includes oversight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and related issues such as the corporate average fuel economy program, motor vehicle safety and recalls, and self-driving vehicle technology. Prior to joining the Committee, Bijan served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office where he focused on constitutional claims and consumer protection issues.

Long Lam
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense—Energy, Installations, and Environment

Dr. Long Lam is currently serving as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in the Department of Defense, where he supports agency’s the Energy Resilience Initiatives through coordinating and integrating installation energy strategies and policies. Most recently, he served as a IEEE Congressional Fellow in the Office of Senator Merkley, spearheading legislative efforts to maintain America’s lead in advanced energy technologies in the electricity and transportation sectors.

Previously, Long conducted research on China’s renewable energy industry and energy policy as part of his dual Ph.D. program in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and Catholic Lisbon School of Business. He is an alumnus of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute.

Rauf Mammadov
Resident Scholar, The Middle East Institute

Rauf Mammadov is resident scholar on energy policy at The Middle East Institute and senior advisor at the Gulf State Analytics. He focuses on issues of energy security, global energy industry trends, as well as energy relations between the Middle East, Central Asia and South Caucasus. He has a particular emphasis on the post-Soviet countries of Eurasia.

Prior to joining MEI, Mammadov held top administrative positions for the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) from 2006 and 2016. In 2012, he founded and managed the United States Representative Office of SOCAR in Washington D.C. His writing has been published by The Hill, the Jamestown Foundation, The National Interest, and other outlets.

Sam Minifie
Policy Advisor, American Petroleum Institute

Sam Minifie is a Policy Advisor in the Midstream and Industry Operations Department at the American Petroleum Institute (API). API’s Midstream Department is responsible for developing policy around the gathering, processing, storing and transportation (pipeline, marine, rail, etc.) of oil, petroleum products and natural gas in the United States. Sam has been with API for over three years and focuses on unmanned aerial systems, liquid and natural gas pipelines and strategic communications.

Before joining API, Sam worked at a global democracy promotion institute and helped lead their Syria and Lebanon programs. In this role, he frequently traveled to the region to facilitate political organization and strategic communications workshops with Syrian politicians, local councilors and youth activists. Sam graduated from George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs with a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and currently lives in Washington, DC.

Amandine Muskus
Energy and Environment Manager, Global Automakers

Dr. Amandine Muskus has extensive experience in energy and environment issues both in the United States and the European Union. She consulted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the 2008 CAFE rulemaking technical analysis and regulatory drafting. She also worked on the global harmonization of transportation safety, road infrastructure and vehicle to infrastructure issues within both the UN/ECE WP.29 and European Union.

Prior to Global Automakers, Amandine worked for two Brussels-based firms: S3Transportation, a transportation consultancy; and the European Biodiesel Board. She holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a Doctorate in Strategic Negotiations and Diplomacy from the Institut d’Hauts Etudes Sciences Politique (Sciences Po), Paris.

Ashley Nunes
Research Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Ashley Nunes is a Research Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he studies the costs and consequences of technological innovation. Prior to this role, he worked as a consultant for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. A Contributor to Forbes, he has previously written for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy and The Atlantic among others.

Todd O’Boyle
Director, Lime

Todd oversees strategic partnerships with government, university, and business partners throughout the southeast for Lime. He joined Lime in June 2017, helping it grow from two small markets to more than 100 to become the nation’s leading dockfree smart mobility company. He is passionate about enabling the future of cities through smart policy reforms.

Prior to Lime, Todd was Deputy Director of Next Century Cities, a national association of smart cities mayors. He also has past experience leading national campaigns to promote consumer protection in telecommunications. Todd has a Ph.D. in public policy and a B.A. in German.

Reagan Payne
Emerging Technologies Policy Manager, General Motors Company

Reagan Payne serves as a Manager of Emerging Technology Policy at General Motors, based in Washington, DC. Prior to joining GM, Reagan worked for GM’s subsidiary, Cruise Automation, a self-driving vehicle started in San Francisco that fully integrates self-driving vehicle software into the fully electric Chevy Bolt platform.

Previously, Reagan served as a Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks (IN-05) handling the technology and telecommunications portfolio for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as for Rep. Sam Graves (MO-06) in DC, and Lt. Governor Peter Kinder in the Missouri State Capitol. Reagan is a graduate of the University of Missouri – Columbia.

Ed Roggenkamp
Senior Associate, Schiff Hardin LLP

Ed Roggenkamp is a Senior Associate in the Environmental practice at Schiff Hardin, LLP. He is an experienced litigator in the areas of hazardous waste, clean air, and wetlands law. He has experience with environmental permitting and compliance counseling at operating and proposed power plants and industrial facilities, including both traditional fossil-fuel fired generation and renewable energy projects, and has significant experience with the development of offshore wind on the East Coast of the United States. Ed also has extensive familiarity with state and local efforts to encourage renewable energy development, reduce carbon emissions, and address the threat of climate change. Prior to joining Schiff Hardin in 2017, Ed spent six years at Sive, Paget and Riesel P.C., an environmental boutique law firm and a recognized leader in environmental law and litigation, and completed a one-year fellowship at the Environmental Law and Policy Center, where he focused on citizen-suit litigation against coal mining in the Illinois basin and state-level policies relating to renewable portfolio standards.

Caleb Smith
Program Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency

Caleb Smith is an analyst in the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget office. There he assists in formulating the Agency’s funding and programs, justifying it to Congress and the executive branch, gathering and reviewing data on how the Agency allocates its funds, and communicating legislative directives and requirements to the Agency. Previously, he has been a part of the communications team at the policy bureau in the US Agency for International Development where he and his team facilitated internal and stakeholder communication around USAID priorities and publicly promoted the Agency’s efforts to end extreme poverty. He has also worked in other roles in policy, communications, personnel, and international development. A Massachusetts native, he graduated from Brandeis University with degrees in Economics and Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.

Jeff Stein
Policy Advisor, American Petroleum Institute

Jeff Stein is a Policy Advisor in the American Petroleum Institute’s Market Development group. At API he focuses on natural gas and power market issues for the Institute, serving as a subject matter expert to promote the competitive use of natural gas for cleaner electricity generation. Prior to joining API, Jeff worked in various policy and consulting roles covering energy, economics and foreign affairs—including stints at AIPAC and David Gardiner & Associates, a DC based energy policy consulting firm. Jeff lives in Washington, DC and holds an MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin.

Mona Tarpley
Principal Counsel, IFC Asset Management Company LLC

Mona Tarpley is Principal Counsel at IFC Asset Management Company, LLC, the private equity investment arm of International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. IFC Asset Management Company manages over $10 billion of assets and invests alongside IFC in projects in emerging markets. Mona is responsible for structuring, negotiating and evaluating legal contracts for over 60 equity and debt investments across the emerging markets in sectors including power, oil and gas exploration, energy production and generation, renewables, logistics, transport and housing. Previously, Mona was an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP in London advising institutional and boutique sponsors of private equity investment funds in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

Katie Tubb
Policy Analyst, The Heritage Foundation

Katie Tubb is a policy analyst for energy and environmental issues in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. Tubb researches and writes on subjects such as nuclear energy, federal lands, energy subsidies, and the benefits of free market environmentalism. She is a regular contributor to the think tank’s multimedia news organization, The Daily Signal, and other outlets such as The Hill, National Review, National Journal, Nuclear Townhall, and Real Clear Energy. Tubb joined Heritage in 2012. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Grove City College in Grove City, Pa.

Zack Valdez
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Zack Valdez was a 2017-2018 AAAS congressional fellow in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee working with DOE oversight, onshore and offshore federal energy legislation, and following trends in innovative energy and technology policy. Zack’s experience across multiple energy internships on efficient development of unconventional resources, workshops on decision analysis in sustainable climate risk management, and graduate research on the impacts of agricultural management practices for soil carbon storage has provided energy experience across policy, industry, and academia. Zack obtained bachelor degrees in engineering and physics and conducted interdisciplinary STEM PhD research from Baylor University.

Priscilla Barbour
Legislative Fellow, U.S. House of Representatives

Priscilla Barbour serves as a Legislative Fellow for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Energy and Environment Subcommittees. She previously served in the D.C. office of Representative Cedric Richmond of the 2nd Congressional District of Louisiana, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. In this capacity, she managed a policy portfolio covering the issues of energy, environment, maritime, transportation, infrastructure, homeland security, and science and technology.

Ganesh Betanabhatla
Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Ramas Capital Management

Ganesh is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Ramas, and energy-focused investment firm based in Houston, Texas. Prior to founding Ramas, Ganesh was a Managing Director at Talara Capital Management, a New York and Houston-based investment firm, where he helped to lead the firm’s private investments in the oil and gas sector. Before joining Talara, he was a Vice President on the energy investment team at Pine Brook Road Partners, where he primarily focused on the firm’s investments in the E&P sector, as well as an investment professional on the energy investment team at CCMP Capital Advisors.

Alex Bozmoski
Director of Strategy and Operations, RepublicEn.org

Alex leads strategy, policy, and educational programming for republicEn.org, an “eco-right” grassroots community of conservatives advancing the principles of free-enterprise climate action. RepublicEn.org is a project of the Energy and Enterprise Initiative at George Mason University, which Alex helped to launch in 2012. He’s spoken about climate solutions at over a hundred events with conservative groups across the country. Prior to his work growing the eco-right movement in America, Alex spent four years as an entrepreneur developing rural energy projects in East Africa as well as consulting on energy and climate policy for think tanks, consultancies, and the World Bank. From 2010-2016, Alex designed e-learning courses on energy policy and environmental economics, and facilitated these courses to thousands of government officials and energy-industry practitioners in developing countries. As a youngster, he worked on federal and gubernatorial campaigns for conservative candidates. Alex holds a BA from Georgetown University and an MSc from the University of Oxford.

Thomas Buonomo
Humanist Studies Coordinator, American Humanist Association

Thomas Buonomo is the Humanist Studies Coordinator with the American Humanist Association. He has 10 years of professional and academic experience in Middle East affairs, energy policy and regulatory affairs, and energy market and geopolitical risk analysis. His writing has been published by The Fuse, the Atlantic Council, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, The National Interest, The Cipher Brief, Forbes, The Hill, Oil & Gas Investor, Renewable Energy, and other outlets.

Kyle Chapman
Energy and Natural Resources Advisor, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto

Kyle most recently served as a Legislative and Strategic Advisor for the U.S. Department of Energy where he was the Congressional liaison to the Department’s Offices of Fossil Energy and Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. Prior to working for the Obama Administration, Kyle served as a Senior Legislative Assistant to Senator Barbara Boxer of California where he advised the senator on energy, conservation, public land management, and infrastructure policy, and worked on legislation concerning natural gas storage, national monument designation, transportation safety, and energy-efficient building tax incentives.

Joseph Coyne
Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Studio VC

Joe currently serves as Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Studio VC, a New York City based early stage Venture Capital firm. Prior to joining Studio VC, Joe helped build Samsung Electronics’ Venture Capital team in New York City as part of the Global Innovation Center. While at Samsung, Joe performed all aspects of deal sourcing, diligence and negotiation, with a focus on early and growth stage software and services investments. During his tenure at Samsung, Joe’s initial investments realized two exits, Automated Insights sold to Vista Equity backed STATS Inc. and LoopPay was sold to Samsung Electronics to create the technical backbone for Samsung Pay.

In 2009, Joe joined Bain Capital Ventures Investments in Boston, Massachusetts. While at Bain Capital, Joe worked on both early-stage and growth-equity investments in a variety of industries, including business services, consumer technology, marketing services, eCommerce and digital media. He also worked closely with numerous portfolio companies on strategic planning, business development and company exits. Earlier in his career, Joe worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Merrill Lynch in New York, where he advised clients across diverse industries on a variety of strategic and financial transactions.

Julia de la Cruz
Senior Energy Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton

Julia is currently a Senior Energy Consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, supporting the Department of the Navy’s Resilient Energy Program Office. She has advised the world’s largest multinational energy company, harmonizing community, government and business objectives. Julia has also steered energy policy and strategic communications both in the private sector and at the Department of Defense, and been invited to speak at multiple industry conferences. She is an alumna of the Emerging Leaders in Environmental and Energy Policy Fellowship and the Clean Energy Leadership Institute.

Corey Ershow
Transportation Policy Manager, Lyft

Corey is an attorney and policy wonk with special expertise in emerging technology transportation solutions. He joined Lyft in 2017 as a Transportation Policy Manager, working with government officials and other stakeholders to promote Lyft’s vision for sustainable transportation. Prior to joining Lyft, Corey served as Senior Advisor to the EV Everywhere initiative at the US Department of Energy and as Transportation Counsel to Rep. Patrick Murphy of Florida.

Sarah Fitts
Corporate Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Sarah A. W. Fitts is a corporate partner at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. She is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Group and Co-Chair of the firm’s Energy & Natural Resources Group. Her practice includes transactions in the power industry and new technologies. In addition to her corporate practice, Sarah has long been committed to public service, and she actively lends her expertise to a range of pro bono initiatives, including as a director of Scenic Hudson Land Trust. In 2016 she was honored as an Energy Trailblazer by the National Law Journal and a Lawyer who Leads by Example by the New York Journal, and she is also recognized by Chambers.

Will Fleeson
Energy Markets Reporter, Argus Media

Will Fleeson works as an energy markets reporter for Argus Media, one of the world’s leading pricing agencies for energy commodities. His coverage areas include renewable energy and US clean-energy policy. Will previously worked in diplomatic communications as well as consulting in energy and political risk. Will holds master’s degrees from Georgetown University and Columbia University.

Michael Fleischman
Assistant Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Michael Fleischman is AIPAC’s Assistant Director of Policy and Government Affairs. As one of AIPAC’s professional lobbyists, he works with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and Executive Branch officials to strengthen the U.S. – Israel relationship. Michael focuses on fostering collaboration between the U.S. and Israel in the areas of energy and water technologies. He has worked with the Department of Energy on the establishment of a U.S.-Israel Center of Excellence in energy and water technologies, and with Congress on passage of legislation incentivizing bilateral cooperation in desalination and wastewater treatment. From 2013 through September of 2015, Michael served as the Legislative Director for Congresswoman Grace Meng; prior to that, he practiced law in New York.

Clara Gillispie
Senior Director of Trade, Economic, and Energy Affairs, National Bureau of Asian Research

Clara Gillispie is Senior Director of Trade, Economic, and Energy Affairs at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). In this capacity, Ms. Gillispie leads research and activities for a range of initiatives, with subject-matter expertise on energy security, trade and innovation policies, public health and the environment, and geopolitical trends in the Asia-Pacific. Ms. Gillispie has authored or served as lead substantive editor of numerous NBR reports that have been used in briefings with the U.S. Departments of State, Energy, and Defense; Congress; senior industry representatives; and others.

Scott Goldstein
Policy Director, Transportation For America

Scott serves as Policy Director for Transportation For America, an alliance of elected, business and civic leaders from communities across the country, united to ensure that states and the federal government step up to invest in smart, homegrown, locally-driven transportation solutions. Prior to Transportation For America, Scott served as Congressional Relations Officer for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Before WMATA, Scott served as Legislative Director for Congressman Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA), where he managed the legislative team and focused on transportation, health, foreign affairs, and energy policy.

James Grant
Researcher, American Foreign Policy Council

James serves as a Researcher with the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC) where he focuses on the intersection of energy, geopolitics, and U.S. National Security. Prior to his role with AFPC, James worked in Washington DC and Hong Kong as an analyst with The Asia Group (TAG), a strategic and capital advisory firm. In this capacity, James provided analytical expertise in the fields of defense, energy, and trade for Fortune 100 companies seeking to invest in Asia’s frontier markets.

Renee Gregory
Counsel, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Renee Gregory is Counsel at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. She is an experienced leader in solving complex problems at the intersection of business, technology, policy and the law, with a particular focus on the convergence of technology, telecommunications, and next-generation transportation. Prior to joining Willkie in 2017, Renee served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Renee was also previously a Senior Advisor at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and a Legal Advisor to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairmen Julius Genachowski and Tom Wheeler.

Carlos M. Gutierrez, Jr.
Founder and CEO, Highline Point Group, LLC

Carlos M. Gutierrez, Jr. is the Founder and CEO of Highline Point Group, LLC, a strategic advisory firm based in New York City. An investor and advocate for entrepreneurship, Carlos is also a Managing Director of Golden Seeds, one of the nation’s most active early stage investment firms. Carlos is a contributor to The Huffington Post, The Times of Israel, Asia Times, and The Jerusalem Post. His writing has also been featured by CNBC, Univision, and El Pais. Carlos also serves as a Board Member of American Friends of Soroka Medical Center, Latin American Youth Center, and Cuba Skate. Carlos is also a 2017 Presidential Leadership Scholar graduate.

Brenda Haendler
Senior Lead Engineer, Booz Allen Hamilton

Brenda Haendler is a mechanical engineer focusing on the technology and policy aspects of clean and renewable energy. A Senior Lead Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton, she leads a team of over 30 PhDs that supports the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E.) At Booz Allen she has also worked on a variety of other projects for the U.S. Biomass R&D Board, the Air Force Real Property Agency, and the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative. Before joining Booz Allen she was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellow at the U.S. Department of State focusing on international energy cooperation.

Miles Hansen
Director for Gulf Affairs, National Security Council

Miles Hansen is the Director for Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council. A Foreign Service officer, Miles most recently served at the State Department as a staff assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to that, Miles was the energy officer at U.S. Consulate General Dhahran in Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province where he served as a liaison with Saudi Aramco and advised U.S. government and private sector leaders on the Saudi energy industry and economic reform agenda. Miles has also served tours focused on Iran at U.S. Embassy Yerevan, Armenia and in the Iran Regional Presence Office at U.S. Consulate General Dubai. Before joining the State Department, Miles worked as a special assistant in the State of Utah Office of the Governor. A speaker of Russian, Farsi, and Arabic, Miles has extensive volunteer experience working on economic development, youth leadership, and humanitarian relief issues throughout the former Soviet Union and Middle East.

Kelly Helfrich
Manager, Electric Vehicles, General Motors/Maven

As Manager for Electric Vehicles at Maven, General Motor’s dedicated mobility platform, Kelly leads overall strategy and deployment of EVs across the country into new mobility applications. In her role she is also responsible for partnering with cities, utilities, and Electric Vehicle Service Providers to inform the investment of charging infrastructure that support large fleets of electric vehicles today, and will support autonomous electric vehicles in the future. Prior to General Motors, Kelly worked at Evercar, which applied the solar power purchase agreement model to transportation electrification by renting electric vehicles to municipalities and rideshare drivers on a total cost of ownership basis.

Lauren Illing
Senior Analyst, BCS

Lauren relocated to Washington, D.C. in 2016 after spending 20 years in Louisiana where she witnessed the impacts of energy insecurity through multiple devastating hurricanes. She has pursued a career in energy efficiency and renewable energy, holding positions related to policy, research and development, deployment, and project management. Currently, she is a consultant supporting various Department of Energy offices and non-profit organizations.

Ivana Jemelkova
Senior Director, FTI Consulting

As a senior director with FTI Consulting, Ivana works with tech companies, OEMs and utilities on projects related to digitally-driven transport innovation, solutions for the energy transition, and corporate sustainability. Most recently, she helped build a global CEO coalition for a new clean tech initiative at the 2017 World Economic Forum in Davos. Ivana moved to the U.S. after 6 years as a European Union lobbyist in Brussels. Prior to joining FTI, she worked for the European Commission, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and a think tank based in in Prague.

Kris Karafa
Managing Partner, Gen X Energy Partners

With over 17 years’ experience in the energy and infrastructure markets, Kris has managed and led construction, development, and financing efforts for projects in the U.S. and abroad. Formerly a Vice President at Venture Global LNG, Kris managed permitting efforts and worked in a commercial team responsible for the negotiation and execution of various project related transactions, including equipment supply and construction agreements. Kris’ prior experience included work on the South Louisiana Methanol project, and he also held several roles within Bechtel in business development, strategy, finance, and construction management, working in the Middle East and the U.S.

Aaron Landry
General Manager, car2go

Aaron leads car2go’s business in the District of Columbia and Arlington County, enabling over 64,000 members to share 600 Mercedes-Benz and smart fortwo vehicles. He is focused on reducing dependency on car ownership, optimizing the use of streets, and working with government agencies and businesses to enable more people to travel with fewer vehicles. Prior to car2go, Aaron was COO of Kuokoa, a project in Honolulu, Hawai‘i working to recapitalize the largest electric utility in the state and shift its reliance on fossil fuels to renewable resources.

Melissa Lynes
‎Industry Economist – ‎U.S. Energy Information Administration

Melissa is currently an economist with the federal government where she develops long-run transportation energy consumption models used to project domestic and international energy consumption. In addition, she develops econometric models to assist in two- year forecasts of finished liquid product consumption and long-run oil demand. Prior to her current role, Melissa was a National Needs Fellow at Kansas State University where she received her Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics. While at Kansas State University her focus research focus was renewable energy.

Emil Maine
Senior Strategy Analyst, Booz Allen Hamilton

Emil G. Maine, is a Senior Strategy Analyst in the Headquarters Air Force Strategic Assessments Division (AF/A5SM). He has nine years of professional experience in strategic planning and project management. His areas of expertise include the creation, integration, and execution of strategy. Mr. Maine brings an institutional knowledge of U.S. and international security affairs based on his experience in government, management consulting, and think tanks. He is a Project Management Institute (PMI) certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Gabriel Mitchell
U.S. Representative, Mitvim Institute

Gabriel is the U.S. Representative of Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies and a PhD candidate in Government & International Affairs at Virginia Tech University. His research focuses on the relationship between energy security and the formation of Israeli foreign policy, international maritime law, and U.S. policy in the Eastern Mediterranean. From 2015-2016 he was a research fellow at Hudson Institute and prior to that he was a fellow at Shalem College in Jerusalem.

Levi Patterson
Legislative Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Levi is currently serving U.S. Senator Chris Coons as an AAAS legislative fellow and helps manage the science, energy, and environment portfolios. In this role, he has had the opportunity to work closely on energy policy and recognizes its direct impact on U.S. security, competitiveness, and overall prosperity. Previously, Levi worked at General Electric Hitachi Nuclear Energy where he managed the cyber security program for the digital instrumentation and controls team.

Brian Scheid
Editor, Platts

Brian Scheid has worked for S&P Global Platts since 2010 and has covered multiple beats, including futures and swaps trading, Dodd-Frank financial reform efforts, Congress, the White House and multiple federal agencies. He currently covers US crude oil policy and is co-host of Platts Capitol Crude, a weekly podcast. Previously, he worked for daily newspapers in Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Mr. Scheid is a graduate of Boston College.

Will Simon
Director of Intelligent Transportation Systems, Intelligent Transportation Society of America

Will Simon is the Director of Intelligent Transportation Systems at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), the United States’ leading advocate for the technological modernization of transportation. Will is the recognized authority on ITS subject matter knowledge including technologies, partnerships, industries and solution approaches. Will is also the Founder and Chairman of the U.S.-Israel Mobility Innovation Center (USIMIC) which serves as the premiere vehicle for collaboration, investment, and innovation between American Israeli mobility ecosystems. Previously, Will held positions at Lyft, the Alliance for Transportation Innovation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s National Security & Emergency Preparedness Department. Will also serves as a mentor at Singularity University’s Smart City Accelerator in Columbus, Ohio focusing on future mobility.

Benjamin Stafford
Senior Consultant, 5 Lakes Energy

Benjamin Stafford is a senior consultant with 5 Lakes Energy. Benjamin’s work is focused on advancing the development of markets and public policies impacting the energy sector, and utilities and their customers, while fostering economic growth. In particular, Benjamin works on grid modernization policies and regulatory reform, the adoption of distributed energy resources, transportation electrification, demand reduction strategies, and economic development. Prior to joining 5 Lakes Energy, he worked in state and national public utility regulation, academia, and for Advanced Energy Economy, a national association of business leaders in energy. His academic research focused on energy policy implementation, emphasizing the co-evolution of institutions, businesses, utility regulation and energy technologies.

Oliver Williams
Managing Director, FTI Consulting

Oliver Williams is a Managing Director in FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications practice, focusing on the energy and natural resource sector, delivering advocacy and issue-management campaigns around a variety of issues, including LNG exports and offshore oil and gas development. Previously he was based in the business’ London office, where he led the creation of the team’s energy and environment offer. He has experience in the European Parliament and the House of Commons, having worked in the offices of Dr. Charles Tannock MEP and former Secretary of State for Health, the Rt. Hon, Virginia Bottomley MP respectively.

Rachel Zissimos
Research Associate, Center for National Defense, The Heritage Foundation

Rachel is a research associate in the Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation where she focuses on the defense industrial base, military force structure assessments, and DOD energy and logistics policy. She also manages the production of Heritage’s annual publication the Index of U.S. Military Strength, a yearly assessment of the status of the U.S. military service branches and the global threat and operating environments. Her work on energy issues focuses on identifying energy sources, technologies, and applications that enhance military capability and minimize costs.

Avery Ash
Autonomous Vehicle Market Strategist, INRIX

Avery serves as Autonomous Vehicle Market Strategist for INRIX, the global leader in connected car services and intelligent movement. Avery leads the company’s engagement in Washington, D.C. and helps shape business strategy in the connected car and autonomous vehicle space.

Prior to INRIX, Avery served as Director of Federal Relations for AAA. In this capacity, Avery was responsible for the Association’s federal advocacy on transportation, vehicle technology, mobility and energy issues. He authored AAA’s weekly Fuel Gauge Report, which provides analysis of gas prices and trends, and served as the Association’s spokesman and subject matter expert with lawmakers and media. Avery also led development and deployment of the Association’s engagement strategy on advanced vehicle technology issues including connected, driverless and electric vehicles. This included policy development, execution of strategic partnerships, participation on industry panels and implementation of education strategy for lawmakers and AAA’s more than 55 million members. Avery has served on the Board of Directors of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, the Connected Car Council and the Fuels Institute’s Board of Advisors.

Prior to joining AAA, Avery served as Legislative and Special Assistant for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, where he focused on economic development issues. Previous to the Hill, he spent more than four years in Congressional and Public Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he worked on technology, financial services, and intellectual property rights issues. Avery is a graduate of Bowdoin College with a joint degree in Economics and Anthropology.

Eric Brown
Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute

Eric is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute where he studies the Middle East and Asia, geopolitical futures, and U.S. diplomacy and strategy. He is also co-editor of Current Trends in Islamist Ideology, and an adjunct professor at the Daniel Morgan Academy, a start-up school serving the national security community. Most recently, his futures work explored growing Trans-Eurasian connectivity and the strategic implications of this from Europe to the Pacific Rim. He has conducted research throughout the Middle East and Asia on public security, governance and development issues as well as on upgrading U.S. expeditionary diplomacy and aid to countries at-risk. Presently, his focus is on the breakdown of order in the Middle East and the future of U.S. alliances from North Africa to India. He is a director of the American University of Iraq Foundation.

Daniel Charles
President and Co-Founder, Charles Bernard Ventures

Daniel is the CEO and Co-Founder of Charles Bernard Ventures, an incubator dedicated to fostering innovation, creativity and critical thinking in fast-paced and high-impact sectors such as national security and energy. Dani’s current work includes working with U.S. small businesses to help bring cutting-edge technology and processes to the growing and vital waste-to-energy industry. His experience also includes having advised U.S. government clients across the Intelligence, Defense and Federal Law Enforcement communities on the procurement and implementation of critical technology solutions. Dani has also directly supported U.S. government cyber programs and led teams specializing in cyber investigations, research, and analysis.

In addition to being a SAFE Energy Security Fellow, Dani is also a National Security Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracy (FDD) and teaches a graduate-level Cyber 101 workshop at Georgetown University. He holds an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University, and a B.A. from Emory University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Eric Connelly
Energy Policy Analyst, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability (ODASA E&S)

Eric received his B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Maryland College Park and his Masters of Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy. During graduate school, Eric worked in the Delaware State Senate for the chairman of the Energy and Transit Committee, Senator Harris McDowell III. Since graduating, he has worked primarily in the Department of Defense energy policy space. He currently works as an Energy Policy Analyst in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability (ODASA E&S). He concentrates on Army energy policy development through Congressional engagement and senior Army leader support.

Katherina Dimenstein
Legislative Director,  United States House of Representatives (Congressman Schweikert)

Katherina is the Legislative Director for Congressman David Schweikert of Arizona, handling his new work on The Committee on Ways and Means. Previously, she worked as Legislative Assistant for Senator Joni Ernst, handling veterans’ issues, national security, and foreign affairs. Prior to that, Ms. Dimenstein worked for several years in the office of Representative Schweikert, staffing Congressman Schweikert on the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) and handling healthcare, veteran’s issues, national security, science and technology, and transportation & infrastructure. Congressman Schweikert was also the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, on the Science Space and Technology Committee. Katherina worked to establish the Congressional Task Force on Valley Fever, which Congressman Schweikert cofounded with Majority Leader McCarthy. Before coming to the Hill, Katherina worked as a research analyst for The Marymont Group, an executive retained search firm for the aerospace and defense industry.

Ms. Dimenstein is working towards a Master’s degree at the Naval War College. She received a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Iowa State University.

Zack Gold
Nonresident Fellow, Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Zack is a Nonresident Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT). His research focuses on Egyptian political and security developments, non-state actors in the Middle East, and U.S. policy in the region. Gold concurrently works as a consultant to Oxford Analytica and Wikistrat on Middle East counterterrorism, energy, and aviation security. From 2014-2015 he was a visiting fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv and prior to that he was a researcher at The Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy. Gold earned his M.A. in law and diplomacy from The Fletcher School, Tufts University; and his B.A. in political science and communication from the University of Delaware. He twice received the Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship to study Arabic in Oman and Egypt.

Daniel Goodwin
Vice President, Technical Marketing and Government Affairs, American Power Group, Inc.

Dan is a retired U.S. Marine Corps LtCol and former F/A-18 and F-15C pilot. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD with a B.S. in Systems Engineering, Dan also has an MBA from Norwich University in Vermont. With experience flying combat missions from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Dan is well-versed in the challenges of keeping our ships, aircraft, vehicles, and people sustained with fuel and energy. He has a keen interest in energy security policy and its effects on national strategy.

Dan has been working commercially in the alternative energy sector since 2015 after joining Oberon Fuels – a global leader in the development of dimethyl ether (DME) as a renewable alternative to diesel. Recently, he joined American Power Group, Inc. (APGI) as their Vice President of Technical Marketing and Government Affairs – leading their efforts to bring their innovative dual-fuel technology to market. He firmly believes that there are multiple strategies and technologies available to reduce our dependence on foreign fuel sources as well as reduce harmful emissions to our air and water – all while continuing to grow our economy and produce jobs.

Prior to joining Oberon and immersing himself in the world of alternative fuels, Dan worked for a small electrical engineering firm producing microwave radio frequency amplifiers for the defense sector. Dan currently resides in the San Diego, California area with his wife and 15-year old son.

Agnia Grigas
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Dr. Grigas is an energy and political risk expert, specializing in Europe, Russia, and the post-Soviet space. She is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and the author of three books: “The New Geopolitics of Natural Gas” (Harvard UP, 2017), “Beyond Crimea: The New Russian Empire” (Yale UP, 2016), and “The Politics of Energy and Memory between the Baltic States and Russia” (Ashgate 2013). She spent a decade as a business development and political risk advisor for corporations and government agencies. Previously she also served as an energy and economic advisor to the Lithuanian MFA. Agnia holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Columbia University and a Master’s and Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford. She lives with her husband and two children in Washington, D.C.

E. Monique Hall
Vice President; Communications Strategist, DCI Group, LLC

Monique is a vice president at a leading public affairs and communications firm in Washington, D.C. Prior to her current role in the private sector, Monique worked on Democratic political campaigns around the country including work with the Democratic National Committee’s State Partnership Program.  In 2006, she served as Deputy Political Director for the Maryland Democratic Party and Maryland Victory 2006. In 2008 and 2012, Monique volunteered, taking a leave of absence to work for Obama for America in Nevada (2008) and Virginia (2012).  Before the 2012 U.S. Presidential election, Monique traveled to Barcelona, Spain as a transatlantic speaker to the European Liberal Youth – LYMEC’s Congress to discuss advocacy around public policy.

Monique is active in the community having volunteered with Food & Friends, a D.C.-based nonprofit that delivers nutritious meals to people living with life-challenging illnesses. She also served on the board of directors for a local nonprofit, Pediatric HIV/AIDS Care. Monique currently serves as chair of the board of directors for the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, the oldest national LGBTQ organization.

She has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has done graduate work at Vanderbilt University Divinity School.

James Hall
Manager, Advanced Vehicle and Infrastructure Policy, General Motors

Jamie is a manager on the public policy team at General Motors, where he focuses on policies and programs to support commercialization of GM’s advanced vehicle portfolio. He works closely with GM technical teams, policymakers, and industry stakeholders on policy considerations affecting the development and deployment of electric, fuel cell, and other advanced technology vehicles. Jamie has more than ten years of environmental and energy policy experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He received degrees from Princeton University and the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

Ann Thomas Johnston
Professional Staff and Senior Policy Advisor, House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Chairman Emeritus Joe Barton

Ann Thomas currently serves Chairman Emeritus Joe Barton and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, most recently as the staff lead in the effort to remove the ban on crude oil exports.She served as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs and Deputy Assistant Secretary/Legislative Affairs U.S. Department of Energy during the Bush Administration. While Deputy Chief of Staff for Lee Terry (R-NE), Ann Thomas was lead staff on the efforts to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. Earlier in her career, she served Representative (now Senator) Richard Burr focusing on energy and environmental policy, and also worked at Ashland Oil, Inc. Ann Thomas resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband and daughter. Her son is a plebe at the United States Military Academy West Point. She holds a B.A. in communication from Wake Forest University.

Ari Kahan
Operations Research Analyst

Ari is currently an Operations Research Analyst with the federal government, where he develops international energy projections. Prior to this role, Ari managed analytic services for a sustainability consultancy; in this position, he led the development of a software platform to reduce the environmental impact of real estate portfolios. Ari began his energy career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. While at EPA, he developed energy and emission control programs, including the first federal regulation to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the national program to double fuel economy in cars and trucks, and programs to limit pollution from marine, renewable fuel, and on-road sources. Ari is a recipient of the EPA Gold Medal for Exceptional Service and has served on advisory panels for numerous organizations.

Glen Kedzie
Vice President, Energy and Environmental Counsel, American Trucking Associations

Glen serves as the American Trucking Associations’ Vice President, Energy & Environmental Counsel and has over 25 years of energy, environmental, and sustainability experience. Glen manages ATA’s highly-respected legal, policy, and advocacy efforts on energy, environmental, and climate change matters; counsels clients on regulatory compliance issues; transitioned the industry into using the cleanest fuels and engines on the road today; developed and implemented an industry-wide sustainability plan; and ushered in first-ever greenhouse gas/fuel consumption standards for trucks.

Glen previously served as Counsel to the American Coatings Association as a lobbyist and provided legal advice on environmental, energy, and labor matters.  He also worked as a Supervisory Attorney at EPA overseeing regulatory development, managing enforcement, and compliance cases, and advising the Administration on a broad range of environmental matters. He holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Urban & Regional Planning, Geography, and Cartography & Geotechniques, completed his post-graduate work in Environmental Planning at the University of Wisconsin, and received his law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

David Livingston
Associate, Energy and Climate Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

David is an associate in Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where his research focuses on innovation, markets, and risk. Prior to joining Carnegie, Livingston gained experience at the World Trade Organization in Geneva and at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna. Livingston was selected as a Future Energy Leader for the 2014-2017 term of the World Energy Council. In addition, he serves on the advisory board of SXSW Eco.

Katharine MacGregor
Senior Professional Staff, U.S. House of Representatives

Kate currently serves as Senior Professional Staff on the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources where she has worked on issues related to energy production on federal lands.  Before joining the subcommittee, Kate was the Legislative Director for Majority Leader Eric Cantor serving the Seventh District of Virginia.  She had been LD for the past two years and prior to that worked for Congresswoman Thelma Drake from Virginia’s Second District.  Her portfolio currently includes onshore and offshore energy development on federal lands, pipelines on federal lands, and revenue from federal mineral development.  Kate is a native of Pennsylvania and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Ellie Maruyama
Research Associate in Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security

Ellie is a Research Associate in the Energy, Economics and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her research focuses on shifting geopolitics of energy as well as evolving tools of economic statecraft, such as sanctions, and their implications for U.S. national security and foreign policy. Prior to joining CNAS, Ms. Maruyama worked in the Office of the Executive Director for Japan at the World Bank.

She also interned in the Political, Security and Development Section at the European Union Delegation to the United States. Ms. Maruyama earned her M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where she studied International Energy Management and Policy.  She graduated cum laude from the University of California, San Diego, with a B.A. in International Studies.

Aaron Menenberg
Executive Director,  The Public Interest Fellowship

Aaron is the Executive Director of The Public Interest Fellowship, where he is responsible for managing day-to-day operations, the fellow selection and placement processes, and relationships between the program and host organizations. Previously, Aaron was the Director of Congressional Affairs at the Israel Allies Foundation and has held various positions at The Hudson Institute, the Institute for the Study of War, Prescient Analytics, and the IBM Corporation.

Petr Michalek
Political and Economic Officer,  Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington

Petr has been working on issues regarding energy and energy security since the beginning of his career at the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he joined in 2008 as a desk officer for the South Caucasus and energy cooperation within the so-called Southern Corridor. During the Czech EU Presidency in 2009, he was a member of the Task Force responsible for the preparation of the EU-Southern Corridor Summit in Prague. Later, during the years 2012 and 2013, he had the opportunity to spend twelve months as a Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellow at the Energy Resources Bureau of the US Department of State. In 2014, he joined the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, where he has been responsible for the energy portfolio (i.a.).

Jessica Nigro
Manager, Head of Outreach an Innovation Policy, Daimler

Jessica is the head of Outreach and Innovation Policy in Daimler’s Washington, D.C. office. In this capacity, she drives the company’s policy efforts on future technologies and mobility, as well as developing strategic partnerships with NGOs, government and business partners throughout the U.S. Prior to her current role, Nigro spent three years at Daimler’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany working with Sales colleagues on projects in politically-risky markets.

Nigro served as the Director of Programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She began her career in the Strategic Communications office at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and served as Field Manager of that office, directing the nationwide strategic and crisis communications efforts as the Department stood up after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Nigro received a B.A. in International Affairs and Conflict Resolution from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and has studied at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Sarah Olexsak
Senior Sustainability Officer, White House Council on Environmental Quality, Office of Federal Sustainability

Sarah serves as a Senior Sustainability Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality where her work focuses on fleet electrification. In 2013 she launched the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Workplace Charging Challenge that has since partnered with 375+ employers to provide 5,500+ charging stations, resulting in an annual reduction of 17 million pounds of GHG emissions. Sarah facilitated the review and award of automotive manufacturing projects under DOE’s $25 billion Advance Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s $2.3 billion advanced energy manufacturing tax credit. Sarah began her career as an analyst in the fuel cell industry and holds an M.S. in Energy Policy & Climate from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. from Muskingum University. She has written extensively on the implementation of alternative fueled vehicles and her work on energy behavior has been published in the Journal of Energy Research & Social Science.

Campbell Palfrey
Vice President,  The Rapidan Group

Campbell is a Vice President at The Rapidan Group – an independent energy market, policy, and geopolitical consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. He is focused on global oil markets and the supply/demand fundamentals, geopolitical risks, and policy developments that impact oil prices and investment decisions in the energy sector.  Campbell earned his B.A. in Comparative Literature from Haverford College and his M.A. in International Economics and Energy, Resources & Environment at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Eliot Pence
Director – Africa Practice,  McLarty Associates

Eliot served as a Director for the Whitaker Group, where he advised multinational companies on their strategies in over 20 markets throughout sub-Saharan Africa prior to joining McLarty Associates. Mr. Pence has written extensively on doing business in frontier markets in outlets including Financial Times, New York Times, Reuters, CNN and the National Interest. He was recognized by Diplomatic Courier as a Top 99 Foreign Policy Leader and was selected by the Global Public Policy Institute as a Global Governance 2022 Fellow.

Mr. Pence is also the founder of the software start-up Upstream Analytics and the Africa Expert Network (AXN). He is on the boards of the Africa Leadership Network, Market Atlas, and the Pan-African Network. He holds a M.A. in International Relations from Yale University and a B.A. from the University of Victoria.

Cassie Powers
Senior Sustainability Officer,  White House Council on Environmental Quality, Office of Federal Sustainability

Cassie is a Program Manager at the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), where she leads NASEO’s transportation program. In this role, Cassie provides research, analysis, and facilitation support for state energy offices on transportation and clean energy issues, and also acts as a resource on federal transportation policy for the states. Prior to joining NASEO, Cassie was an EV Program Coordinator with Georgetown Climate Center, where worked with state governments to support the development of electric vehicle policies and programs. She holds a Master’s Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary.

Nilmini Rubin
Vice President for International Development, Tetra Tech

Nilmini is joining Tetra Tech as the Vice President for International Development in September 2016.  Until recently, she directed technology, trade, and energy policy at the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. On behalf of Chairman Royce, Nilmini spearheaded legislation to promote Internet access in developing countries and drove passage of law to increase access to electricity in Africa and laws to provide trade preferences and trade promotion authority.

Prior to that position, she advocated on cybersecurity, cloud and privacy policy for the Information Technology Industry Council and led international economic, development and transparency policy at the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and secured agreements at the G-8 as a National Security Council Director at the White House. Nilmini lives near Washington, D.C. with her husband and their three daughters. With her oldest daughter, she co-wrote an illustrated children’s book called How Carrots Became Orange.

Benjamin Schmitt
European Energy Security Advisor,  U.S. Department of State

Benjamin is currently a European energy security and science and technology policy advisor for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR), where he is also serving as the current IEEE Department of State Science and Technology Policy Fellow. In his role at the State Department, Schmitt serves as the team lead for European energy security and diplomacy engagement in the Northern European region, drawing on his hard science and technology background to develop and implement novel policy strategies for the advancement of joint U.S. and EU shared priorities at the intersection of energy and security geopolitics.

Before arriving at State, Schmitt served as a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow while conducting graduate research in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania focusing on experimental cosmology research with the group of Prof. Mark Devlin. While at Penn, Benjamin’s research focuses primarily concentrated on the development of novel millimeter-wavelength imaging technologies framed through the design and integration of ACTPol, a polarization-sensitive receiver upgrade for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, located at over 5190 meters (17,000ft) in elevation on an extinct stratovolcano in Chile’s Atacama Desert, where Schmitt led field deployment operations over a several year period. Benjamin’s ACTPol research was also supported by a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program award. Schmitt has also previously served as a U.S. Fulbright Research Fellow to the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, and before that, served as an X-Ray Diagnostics Researcher focusing on inertial confinement fusion research at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Laboratory of Laser Energetics, at the University of Rochester, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Astronomy, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern German Languages and Cultures, and Mathematics.

Joseph Simons
Foreign Affairs Officer,  U.S. Department of State; Bureau of Political-Military Affairs

Joseph is a Foreign Affairs Officer in the Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, where he works on Arabian Gulf security assistance. He is also a Navy Reserve officer and the Washington, D.C. Coordinator for Guitars for Vets, a non-profit that provides guitar lessons at local VA hospitals. Joseph is functionally fluent in Arabic, having lived in Egypt in 2008-2009 as a fellow at the Center for Arabic Study Abroad at The American University in Cairo. He is also a Truman National Security Project Defense Council fellow and a Robertson Foundation for Government fellow. Joseph holds a master’s from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a bachelor’s from McGill University in Canada.

Brian Slattery
Policy Analyst for National Security,  The Heritage Foundation, Center for National Defense

Brian is a Policy Analyst for National Security in the Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation. He supports all research efforts on defense policy and specifically focuses on U.S. Coast Guard issues and Arctic security policy. He also manages the production of the annual Index of U.S. Military Strength. Prior to joining Heritage, Slattery served as a Defense Research Assistant for Congressman J. Randy Forbes of the U.S. House of Representatives, where he supported the Congressman’s military affairs portfolio. Brian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with a business concentration from Xavier University, while also earning a minor in Classical Humanities. He earned a Master of Public Policy degree with a focus in national security from the George Mason University School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. He lives with his wife Elizabeth and their son Michael in Silver Spring, MD.

Rory Stanley
Legislative Aide,  United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Rory works for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on nuclear, oil and gas, and research and development issues. In this role, Rory has worked on legislation involving advanced nuclear technology, nuclear waste as well as the Energy Policy Modernization Act while also engaging with a number of policy stakeholders ranging from national laboratories to foreign governments. Prior to working on the Hill Rory worked at the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.  He holds a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Washington and a M.A. in International Policy from the Middlebury Institute for International Studies.

Julius Svoboda
Senior International Oil and Gas Trade Specialist,  International Trade Administration

Julius is the lead on oil and gas policy and trade issues at the International Trade Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce. In his role he manages federal interagency commercial trade policy, coordinates bilateral trade issues with foreign governments, and works with U.S. companies to understand the most pressing trade issues impacting the U.S. oil and gas sector. He is the point person for the Department of Commerce’s role at the U.S.-China Oil & Gas Industry Forum, the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and plays an integral part of ITA’s activities at the Offshore Technology Conference, the world’s largest oil and gas trade show.  He is also the author of the Upstream Oil & Gas Equipment Top Market Report, a market analysis of the international oil and gas sector and prospects for increased U.S. exports.

Before joining ITA, Mr. Svoboda worked as an evaluations analyst at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency where he reviewed the performance of technical assistance programs in low- and middle-income countries. Before his Federal service, he was a fundraiser at the GAVI Fund, a non-profit supporting childhood immunizations in impoverished countries. Mr. Svoboda holds a Master’s of International Public Affairs from University of Wisconsin-Madison, a post-graduate certificate from the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna, Austria, and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from the George Washington University.

Facundo Tassara
Fleet Manager, City of Norfolk

Facundo is the current Fleet Manager for the City of Norfolk and has been in this role since April 2014. Within his first year of being hired, the City of Norfolk fleet was recognized as #66 of the 100 Best Fleets in 2015 and ranked #55 in 2016. Facundo has previously served as the Fleet Manager for the City of Ormond Beach, Florida, which was also named as one of the 100 Best Fleets in 2013 (#94) and 2014 (#19). Before transitioning into the public sector, he managed a family owned a mechanic shop in Sterling, VA and founded a subsidiary body shop. Currently, he serves as the Vice-Chair of the NAFA Government Affairs Committee, President of Tidewater Area Fleet Manager’s Association, is a member of the Board of Directors for Virginia Clean Cities Coalition, and is also a member of the Government Fleet Expo Advisory Board. Facundo received his Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of the District of Columbia.

Stephanie Teich-McGoldrick
Senior Member of Technical Staff,  Sandia National Laboratories

Stephanie Teich-McGoldrick is a Congressional Fellow working for Ranking Member Cantwell on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. In this role, she works on energy policy and provides support on highly technical issues. Stephanie is on loan to the committee from the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories, where she works as a researcher. At Sandia, she used computer simulation and data analysis to understand material design and energy systems. She holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Michigan State University and both a Master of Science and doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Tania Ullah
Mechanical Engineer in the Energy and Environment Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Tania is currently a Mechanical Engineer and research scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Since 2009, she has worked on the development of technical standards for high-performance buildings. Specifically, Tania has studied how energy-efficient and renewable technologies can help homes reach net-zero energy consumption and maximize water use efficiency. She holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Warren Wilczewski
Industry Economist,  Energy Information Administration

Warren serves as a subject-matter expert on natural gas liquids in the EIA’s office of Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels. As part of his duties, he works with teams across the EIA on near- and long-term forecasting products, statistical data collection and analysis, and development of new products. Fulfilling EIA’s mission to enhance energy market transparency and promote energy market understanding, Warren briefs the Secretary of Energy on ongoing and emerging trends, speaks at industry conferences, contributes to EIA publications, and works with the DOE Policy Office, industry, and academia as an adviser and contributor.  Prior to coming to EIA Warren worked at ICF International, where he supported the company’s development of an NGL practice as the lead market analyst. Warren received his B.A. in International Relations/International Trade from the University of British Columbia, and his M.S. in Global Affairs/Energy & Environment from New York University.

Mindaugas Zickus
Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM)/Minister Counselor,  Embassy of Lithuania in the United States

Mindaugas is currently the Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister Counselor, at the Embassy of Lithuania to the United States. Before joining the Diplomatic service in 2000, he studied international relations and diplomacy at the Vilnius University, since then participated in leadership and career development programs in Germany (2003), Austria (2009), the United States (2011) and France (2013). Between 2004 and 2008, Mindaugas Žičkus was working at the Lithuanian Mission to NATO in Brussels, while in 2009 he became the Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of Lithuania and served in that position until the most recent appointment. Fluent in a number of languages, he is also a big sport and traveling enthusiast.

Nadia Anderson
Manager of Federal Affairs, AAA

Nadia Anderson, Ph.D. is a member of AAA National’s Public Affairs team and currently serves as a Manager of Federal Affairs. In this role, her primary responsibilities include monitoring and representing the association’s position and interests on issues related to energy and the transportation sector. This includes transportation fuels, vehicle technologies, global energy markets, and the overall sustainability of the transportation sector. Prior to joining AAA, Dr. Anderson worked with the American Gas Association and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.Dr. Anderson earned a doctorate in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware, and holds a master’s degree from Virginia State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. In her spare time she volunteers with select organizations focused on energy, transportation and public policy, and is a native of Alexandria, VA.

Katie Archer
Economist, Keybridge LLC

Katie Archer is an Economist at Keybridge LLC, where she specializes in energy and environmental policy, economic and regulatory impact analysis, and data analytics. Before starting with Keybridge in 2009, she had a brief stint at a public affairs firm and worked in the Washington, D.C. office of the International Crisis Group. She has also taught classes on international energy topics and analytical methods for public policy.Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Economics from Rhodes College and a Master’s degree in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Michael Baskin
Orise Fellow, U.S. Department of Energy

Michael is an ORISE Fellow in the US Department of Energy (DOE), where he leads DOD energy collaboration and veteran talent initiatives for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). He maintains an avid interest in energy security and the nexus between veterans and the clean energy workforce. He has catalyzed several veteran talent programs including the Solar Ready Vets program.

In addition to his work in EERE, Michael is a Ph.D. Candidate at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. His research fields include energy and resource policy and international negotiation and conflict resolution. He was recently selected as a Harvard Program on Negotiation Graduate Research Fellow for 2015-2016.

Michael served as a U.S. Army infantry officer for six years with service in Afghanistan and Iraq. He holds a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and completed an M.A. under the post-9/11 GI Bill at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Israel.

Josh Corless
VP, International Government Affairs and Political Risk, ConocoPhillips

Josh serves as the Vice President for International Government Affairs and Political Risk at ConocoPhillips, the world’s largest independent exploration and production company with operations in 27 international locations. Prior to assuming this role, Josh built and led ConocoPhillips’ global political risk capability to generate strategic decision advantage and enhanced corporate resiliency regarding the most pressing geopolitical drivers of business risk. Before joining ConocoPhillips, Josh spent 14 years in the U.S. Intelligence Community after starting his career as a journalist covering international defense-related issues for IHS Janes. Josh graduated with an M.A. in Defense and Security Analysis from the University of Lancaster (UK), and received his B.A. in Government as a John Marshall Scholar from Franklin & Marshall College. He has completed a range of executive education in strategic leadership and management at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, The U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He resides in Washington, D.C.

Thomas Cunningham
Energy Diplomacy Officer, Europe, U.S. Department of State

Thomas Cunningham has worked at the U.S. Department of State since 2003 and in the Bureau of Energy Resources since 2013. As Energy Diplomacy Officer for Europe, he serves as a senior advisor and professional expert on foreign policy regarding energy issues in the European Union and its member states. Mr. Cunningham served as a fellow in the U.S. Senate in 2009, where he worked on climate change and energy policy legislation. Mr. Cunningham’s career has also included multilateral coordination on anticorruption, rule of law and counternarcotics policy, and Congressional relations.

Mr. Cunningham’s interest in transatlantic energy issues has included fellowships with the University of Bonn (2002), the German Marshall Fund (2006), the EU Visitors Program (2008), and the Atlantik-Bruecke (2012). He has an M.A. in German and European Studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. in English from Colorado College.

Landon Derentz
Energy Market Analyst, Bureau of Energy Resources

Landon is an Energy Policy Advisor in the Bureau of Energy Resources’ Office of Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy. His portfolio addresses the integration and stability of global natural gas markets, with a focus on the growing role of liquefied natural gas in unifying global markets. In addition to monitoring global energy markets, Landon has been closely engaged in counter-ISIL finance operations and the U.S. response to ongoing engagements with Ukraine.

Prior to joining the Department of State, Landon worked in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Department of Energy. Additionally, Landon served as a public affairs officer in the United States Air Force. Landon graduated with a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law, with an M.P.P. from the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at The George Washington University, and a B.A. in Communication from the University of Southern California.

Adrian Deveny
Legislative Assistant, Senator Jeff Merkley

Adrian Deveny is currently a Legislative Assistant for Senator Jeff Merkley. Since 2011 he has been Senator Merkley’s lead policy advisor on energy, environment, natural resources and agriculture issues. Prior to his time with Senator Merkley, Adrian was a Presidential Management Fellow, working at the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the State Department’s Office of Climate Change. He holds a Master of Environmental Management and a Master of Arts in International and Development Economics from Yale University, and a bachelor’s in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Robert Diznoff
Democratic Staff Director, Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Robert currently serves as the Democratic Staff Director on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee for Ranking Member Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). He also serves as Senator Shaheen’s Senior Counsel, where he manages a staff focused on issues related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, advanced manufacturing and innovation. Prior to this position, Robert worked as Senator Shaheen’s Senior Policy Advisor, covering energy, environment, climate change and natural resources policy.

Before joining Senator Shaheen’s office, Robert was Energy Counsel for Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), advising the Senator on all matters related to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He began his career on Capitol Hill working for the late-Senator Robert C. Byrd, and then as a Legislative Assistant for West Virginia’s interim Senator Carte Goodwin, covering energy, environmental and labor issues.

Robert has an undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in Coral Gables, FL.

Liam Forsythe
Sr. Counsel, Senator Heidi Heitkamp

Liam Taggart Forsythe serves as Senior Counsel to United States Senator Heidi Heitkamp, where he serves as senior policy and legislative advisor to the Senator and is responsible for a portfolio that includes all of the Senator’s Judiciary, Energy, and Environmental issues. In this role he is responsible for developing and implementing the Senator’s energy and environmental priorities that reflect her belief in an all-of-the-above energy policy that represents the diverse energy resources being developed in North Dakota. Prior to his role in the Senate, he served as Senior Advisor for Heitkamp’s 2012 U.S. Senate Campaign in North Dakota – widely lauded as the best campaign in the country during that cycle. Before moving out to North Dakota, Forsythe served as a consultant and legal advisor to various environmental and health groups, labor unions, and clean energy NGO’s and companies. Forsythe has also worked for former Vice President Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection, served as a Legal Fellow for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and clerked for a U.S. Federal Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania after graduating from law school. Forsythe graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from Western Maryland College and a J.D. from the Temple University James Beasley School of Law.

Andrew Holland
Sr. Fellow for Energy and Climate, American Security Project

Andrew Holland is the American Security Project’s Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate. He is a Washington-based expert on energy, climate change, and infrastructure policy. He works at the center of debates about how to achieve sustainable energy security and how to effectively address climate change.

He served as Legislative Assistant on Energy, Environment, and Infrastructure for Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska for three years from 2006 through 2008. He worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for the House Ways and Means Committee and the Office of Congresswoman Roukema.

He holds a Master’s Degree in International Strategy and Economics from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Economics from Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

Michael Hurwitz
Partner, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Michael Hurwitz is a partner in Communications, Media, and Privacy in the Washington, D.C. office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. He represents telecommunications and media companies in FCC proceedings and commercial disputes.

Michael studied English as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, and in graduate school at Yale. He studied law at Georgetown and has been practicing law since 2006.

Michael worked in the House of Representatives (for two Members of Congress) on foreign policy issues during the period shortly after September 11, 2001 through the first months of the Iraq war. Among other issues, he worked on issues relating to foreign policy, energy, and the environment, and staffed a member of Congress at several hearings of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Justin Johnson
Sr. Policy Analyst, Defense Budgeting Policy, Heritage Foundation

Justin T. Johnson specializes in defense budgets and policies for The Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security and Foreign Policy.

Prior to joining The Heritage Foundation, Johnson spent over a decade working on defense and foreign policy issues on Capitol Hill. His last position on Capitol Hill was as Deputy Chief of Staff and Military Legislative Assistant for Rep. Doug Lamborn, who is a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. Johnson received a master’s degree from the Naval War College with a particular focus on terrorism and the maritime domain.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Johnson grew up in Iowa before moving to Eastern Europe. After living in Germany, Belarus and the Czech Republic, Johnson attended Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia where he studied philosophy and art. Johnson and his wife and three children live in Washington, DC.

Natalie Joubert

Associate, Booze Allen Hamilton

Natalie Joubert has six years of professional experience in energy policy analysis and public affairs. Currently, Natalie serves as a senior energy communications specialist for a management consulting firm supporting a federal agency focused on advanced energy innovation. She provides strategic guidance and content creation for the agency’s external affairs. Prior, Natalie worked as an energy policy analyst with HBW Resources, advising energy companies, trade associations, and political campaigns on policy affecting the oil & natural gas, electric utilities, renewable energy, and nuclear power industries.

Monika Juska
Advisor, International Affairs, BP

Monika Juska joined BP in June 2015 as an Advisor for International Affairs. Prior to that, she served in a number of positions at the White House, including as Special Assistant to the National Security Advisor and Deputy Associate Director in the Management and Administration Office. Monika received her Masters from Georgetown University in East European, Russian and Eurasian studies and Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from DePaul University. She is a Chicago native, though grew up primarily in Lithuania.

Norm Kaufmann
Associate, Booze Allen Hamilton

Norm Kaufmann is a full-time Masters student at Georgetown University where he is a joint-degree MBA-MSFS candidate at the McDonough School of Business and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Services. Norm is also an Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he has spent six years focusing on project management in government-funded energy research. Norm has an extensive background working with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), where he has helped lead the development of software that facilitates transparency and oversight of federally funded energy research. Norm is interested in the issues surrounding commercialization and the market viability of new technologies.

Alexander Keros
Public Policy Manager, General Motors

Alex Keros is a Manager for General Motors working on vehicle, fuels, and advanced technology policy. In this role he is responsible for policy considerations related to GM’s advanced vehicle portfolio and the infrastructure necessary to support alternative-fueled vehicles. Alex earned a B.S. in Natural Resource Management and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Colin Langan
Equity Research Analyst, General Industrials Group, UBS

Colin Langan is a Director in the General Industrials group at UBS covering the U.S. Automotive sector. He joined UBS in 2005 as an Associate Analyst in this sector. Earlier in his career, Colin was a Senior Associate at Deloitte & Touche. He holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame. Colin is a CFA charterholder and a certified public accountant.

Irina Markina
Sr. Energy Advisor, European Union Delegation to the U.S.

Ms. Irina Markina is the Senior Energy Advisor at the European Union Delegation to the U.S. in Washington, D.C., where she directs the EU’s diplomatic engagement on energy policy with the U.S. She is also responsible for the development of the EU-US Energy Council priorities.

Prior to joining the European External Action Service and the EU Washington Delegation in 2011, Ms. Markina worked at the European Parliament on energy and transport technology issues, and at the Lithuania Foreign Affairs Ministry, European Affairs Department. Before entering public service, Ms. Markina worked in business consulting on the deployment of innovative energy technology.

Ms. Markina holds a Master of Science degree in European Affairs from the University of Lund, where she studied EU law and Global political economy, and she holds a B.A. with honors in Political Science and International Affairs with a focus on Security studies and Geopolitics of energy. Ms. Markina has lived in Lithuania, Sweden, Belgium, and currently resides in the United States. Ms. Markina speaks English, Lithuanian, Polish, French, and Russian.

Micah Murphy
Special Assistant, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy

Micah is a full-time Naval Officer, husband, and father, who in his “spare” time enjoys connecting with and encouraging people who are pursuing their passions in organizational change, public policy, foreign affairs, and defense innovation. He holds business degrees from Notre Dame and Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, but probably learned the most impactful lessons during his command tour and fellowship on Capitol Hill.

On sea duty, Micah deployed five times aboard four different ship classes and is currently a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Action Group. Micah previously served as the Legislative Fellow to Senator John McCain and Executive Assistant to the Chief of Legislative Affairs. Micah is a founding board member of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum, FPI Future Leader Program alum, and term member at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Nick Nigro
Founder, Atlas Public Policy

Nick Nigro is the founder of Atlas Public Policy, a technology firm whose mission is to equip businesses and policymakers to make strategic, informed decisions. Atlas helps address today’s social challenges by building open-source tools to access and interpret the flood of publicly available data and information.

Prior to creating Atlas, Nick was the Senior Manager of Transportation Initiatives at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. He led two multi-year initiatives focused on innovative business models and state policy frameworks to accelerate the deployment low-carbon vehicles.

In a prior life, Nick spent six years as an engineer and manager in the high-tech industry at Oasis Semiconductor in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Nick holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Casey O’Shea
Managing Director, FTI Consulting

Casey O’Shea is a managing director at FTI Consulting where he is a strategic advisor to global energy firms and trade associations. Most recently he has led the LNG industry’s effort to expand US natural gas exports. Prior to his work at FTI Consulting Mr. O’Shea spent a decade as a senior political strategist, House leadership aide, and chief of staff to a Louisiana congressman. He developed energy policy subject matter expertise while working on EPACT 2005, GOMESA 2006 and EISA 2007; and was deeply involved in the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

He holds an MBA in International Business from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and a BA in Political Science from the University of Mississippi. He was named a “Rising Star of American Politics” in 2005 by Campaigns and Elections Magazine and is a member of the International Association of Energy Economics.

Jeremy Pearson
AAAS Science and Engineering Congressional Fellow, Senator Orrin Hatch

Jeremy recently graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California Irvine, where he studied nuclear energy and the nuclear fuel cycle. He is currently serving an AAAS Science and Engineering Congressional Fellowship in the office of Senator Orrin Hatch covering energy and environmental issues. Drawing from his experience in academia, industry, on the hill, and having lived for a short time in South America, Jeremy is deeply interested how countries can responsibly utilize portfolios of available energy resources, both conventional and alternative, to meet society’s energy demands and limit negative impacts to human health and the environment. Jeremy believes strongly that there are innovative ways that we can capitalize on North American strengths, resources, and ingenuity to increase domestic energy production while transitioning to an advanced, economic, and clean energy and transportation future.

Christopher Rauscher
Director, Public Policy, Sunrun Inc.

In past lives, Chris has worked for a federal judge as well as delivered sailboats in the Caribbean, been a freelance writer living in Hawaii, and helped to found several businesses. He had been with Senator King for a number of years, first serving as Assistant Policy Director on his Senate campaign and as Policy Advisor for energy and the environment. His work serving Senator King on the Energy Committee focused on distributed energy resources and modernizing our electricity infrastructure.

Matthew Reed
Vice President, Foreign Reports, Inc.

Matthew M. Reed is Vice President of Foreign Reports, Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm focused on oil and politics in the Middle East. He earned his B.A. in History at Ramapo College of New Jersey and is currently finishing his M.A. in International Affairs at the George Washington University. The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, Newsweek, Al Jazeera, Foreign Policy and The National Interest, among others, have all featured his commentary. He also contributes original analysis to The Fuse, a project of Securing America’s Future Energy.

Stephen Rodriguez
Managing Partner, Coldon Strategic Advisors

Stephen is a venture partner at Abundance Partners with fourteen years of experience in strategic planning, corporate strategy, and business development. His core market experience is in the defense sector in the realm of technology assessment, game theory applications and running growth-stage, venture-backed investments.

He serves on four boards, is a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations, President of the Foreign Policy Initiative’s Leadership Network and a member of the Leadership Council at IAVA. Recently, he was honored by Maverick PAC as one of its “Future 40” leaders.

Stephen received his B.B.A in Marketing from Texas A&M University and his M.A. in International Security from Georgetown University.

Gabriel Scheinmann
Director of Policy, Jewish Policy Center

Gabriel Scheinmann is Director of Policy at the Jewish Policy Center. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in International Relations at Georgetown University, where his dissertation focuses on alliances. He is a contributing analyst at Wikistrat and previously served as a Research Associate to the Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is a Rumsfeld Graduate Fellow and was a Visiting Fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, Time, The American Interest, The National Interest, The Washington Quarterly, The Jerusalem Post, and other forums. He holds an A.B. from Harvard University and an M.A. from Georgetown University.

Laura Singer
Operations Research Analyst

Laura is an Operations Research Analyst with the Energy Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she works on long-term oil supply and price projections for the International Energy Outlook and other publications. She began her career as an economist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she analyzed flood control, environmental restoration, and watershed management projects in both New Orleans and New York and the surrounding regions. Laura received an undergraduate degree in economics from Tulane University and a master’s degree in public affairs with a focus in international relations from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

Jeff Smith
Director of Asian Security Programs, American Foreign Policy Council

Jeff M. Smith is the Director of Asian Security Programs and the Kraemer Strategy Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. He is the author of Cold Peace: Sino-Indian Rivalry in the 21st Century (Lexington Books, 2014), Co-Editor of the World Almanac of Islamism 2014 (Rowman and Littlefield 2014), and contributing author to a number of books and monographs on Asian security issues.

Smith has served in an advisory role for several presidential campaigns and has testified as an expert witness before the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. He provides regular briefings for Members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill, as well as officials in the State Department, Pentagon, and intelligence community. His writings on Asian security issues have appeared in Foreign Affairs, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, CNN, the Harvard International Review, Jane’s Intelligence Review, Defense News, and The Diplomat, among others.

Sam Spector
Majority Counsel, House Energy and Commerce Committee

Sam Spector has been Majority Counsel with the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly five years. In that role, he has worked on issues related to domestic energy independence and global energy security. Prior to coming to the Hill, Sam was an associate with Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in New York as well as a Middle East analyst on contract to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Recently, he contributed a chapter on the international legal dimensions of the Western Sahara dispute to the book, Perspectives on Western Sahara: Myths, Nationalisms, and Geopolitics (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2013). Sam has traveled extensively in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus. He held a Fulbright Fellowship at Tel Aviv University, graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Politics, and holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Thomas Storch
Investment Analyst, Stone House Capital Management

Thomas Storch is a New York-based investment analyst. He has significant expertise in energy and commodity markets, and has analyzed and invested in global markets including Latin America, Austral-Asia and the Middle East. Thomas co-founded the Zosima Group, a provider of strategic advice on complex geopolitical and regulatory issues to public and private investors. Thomas graduated from Harvard College in 2003 with a B.A. in Social Studies and is pursuing an M.A. from the War Studies Department at King’s College London.

Kenneth Vincent
Program Economist, Office of Petroleum Reserves, U.S. Department of Energy

Kenneth R. Vincent has served as the program Economist for the Office of Petroleum Reserves at the U.S. Department of Energy since 2012. In this position, he oversees major program planning and economic studies for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, conducts petroleum market and policy analysis, and executes the program’s international activities.

Previously, Vincent worked as an Industry Economist at the U.S. Energy Information Administration, where he contributed to the International Energy Outlook and the Short-Term Energy Outlook. Before entering federal service, Vincent was the Assistant Director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University.

He holds a B.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia, a Master of International Affairs degree from Texas A&M University, and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in International Relations at George Washington University. His dissertation is entitled “The Strategic Determinants of Oil Stockpiling Behavior.”

Peter Whitfield
Associate, Baker Hostetler LLP

Peter received his undergraduate degree in Economics and Public Policy from Duke University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Hawaii, graduating cum laude. Peter began his career as a law clerk in the Federal District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Following his clerkship, Peter was accepted into the Attorney General’s Honors Program and served as an attorney in the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Section. Recently, Peter joined the firm of Baker Hostetler. Peter Whitfield’s practice focuses on environmental compliance and litigation with an emphasis on natural resources law. Peter has served as lead counsel in numerous cases defending projects against legal challenges under various environmental statutes. Peter also has experience assisting project developers, including large-scale conventional and renewable energy projects. Peter currently serves as the Energy Committee Chair for the D.C. Bar’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section.

Michael Wilbur
Manager, Membership, Electric Drive Transportation Association

Michael Wilbur leads the Membership Department at the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), the cross-industry trade organization that promotes battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell electric vehicles and infrastructure. He oversees all recruitment and retention activities for EDTA, working with each member to identify their market goals and direct their engagement with the Association. He also manages strategic partnerships, conferences and events, and directly supports the Board of Directors.

He has spent his career in the non-profit sector and has held a variety of positions since joining EDTA. He has also worked briefly for START, a DHS Center for the Study of Terrorism and Response to Terrorism, and NHPG, a healthcare consortium advocating for individuals with chronic care needs.

He is a fervent advocate for sustainable transportation and has been driving electric since 2012. Mr. Wilbur holds a B.A. in Government from the College of William & Mary.

Brent Woolfork
Sr. Professional Staff, U.S. House of Representatives

Brent Woolfork has spent over a decade working in Congress, including as a Senior Professional Staff Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee where he advised on a range of issues, such as Central Asia, energy, environment, and State Department operations. As a senior advisor, Mr. Woolfork drafted legislation to promote clean energy exports and improve diplomatic security. Brent previously worked as an aide for Senator Bill Nelson for over three years advising the Senator and senior advisors on immigration, judiciary, homeland security, telecommunications, government affairs, and education. Mr. Woolfork has spent time at the Treasury Department dealing with foreign investments in the United States and on homeland security at Booz Allen Hamilton. He also worked on East Asian affairs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Brent holds a Master of Science degree from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Rollins College.

Jaroslav Zajicek
Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, D.C.

The issues of energy and energy security have been present throughout Mr. Zajicek’s 15-year professional career. As part of the European Union Accession Negotiating Team, energy was one of the most difficult negotiating chapters on which he worked. Later in Brussels when he worked as Head of the Sectorial Policies Section at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, he was responsible for coordination of the Transport, Telecom and Energy Council.

After that, Mr. Zajicek held the post of Director of the EU Policies Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague, where, especially since the gas crisis of 2009, energy has become the subject of almost all EU and bilateral discussions. Since November 2011, Mr. Zajicek has served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in D.C. Liberalization of U.S. gas and oil exports has ranked among his top priorities while in the nation’s capital.

Christopher Zember
Director, Information Analysis Centers, U.S. Department of Defense

Christopher Zember is Director of the Department of Defense’s Information Analysis Centers, which annually conduct nearly $2 billion in technology-centered research and analysis, supporting national security priorities ranging from cyber security to chemical & biological defense. In this position, Mr. Zember established the Technology Domain Awareness pilot initiative, which expands access to global commercial technology to enhance national security capabilities. Mr. Zember’s prior positions include work in national security policy, defense planning, and intelligence analysis, with posts both inside and outside government, in the U.S. and abroad. He is often called to speak publicly on topics ranging from government contracting to technology and innovation.

He holds a Master’s in Public Administration, and has obtained the highest Defense Department certification for managing defense systems development and acquisition.