Energy Policy Symposium

Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

901 G Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Registration

8:00 – 9:00 AM

Voices & Vibes: The Morning Warm-Up at Breakfast

9:00 – 9:15 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Honorable Timothy Alan Simon, Chair of AABE LIPP Committee

Timothy A. Simon is a former California Public Utilities Commissioner and Appointments Secretary for the State of California. TAS Strategies, his consulting and legal advisory firm, serves clients on utility infrastructure, energy, broadband and financial services. TAS Strategies offers innovative solutions across the entire spectrum of power generation, delivery, and utilization. Timothy is an esteemed attorney, consultant, law professor, expert witness and public speaker combining over 40 years of experience in government regulations, utilities, financial services and diversity.

9:15 – 9:25AM

Orientation Session: Power Forward: From Policy to Possibility

Harry Godfrey, Managing Director - Advanced Energy United

Harry Godfrey leads Advanced Energy United’s Federal Priorities team, which serves as the focal point for our engagement with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and policymakers in the Administration. With experience in industry, federal government, and academia, Harry played a pivotal role in the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. Before arriving at Advanced Energy United, Harry worked at Invenergy and Opower, where he developed expertise in renewable generation and energy efficiency. He previously held positions in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and the Office of Majority Whip James E. Clyburn.

9:30 – 10:20AM
Building the Grid of the Future

A high-level discussion on the future of America's energy infrastructure—and who must lead it. The American grid is facing unprecedented challenges as clean energy projects and new regulations surge, straining interconnection agencies and legacy processes.

Speakers:

Wayne Barnett, Head, Corporate & External Affairs, Cordia Energy

With over 25 years of experience in the energy infrastructure and finance sectors including capital markets, public finance banking, demand-side energy efficiency, integrated facility management (IFM), and both thermal district and distributed energy . Mr. Barnett brings deep expertise in infrastructure asset development, public policy, regulatory affairs, and government relations to his role at Cordia Energy.

He supports Cordia’s portfolio across the U.S. by advancing strategic priorities that align policy, regulation, and commercial opportunity. Mr. Barnett leads initiatives that elevate Cordia’s profile with government agencies and elected officials, strengthen corporate messaging, and building strategic partnerships with policymakers, industry leaders, and key stakeholders, including federal, state legislators and energy regulators, RTOs/ISOs, and local permitting authorities.

Jordan Taylor – CEO, Synergy Grid LLC

Jordan Taylor is a renewable energy executive and infrastructure strategist specializing in distributed energy systems, community microgrids, and grid-modernization policy. As CEO of SynergyGrid Developments, he leads the design of net-zero campuses and property-based microgrids that reduce interconnection strain, strengthen grid resilience, and create pathways for community-owned energy assets. His work centers on solving critical grid infrastructure challenges while reducing transmission bottlenecks, enabling distributed generation at scale, and aligning real estate development with evolving utility interconnection frameworks. Jordan has advanced major grid-connected initiatives including a $1B EPA Clean Communities Investment Accelerator proposal, grid-modernization workforce programs at Morgan State and Bowie State Universities, and sovereign infrastructure planning for utility-scale tribal microgrid projects.

Michael Donniger, President & Co-Founder, Chaberton Energy

In his role as President and Chief Operating Officer for Chaberton Energy, Mike leads the company’s development, engineering and business operations teams. A public benefit corporation developing community-scale energy projects, Chaberton is focused on distributed solar and battery energy storage. Committed to Lean/Operations Excellence principles, Mike began his career in the U.S. Navy culminating in service as Chief Engineer of a nuclear-powered submarine. In 2008, Mike joined a young biomass-to-energy start-up that grew to be the world’s leading supplier of utility-grade wood pellets. Mike held a number of senior engineering, operations and development positions as the company grew to a $1B market capitalization deploying over $500M in growth capital. Mike holds a B.S. in Systems Engineering with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Master’s in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Georgetown University.

Elise Caplan, Vice Preisdent, Regulatory ACORE

Elise Caplan is the Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, at the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). In this role, Elise oversees ACORE’s participation in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy and other federal agency actions impacting transmission, interconnection, energy markets, siting and permitting and other core issues impacting clean energy. She has authored or co-authored multiple comments, white papers and issue briefs on behalf of ACORE. Before joining ACORE, she was an independent consultant, and prior to that spent 15 years as the Director of Electric Markets Analysis at the American Public Power Association (APPA), where she led wholesale electricity markets efforts on behalf of the nation’s public power utilities. Elise has a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

10 minute break

10:30 – 11:15AM

Future of Security in the Energy Industry

How can public-private partnerships, defense R&D, and interagency collaboration ensure the U.S. remains energy-resilient in the face of climate, cyber, and geopolitical threats?

Speakers:

India James

India James is a seasoned business executive and former Fortune 100 Director with expertise in cybersecurity, operational technology (OT), AI, and critical infrastructure. With a career grounded in national security and energy sector operations, she has led cybersecurity and technology policy efforts at one of the largest utility companies in the U.S., driving strategic initiatives across generation, transmission, distribution, and customer systems. India currently serves on the board of the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment, where she advances cross-sector dialogue on security, AI, and national defense. She has been and is a sought-after speaker on critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity strategy at leading industry events, and served as an advisory board member for DISTRIBUTECH’s international security committee. India also holds multiple CompTIA certifications in cybersecurity, underscoring her practical, industry-recognized knowledge in security and risk governance. Known for her pragmatic and executive-level perspective, she equips leaders with the strategic insight needed to manage cyber risk, align policy, and strengthen resilience and reliability while maintaining an appreciation for affordability.

 

Aaron Cope, Advocacy & Policy PSE&G

11:15 – Noon

Panel: Can Regulatory Policy and Innovation Co-exist?

Speakers:

Charles Hua, Founder & Executive Director, Powerlines

Charles Hua is the Founder and Executive Director of PowerLines, a nonprofit seeking to modernize the utility regulatory system to lower utility bills and grow the economy. Previously, Hua served as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy and Researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Hua’s work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, TIME, CBS News, Bloomberg, Financial Times, and Politico. He has been recognized for his work as a TIME100 Next "Influential Rising Star," U.S. Presidential Scholar, and as an Aspen Institute Fellow. Hua holds an A.B. from Harvard College.

Patrice Hunter, National Policy & Advocacy Director Consolidated Edison

Patrice Jones Hunter is the National Policy & Advocacy Director for Con Edison the major utility for New York City and Weschester. Prior to her role at ConEd, she was Senior Director of State Regulatory Policy for the Edison Electric Institute where she was the lead on state regulatory policy issues and activities in support of the investor-owned electric power industry. Prior to working with EEI, Patrice served as an Energy Regulatory Reform Manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP, providing strategic consulting to the federal government public sector in the areas of policy reform, regulatory oversight, and stakeholder engagement. Prior to that role, she held various leaderships positions at the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, including Chief of Policy & Development and Special Advisor to DC PSC Chairman Willie L. Phillips. Before joining the DC PSC, Patrice also worked for the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and NextEra Energy Resources in areas of compliance, government affairs, and regulatory affairs.

Damali Harding, Managing Director, Amendment Nine Strategic Consulting

Damali Harding is a nationally recognized energy executive with nearly 20 years of experience leading at the intersection of climate strategy, regulatory innovation, and equitable decarbonization. Her career spans consulting, corporate, nonprofit, and government spheres. A transformative leader, Damali has led organizations through periods of realignment, innovation and growth including her recent tenure as Director of Global Strategic Initiatives and U.S. Program Director at the Regulatory Assistance Project. She has advised multiple Fortune 100 companies, the U.S. Department of Energy, public utility commissions, and clean energy stakeholders on complex challenges like distributed energy integration, battery storage deployment, and utility business model reform. Damali holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a BA from Dartmouth College. She serves on several nonprofit boards and is a passionate advocate for a human-centered energy future.

Noon – 1pm

Networking Lunch & “Energy Circle” Conversations
Location: 4^th Floor Conference Center

1:00pm – 2pm

Panel: AI, Ethics & Regulation in Energy

As artificial intelligence becomes central to grid management, pricing algorithms, and energy access decisions, the legal and ethical implications are mounting.

Speakers:

Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Director – Center for Technology Innovation (CTI), Brookings Institute

Nicol Turner Lee is a senior fellow in Governance Studies, the director of the Center for Technology Innovation (CTI), and serves as co-editor-in-chief of the TechTank blog and The TechTank Podcast. Her research focuses on the intersection between technology and social justice in areas that range from universal access to communications to the design and application of artificial intelligence models. In 2023, Turner Lee developed and launched the AI Equity Lab, which is focused on advancing inclusive, ethical, nondiscriminatory, and democratized AI models and systems throughout the United States, and the Global South, including the African Union, India, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Alongside her plethora of publications, Turner Lee released her first, signature book Digitally invisible: How the internet is creating the new underclass (2024), which advances a roadmap toward a more just, digital society and economy. She also recently published a chapter in The Oxford Handbook on AI Governance (2022), among other notable publication

Ronan Gulstone, Attorney, Holland & Knight

Ronan Gulstone is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office and a member of the Public Policy & Regulation Group. Mr. Gulstone focuses his practice on energy generation projects and grid reliability. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Gulstone was chief of staff and senior legal advisor with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where he advised on policy and regulatory goals, including matters about reliability, transmission and infrastructure, litigation, policy initiatives and communication with Congress and media. Mr. Gulstone also served as liaison to various government agencies, congressional staff and various stakeholders, and he drafted, reviewed and edited orders, policy statements guidance documents, congressional testimony, speeches and press releases. Previously, Mr. Gulstone worked in the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs for Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser. In this role, he briefed and advised the mayor regarding legislative and policy concerns.

Whitney Muse, President, Muse Energy

Whitney Muse is the President of Muse Energy, which provides consulting and strategic advisory services on energy and power sector policy. During the Biden administration, she started as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, then established a brand new office, the Grid Deployment Office, as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor. During that time, she led the program design and implementation of the nation’s largest investment in grid resilience, and she later served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the White House in the Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. She has over 15 years of experience working domestically and internationally, across public and private industry, to translate needs, develop strategies, and allocate funding for greatest impact in the energy sector.

15 min BREAK

2:15 – 3:00 PM

Sustaining America’s Golden Age of Innovation – Rising to Power, Redefining the Future

Speakers:

Jamal Lewis, Board Chair, DC Sustainable Energy Utility

Driven by a belief in inclusive sustainability and the power of community, my journey has evolved from a focus on sports to a dedication to creating a healthier world for everyone. Leveraging my Environmental Studies (BA) and Public Health (MPH) background, I bring 10 years of experience in impactful policy and program design across housing, energy, and sustainability.  As Chair of the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), I support efforts to advance equitable energy efficiency with strategic guidance, policy and regulatory advocacy, and stakeholder collaboration. I also contribute to regional climate solutions as a Board Member for Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP). Grounded in environmental health and public policy, my mission is to promote energy and climate strategies that benefit diverse communities. I value connection, open-mindedness, and continuous learning, both professionally and personally. Outside of work, you'll find me exploring, staying active, and cherishing time with family.

Anjana Turner, Principal, Anjana Turner Law

Anjana Turner is a Washington, DC-based multilingual energy project finance attorney focused on decarbonizing power-intensive infrastructure. An internationally-seasoned commercial advisor, she advises green banks, developers, governments, and emerging technology companies. Her experience includes structuring PPA/ESA, EPC, and O&M contracts for renewables, storage, microgrids, and geothermal energy, and counseling on regulatory matters, energy grid resilience, ESG, and AI/data governance. Anjana is a proud Louisiana native and graduate of Tulane University.

Yves Noel, President, YEN Strategies

Yves has spent over 20 years as a problem solver. Yves has served many multi-billion dollar clients in capacities of increasing responsibility, in both client-facing and internal business operations roles. Yves’ project topics included industry processes, competitive strategies and technologies. Yves’ functional experiences include strategy development, financial analysis, market sizing, performance improvement, process improvement and competitive benchmarking with both quantitative and qualitative methods. These experiences have broadened Yves’ skill set as a strategic thinker and problem resolution facilitator able to analyze complex and dynamic situations. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BBA from Loyola College in Maryland.

3:00 – 3:30 PM

Vision Talk: 2040 Now – Who’s Leading the Future?

Brooke Smallwood, CEO & Founder, Oasis Energy

Our Founder, Brooke Smallwood, has a 23-year career in energy. She has worked for the three largest utilities in North America: Exelon, Southern Company and Alta Gas, and was a pioneer in designing and implementing energy efficiency, renewable energy and electric vehicle infrastructure programs. Feeling that the energy sector was not innovating fast enough, Brooke set forth to start her own energy firm to fill the gaps. Having recently read Ernest Cline’s 2011 book “Ready Player One”, Brooke imagined what our world would become if we failed to innovate to solve the critical issues of energy, equity, climate change and decarbonization. Brooke understood the importance of creating a safe space for energy. A space where innovation reigned supreme, and the world benefitted from ingenuity. Like the book, she named this space the OASIS.

Charles Bolden, SEIA, Senior Director, Congressional Affairs

As the Senior Director of Congressional Affairs, Charles leads SEIA’s energy and carbon portfolio. Charles started off his career in politics working for Congressman Danny K. Davis of Illinois as a fellow. Prior to joining SEIA, Charles previously served several roles in Representative Robin Kelly’s office, most recently as her energy advisor, including helping to lead an Energy and Commerce Committee round table on diversity in the energy industry. With 6 years of Capitol Hill experience, he has a deep network with strong relationships on both sides of the aisle. Charles is a graduate of Tuskegee University where he was involved in a number of on-campus activities, including playing football for the Golden Tigers. Charles currently lives in Washington, D.C. where he enjoys fishing, golfing, and visiting the various museums around the DMV.

Dr. Anthony Kinslow II, CEO and Founder, Genesis Energy Solutions

Dr. Anthony Kinslow II is a visionary in energy efficiency and community advancement. Holding a Ph.D. and CEM certification, he is a distinguished alumnus of North Carolina A&T and a Stanford University graduate in Civil Engineering. With a sharp focus on uncovering energy efficiency prospects, he possesses a profound understanding of sustainable design, construction, and pioneering net-zero energy strategies for educational institutions.

3:30 – 3:45 PM

Wrap-up remarks

AABE LIPP Chair Timothy Alan Simon