COMMUNITY-LED CLEAN ENERGY
(Moderator)

2020 VISION:  HOW DO WE GET TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY?
(Moderator)

Heather Allen
Program Manager
RENEW Wisconsin

Growing up in Madison, WI I developed a deep appreciation for the natural environment and ultimately a career focused on science and policy.  After earning my Master’s in International Environmental Policy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, I worked in Washington D.C. both at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and later at the Natural Resources Defense Council.   In these roles I advanced international scientific cooperation, strategies to adapt to climate change, and efforts to promote access to safe water and sanitation around the world.  After migrating back to Madison, I managed policy and programs for the Clean Lakes Alliance and served as the Legislative Analyst for the City of Madison and joined Renew in 2018.  I am excited to be part of the global transformation to clean energy while building momentum for renewables in my home state.

RENEWABLE ENERGY STORIES

Scott Anderson
Math and Engineering Teacher
Juda School District

Scott Anderson is in his 14th year as a “second-career” teacher at Juda, Wisconsin –  a very small rural school district in southern Wisconsin. Prior to teaching he was an engineer for 12 years and brings a different perspective to the classroom. He strives for lessons centered on problem solving and persistence versus mere standards. For the last 10 years he consistently pushes his students to engage in green energy projects that help their school, their community, and the world.  He views his students as a resource for research, project identification and project management. As the Math/Engineering teacher at Juda his classes have helped install solar, lower electrical costs, and win multiple grants helping the school works towards its student set goal of 10% green energy generated on-site.   Real world projects, real world learning creates real life stewards.

ELECTRICAL GRID 101

Lauren Azar
Attorney
Azar Law LLC

Lauren Azar practices law in the electric industry providing business, regulatory and policy advice, as well as project development and permitting. She works with state commissions on resilience, represents several utilities in permitting transmission lines, assists a technology company with market barriers in the electricity industry, guides a large investor-owned utility on how best to prepare for changing regulatory models, assists merchant developers in pre-development activities, and advises numerous clients on both federal and state regulatory issues. In addition to her law firm, Azar also provides services through a consulting company. Azar served as the Sr. Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Energy from 2011-13, advising him on the electric industry and its institutional barriers.  From 2007-11, Azar was a Wisconsin Public Service Commissioner. In 2010, she organized the states and Canadian provinces east of the Rockies and led them through the first-of-its-kind electricity planning in the Eastern Transmission Interconnection. As President of the Organization of MISO states, in 2009, Azar initiated and chaired the planning and cost allocation for developing transmission over 13 states and one Canadian province, which resulted in 17 regional transmission lines whose costs were shared among all; this effort has been hailed as an unprecedented success.

COMMUNITY-LED CLEAN ENERGY

William “Bill” Bailey
President
Cheq Bay Renewables

Bill Bailey started his wholesale business, Bailey’s Greenhouse, in 1980.  By 2013, renewable energy systems including solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wood gasification and passive solar provided 90% of the electricity and 80% of the heat required for the greenhouse business.  Retired in 2015, Bill is a passionate proponent of renewable energy and built a new solar thermal-heated retirement greenhouse where he revels in growing organic greens year-round.

Bill is president of the 100% volunteer non-profit, Cheq Bay Renewables, whose current initiatives include an annual solar tour, solar group buy, electric vehicle education and implementation, and working with area municipalities, school districts, businesses and tribes to make solar PV more accessible.  Cheq Bay Renewables was recognized by RENEW WI in January 2019 as a 2018 Renewable Energy Champion for the 2018 Solar Group Buy that was the largest in Wisconsin’s history.

When not helping make solar happen, he grows organic vegetables, cooks with his wife, Gayle (who is also in CBR) and enjoys the stars, the outdoors and his dog, Chesapeake.

LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR

Bob Bishop
Owner
C.R. Bishop & Sons, Inc.

Bob Bishop and his family are the owners of C.R. Bishop & Sons, Inc. a family farm in Cobb, Wisconsin.  The Bishops are leasing hundreds of acres of agricultural land for Invenergy’s 300 MW Badger Hollow Solar Farm in Iowa County.  The Bishops have years of farm experience adapting and reinventing after facing crashing hog prices in the 90s and falling milk prices in 2018.  Bob Bishop is installing solar on some of his land to ensure the family farm will stay in business for future generations.

POLICY AND POSSIBILITY
(Moderator)

Jim Boullion
Government Affairs Director
RENEW Wisconsin

I joined RENEW in December of 2017 because of its leadership role in the exciting changes that are happening in the renewable sectors of the energy industry. Renewable energy is reaching a tipping point where it is becoming a mainstream and critical component of our energy mix. I am a Wisconsin kid, born in Eau Claire and grew up in Madison. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked in the Wisconsin Assembly for 9 years. I also served as the Administrator of the Division of Policy Development at the Department of Safety and Professional Services. For most of my career I have worked in government affairs for Wisconsin’s largest construction trade associations. I represented the construction industry on many of the energy committees in the mid-2000’s and served as the Chairman of the Building Codes and Standards Work Group for the Governor’s Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Renewables in 2004. I am also very active in the lobbying community, having been elected to the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists Board of Directors for 10 years and President for two years. I am a big history buff and for fun I love to travel and see historic places. I also enjoy outdoors activities like camping and golf.

RENEWABLE ENERGY STORIES

Antonio Butts
Executive Director
Walnut Way Conservation Corp.

Antonio Butts, Executive Director, Walnut Way, is passionate about transforming economically excluded communities into neighborhoods of prosperity.  Antonio’s career is marked by his collaborative leadership style and creating social enterprises for economic and social impact.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVING RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH

Josh Cohen
Policy Director
Greenlots

Josh Cohen leads policy and regulatory engagement for the eastern US and Canada for Greenlots.  Before joining Greenlots, Josh worked in policy and communications roles at SemaConnect and the Business Network for Offshore Wind, and hosted the clean energy podcasts More Power To You and Offshore Wind Insider.  Josh’s background also includes serving in a variety of public sector positions, including as Mayor of Annapolis, Maryland and as Deputy Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) during the Obama Administration.

TRANSITIONING FROM COAL TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

Tom Content
Executive Director
Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin

Tom Content is the Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, the nation’s first CUB formed in 1979 as a non-profit consumer advocate for the residential and small business utility customers of Wisconsin. Tom leads a four-person staff that advocates for fair and affordable utility rates and reliable and safe utility service. Tom joined the Citizens Utility Board in 2017 after working for 30 years as a journalist. He became interested in energy and what it costs households while sitting in the back seat, waiting for what seemed like forever, during the gas lines of the ’70s.

After graduating from Boston University’s College of Communication Tom worked at newspapers in suburban Boston and suburban Philadelphia a before moving to Wisconsin. He reported on utilities and worked as business editor at the Green Bay-Press Gazette in the 1990s and then moved to Milwaukee, where he covered energy, utilities and sustainable business for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. His reporting on energy and climate change won the National Press Club’s Stokes Award for Energy Writing in 2007. Tom and his family live in Glendale.

POLICY AND WHAT’S POSSIBLE

Senator Robert L. Cowles
Senator
Wisconsin 2nd Senate District

Senator Robert L. Cowles serves the 2nd Senate District which includes parts of Brown, Outagamie, Shawano, and Waupaca counties in Northeast Wisconsin. In the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, he serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy and Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Senator Cowles also serves on the Senate Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs and the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality.

Senator Cowles is recognized for his ability to guide sound policy that balances environmental protection with business needs for the State of Wisconsin. In previous Legislative Sessions, he has lead efforts to set-up Wisconsin’s renewable portfolio standards; enhance Focus on Energy, a structure which was recognized nationwide as model for energy efficiency and renewable energy support, and; provide Environmental Trust Financing as an option for utilities to transition to cleaner sources while protecting ratepayers.

This Legislative Session, Senator Cowles is the lead Senate author on 2019 Assembly Bill 237 which would dedicate funding from Fast Forward, Wisconsin’s workforce development program, to renewable energy sector jobs. He also continues to support the transition to a more diverse energy portfolio, greater security in our energy generation, and a better economic future for ratepayers and utility employees as renewable energy is realized as an economical alternative to traditional energy generation sources.

ENERGY STORAGE

Steve Danbeck
Energy Storage Consultant
Arch Electric, Inc.

LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR

Vipul Devluk
Senior Origination Manager
EDP Renewables NA

BIOGAS IN WISCONSIN’S CARBON-FREE FUTURE

Kevin Dobson
Vice President, Business Development
DTE Biomass Energy

RENEWABLE ENERGY 101

Sam Dunaiski
Program Manager
RENEW Wisconsin

Sam has been the Programs Manager for RENEW Wisconsin since 2018. As Program Manager, Sam is responsible for creating partnerships between homeowners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, government entities, utilities, and solar contractors. His work on Solar for Good includes reviewing grant applications, hosting solar energy education sessions, and promoting completed solar projects. His MadiSUN work involves performing solar pre-assessments, providing informational seminars on solar electricity, and promoting solar power to homeowners, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

Before joining RENEW Wisconsin, Sam worked as an operational meteorologist creating weather forecasts for utility companies, airports, insurance agencies, and radio stations. He holds a BS in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

BIOGAS IN WISCONSIN’S CARBON-FREE FUTURE

Stephen Dvorak, P.E.
President
DVO, Inc.

Stephen Dvorak obtained an Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a Professional Engineer.  Stephen founded DVO, Inc., an environmental engineering firm.  In 2001, DVO began installing its patented Two-Stage Linear Vortex^TM anaerobic digester, which processes agriculture, food, food processing, and industrial organic waste streams.  DVO is the nation’s largest digester company, with over 100 digesters in 19 states, and international projects in Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Serbia, South Africa, and South Korea.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVING RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH

Deb Erwin
Manager, Regulatory Policy
Xcel Energy

Deb Erwin is Xcel Energy’s Manager of Regulatory Policy for Wisconsin & Michigan.  Deb works on a variety of regulatory issues for Xcel Energy related to renewable energy and new technologies, including Xcel Energy’s solar garden program, Solar*Connect Community, and Xcel Energy’s new renewable program in Wisconsin, Renewable*Connect.

Prior to joining Xcel Energy in 2014, Deb worked for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, where she focused on renewable energy and regional energy markets.  Before joining the Commission in 2008, Deb practiced renewable energy law, working on community-based wind projects across the Midwest. 

Deb has served on a number of nonprofit boards, and is Past President of Wisconsin Women in Government and a board member for the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute. Deb has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVING RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH

Robert Fischer
President
GTiMA

Robert Fischer is President of GTiMA, a Technology and Policy Advisor to Mandli Communications, and an Associate Editor of the SAE International Journal of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Both GTiMA and Mandli work with national, international and regional authorities to advance smart city standards, policies, and best practices – especially as they relate to automated, connected, electric and shared mobility. Rob holds a master’s in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and a master’s in software engineering from Cal State Fullerton.

ADVANCING DISTRIBUTED GENERATION

Adam Gusse
Vice President
SunVest Solar, Inc.

Adam has managed and designed over 750 solar electric, solar hot water, and wind  projects in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest since entering the renewable energy industry in 2008. His skills help commercial, residential, utility, and consulting customers from project conception to a fully functional renewable energy system. Project design, utility coordination, permitting, material management, manpower scheduling, and close out training on systems from 100 kW to MW’s are his main responsibilities. Previous solar development experience with MG&E, Alliant Energy, WPPI Energy, and WE Energies owned systems have provided Adam with a solid reputation from many
of the utility engineers throughout the Midwest.

As Vice President he also develops and leads the long term business planning with the executive team at Sunvest, manages all aspects of the financials for the division, and works toward continued growth of the company in the Midwest.
Currently, Sunvest has successfully completed over 14 MW of solar installations, ranging from 3kW residential systems to 2.5MW solar plants. When combined with Adam’s previous experience involved in over 10 MW of solar in the Midwest, Sunvest’s knowledge for solar plant development and implementation is a leader in Wisconsin.

EDUCATING WISCONSIN’S RENEWABLE WORKFORCE

Jenny Heinzen
Training Director
Midwest Renewable Energy Association

Jenny is the Training Director at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) where she writes curriculum, schedules course offerings, facilitates online training, and teaches. The MREA is an education provider of the NABCEP PV Associate and has many courses approved for continuing education with NABCEP and state licensing agencies in the Midwest, which requires continuous attention to content and delivery.  

With a strong background in electricity and wind energy, Jenny came to the MREA in 2012 as a Master Electrician with a degree in Career and Technical Education, eager to expand renewable energy training in the Midwest and beyond. She spent 10 years with Lakeshore Technical College in Manitowoc County teaching electrical apprenticeship, farm wiring, and wind energy, and nearly 10 years before that as an industrial electrician. 

Jenny has been active with the renewable energy community in Wisconsin for over a decade, serving on the RENEW BOD, the PSC Wind Siting Council, and many local boards, councils, committees, and organizations. Her focus at the MREA is to bring high-quality PV training to current and next-generation renewable energy professionals.

ENERGY STORAGE

Kaitlyn Howling
Storage Engineer
Invenergy LLC

Kate is a Storage Engineer with Invenergy, identifying and securing opportunities to add to a pipeline of 1500MW+ energy storage projects world-wide. Kate’s background in operations provides valuable experience to her leadership on the development team, focusing on contracting, procurement, and design of storage projects.

Kate joined Invenergy in 2015 and started on the Operations Electrical Engineering team, focusing on Invenergy’s 67MW operating energy storage portfolio and 112MWac operating solar portfolio. Previously, Kate worked at an engineering design firm as an electrical consultant for building systems. Realizing her design experience would be strengthened by field work, she switched jobs and moved to New Orleans to rehab houses as an electrician.

After two and a half years in the field, Kate was ready to bring her experience to the renewable industry. She received her Electrical Engineer degree in 2010 from the University of Virginia.

TRANSITIONING FROM COAL TO RENEWABLE ENERGY
(Moderator)

ADVANCING DISTRIBUTED ENERGY
(Moderator)

Tyler Huebner
Executive Director
RENEW Wisconsin

I joined RENEW Wisconsin as the organization’s 3rd Executive Director in June 2013. Since growing up in Iowa and being fascinated by wind turbines at a nearby middle school, I have pursued various ventures in the clean energy space, and I am passionate about the transformation of our country’s energy system to renewable sources.

After graduating in electrical engineering from the University of Iowa, I earned my Masters degree at Stanford University in the Atmosphere & Energy Program, where I also co-founded a major conference and student group called Energy Crossroads (now Stanford Energy Club) focused on the intersection between business, national security, and environmental interests in clean energy. Since then, I have been a consultant with ICF International working on energy efficiency projects with utility companies and the U.S. EPA, ran grant programs at the U.S. Department of Energy in low-income weatherization, and worked for the State of Wisconsin’s Division of Energy Services prior to joining RENEW.

My wife Heather and I have a daughter, Emma, born in April of 2013, and a son, Evan, born in July 2015, and in my spare time I enjoy spending time with family, friends, and exploring Wisconsin by bicycle.

2020 VISION: HOW DO WE GET TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY?

Shree Kalluri
Founder & CEO
Zerology

Shree Kalluri is a successful technology entrepreneur who has a passion for seeing world problems and crating business solutions to drive change fuels his direction. With Zerology, Shree saw a paradigm evolving — the rise of shared mobility has created higher carbon emissions across communities, accelerating air pollution at alarming rates. Kalluri saw a world where electric vehicles and advanced technical ecosystems can combat this ecological devastation.

In April 2019, Kalluri formed Zerology, an environmentally friendly transportation ecosystem. Zerology leverages zero-emissions electric vehicles through an innovative technology infrastructure to provide communities easy, sustainable, and affordable mobility services. Shree drives the vision and strategic direction as Founder and CEO. His passion for reducing carbon emissions from transportation has changed every aspect of Kalluri’s life, as he has begun a quest to leverage sustainable energy whenever possible.

Before zero-emission living, Shree spent most of his career as Founder and CEO at Forte Research, where he transformed clinical research by connecting institutions and medical systems. Under Kalluri’s leadership, Forte became the market leader in clinical technology solutions, excelling in fields of trial and data management for research administration at cancer centers, academic medical centers, and medical health systems. Kalluri sold Forte Research in September of 2019 to Advarra, a leading global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and contract research services organization.

With Zerology, Kalluri returns to where his career started, transportation. Shree lead Information Technology development for international trucking giant Schneider National. His background in developing technology solutions to resolve complicated transportation logistics provides Zerology the knowledge needed to thrive in the world of electric vehicle mobility.

TRANSITIONING FROM COAL TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

Elizabeth Katt Reinders
Deputy Director – Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club

Elizabeth Katt Reinders is a Deputy Director for Sierra Club’s national Beyond Coal Campaign, which aims to transition the nation’s electricity sector from fossil fuels to clean energy. Elizabeth has worked extensively on climate and the environment in advocacy, policy, research and communication for nearly two decades. She earned a M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and lives in Madison with her family.

BIOGAS IN WISCONSIN’S CARBON-FREE FUTURE

Mike Koel
President
U.S. Gain

Mike Koel is the President of U.S. Gain, a leader in development, procurement and distribution of renewable natural gas for the transportation and energy markets. Koel has led efforts to diversify U.S. Gain, a division of U.S. Venture, Inc., across the renewable natural gas supply chain – investing and managing renewable natural gas development projects at dairies, landfills and wastewater treatment plants; generating, trading and monetizing clean fuel credits; designing, building and operating natural gas fueling stations – both private and a public GAIN Clean Fuel® network. His deep expertise within the oil, natural gas and energy industries has contributed to continued, long-term success for U.S Gain.

Prior to leading U.S. Gain, Koel spent most of his career with U.S. Oil, another division of U.S. Venture, Inc. In that role he spent 10+ years trading refined products and renewables (ethanol and biodiesel), while also leading development of new products and services. Additionally, Koel held responsibility for U.S. Oil terminals, branded and unbranded sales, c-stores as well as oversight of the entire division.

Throughout his career, he’s built an expansive network across the oil, energy and renewables market, specifically with obligated parties, trade shops, leading fleets, sustainable corporations, the voluntary market and other key influential industry stakeholders.

Koel earned a B.S. in Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point as well as board positions for Breakthrough and the United Way Fox Cities.

LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR

Lincoln Lande
Senior Director of Business Development
EDF Renewables

Lincoln Lande serves as EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions’ Senior Director of Business Development, where he is responsible for project origination. An attorney by trade, Lincoln served as a Project Development Attorney and later Director of Business Development at groSolar, a company acquired by EDF Renewables in 2016.

Since 2014, Lincoln has originated and developed 100+ MWs of distributed generation projects now in operation across the country. He has played an active role in all aspects of the project development cycle, from conception through development and construction.

Lincoln holds a BA from Skidmore College and JD (focusing on Environmental law) from Vermont Law School.

COMMUNITY-LED CLEAN ENERGY

Megan Levy
Local Energy Programs Manager
Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Megan has spent more than a decade working with building energy efficiency both with the low-income weatherization program and with the Wisconsin State Energy Office (now known as the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation). Megan is currently the Energy Emergency Assurance Coordinator for the state and also oversees the Energy Independent Communities program which counts more than 147 communities as members. Megan designed and is the manager of the Municipal Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Program (MEETAP) in which the Energy Office provides expertise to municipalities, tribes, and schools across the state to facilitate successful energy efficiency projects.  Megan served on the Board of Directors of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in 2016-17 (www.midwestrenew.org).  In August of 2017, Megan was named Co-Chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials Energy Security Committee. A chanteuse for the last 20 years, Megan performs jazz, jump blues, and swing all over Wisconsin under the moniker Madison Red, with her four piece band.

LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR
(Moderator)

Mariah Lynne
President/Owner
Good Steward Consulting

Mariah Lynne is President/Owner of Good Steward Consulting in Albert Lea, MN. She and her team specialize in rural communication and support cultivation for utility-scale renewable energy developments in the midwest. Mariah is a seasoned businesswoman, mother, and former farmer with extensive experience in marketing and communications. She passionately advocates for rural developments and their economic benefit to rural/agricultural communities. She is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato with a B.S. in Marketing.

ADVANCING DISTRIBUTED GENERATION

Nick Matthes
Solar Project Manager
Midwest Renewable Energy Association

Nick is the Solar Project Manager for the MREA. He works in a variety of capacities across the MREA’s training programs, performing courses and curriculum development along with working on the Solar Corps and Solar on Schools initiatives. He has been teaching the whole range of curriculum for over ten years and especially enjoys the advanced level hands-on courses. He has worked in a variety of capacities throughout the years, from multi-megawatt systems across the Midwest, to small off-grid systems for remote and tribal communities, and is currently working on curriculum development and streamlining PV system inspections.

Nick is a NABCEP certified PV Installation Professional with WI master electrician and commercial electrical inspector licenses, and has a passion for making electricity from sunlight.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVING RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH
(Moderator)

Jane McCurry
Program Manager
RENEW Wisconsin

Jane McCurry is RENEW’s electric vehicles program manager. She started with RENEW in July of 2018 to further the organization’s efforts to accelerate electrification. Jane grew up in Detroit and moved to Madison as a student at the University of Wisconsin, where she studied Operations and Technology Management and Environmental Studies, and was a pole vaulter for the Track and Field team. Prior to starting at RENEW, Jane was also the Executive Director of Wisconsin Microfinance, a nonprofit that provides very small loans in Haiti and the Philippines, and she currently serves on the board of directors.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVING RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH

Matthew R. McGovern
Attorney
von Briesen & Roper, S.C.

2020 VISION: HOW DO WE GET TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY?

Russell S. Minick
Chief Marketing Officer and Clean Energy Business Leader
Generac Power Systems

Russell S. Minick began serving as our Chief Marketing Officer in August 2016. Prior to this appointment he served as Executive Vice President, Residential Products in October 2011, with this responsibility being expanded in January 2014 to Executive Vice President, North America.

Prior to joining Generac, Mr. Minick was President & CEO of Home Care Products for Electrolux from 2006 to 2011, President of The Gunlocke Company at HNI Corporation from 2003 to 2006, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Development at True Temper Sports from 2002 to 2003, and General Manager of Extended Warranty Operations for Ford Motor Company from 1998 to 2002. Mr. Minick is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, and holds a degree in marketing.

COMMUNITY-LED CLEAN ENERGY

Supreme Moore Omokunde
Supervisor
Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors

Milwaukee County Board of Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde was first elected by the 10th District Community on April 7, 2015, and re-elected in 2016 and 2018.  Born and raised in Milwaukee, Supervisor Moore Omokunde learned the values of community and social empowerment through his parents, Rev. Dr. Tolokun Omokunde and Congresswoman Gwen Moore.  In 2019, Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde authored a resolution to create the Milwaukee City-County Joint Taskforce on Climate and Economic Equity. The taskforce brings together elected officials and community leaders to make recommendations for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner, while mitigating racial and income inequality.

ENERGY STORAGE
(Moderator)

Thomas Mulloolly
Energy Lawyer
Foley & Lardner LLP

Thomas has in depth experience across all regulatory aspects of the energy industry and provides counsel on contracts, mergers and acquisitions, renewable project development, and state and federal and ISO compliance issues. He has led regulatory proceedings and litigation before FERC and in state commissions across the country. Mr. Mullooly is head of the firm’s Energy Regulation Practice.

POLICY AND POSSIBILITY

Representative Greta Neubauer
Wisconsin State Assembly District 66

Representative Greta Neubauer was born and raised in Racine, WI, and was first elected to represent the 66th Assembly District and Racine in 2017. Greta believes in collaborative, community-driven policymaking. Her policy interests center on developing family-supporting jobs for every worker, community-oriented justice initiatives, and addressing climate change. In 2019, Greta introduced Forward on Climate, a four-bill package designed to mitigate climate change and support the transition to a clean, sustainable, and just economy in Wisconsin. She also serves on the Governor’s Climate Change Task Force. 

POLICY AND POSSIBILITY

Representative Adam Neylon
Wisconsin State Assembly District 98

Adam is a republican elected to represent the 98th District in the Wisconsin State Assembly. His district is located entirely in Waukesha County and includes parts of Pewaukee, Waukesha, Sussex and Lisbon.  Adam is also the owner and President of The Neylon Group, a commercial facilities maintenance company based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Adam founded his first business at age 19.

Prior to entering elected office in 2013, Adam worked as a legislative aide in the Wisconsin State Assembly during the passage of Act 10. He previously worked for Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner both in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C., and as a grassroots organizer for the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Adam was the lead author on two bills that have garnered national attention: the GPS Privacy Act, which criminalizes the act of someone using a GPS device to track someone else without their permission, and the Patent Notification Act, which combats predatory “patent trolling” schemes targeting Wisconsin business owners. The GPS Privacy Act and the Patent Notification Act have both been signed into law by Governor Scott Walker.

Adam was selected to attend the prestigious Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD) fellowship with the Council of State Governments in 2014.

For the 2015-17 Legislative Session, Adam was appointed Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Jobs and the Economy, and also appointed to serve as Co-Chairman of Wisconsin’s Small Business Regulatory Review Board. Adam is a graduate of Carroll University and continues to serve as a member of the Carroll University President’s Advisory Council.

Born and raised in Illinois, Adam relocated to Wisconsin to attend college at Carroll University and has remained a resident since. He likes to say that he moved to Wisconsin as soon as he had a choice. Adam currently lives in Pewaukee, Wisconsin with his wife Hannah and newborn baby, a daughter named Elizabeth.

ADVANCING DISTRIBUTED GENERATION

Steven Nieland
Director of Energy
Faith Technologies

Steve Nieland is Director of Energy for Faith Technologies, responsible for the vision, development, growth and execution of Faith’s energy strategy.   His efforts help clients understand and optimize energy as an ingredient, achieving operational improvement through data driven processes. During his 30 year career he has led multiple efforts in product development, automation, operational transformation, sustainability, lean, quality system development, and renewable energy across a variety of industries.

Steve holds degrees in electronics and chemistry as well as having additional studies in paper science, computer science and electrical engineering and has been certified by ASQ as a lead auditor.  Steve has served in the past as local chair for the American Chemical Society, as a member of the Executive Committee for the University of Wisconsin -Stevens Point Academy of Letters and Science, and as a member of the Biopharma Sustainability Roundtable.

BIOGAS IN WISCONSIN’S CARBON-FREE FUTURE

Jessica Niekrasz
Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
Clean Fuel Partners

Jessica Niekrasz is Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Clean Fuel Partners. She oversees day-to-day operations, develops and implements CFP’s strategic plan, and provides instructional leadership to the entire team. Jessica ensures that CFP’s endeavors are aligned with the core principles of the company; Performance, Innovation and Advocacy.  She is the driving force behind the Wisconsin Biomass Energy Coalition (WBEC), bringing stakeholders together and initiating conversation on nutrient management while advocating for policy change.

BIOGAS IN WISCONSIN’S CARBON-FREE FUTURE

Jessica Niekrasz
Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
Clean Fuel Partners

Jessica Niekrasz is Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Clean Fuel Partners. She oversees day-to-day operations, develops and implements CFP’s strategic plan, and provides instructional leadership to the entire team. Jessica ensures that CFP’s endeavors are aligned with the core principles of the company; Performance, Innovation and Advocacy.  She is the driving force behind the Wisconsin Biomass Energy Coalition (WBEC), bringing stakeholders together and initiating conversation on nutrient management while advocating for policy change.

LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR

Don Peterson
Vice President – Energy Technology
Madison Gas and Electric

Don Peterson has worked for Madison Gas & Electric for 37 years.  Don built the first utility scale wind project in Wisconsin, the Rosiere Wind Farm in Kewaunee Co. over 20 years ago. In the past few years, he has worked on MG&E’s Shared Solar program, Renewable Energy Rider, Saratoga Wind Project, and is actively working on additional wind and solar opportunities for the company.  MGE’s corporate goal is to achieve net zero carbon electricity by 2050.

EDUCATING WISCONSIN’S RENEWABLE WORKFORCE
(Moderator)

Amy Seeboth-Wilson, AICP
Sustainability Coordinator
Sustainability and Renewable Energy Systems
University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Amy Seeboth-Wilson earned her Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Bachelor of Art in Anthropology from Lawrence University.  Prior to joining UW-Platteville, she worked as a planning manager for the five-country Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SWWRPC), where she led a nationally-recognized sustainability initiative, developed bicycle and pedestrian plans, and researched market opportunities for local food production.

2020 VISION:  HOW DO WE GET TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY?

Nichol D. Toomire
Director – Resource Planning, Energy Markets & Fuel Supply
Alliant Energy

As Director of Resource Planning, Energy Markets and Fuel Supply, Nichol is responsible for directing the energy market trading, energy risk management, fossil fuel procurement and energy market operation activities of Alliant Energy. Nichol is also responsible for all aspects of production cost modeling and asset management, including strategy development and goal achievement, including participating and facilitating in the development of related strategic planning in support of strategic initiatives. 

Nichol earned a B.S. in Biology at Thomas Edison State College in Pennsylvania and an MBA at St. Ambrose University in Iowa.   She also holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification and currently serves on the board of iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates).

POLICY AND POSSIBILITY

Rebecca Cameron Valcq
Commissioner
Wisconsin Public Service Commission

Rebecca Cameron Valcq was appointed by Governor Tony Evers as Commissioner at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for a six-year term beginning on January 7, 2019.  Governor Evers also appointed her as Commission Chairperson for a two-year term effective March 2, 2019.

Prior to her appointments, Becky was a partner at Quarles & Brady, LLP in the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources practice group.  Previous to that position, she was regulatory counsel for Wisconsin Electric Power Company where she advised management on all areas of regulatory law in multiple jurisdictions as well as compliance matters.

She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and serves on the Committee on Water and the Subcommittee on Supplier and Workforce Diversity.

Becky earned her undergraduate degree from Drake University and her law degree from Marquette University.

She was named a “40 Under 40” by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2013 and received a Girl Scout Leadership G.I.R.L. award in 2019.   She is a member of TEMPO Milwaukee and has served on a number of non-profit boards of directors including Centro Legal, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee and the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast.  She was a member of United Way’s Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Committee as well as Marquette University Law School’s Diversity Recruitment Committee.

She resides in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin with her husband Rob and their two daughters.

RENEWABLE ENERGY STORIES

Nancy Vedder-Shults
Co-Founder
Climate Justice Action Team
First Unitarian Society

Nancy Vedder-Shults is the Co-Founder of the Climate Justice Action Team at First Unitarian Society of Madison and a tax sponsor for First Unitarian Society’s solar array. Nancy is also the former director of the Wisconsin Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign and a lecturer of Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

EDUCATING WISCONSIN’S RENEWABLE WORKFORCE

Dr. Kenneth Walz
Faculty
Madison College

Dr. Walz studied at the University of Wisconsin, where he completed his Ph.D. dissertation working on  lithium-ion batteries with Rayovac and Argonne National Laboratory.  Dr. Walz also spent several years working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Center for Photo-Induced Charge Transfer at the University of Rochester.  He serves as Secretary for the Wisconsin Distributed Resources Collaborative and as an advisor for the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program.  Dr. Walz has been recognized as Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation, and as the Energy Educator of the Year by the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education.   Dr. Walz currently teaches science and engineering at Madison College, where he serves as the director for the Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education.

ENERGY STORAGE

Tim Wilson
Manager, Engineering and Energy
Gundersen Health System

EDUCATING WISCONSIN’S RENEWABLE WORKFORCE

Sara Windjue
Energy Education Outreach Specialist
Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP)
Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education
College of Natural Resources, UW-Stevens Point

Sara has worked with the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP), a program of the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education at UW-Stevens Point, since 2005. She has had many roles including supporting Technology and Engineering Educators in energy education, developing KEEP’s Building Science program and online renewable energy graduate course, assisting schools who are interested in installing renewable energy systems, working with teachers to integrate energy education into STEM and CTE offerings, and working with Cool Choices to encourage and motivate sustainable behaviors at the K-12 level. Sara serves on the Wisconsin Energy Workforce Consortium and is a RENEW Wisconsin Board Member. Sara received the Educator of the Year award from Seventhwave in 2017. She has a B.A. in Environmental Science and Biology from Adrian College and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston.