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Ben Cuozzo is a specialist in solar PV and distributed generation technologies. At NYPA, he works in developing renewable energy projects and programs for its customers. His principal responsibilities include preparing project economic forecasts, project scoping and system design, and, during the pre-development phase, researching and investigating the factors that may impact project success. He acts as a customer-facing point of contact for these projects as they move from conception to completion. Mr. Cuozzo also works with NYPA’s policy and regulatory affairs team on creating programs that enable greater, more efficient and more economical adoption of DERs (distributed energy resources) by our customer base.

Currently, Mr. Cuozzo is managing the implementation of over 100MW of distributed solar PV projects with numerous State and local government entities throughout New York.

Prior to joining NYPA in 2017, Mr. Cuozzo worked with both for-profit and non-profit development companies.

Josh has been involved in the energy industry for 15 years, with 10 years in the renewable energy space. Having worked on deals ranging from $100k to $1B, including both local community solar to large operating portfolios, Josh has a successful track record of getting projects financed and built. Prior to New Energy Equity, Josh has held management positions with two different solar developers responsible for M&A, Business Development and Finance. Josh has a degree in Chemical Physics from Hamilton College and an MBA from Cornell University.

Thomas is a Partner in the firm’s Environment, Energy, and Land Use & Economic Development Practices with nearly 30 years practicing law in the public and private sectors. He offers a unique perspective to clients, having served as the highest legal representative for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for almost a decade as Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel.

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When I started my solar career at the US Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Program in 2007, the solar market that we see today was just a vision shared by a small number of people. Since then, I’ve been on the front lines of the state-level policy debates that have been a key driver in establishing solar as a major player in the US energy mix. While I was deeply involved in NY’s original Value of Distributed Energy Resources proceeding (which ended in mixed results), I have recently started to re-engage in NY’s policy conversations and want to take learnings from across my career and apply them to make DG continue to grow in New York. While NY has a vibrant distributed solar industry, policy continues to play a major role in shaping and creating new business opportunities

Julian hails from Painesville, Ohio, and pursued his undergraduate degree in psychology at the College of Wooster. In 2010, he embarked on a journey to New York City, where he immersed himself in youth programming at Explore Charter School and the Rockaway Artists Alliance. During his time in NYC, he also gained valuable experience as an Assistant Project Manager at AECOM Tishman, working on the Public Safety Answering Center (PSAC) II Project. It was in the Bronx that Julian’s profound connection with nature and agriculture began to flourish. He frequented the New York Botanical Gardens and various greenspaces, engaging with community gardens like Bissel Gardens and Friends of Brook Park. In 2015, Julian was accepted into GrowNYC’s Farm Beginning program, which laid the foundation for his own farming venture. That same year, he further honed his skills by participating in Farm School NYC’s Small Farm Planning and Design course, deepening his understanding of the complexities involved in starting a farm business. In 2016, Julian bid farewell to New York City to fully dedicate himself to farming. Since then, he has actively contributed to several workgroups and committees, including the Farm Service Agency State Committee, Black Farmer United’s Cannabis and Hemp Committee, the Jefferson County Food Policy Council, USDA Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers, and the National Young Farmers Coalition Land Advocacy Fellowship, among others.

Diane Bertok joined the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (Parks) as their Energy Bureau Director in June 2022. In her role at Parks, she is tasked with helping the Agency and the State meet its energy and climate goals by creating plans and implementing projects that reduce carbon emissions. These projects include building solar, installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for Parks’ fleet, auditing facilities and incorporating energy-efficiency measures, and converting fossil fuel-based heating and cooling systems with electric options. Prior to Parks, she worked at the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) for nearly 10 years managing a variety of programs and projects related to energy efficiency at commercial/industrial facilities, emergency preparedness efforts through the Fuel NY Program following Superstorm Sandy, and environmental research looking at impacts of energy sources on the State’s most valued agricultural and environmental resources. Most notably during this time, she helped create and lead the Agricultural Technical Working Group (A-TWG). Prior to NYSERDA, she worked in the private sector for more than 10 years as a Geologist who investigated and oversaw the remediation of hazardous waste sites across the U.S. She is a licensed Professional Geologist in NY and received her B.S. in Geology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) and her M.S. in Geology from the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC). In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and crazy dog in their van and enjoying the great outdoors.

Rebekah Pierce is a freelance writer and farmer in upstate New York. She and her husband own J&R Pierce Family Farm, a regenerative farm specializing in solar grazing. They also raise cattle, pigs, and pastured poultry. Her book, Agri-Energy: Growing Power, Growing Food, will be released on November 20, 2025 by Island Press.

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Chuck is Co-Leader of the Public Authority and Land Use & Economic Development Practices at Hodgson Russ, and concentrates his practice on environmental law, energy law, land-use law, municipal law, and real estate development. He has experience working with both private and public clients on issues involving both state and federal environmental statutes, and he assists municipalities with a wide range of legal issues, including environmental review and zoning.

Kate Daniel is the Northeast Regional Director for the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), a national trade association representing more than 100 community solar companies, businesses, and nonprofits working to expand customer choice and access to solar for all American households and businesses through community solar. In that role, she is responsible for leading campaigns to strengthen and sustain community solar markets in New England and New York. Kate previously served as Director of Policy for Catalyze, an innovative energy services partner and independent power producer (IPP) accelerating the transition to the renewable energy economy by creating new profit opportunities for commercial and industrial real estate owners. Prior to Catalyze, she was a Consultant with Sustainable Energy Advantage where she conducted policy and market analyses of the renewable energy sector in the Northeast, and supported public sector clients in clean energy program design and implementation. She was also previously part of the team that runs the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) out of the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center.

As Policy Director, Pat works with the League’s members, staff, and partners to advance policies and legislation that protect New York’s environment and health. Prior to joining the League, Pat worked for the New York City Council as a policy analyst, and as an organizer on political campaigns at every level of government. He has a B.A. in Politics from New York University and an M.P.A. in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at NYU.

Julie Melançon is Section Chief for the newly-established Green Energy Management Section (GEMS) in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) Division of Water. Julie has 25 years of experience with nonpoint source pollution and stormwater management in both the public and private sectors. This experience includes direct work with NYSDEC staff, stakeholder groups, applicants and designers to support their technical needs, as well as giving countless presentations and trainings on erosion and sediment control and stormwater management. Her primary focus is the application of the NYSDEC Construction General Permit on large-scale renewable energy generation and transmission projects. Julie is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and member of the National Association of Environmental Professionals.

Len Luka is the Renewables Outreach Coordinator for New Yorkers for Clean Power, supporting community members, landowners, and municipal representatives who want to bring solar, wind, or BESS projects to their communities. Len is a recently retired/recovering academic who specialized in human cognition. Through years of research and personal experience, Len can confirm that the human brain is miraculous and that human behavior is still bewildering.

Jeff Irish is the founder and president of Hudson Solar + Battery Solutions, an engineering and electrical contracting company specializing in solar and battery microgrids and custom solar structures for residential and commercial customers in New York State. He has been active in the NY solar industry since 2002, with his company Hudson Valley Clean Energy, dba Hudson Solar. Jeff is a former vice president of NYSEIA, served on the NABCEP board of directors, and the New York State Department of Public Service Interconnection Policy Working Group. Prior to being in the solar industry, he was a senior executive and general manager with GE in the US, Canada, and France. He has a degree in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He’s a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional, and a licensed professional engineer in New York State and the Province of Ontario.

Michael Wetherbee is a highly experienced special educator with over 26 years in educational leadership, including 19 years as a Superintendent of Schools. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from SUNY Geneseo, a Master of Arts/CAS in School Psychology from Alfred University, and an Administration CAS from SUNY Brockport.

With a comprehensive background that includes 4 years as a School Business Official and 3 years as a Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Michael Wetherbee has a deep understanding of both the operational and emotional aspects of educational environments. He began his career as a School Psychologist, providing him with valuable insights into the needs of students with diverse learning challenges.

Passionate about creating inclusive educational settings, Mike Wetherbee collaborates with stakeholders to develop educational programming and implement best practices that support all learners. He is committed to empowering educators and families through training and advocacy, ensuring every child has access to the resources they need to succeed

Ed Hill Jr. serves as International Representative for Business Development with the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Third District, covering Pennsylvania,
New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. In this role, he works with 36 regional IBEW offices to
connect the organization’s extensive network of more than 50,000 skilled electrical professionals
and thousands of signatory contractors to meet the evolving needs of the energy and construction
industries.

Ed has played a leading role in advancing the IBEW’s engagement across the clean-energy
sector—particularly offshore wind and large-scale solar. He collaborates closely with developers,
Tier 1 suppliers, and contractors to align workforce capabilities, safety standards, and project
delivery across major renewable-energy initiatives throughout the Northeast.

Previously, Ed worked in the IBEW’s Education Department, where he helped design and
deliver leadership and business-operations training to hundreds of local union leaders. Earlier in
his career, he served as Vice President of Operations for Adventace, a global sales-operations
consulting firm, and spent 15 years as an airline transport pilot.

Ed is a graduate of Geneva College (B.S., Business Administration) and the Community College
of Beaver County (A.A.S., Professional Piloting). He lives near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with
his wife, Tina, and their two children.

Kate is the senior solar policy analyst for Solar One where she participates in clean energy coalitions, helps draft and communicate the organization’s positions, and develops relationships with environmental justice, clean energy, workforce, and affordable housing partners. Prior to working at Solar One, Kate worked in affordable housing development at Los Sures, a community-based organization in North Brooklyn where she was responsible for rehabilitation and new construction projects. She has also worked as an environmental educator, at a design/build garden company, and as an urban planning consultant for a variety of research and community engagement projects around New York City. Kate completed her MS in City and Regional Planning at Pratt Institute where she focused on sustainable and equitable environmental systems and integrating placed-based urban planning curriculum into public schools. She is passionate about popular education, advancing a just transition, and transforming the urban ecosystem to be more inclusive, equitable, and democratic. When not working, Kate tends to be outside as much as possible, running, hiking, gardening, learning about her community and celebrating the changing seasons.

Jason is the CEO of Scanifly, where he oversees the revenue, product and financial aspects of the company. Scanifly is a leading solar design software company that helps contractors build solar projects faster, safer, and more accurately. Founded in 2018, Scanifly now serves several hundred residential and commercial contractors of all sizes, primarily across the U.S. and Canada. Previously, Jason helped finance over $3 billion of renewable energy projects and companies as a banker for CohnReznick Capital. Prior to that, Jason worked for Bloomberg New Energy Finance as a lead North American data researcher. Jason's first job in the industry was installing solar arrays on rooftops in New Jersey. Jason majored in finance and sustainability in college, while spending time studying international business in Europe and sustainable development in China. Jason is FAA Part 107 certified, a CFA Charterholder and a NABCEP PV Associate.

Caleb Scott is the founder of United Agrivoltaic North America, A farm partner group servicing vegetation managing contracts all over the US and developing creative solutions and Action plans for company’s interested in an Agrivoltaic approach

Caleb is also a founding board member and vice president of the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA).

Caleb has 10 years experience actively contracting grazing, and working with commercial solar sites. His agrivoltaic journey started, in 2013 since then his team has developed a streamlined and duplicatable Agrivoltaic approach to vegetation management keeping sites in compliance while experimenting and researching all things Agrivoltaic, using honey bees, pasture pigs, poultry, pheasants and using solar to conserve rare or endangered species, Caleb enjoys creating creative farming methods and value-added ways to control vegetation while increasing the calories per square meter produced from the dual usage and promote USA solar source products.

Ms. Smith is a Professional Wetland Scientist and environmental consultant with GEI Consultants in Ithaca, NY. She has supported the permitting and agency consultations for hundreds of community scale solar and battery energy storage projects in all corners of New York. She began, as many do, with muddy boots in the thickets and swamps and eventually got tricked into coming indoors to sit behind a desk. Since 2015, she’s kept very busy navigating her clients through changes in wetlands regulations, which honestly feels like a yearly occurrence. These regulatory changes have typically been at the federal level, so it’s nice to see DEC sow their share of chaos. When not playing a consultant, Mallory’s true self comes out in kayaking, baking, and being a nerd for nature.

Noah Ginsburg joined NYSEIA as Executive Director in early 2023. In this role, he is charged with advancing the solar industry in New York through policy/advocacy, public education, member capacity-building, and strategic initiatives.

Prior to NYSEIA, Noah spent seven years as a program director at Solar One, a nonprofit organization that expands access to the benefits of clean energy to all New Yorkers through education, solar technical assistance, and workforce development. While at Solar One, Noah built a robust program and strong team that developed more than 800 solar projects, primarily on affordable housing. From 2021-2022, he also served on the board of NYSEIA and chaired the NYC Policy Committee. From 2009-2011 Noah was a Solar Ombudsman at the City University of New York, working to identify and address barriers to solar in New York City. In 2011 Noah moved to California to work as data analyst and technologist with diverse solar companies including Sungevity, Sunrun and OnGrid. While in California Noah volunteered as a Team Leader on more than 40 solar installations with GRID Alternatives, a non-profit solar installer that serves low-income homeowners, and earned his NABCEP PV installation certification in 2014. Noah holds a bachelor's degree in Renewable Energy from the CUNY Baccalaureate program/Hunter College. He is passionate about accelerating local solar adoption while expanding equitable access to the benefits of clean energy.

Doreen M. Harris is president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), a public benefit corporation that advances innovative energy solutions to improve New York State’s economy and environment.

Ms. Harris has held public and private sector leadership roles advancing clean energy projects and engineering companies for more than 20 years. During her 10 years of public service, she has held executive, technical, and policy positions at NYSERDA, most recently as the Vice President of Large-Scale Renewables. While at NYSERDA, she has overseen the State’s nation-leading advancement of renewable resources under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and Clean Energy Standard. Ms. Harris also spearheaded the strategic development of New York’s offshore wind resource, including the execution of the State’s offshore wind master plan. She was also instrumental in advancing and implementing the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, which will modernize the siting of large-scale renewable energy projects across New York.

Before embarking on a career in public service, Ms. Harris spent more than a decade in the energy sector, serving in management and engineering roles. She began her career at Alcoa Advanced Technologies and Optimization Technologies in engineering roles associated with consulting and project management. Prior to joining NYSERDA, she served as Project Director for Global Water Technologies, Inc., where she led a multi-year initiative to develop and commercialize energy savings and water treatment technologies.

She currently serves on the boards of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, Alliance to Save Energy, Clean Energy States Alliance, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, NY CREATES, NY BEST, and is a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Leadership Council. Ms. Harris earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester
and a Master of Business Administration from the University at Albany.

David Sandbank is NYSERDA’s Vice President of Distributed Energy Resources, overseeing NY-Sun, Energy Storage and Clean Transportation. David, a former solar developer, joined NYSERDA in late 2014 as the director of NY-Sun bringing private market experience and incorporating results driven, public private partnership culture. New York has become a shining beacon on the national distributed solar stage with an increase of 3,400 MW deployed under David’s leadership and now ranks number one in the nation in community solar deployment and second in the nation for distributed solar deployment. In 2019 David was promoted to Vice President of Distributed Energy Resources at NYSERDA and now also oversees the energy storage and clean transportation programs.

Prior to joining NYSERDA, Sandbank worked as a solar developer, helping a start-up grow to more than one hundred employees and oversaw company operations, marketing, engineering, and installation teams. In November 2013, Sandbank was elected vice-president of the New York Solar Energy Industries Association to actively work with government agencies, policy makers and utility companies to help advance the solar industry in New York.

Noah Ginsburg joined NYSEIA as Executive Director in early 2023. In this role, he is charged with advancing the solar industry in New York through policy/advocacy, public education, member capacity-building, and strategic initiatives.

Prior to NYSEIA, Noah spent seven years as a program director at Solar One, a nonprofit organization that expands access to the benefits of clean energy to all New Yorkers through education, solar technical assistance, and workforce development. While at Solar One, Noah built a robust program and strong team that developed more than 800 solar projects, primarily on affordable housing. From 2021-2022, he also served on the board of NYSEIA and chaired the NYC Policy Committee. From 2009-2011 Noah was a Solar Ombudsman at the City University of New York, working to identify and address barriers to solar in New York City. In 2011 Noah moved to California to work as data analyst and technologist with diverse solar companies including Sungevity, Sunrun and OnGrid. While in California Noah volunteered as a Team Leader on more than 40 solar installations with GRID Alternatives, a non-profit solar installer that serves low-income homeowners, and earned his NABCEP PV installation certification in 2014. Noah holds a bachelor's degree in Renewable Energy from the CUNY Baccalaureate program/Hunter College. He is passionate about accelerating local solar adoption while expanding equitable access to the benefits of clean energy.

Kate Daniel is the Northeast Regional Director for the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), a national trade association representing more than 100 community solar companies, businesses, and nonprofits working to expand customer choice and access to solar for all American households and businesses through community solar. In that role, she is responsible for leading campaigns to strengthen and sustain community solar markets in New England and New York. Kate previously served as Director of Policy for Catalyze, an innovative energy services partner and independent power producer (IPP) accelerating the transition to the renewable energy economy by creating new profit opportunities for commercial and industrial real estate owners. Prior to Catalyze, she was a Consultant with Sustainable Energy Advantage where she conducted policy and market analyses of the renewable energy sector in the Northeast, and supported public sector clients in clean energy program design and implementation. She was also previously part of the team that runs the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) out of the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center.

T.R. is the CEO and Co Founder of Brooklyn SolarWorks and Brooklyn Solar Canopy Company. He has helped build a unique urban solar company focused on flat roof installations in NYC. Prior to Brooklyn SolarWorks T.R. was the Senior Regional Sales Manager for Sunrun and helped build Sunruns direct to consumer presence in the Northeast. T.R. Began is solar career by co founding AD Energy, a residential solar financing company. T.R. holds. BS in Geology and Environmental Studies from Ohio Wesleyan University and MBA in E-business from Maastricht School of Management.

Hannah Birnbaum is a Co-Founder and Chief of Advocacy at Permit Power. She oversees Permit Power's campaigns and coordination with partners, and serves as a member of the leadership team. Hannah has over a decade and a half of experience as a leader, strategist, and organizer in the environmental and labor movements. Prior to Permit Power, she held roles at Sierra Club, SEIU, and the UAW. Hannah lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, and puppy.

Shyam Mehta is a Director at NYSERDA and is part of NYSERDA's Distributed Energy Resources and Energy Storage teams, where his portfolio focuses on policy design, implementation and stakeholder engagement related to distributed solar and energy storage. Prior to NYSERDA, he served as Executive Director at NYSEIA, where he advocated for advancement of policies to advance New York's distributed solar sector.

Hal Smith is a seasoned entrepreneur and the driving force behind Halco Home Solutions, a business he established in 1984. With over four decades of relentless dedication, Hal has emerged as an industry trailblazer and visionary leader. Under his guidance, Halco has evolved into a multi-million-dollar enterprise, with a footprint spanning four strategic locations in Upstate New York.

Hal's ingenuity has put Halco at the forefront of the home performance contracting realm, earning it
accolades and recognition for its contributions to electrification. Halco stands as one of the few companies in New York State equipped to handle the entire electrification process, including the integration of renewable energy sources. The electrification process demands a comprehensive range of skill sets to ensure a home is heat pump ready; often we must insulate and air seal a home to prepare for a heat pump installation in addition to utilizing our skilled plumbing, electrical, and HVAC technicians along the way. Hal takes immense pride in the fact that Halco occupies this unique position in the industry, where its expertise and capabilities not only bring this vision to life but also create lifelong customer relationships. This accomplishment is a testament to the company's core mission of delivering top-tier, high-efficiency energy solutions to both residential and commercial clientele, always with an unwavering commitment to quality, service, and sustainability.

Hal is closely affiliated with many organizations and is deeply involved with the community. He is the sitting president of the BPCA (Building Performance Contractors Association of NYS), where he also heads up the association’s mentorship program, supporting and guiding the next generation of industry professionals. On the national level, Hal serves on the Board of Directors of the Building Performance Association (BPA) and contributes to both its Policy Committee and Nominations Committee. Hal's previous roles include presiding over the Phelps Chamber of Commerce, chairing the Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, and Yates Counties Workforce

Investment Board, and leading as President of the Phelps Business Council, among others.
In addition to his leadership roles, Hal boasts an impressive array of certifications and licenses. He is a
certified BPI Healthy Home Evaluator, Building Analyst, Envelope Professional, and Manufactured Housing
Specialist. Hal's credentials extend to NATE Heating Certification, IGSHPA Certification, and an array of other industry-specific licenses and certifications. Notably, he is a licensed electrician, a licensed master plumber, and a licensed HVAC contractor. Furthermore, Halco proudly offers four NYSDOL-approved apprenticeships in plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and energy efficiency under Hal's stewardship. His comprehensive expertise serves as the foundation of Halco's continued success and reputation for excellence.

Eric Pinsker-Smith, Principal Analyst, joined SEA in January 2020. Eric leads the development and maintenance of several economic and econometric market models that track and/or forecast the proliferation of voluntary power purchase agreements, community choice aggregations, electric vehicles (EVs), air-source heat pumps (ASHPs), clean heat standards, and renewable energy credit prices in the Northeast. Eric co-leads the development, maintenance, and sales of SEA’s customized New York Value of Distributed Energy (VDER) Calculator, which provides clients with revenue forecasts for their solar, solar-plus-storage, and standalone storage projects participating in New York’s VDER program. Eric supports SEA’s Renewable Energy Market Outlook (REMO) services by conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis of wholesale markets and electrification, and by assisting with SEA’s large-scale renewable project pipeline analysis. Eric is a founding member of SEA’s Green Hydrogen practice, which includes research efforts to develop economic models of green hydrogen use cases in the Northeast. Eric also tracks and models the proliferation and effects of proposed clean heat standard (CHS) programs across the country. Lastly, Eric contributes to SEA’s Eyes & Ears weekly subscription service, which entails tracking, analyzing, and distilling the regulatory, legislative, policy, and market activities in New York, New England, and PJM with an emphasis on wholesale markets, large-scale renewable developments, beneficial electrification, and voluntary market activities.

Previously, Eric worked as an Associate Supervisor for National Grid where he was involved with complex pipeline construction and natural gas project construction price forecasting. Eric has seven years of experience in the energy sector in the fields of power market analysis, pipeline infrastructure construction, renewable product engineering, and environmental sustainability.

Eric holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Sustainability, both from the University of Rochester.

With over a decade of experience at EmPower Solar, Tara is a key member of EmPower Solar’s Executive Committee where she brings both technical subject matter expertise and a passion for advancing clean energy initiatives. Tara also represents EmPower Solar on the Long Island Solar & Storage Alliance where she previously served as chair and actively helps advance policy issues related to solar and energy storage.

Tara is a SUNY Stony Brook Alumni and earned her MPA at CUNY Baruch, both with a focus on environmental studies. She participated in “Semester at Sea” and was a fellow of the U.S. Climate Change Professional Fellows Program, Australia cohort.

Passionate about environmental action, Tara’s family has taken on the “Electrify Your Life” challenge, and recently added solar panels that power her geothermal system and EV.

Josh has been involved in the energy industry for 15 years, with 10 years in the renewable energy space. Having worked on deals ranging from $100k to $1B, including both local community solar to large operating portfolios, Josh has a successful track record of getting projects financed and built. Prior to New Energy Equity, Josh has held management positions with two different solar developers responsible for M&A, Business Development and Finance. Josh has a degree in Chemical Physics from Hamilton College and an MBA from Cornell University.

Gerard is responsible for lobbying state and federal legislators, engaging in state regulatory proceedings, overseeing legislative and regulatory tracking and analysis, liaising with state agencies and industry associations, and providing strategic insight into new markets. With a background in state government, Gerard brings expertise in energy policy, politics, and the legislative process. Prior to RIC Energy, Gerard worked for the New York State Assembly and the Delaware House of Representatives.

Gerard holds a Master in International Relations and Public Policy and an Master in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.

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Max Joel is the Director of the NY-Sun Initiative at the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). NY-Sun is a statewide initiative to build 10 Gigawatts of distributed solar by 2030. NY-Sun includes the Solar Energy Equity Framework, which commits more than $400 million to projects benefitting low-and-moderate income households, affordable housing, disadvantaged communities and environmental justice communities. Max also serves as an Expert Advisor to the United States Treasury Department supporting the implementation of the Low-Income Communities Bonus Tax Credit authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act.

He began his career with IBEW local 41 in Buffalo, NY as an inside wireman apprentice. Later as a foreman he worked on construction projects from Ice Hockey Rinks to Nuclear Power Plants. He has held various positions in local 41 as an officer, including Examining Board, Executive Board and Business Manager. He was appointed as an International Representative in 2023. He serves as the Renewable Energy Government Affairs Coordinator for the IBEW Third District, which includes the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. He works with the Government Affairs Department, State Political Coordinators and the local unions in the district on Renewable Energy projects and Political and legislative issues. He also serves on the Executive Board for the Buffalo Central Labor Council as well as a General Vice President for the Western New York Area Labor Federation. He lives in Hamburg, N.Y.

For more than two decades, Marie Schnitzer has dedicated her career to renewable and sustainable energy. She started in fuel cell development and hydrogen generation. From there, she turned to consulting in utility scale wind and solar. Since joining National Grid more than three years ago, she’s focused on non-wire alternatives and energy storage. Now, as Ombudsperson for NY Distributed Generation, her work enables projects decreasing the carbon footprint in New York and throughout the world. She does this, she says, to help leave her daughter – and millions of other daughters and sons – a better world.

Stephen is a Senior Account Executive for Sustainable Infrastructure at Johnson Controls. Johnson Controls is a multinational energy services company (ESCO). Stephen and his team are focusing on the commercial, municipal and K-12 educational markets in NY State and beyond. Most of these projects include solar installations with about 50MW completed or under development on Long Island alone. He began his career in the financial services industry working for several NYSE member firms including his own as a member of the NY Stock Exchange serving institutional and professional traders. In 2009 he founded
Bethpage Solar. He then worked with SUNation Energy and was Director of Business Development at Sunrise Power Solutions prior to joining the team at Johnson Controls. He is also certified as a NY State School District Business Leader (SDBL). These unique skills enable him to lead the team at Johnson as one of the largest installers of solar in school districts throughout NY State utilizing energy performance contracts. He has been an associate and member of NYSEIA’s LISSA since 2007 and currently serves as a member of the executive committee strongly advocating for solar on behalf of all the Long Island members for the last several years. In addition, he is an Adjunct Business Instructor at SUNY Suffolk. He holds a BS in Business Management and Marketing from Cornell University and an MS in Educational Leadership from LI University.

Jonathan Cohen joined NYSEIA as Policy Director in May 2022. He has worked in the solar industry since 2014 and most recently served as Government Liaison for SUNation Solar Systems on Long Island. Prior to that, he served as the Long Island Community Programs manager for Level Solar. Jonathan brings 25 years of public policy advocacy experience to his role at NYSEIA, and has served his community as a civic leader for his entire adult life, including as an Executive Board member of the Manorville Chamber of Commerce. Prior to his career in the solar industry, Jonathan worked in the medical field for 17 years, including as District EMS Supervisor at Mastic Beach Ambulance. He resides in Manorville, NY with his wife Carolyn, daughter Emma, and son Zachary.

Zachary (Zach) Caruso is a Lead Analyst for Programs and Projects on the Clean Energy Policy team at Avangrid Inc., where he plays in key role in advancing DER Management and Grid Modernization initiatives. Since joining Avangrid in 2017, Zach has led the Flexible Interconnection Capacity Solution (“FICS”) REV Demonstration Project driving innovation in grid flexibility and interconnection strategies. He has also managed pilot projects across Avangrid’s service territories addressing, battery storage, voltage optimization and DER Monitoring and Control in that time.

Adam B. Cohen, Ph.D., is leading the way to urban clean energy as the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of NineDot Energy, building community energy sites to make the NYC metro grid cleaner, more resilient, more equitable and less costly.

Projects in operation or under development that Adam has spearheaded include battery energy storage systems in Staten Island, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island and Westchester County.

Adam developed his exceptional understanding of how complex systems interact and evolve in his academic work (Ph.D. from the Chaos Group at University of Maryland and B.S. in physics from Bucknell University); he now applies his findings to the interconnected dynamics of energy markets, technologies, regulations and grid economics. Adam was a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy (launching a research program applying social and behavioral science to scale up solar energy adoption) where Adam met his NineDot Energy co-founders. Adam is passionate about opportunities to modernize the urban electric system in a way that benefits all stakeholders. Recognizing the impact of Adam’s work, Crain’s New York Business selected Adam as an inaugural “2023 Notable Leader in Sustainability”.

Melissa Everett, Ph.D., is an outreach and communications strategist working at the intersection of climate action, green industry and community development. As founding Executive Director of Sustainable Hudson Valley, she has led the organization in developing one-of-a-kind system interventions including the 3-year Solarize Hudson Valley program which used exuberant community educational programming, group discounts, and transparent contractor selection to build public confidence in rooftop solar, opening up the market with 400 signed contracts in 2015 - 17. Trained in counseling and group facilitation through the Concord Institute in Massachusetts, Melissa has taught innovative courses in leadership and community service at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and in sustainability at SUNY Dutchess. She received her Ph.D. in 2006 from the International, Off-Campus Program of Erasmus University’s Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Development in the Netherlands, a pioneering program for mid-career professionals worldwide. Her thesis research focuses on the dynamics of community turnarounds and the role of social networks. She was one of the original 1,000 prominent citizens trained by The Climate Project. The author of three books and many articles, Melissa has given lectures and workshops on three continents. She was named one of nine “People to Watch in 2012” by Hudson Valley Magazine and received the “Outstanding Practitioner” award in 2021 by the Hudson River Environmental Society. Her current focus is on how limited theories of change make it harder for New York to meet its renewable energy

Bart Jackson leads Public Affairs for the rooftop solar and battery company, Sunrun. In this role he works with policymakers across numerous states to help them recognize the critical role that rooftop solar and batteries play to help people manage their electricity bills and discharge excess power to a strained electricity system. Sunrun has been a leader in Distributed Power Plants across the United States and is partnering with Ford to unlock the back-up power, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-grid capabilities of its F-150 Lightning. Prior to Sunrun, Bart worked in communications roles at the US Department of Energy and The White House during the Obama Administration. Bart received an MBA from UC Berkeley, and a BA in Political Science from Dickinson College.

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Harrison is the Research Director for the NYS Laborers’ Organizing Fund which represents 44,000 union laborers across New York State. He has been with the Laborers for over 14 years and is deeply committed to creating good, green, union jobs in the renewables industry. Before joining the Laborers, he worked as a community organizer in Buffalo and Albany, NY. Harrison currently lives in Albany, NY with his wife and three children.

T.R. is the CEO and Co Founder of Brooklyn SolarWorks and Brooklyn Solar Canopy Company. He has helped build a unique urban solar company focused on flat roof installations in NYC. Prior to Brooklyn SolarWorks T.R. was the Senior Regional Sales Manager for Sunrun and helped build Sunruns direct to consumer presence in the Northeast. T.R. Began is solar career by co founding AD Energy, a residential solar financing company. T.R. holds. BS in Geology and Environmental Studies from Ohio Wesleyan University and MBA in E-business from Maastricht School of Management.

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Claudia Villar-Leeman is the Senior Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST), where she works to advance market rules, incentive programs, permitting processes, and legislation that will support rapid deployment of energy storage in New York. A New York City native, she brings a deep knowledge of New York’s energy landscape and a commitment to advancing equitable deployment of energy storage and other clean energy technologies. Claudia previously served as an Energy Policy Advisor at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, where she led the development of the Office’s long-term energy plan as well as its energy storage portfolio. Claudia holds an M.A. in Climate & Society from Columbia University and a B.A. in Biology from Bowdoin College. She loves spending time outdoors and in 2023 backpacked all 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Russel Like is a Senior Technical Leader at EPRI, focusing on economic and cost-benefit analysis in support of EPRI’s DER Integration program, which focuses on the challenges of incorporating increasing levels of distributed energy resources on the transmission and distribution networks. Russel has extensive experience with energy markets, regulation, and policy, and has participated in multiple projects analyzing the economic dimensions of increasing penetration of DER in New York State. Prior to joining EPRI, Russel was at the New Jersey Energy Resilience Bank, which finances the installation of resilient, high-efficiency generation resources at hospitals and wastewater treatment facilities.

Keith Martin is a tax lawyer in the Washington office of Norton Rose Fulbright who has helped lead the project finance group at the firm for more than 25 years. The group did $283 billion in project financings and closed more than 600 significant transactions in the last five years. He worked for 214 companies last year on numerous transactions. He also lobbies the US Treasury and Congress on policy issues. He was counsel to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) and a legislative assistant to Senator Henry M. Jackson (D-WA) before moving to private law practice. The prestigious Chambers directory gives him its sole "star" ranking among US renewable energy lawyers.

Liz Grisaru is Senior Advisor for Policy Implementation in the New York State Department of Public Service. She has been in and out of government over her career. At DPS since 2012, she currently works with different departments on CLCPA compliance issues with a focus on long term transmission planning and the State’s offshore wind program. She also works with distributed generation developers and utilities on improving the interconnection process and as co-chair of the Department’s Interconnection Policy Working Group. In past lives, she was interim director of the Environmental Certification and Compliance group, Managing Attorney with the Office of General Counsel, an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Protection Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, in-house counsel to the New York Independent System Operator, and General Counsel to a renewable energy development company. She holds a JD degree from NYU School of Law and a BA in History and Literature from Harvard University.

For more than two decades, Marie Schnitzer has dedicated her career to renewable and sustainable energy. She started in fuel cell development and hydrogen generation. From there, she turned to consulting in utility scale wind and solar. Since joining National Grid more than three years ago, she’s focused on non-wire alternatives and energy storage. Now, as Ombudsperson for NY Distributed Generation, her work enables projects decreasing the carbon footprint in New York and throughout the world. She does this, she says, to help leave her daughter – and millions of other daughters and sons – a better world.

Kate Tohme is an experienced energy law attorney with legal and technical expertise in renewable energy. In her current role as Director of Interconnection Policy at New Leaf Energy, Kate works around the country engaging with diverse groups of clean energy stakeholders to improve processes for distributed generation interconnection, with a focus on proactive long-term system planning and cost allocation. Prior to joining New Leaf, Kate spent 4 years in private practice and served as Hearing Officer, Chief of Staff, and DG and Clean Energy Ombudsperson at the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, playing a key role in establishing the nation’s first multi-beneficiary cost share program for interconnection. Kate is an active participant in stakeholder working groups and collaborations across the country, Co-Chair of the MA IIRG, and DG representative on the MA Grid Modernization Advisory Council.

Twiggy Mendenhall is a Policy Associate for CleanCapital, a diversified clean energy investment platform that has assembled one of the largest portfolios of operating solar assets in the country. In her role at CleanCapital, Twiggy advances the distributed solar + storage market through policy/advocacy efforts, including engaging key stakeholders, local elected officials, community leaders, trade associations, working groups, and community organizations.

Prior to joining CleanCapital, Twiggy was a Policy Manager for Ecogy Energy, a Brooklyn-based developer, financier, and owner-operator of distributed generation projects across nine states, D.C., and the Caribbean focused on rooftop, parking lot canopy, and brownfield development projects. Many projects of which advocated for and prioritized LMI subscribership. Her journey to the clean energy sector started as Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) Solar Pipeline Trainee by Elevate Energy, partnered with Millennium Solar Electric and the City Colleges of Chicago to deliver solar installer and career training to communities in Chicago. Twiggy holds a B.S. in Sustainability Management from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF). In her free time, Twiggy enjoys traveling to state and national parks, playing basketball, and spending time with family.

Doug Warden is a partner with the law firm of Snyder & Snyder, LLP, concentrating in renewable energy development, real estate litigation, environmental law, and land use.  Doug founded and leads the firm’s Renewable Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems (“BESS”) practice.  He has played an integral legal in the real estate development, permitting, acquisition, and construction efforts for numerous utility-scale solar farms and BESS facilities throughout New York State.  Doug’s expertise in dealing with municipal PILOT agreements, community benefit agreements, and enforcement defense matters has proven to be a strong complement to his Renewable Energy and BESS practice.  He is also a leading regional land use, environmental, and real estate litigator, having spent more than twenty-five years successfully representing Fortune 500 public utility entities, private individuals, and municipalities in land use, municipal, real estate, and environmental litigation. Prior to joining Snyder & Snyder, LLP, Doug was employed by one of Long Island’s premier municipal law and land use law firms.

Gerard is responsible for lobbying state and federal legislators, engaging in state regulatory proceedings, overseeing legislative and regulatory tracking and analysis, liaising with state agencies and industry associations, and providing strategic insight into new markets. With a background in state government, Gerard brings expertise in energy policy, politics, and the legislative process. Prior to RIC Energy, Gerard worked for the New York State Assembly and the Delaware House of Representatives.

Gerard holds a Master in International Relations and Public Policy and an Master in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.

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Twiggy Mendenhall is a Senior Policy Associate for CleanCapital, a diversified clean energy investment platform that has assembled one of the largest portfolios of operating solar assets in the country. In her role at CleanCapital, Twiggy advances the distributed solar + storage market through policy/advocacy efforts, including engaging key stakeholders, local elected officials, community leaders, trade associations, working groups, and community organizations.

Prior to joining CleanCapital, Twiggy was a Policy Manager for Ecogy Energy, a Brooklyn-based developer, financier, and owner-operator of distributed generation projects across nine states, D.C., and the Caribbean focused on rooftop, parking lot canopy, and brownfield development projects. Many projects of which advocated for and prioritized LMI subscribership. Her journey to the clean energy sector started as Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) Solar Pipeline Trainee by Elevate Energy, partnered with Millennium Solar Electric and the City Colleges of Chicago to deliver solar installer and career training to communities in Chicago. Twiggy holds a B.S. in Sustainability Management from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF). In her free time, Twiggy enjoys traveling to state and national parks, playing basketball, and spending time with family.

David Sandbank is a recognized leader in renewable energy with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. As Senior Vice President of Integrated Energy Solutions at NYSERDA, he oversees NY-Sun, Distributed Storage, Clean Transportation and Comfort Home initiatives, managing over $5 billion to advance the state’s clean energy goals. Under his leadership, New York has become a national leader in distributed solar, surpassing 6 GW of installed capacity and on track to exceed 10 GW ahead of the 2030 target. David has played a pivotal role in shaping the state’s clean energy landscape, driving the implementation of the Value of Distributed Energy Resources tariff to support clean energy growth, establishing the nation’s leading community solar program, expanding New York’s energy storage market, and leading the state’s energy storage fire and safety working group. His work has expanded clean energy access, enhanced grid efficiency, and accelerated the transition to a more resilient and sustainable energy system.

Since 2000, Loren Pruskowski has partnered with lenders, equity providers, energy offices, colleges and universities, community groups, businesses, and other stakeholders to accelerate renewable energy deployment across the United States. As founder and CEO of Ecolegacy Values, Loren designs and executes innovative approaches to improve public acceptance of projects by delivering significantly greater value to communities through local ownership and agrivoltaic solutions.

Dominic Gatti is an Energy Policy Analyst at Tesla, where he leads regulatory and legislative engagement across the eastern United States. His enables the efficient deployment of residential solar and storage systems by bridging state energy goals with operational realities. At Tesla, Dominic works to scale virtual power plants, expand automated permitting, and streamline interconnection.

Before joining Tesla, he served as a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Energy Innovator Fellow with the Vermont Public Utility Commission, developing strategies to decarbonize the state’s thermal sector. Dominic holds a Master of Public Administration from the American University and lives in Washington, DC.

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Co-Founder of onCORE Origination, and has over 25 years of experience directly developing/originating more than 1 GW of renewable energy projects and more than 5,000 wireless telecommunications projects throughout the U.S. Prior to his current role, Joe was the co-founder of HPC Wireless Services, an Inc. 500 Project Development firm that performed turn-key projects for several Fortune 50 Companies, including Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. He has hired and mentored more than 200 people in his career and shared his project-management expertise at conferences and board rooms across the country.

Emily is the Policy Manager on the Market Opening team at ConnectDER. Over her two years at ConnectDER, she has supported numerous utility-focused and state-level policy efforts aimed at standardizing the approval and use of meter socket adapters. She often engages with utilities, regulatory commission staff, trade groups, industry members, and clean energy program implementers to foster support for bringing meter socket adapters to more regions.

Prior to her role at ConnectDER, Emily worked in the non-profit community solar space and was deeply involved in the Washington DC Solar for All program operations. Emily holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy and Energy at Oregon State University.

Rick Irizarry is the Director of Sales and Business Development at New York State Solar Farm, a leading residential solar installer in the Hudson Valley and a NYSERDA Platinum Status Quality Installer. With over a decade of experience in renewable energy, Rick specializes in helping homeowners understand and adopt solar + storage solutions. His focus on customer education and strategic growth has positioned NYSSF as a trusted name in clean energy as the industry transitions beyond the 25D tax credit era.

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Dan is the Co-Founder of Greentech Renewables, the nation’s largest solar distributor. Greentech Renewables today operates in all 50 states, with over 100 stocking locations. Dan started in solar industry in 2009, and his specific areas of expertise include the solar and energy storage supply chain, solar capital markets and the ramifications of federal policy as it relates to the residential and small commercial solar and energy storage markets. He holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Clark University. A father of 4, including triplets, Dan enjoys golf, weightlifting and fly fishing in his downtime.

Since July 2023, Barry Wygel has served as the Communications Director for the Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

With more than a decade of public relations and media experience, he is proud to take his lifelong passion for environmental matters to bring awareness to climate change, advocate for clean energy, and help accomplish the mission of ACE NY.

Prior to joining ACE NY, Barry worked as a Senior Account Executive and then as the Creative Services Manager at Baker Public Relations, overseeing public relations efforts for a diverse portfolio of clients from small business startups to national corporations. His work garnered multiple national awards including two Ragan Awards for Video, Visual and Virtual Honorable Mentions and recognition from PRNews for his work on behalf of his clients. Videos he created on behalf of his clients reached almost one million views. Before that, Barry was a television reporter at Spectrum News in Albany where he covered breaking news and hosted the segment “Wygel at Work,” where he would try his hand at different jobs each week. He produced 54 episodes, and the segment earned two NYS Emmy Nominations.

Barry is a lifelong Capital Region resident. He received a B.A. from SUNY Oswego in Journalism with a concentration in Broadcasting and double minors in History and Political Science. When he is not working he can be found piloting his Cessna Skyhawk out of Saratoga Airport. Barry lives with his wife and daughter in Saratoga County

Keith Martin is a tax lawyer in the Washington office of Norton Rose Fulbright who has helped lead the project finance group at the firm for more than 25 years. The group did $283 billion in project financings and closed more than 600 significant transactions in the last five years. He worked for 214 companies last year on numerous transactions. He also lobbies the US Treasury and Congress on policy issues. He was counsel to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) and a legislative assistant to Senator Henry M. Jackson (D-WA) before moving to private law practice. The prestigious Chambers directory gives him its sole "star" ranking among US renewable energy lawyers.

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Dhruv Patel is Solar Interconnection Policy Manager for NYSEIA. In this role, Dhruv leads initiatives to advance DER interconnection policy on behalf of New York’s DER industries in conjunction with stakeholders including electric utilities and state agencies.

Dhruv joins NYSEIA with a background in energy management, interconnection, solar PV system design, engineering, and research. Prior to NYSEIA, Dhruv worked as a PV System Design Engineer at Sunrun, a leading residential solar and storage firm, where his responsibilities included design, engineering, interconnection, and integration of rooftop solar and energy storage systems.

Dhruv holds a Master’s of Science degree in energy management from the New York Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology.

Tom Michelman – Sustainable Energy Advantage (SEA), Vice President & Senior Director - Distributed
Energy Resources (DER) Practice Area Lead, joined SEA in 2013 and has over thirty (30+) years of experience in electric industry and renewable, retail & wholesale energy markets.

Tom has led deep dive analyses of DER renewable markets covering more than a dozen state markets as well as market entry / opportunity assessments that have covered all the US state markets (including deep dives of the NY VDER market). Highlighted analyses include market fundamentals DER revenue forecasting, total addressable market assessments, queue forecasting, manager of SEA’s NY VDER custom calculator, and market fundamentals supply, demand, price forecasting of the Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland SREC markets, including SREC market expert witness engagements.

For NGO’s he has provided statistical analysis for NYSEIA Comments on the NYSERDA NY-Sun Mid-Point
Review that show NYSERDA is using interconnection cost estimates far lower than what is incurred in practice to set DER incentives levels, and provided critiques and recommendations for restructuring the Maryland SREC market.

For public clients he has conducted due diligence and advised on the terms and conditions for a variety of
power purchase / net metering offtake agreements and procurements that have included renewables and storage. He innovatively structured, drafted and led sophisticated RFPs for clients seeking net zero status that incorporate the upside of battery storage savings and revenue capture via a shared savings / benefit structure. He is currently supporting a study of BESS feasibility for a regional water authority, and regularly leads summary updates of northeast BESS regulatory and policy initiatives.

Prior to joining SEA Tom co-founded and was a Principal at Boreal Renewable Energy Development for ten
years to cost effectively implement distributed generation renewable energy projects. Tom’s focus was utility scale distributed wind and solar generation at commercial, industrial, municipal, and institutional sites.

Prior to founding Boreal, Tom worked as an energy consultant for KEMA (formerly XENERGY and now DNV
GL) for ten years primarily focusing on and co-managing their retail energy practice and analyzing the impact of energy efficiency programs.

Tom has an M.S in Resource Economics from the University of Rhode Island, and B.A. in Mathematical
Methods in the Social Sciences and Political Science from Northwestern University.

Artie Perri is Director of Sales for Greentech Renewables Long Island and Head of Programs for the Long Island Solar & Storage Alliance.

Doreen M. Harris was appointed President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on April 7, 2021, after serving as Acting President and CEO since June 2020.

President Harris is leading NYSERDA’s role to advance policy frameworks, clean energy technologies, and solutions that are driving statewide economic development while creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying clean-energy jobs and building an equitable economy.

Under President Harris’s direction, NYSERDA is making significant progress in advancing infrastructure and innovation, large-scale and distributed renewables, building decarbonization, advanced nuclear, energy storage, transportation electrification, clean fuels, transmission, and resiliency.

Ten-year-plus solar executive committed to the growth, profitability and organizational effectiveness of Greentech Renewables. Highly experienced in thought leadership, general management, new market development, financial services, strategic partnerships, supply chain optimization, policy, and building effective teams.

David co-founded EmPower in 2003 to make solar the dominant energy source in New York and beyond, and is dedicated to accelerating activities to achieve this goal. As CEO, David is responsible for leading and managing the company along with the management committee. David’s day to day includes commercial business development, battery system sales, community solar projects and managing the SunPower Master Dealer partnership.

As an advocate, David conducts outreach to build support for clean energy amongst political, community, business and religious leaders, and the public at large. David has testified before the United States Congress Science Committee about the DOE Solar Decathlon and solar energy, and has been involved with numerous TV, print, internet, radio and documentary interviews.

David is a current board member of Vision Long Island. He has a Master of Science in Energy Management from the New York Institute of Technology, where he received the Faculty Award for outstanding achievement, and co-led the 2005 Solar Decathlon solar-hydrogen zero energy home project.

He has a BA in Economics from the University of Vermont, where he received the Freeman Saltus Award in Economics. David was a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Photovoltaic Installer. David started his career as an Institutional Equity Advisor at Merrill Lynch where he sold Japanese equities to large U.S.-based investors.

Katie Soscia is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, currently serving as the Executive Director of Solar Development at Montante Solar. There, she leads strategic solar development and origination, project evaluation, municipal permitting and approvals, and complex contract negotiations. During her tenure, Katie has seen how drastically the solar industry has been impacted by restrictive local laws and works to navigate difficult and complex situations by bridging the knowledge gap between local municipalities, communities, and project developers. She believes in finding a way to push projects forward successfully through thoughtful solar siting initiatives.

Ed Hill Jr. serves as International Representative for Business Development with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Third District, covering Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. In this role, he works with 36 regional IBEW offices to connect the organization’s extensive network of more than 50,000 skilled electrical professionals and thousands of signatory contractors to meet the evolving needs of the energy and construction industries.

Ed has played a leading role in advancing the IBEW’s engagement across the clean-energy sector particularly offshore wind and large-scale solar. He collaborates closely with developers, Tier 1 suppliers, and contractors to align workforce capabilities, safety standards, and project delivery across major renewable-energy initiatives throughout the Northeast.

Previously, Ed worked in the IBEW’s Education Department, where he helped design and deliver leadership and business-operations training to hundreds of local union leaders. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President of Operations for Adventace, a global sales-operations consulting firm, and spent 15 years as an airline transport pilot.

Ed is a graduate of Geneva College (B.S., Business Administration) and the Community College of Beaver County (A.A.S., Professional Piloting). He lives near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Tina, and their two children.

Kelly Friend serves as Nexamp’s VP of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, having served in this position since April of 2018. She leads Nexamp’s policy-related efforts, shaping and advancing Company and industry engagement within legislative and regulatory processes across key clean energy markets. Kelly works closely with Nexamp’s project development and finance teams to anticipate policy-based risks and develop strategies to execute on emerging opportunities.

Prior to joining Nexamp, Kelly spent three years as a member of GE’s Government Affairs and Policy team in Washington D.C. She managed global government affairs for GE Hitachi, coordinating regulatory engagement and advocacy for GE’s four electricity businesses.
Before GE, Kelly worked for Keller and Heckman in Washington D.C. as an associate in the firm’s chemical control, pesticides, and workplace safety practice groups. At Keller & Heckman, she assisted companies in navigating the complex set of environmental, health and safety regulations that govern the manufacture, sale, and use of chemicals.

Kelly holds a law degree from George Mason University School of Law, a master’s degree in political science from Suffolk University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their three sons.

Max Joel is the Director of the NY-Sun Initiative at the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). NY-Sun is a statewide initiative to build 10 Gigawatts of distributed solar by 2030. NY-Sun includes the Solar Energy Equity Framework, which commits more than $400 million to projects benefitting low-and-moderate income households, affordable housing, disadvantaged communities and environmental justice communities. Max also serves as an Expert Advisor to the United States Treasury Department supporting the implementation of the Low-Income Communities Bonus Tax Credit authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Dhruv Patel joined NYSEIA as Interconnection Policy Manager in June 2021. In this role, Dhruv leads initiatives to advance DER interconnection policy on behalf of New York’s DER industries in conjunction with stakeholders including electric utilities and state agencies.

Dhruv joins NYSEIA with a background in energy management, interconnection, solar PV system design, engineering, and research. Prior to NYSEIA, Dhruv worked as a PV System Design Engineer at Sunrun, a leading residential solar and storage firm, where his responsibilities included design, engineering, interconnection, and integration of rooftop solar and energy storage systems.

Dhruv holds a Master’s of Science degree in energy management from the New York Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology.