Annika has a unique ability to bring projects to operation on time and within budget. Ms. Colston has been a senior manager of four start-up companies that sourced private and public capital to drive investment in environmentally and socially beneficial projects. Annika has a long track record of successfully taking projects through the entire development process including origination, contract negotiations, due diligence, financing and investor approvals, permitting, structuring off-take agreements, equipment procurement, construction contracting, and operations.

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.

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.

Henry Cortes is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Core Development Group where he leads the company’s strategic direction and daily operations in the United States and beyond. Under his leadership, Core Development Group has earned repeated national recognition on Solar Power World’s Top Solar Contractors List and expanded its EPC capabilities across large-scale solar, battery storage, onsite generation, microgrids, and supporting electrical infrastructure. Prior to founding Core Development Group, he served as Vice President of Project Management for BayWa r.e. Solar Projects, a global renewable energy company.

Cortes began his career in the electrical construction trade in 1990 and went on to own and operate a large electrical contracting firm specializing in commercial installations, as well as a general contracting firm focused on real estate development and investments throughout New Jersey. With nearly four decades of experience in construction and energy, he brings substantial practical expertise in project finance, construction, business development, leadership, and operational management across multiple industries. His hands-on experience in both construction and energy has shaped Core Development Group’s execution-focused approach to complex energy projects.

Cortes studied industrial electricity at Passaic County Technical Institute from 1988 to 1992. He holds a bachelor’s degree from William Paterson University and a Master of Business Administration from Ramapo College. He also holds master electrical licenses in New Jersey and several other states, certifications from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), and the Project Management Institute as a Project Management Professional (PMP). He is fluent in Spanish and English and conversational in Portuguese.

Tony DeFazio is an accomplished communications and public relations professional with a life-long commitment to volunteering and advocating for environmental and sustainable causes. A lifelong hiker, fisherman, and alpine skier, after graduating with a bachelor’s in politics from Ithaca College, he went to work in Washington D.C. for Clean Water Action where he served in various roles including community organizing, researching Superfund sites as well as supporting large donor capital raising campaigns. Later, he served for years as a Trail Ambassador for Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia. Today, Tony can be found summiting the High Peaks in New York on his quest to become an Adirondack 46er.

Over the course of his nearly 30-year career, Tony has developed and led public and media relations programs for a diverse array of private and public companies. As a widely respected agency leader and entrepreneur, he has successfully built two agencies—Sustainable PR is his third—and led public relations for a public company. Tony excels at narrative writing, business development, relationship building, media pitching, and coalition building. One of the notable campaigns Tony led was organizing thousands of residents in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania to successfully oppose the development of a 24-hour gas station and convenience store that would have required the town to amend zoning laws. Tony has since successfully organized residents and businesses throughout Upstate New York to develop community solar installations that are helping the state meet its mandate of 70% renewable energy by 2030. And In Glens Falls, NY, Tony has spearheaded the launch of the city’s new Vertical Farm, a hydroponics project that will become a model for similar projects throughout upstate New York.

During several decades in PR, Tony has placed thousands of stories for clients in influential media ranging from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal to Huffington Post. His clients have appeared regularly on CNBC, FOX Business, and Bloomberg TV. While living and working in Philadelphia, Tony was also elected President of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Philadelphia Chapter: the world’s largest business communications trade group. Tony is currently a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)’s Albany, N.Y., chapter and PRSA’s Counselor’s Academy. Outside of industry associations, Tony is a member of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC), where he has participated in panels, forums, and networking events for more than two years. He also serves as an advisor to the City of Glens Falls’ Sustainability Committee.

Bill Grinstead is President and Chief Executive Officer of Orenda. Prior to founding Orenda, he gained extensive experience in both the public and private financial markets researching and advising on various technologies, including renewables. He previously worked at Marlin Equity Partners, a $7B tech-focused private equity firm, as well as Susquehanna International Group, a global technology, and trading firm. Mr. Grinstead earned a B.S. in Finance from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He also studied Sustainable Finance and Real Estate Investing at Harvard University.

Prior to AC Power, Annika was Vice President at PV Navigator where she originated and developed over 50 MW of solar projects on landfills and brownfields. From 2011 to 2014, Ms. Colston was President of C2i Methane where she developed and sold a portfolio of landfill gas to energy projects. Ms. Colston's work experience includes entities that were market leaders such as E+Co, which invested seed capital in sustainable development projects in Africa using innovative investment structures; EcoSecurities, a first of its kind company marketing Kyoto Protocol projects globally; and Blue Source, the largest carbon credit portfolio in the US.

Chris graduated from Fordham University with a B.S. in Business Administration and cut his teeth in the financial sector prior to joining the insurance industry. He brought his finance, accounting & organizational skills to the Edwards family in 2013 and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2021. During his tenure with the agency he has helped banks, contractors, small business owners and families of all shapes and sizes understand their insurance exposures and maximize financial responsibility. His careful, measured approach to the insurance procurement process has enabled Edwards and Company to achieve top accolades with many of Edwards directly appointed carriers – Chubb, Liberty Mutual, Hartford, Merchants, Travelers and Utica National -- while maintaining consistently superior retention. In addition to his expertise in the property & casualty space, Chris maintains Edwards and Company’s strategic partnerships across the wider insurance industry to ensure that our clients never have to compromise on coverage, service or satisfaction.

Chris grew up in East Meadow, NY and now resides in Bayport with his wife Beth and 3 children. He stays involved in his community by volunteering time and effort with the Patchogue YMCA and coaching youth sports.

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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.

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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.

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.

Noah Van Zandt, CPA, is a Senior Manager at SAX Advisory Group with a background in forensic accounting. Over the past several years, his work has focused on New York State and IRA prevailing wage compliance. Noah also helps developers meet NYSERDA agreement requirements, including economic benefit tracking and U.S. iron and steel, MWBE/SDVOB, and disadvantaged community spend tracking. Noah works with developers and contractors to build documentation practices early in a project so compliance is supported by clean records, not reconstructed after the fact.

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.

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.

Ed is passionate about driving transformative policy change in our industry — especially around the critical issues of Interconnection and Land Use. He is active in Interconnection proceedings across the nation, advocating for common-sense reforms. Ed is also a leading industry voice in the Solar Uncommon Dialogue.

After 15 years in the Energy Services sector, primarily with Constellation Energy, Ed joined Clean Energy Collective in 2019, remaining with that team through various acquisitions. Ed leads a team that is responsible for Distributed energy policy.

A committed urbanist (in addition to a climate activist), Ed lives in Hamilton Heights in Harlem, NY.

Eli Paster is co-founder and CEO of PolyJoule, a Billerica, Massachusetts company that designs and manufactures conductive polymer batteries for stationary energy storage. PolyJoule's battery energy storage systems range from 40 kW to 1.5 MW and are used by commercial and industrial customers for peak shaving, frequency regulation, power conditioning, and renewable firming. Grid-connected since 2021, these systems have logged more than 500 million cell operating hours on three continents. PolyJoule batteries contain no lithium or rare earth metals, need no active cooling, and in UL 9540A testing were the first polymer batteries shown not to enter thermal runaway. Eli holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from MIT.

Dr. Alexander Weisberg is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fieldston Power, a New York-based owner and operator of C+I solar and batteries in NYC.

Alex founded Fieldston to bring the benefits of renewable energy to the buildings and neighborhoods that have too often been left out of the clean-energy transition. Under his leadership, Fieldston built 71 rooftop community solar projects in its first year of operations and safe harbored another 40MWs of solar projects this past June. Today, Fieldston has a contracted development pipeline of more than 50 MWs across rooftop solar and distributed BESS projects in New York City with a broader active development funnel exceeding 150 MW. Dr. Weisberg is focused on scaling a repeatable, neighborhood-level clean-energy platform that expands low-income community-solar access, helps building owners address Local Law 97 exposure, and deploys distributed storage as a flexible resource for New York’s electric grid.
Alex’s work has always centered on the connection between climate, communities, and the built environment. Before founding Fieldston, he led climate-tech and nature-tech investing at Rhizomatic Capital, a family office, and helped manage New York City real-estate investments through Double M Realty. There, he worked across sales, leasing, and building decarbonization—experience that made the opportunity in New York’s rooftops tangible and immediate.

Earlier in his career, Alex worked hands-on in regenerative agriculture and served as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer at New York University. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Philosophy and Ancient Religions from NYU and a B.S. in Economics and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Leigh McEntire is Vice President of Northeast Project Development at Sol Source Power, a veteran and women-owned developer of community solar and battery energy storage projects. With nine years in the solar industry, she leads a development team focused on community solar and BESS projects across New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland. Her work spans strategic site origination, local permitting, regulatory compliance, and interconnection - the issues that most shape whether projects get built. Working closely with town boards, state agencies, and landowners, Leigh brings a practical perspective as she leads her team to make NY-DG a growth market again.

Matt Marlow is a Co-Head of Investment and Structured Finance at Altus Power, where
he leads strategic investment initiatives and financing solutions to shape the company’s
portfolio growth strategy. Previously, he held roles at Safari Energy and General Motors,
analyzing investment strategies across the energy sector. He holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University.

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Elena Weissmann is the Senior Regional Director for the Northeast at Vote Solar, directing legislative campaigns to advance equitable distributed solar deployment in New York and Massachusetts. Since joining Vote Solar in 2021, she has built and directed multi-organization coalitions that have shaped landmark clean energy policy in the region. Prior to joining Vote Solar, Elena worked in criminal justice reform and helped overhaul New York's cash bail system. She holds a BA/MPP from the University of Virginia and lives in Brooklyn.

Lisa Marshall joined the NYCP team after serving as Program Director of HeatSmart Tompkins, New York’s first and most successful Clean Heating and Cooling community program. As HeatSmart Director, Lisa implemented education and outreach about heat pumps and other building energy efficiency measures as well as providing direct support to households, businesses, and municipalities implementing building decarbonization. Under her leadership, HeatSmart Tompkins doubled previous program participation and dramatically increased the proportion of low-to-moderate homes getting heat pumps installed.
Prior to HeatSmart Tompkins, Lisa worked as a community organizer with the climate organization Mothers Out Front where she built and supported multiple local organizing teams around New York State. As a community organizer, she recruited and trained volunteers and helped them to shape, execute, and win local climate campaigns. She also collaborated with allies on multiple statewide campaigns and mobilizations. Within Mothers Out Front, she helped to architect and launch a multi-state “Beyond Gas” campaign.

A long-time member of the Renewable Heat Now campaign team, Lisa has been at the forefront of advocacy for building energy efficiency and heat pump adoption policy at the state level where she advocated effectively for bringing affordable, equitable building electrification to scale through education and outreach, messaging, lobbying and building grassroots pressure on elected officials and state agencies.

Lisa’s long-standing interest in climate change began decades ago when she wrote her first high school research paper on global warming. In graduate school, her research focused on changes in soil biogeochemistry due to climate and desertification. It wasn’t until moving to NY’s Southern Tier and buying a home that was leased to a gas company, that she became directly involved in climate and energy advocacy. Lisa holds an M.S. in Earth Science from Dartmouth College and a B.A. in Geology from Claremont McKenna College (via Pomona College).

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 a Master in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.

Nicole has over 4 years of experience in the solar energy industry, advancing sustainable solutions and developing distributed generation projects across North America.

Before joining Third Pillar, Nicole managed a diverse solar portfolio at EDP Renewables to support the growth of their distributed generation division, driving both environmental and economic benefits for local communities. Nicole is passionate about improving the efficient use of land and water resources by deploying floating solar projects throughout the Northeast.

Nicole holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences and French Language from the University of Connecticut, and a master's degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University. Outside of Third Pillar, Nicole enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and learning how to paint.

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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.

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Adam Romano is the Senior Director of Workforce Development and Training at AEA. Since he joined in 2008, Adam has provided research, consulting, and design services for commercial, multifamily, and residential buildings. With a commitment to advancing professional development at all levels, Adam has led many training and workforce development initiatives during his career designed to support, advance, and expand the national talent pipeline for energy engineering and clean energy technology. The success of these initiatives is due to Adam’s established relationships with key industry stakeholders, which have driven the development of training offerings designed to address critical needs and competency gaps identified by employers and programs.

Due to his range of expertise, Adam is frequently called upon to speak at local, national, and international conferences. He has delivered over 150 workshops and educational sessions on varied technical topics ranging from heat pump design and installation to high-performance building construction.

Michael is an associate in the firm’s Environmental and Renewable Energy Practices, where he assists attorneys in counseling clients on a wide range of environmental matters.

Prior to joining Hodgson Russ, Michael served as a law clerk for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General. He also clerked for a boutique litigation firm in the New York metro area. During law school, Michael interned for the Honorable Vincent L. Briccetti in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Prior to law school, Michael worked as a paralegal at law firms in Raleigh and Philadelphia.

Matthew Foran is a results-driven energy executive with over 20 years of experience leading complex connections, energy efficiency delivery, and strategic account functions at scale. He has built and guided high-performing teams, helping customers navigate strategic planning for their electric, gas, and renewables interconnection projects. He also possesses deep expertise in advising clients on how to manage their energy projects and initiatives in an evolving regulatory environment to deliver impactful results.

As President of Blackhorse Energy Advisors, he offers energy advisory services on energy infrastructure planning, renewable energy interconnections, energy efficiency and clean energy programs, energy contract strategy and negotiation, and utility engagement and coordination.

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.

Tony Wagler is the Director of Development at Paces, where he helps renewable energy developers tackle complex development challenges through automation and data-informed siting strategies, reducing timelines and eliminating inefficiency. Prior to joining Paces, Tony developed energy storage projects at Nexamp, contributing to New York State’s goal of deploying 6 GW of storage by 2030. Before that, he worked for TotalEnergies in the renewables division across the Middle East and Europe, spanning the full business development lifecycle of behind the meter solar projects.

Kate Daniel is the Senior Director for Distributed Power at SEIA.

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.

Jake Springer is the Policy Director, East Coast for Nexamp. In that role, he leads state policy and regulatory strategy for Nexamp across the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic. Prior to joining Nexamp in 2019, Jake served as an advisor on energy and environmental policy in the U.S. Senate. He is a graduate of Middlebury College and a native of Maine.

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.

Emilie Flanagan is the Chief Executive Officer at Carson Power, a New York–based developer focused on the clean energy transition of the State of New York. At Carson, she leads the day-to-day operations of the business and guides the overall vision of the business. Prior to founding Carson Power in March 2021, she was the Director of Project Development for Emerging Markets at Borrego Solar, where she led the incubation of new solar and storage development businesses across the US, primarily DG in the Mid-Atlantic and utility-scale in New York. Prior to this role, Emilie was a community solar project developer for Borrego in New York and originated over 200 MW of solar projects that have now reached PTO.

Solar Professional for over 11 years. Started Career in California, been living in NYC for last 8.5 years. Focus has been on PV design, B2B Sales, New product engineering, Business Development, etc. Have installed/designed/commissioned PV and ESS system in over 20 states.

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.

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”.

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.

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.

As the CEO of Ecosuite, Joel provides strategic leadership, oversees day to day operations, and ensures company success and profitability. With over 10 years in distributed energy and finance, Joel was most recently the Director of Platform at Ecogy Energy where he led the product and technology teams. Combining his expertise in energy markets, finance, and software development, Joel envisions the future of Ecosuite through a market-driven lense. His focus is on commercializing open-source DER deployment and management software to fuel an accelerated energy transition.

Glenn Laga is President and Co-Founder of Commercial Solar Panel Recycling (CSPR), where he is building nationwide infrastructure and partnerships to make solar panel reuse and recycling more accessible, cost-effective, and scalable.

Previously, Glenn founded Guardian Data Destruction and grew it from a local mobile operation into the nation’s largest provider of onsite end-of-life data destruction, logistics, and data center services, culminating in the company’s acquisition.

At CSPR, Glenn applies that experience to a new end-of-life challenge: developing practical circular economy solutions for solar developers, utilities, manufacturers, and municipalities. A member of NYSEIA, SEIA, and SWANA, he is focused on building the partnerships, processes, and infrastructure needed to keep solar panels out of landfills.

Linda Tatlow is a Director at NineDot Energy. Linda leads NineDot Labs where she focuses on policy and cross-functional strategic initiatives, bringing transformative ideas from concept through implementation. Linda’s work at NineDot Energy is bolstered by her broad-based financial and real estate expertise with experience spanning the private and public sectors, and non-profit space. Before transitioning into the clean energy space, Linda spent ten years at Fitch Ratings, where she was a Director, leading the ratings analysis of structured finance deals and corporate credits, including Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Latin American financial institutions. She began her career at the Federal Reserve Bank of NY. Linda is a CFA Charterholder and holds an MS in Real Estate Development from New York University’s Schack Institute and BS in International Business and Finance from the University of Richmond.

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As Senior Manager of Policy Strategy for Lightstar Renewables, Kelly concentrates on Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets where she oversees policy and regulatory affairs and collaborates with key stakeholders to foster strong working relationships. Kelly has been integral in advocating for agrivoltaics up and down the East Coast and manages the strategy for Lightstar's agrivoltaic projects in MD, NJ, and NY totaling (200 MW+). She also serves as Lightstar's on the ground policy person - engaging Farm Bureaus and local policymakers and educating communities regarding agrivoltaic practices.

Prior to Lightstar, Kelly was the Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for a non-profit, Clean Energy New Hampshire.

Karen Imas is the Director of Climate and Resiliency Policy for the Office of the NYC Comptroller, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a government relations, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement professional across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

In her current role to date, she has spearheaded strategies for clean energy deployment in New York City and advocated for increased funding for urban trees as critical infrastructure. Prior to joining the Comptroller's Office, Karen managed external affairs for the offshore wind project, Attentive Energy, driving the company's public positioning across local, state, and federal regulatory and policy landscapes. Before that, she served as the program and policy lead at Waterfront Alliance, where she led programs focused on coastal resilience, maritime infrastructure, and the revitalization of urban waterfront communities. Her extensive background also includes government relations consulting with CMW Strategies.

Deeply committed to her local community, Karen is active in Queens civic life, serving on Queens Community Board 6 and the board of the Friends of the QueensWay.

Eric Walker is the Energy Justice Senior Policy Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. Based in Buffalo, NY, he brings over 15 years of experience in solving social problems through the lens of climate change, energy systems, and health equity.

Eric has championed participatory policies and developed programs that empower vulnerable communities to drive a just and inclusive climate future. Most notably known for having co-founded PUSH Buffalo and spearheading its energy-related initiatives, he was also the catalyst and a co-creator of the NY Energy Democracy Alliance, the inaugural Director of Energy Development for Erie County government in Western New York, and recently served as subject matter expert in developing NYSERDA’s Energy Equity Action Plan to support the implementation of the state’s 2019 Climate Act.

His work at the intersection of energy governance, energy democracy, and climate justice has gained national recognition and made him a trusted advisor and thought leader.

Ty Baccile II is Partner & Chief Development Officer at National Energy Development (NED), bringing 15 years of execution‑focused experience advancing solar and energy projects throughout the United States. Baccile joined NED in 2026, after serving as Director of Solar Development for New Energy Equity, where he led complex community solar and distributed‑generation portfolios across multiple markets. Known for his ability to unlock stalled projects and drive disciplined execution, he brings steady, solutions‑driven leadership at a pivotal moment for the industry. With deep expertise spanning the full project lifecycle—early‑stage site identification, interconnection strategy, permitting, real estate and diligence work, NTP execution, and construction readiness—Baccile has built a reputation as a professional problem solver who can take projects from concept to completion with precision and integrity.

As a homeowner, husband, and father with young children, Ty envisions a future where New York boasts motivated, engaged, and productive stakeholders, recognizing that progress is essential to achieving this vision. A solar industry veteran and lifelong resident of Upstate New York, Ty possesses a profound understanding of the delicate balance between industry and community. He is not only a fervent advocate for community solar development but also blends innovation, business acumen, and local terrain knowledge to drive progress.

Annika Colston founded AC Power to bring unique vision to solar PV project development and management on landfill and brownfield sites. Annika has been developing alternative energy projects for nearly two decades and has experience across all aspects of project development. She has worked with all stakeholders needed to make alternative energy projects successful. These stakeholders include governments, local municipalities, Fortune 500 companies, landowners, utilities, and more. The breadth of her experience makes her capable of solving conflicts and bringing teams together to ensure success.

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.

John Afordakos is a Market Development Manager at Generac with more than 20 years of sales leadership experience, including over 15 years in residential solar. He works with solar and storage installers across the Mid-Atlantic to expand clean energy adoption, develop strong partnerships, and deliver resilient home energy solutions.

Paul P Gawrych, has a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection from the City University of New York (CUNY): John Jay College and a Master of Engineering in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Mr. Gawrych is a Professional Engineer (P.E.) licensed in fire protection engineering in multiple states. Mr. Gawrych has over 14 years of experience with a vast background in life safety, code consulting, performance-based design, and fire protection system design, including sprinkler, fire alarm and smoke control for atria, underground spaces, stairs, and elevators. With a thorough understanding of the codes, including NYC and the surrounding tri-state area, Paul has contributed to a number of complex projects with creative solutions. Over his professional career, he has been involved in projects on large high-rise buildings of differing occupancies, in addition to projects in other market segments such as the military, arenas/convention centers, government facilities, healthcare, educational, institutional, and hospitality.

Zaid Ashai is the Chairman and CEO of Nexamp, where he has guided the company’s transformation into one of the most trusted and innovative leaders in the distributed generation and clean energy space. Under Zaid’s leadership, Nexamp has scaled significantly, empowering communities across the United States to access affordable renewable energy while championing a sustainable future.

Before joining Nexamp’s executive team, Zaid was a General Partner at Point Judith Capital, overseeing investments in breakthrough energy companies. Prior to this, he was a Kauffman Fellow, where he focused on advancing next-generation clean energy technologies, including Nexamp, 3TIER, and Emergence Bioenergy. Zaid began his career in finance as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse.

In addition to his role at Nexamp, Zaid serves on the boards of Sparkcharge, Upside Financial, and Vote Solar. He has also previously served on the boards of Powerhouse Dynamics, Kalpan Hydro, 3TIER, Power Assure, and MyEnergy, where he played a pivotal role in advancing innovative clean energy and technology solutions.

A dedicated advocate for the clean energy transition, Zaid holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, where he was named a Zuckerman Fellow. He earned his BA in International Relations and Economics with honors from Brown University.
Zaid’s leadership reflects his unwavering belief that clean energy should be accessible to everyone and that innovative, community-focused solutions can reshape the future of energy.

Ian Latimer is a Program Manager with NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Siting team, where he works directly with local governments, community and regional planning experts, and other stakeholders to pursue responsible clean energy development and deployment. His work addresses interdisciplinary challenges around local and state policymaking, land-use planning and zoning, community engagement, environmental and social impacts, and other related topics.

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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.

Teagan Hough is a Sales Manager at Daikin comfort, bringing expertise in sales and revenue operations across diverse sectors. Their background demonstrates a focus on driving sales growth and optimizing revenue streams.

In previous roles, Teagan served as Manager, Sales Planning at Motili, contributing to scalable HVAC technology solutions. As Global Manager, Gtm Revenue Operations at WAYLEADR, they focused on optimizing revenue operations within the software sector. Earlier, at Signpost, Teagan served as Sales Chief of Staff, contributing to client relationship management and business development initiatives within a CRM software environment.

Building on this experience, Teagan was a National Enterprise Representative at ANGI Homeservices, connecting homeowners with service professionals. Prior to this, Teagan contributed as an Executive Administrative and Marketing Coordinator at Gold Coast Realty Chicago, supporting marketing campaigns and administrative functions within the real estate sector. Their work history also includes roles at Ceannate as Loanlook Outside Sales Representative and HR Specialist.

Teagan graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with a degree in Crimonology and Lake Zurich High School.

Dan is the Practice Leader for the firm's Green Building, Land Use & Economic Development, and Real Property Tax Assessment & Eminent Domain Practices, as well as the Cleantech and Renewable Energy Practices Co-Leader. He concentrates his practice on issues involving environmental law, renewable energy, sustainable development, land use law, municipal law, and real estate development. His practice involves numerous renewable energy projects, including representing municipalities, developers, land owners, and financing entities. His work, from project inception through successful litigation, includes some of the largest wind farms in the eastern United States; multiple utility and small-scale solar projects; and landfill, gas-to-energy, biomass, storage, transmission, and energy efficiency projects. He successfully litigated a case of first impression concerning a municipality's right to regulate power-generating facilities based on greenhouse gas emissions.

Dan’s general municipal practice involves a wide area of services. He regularly counsels municipal clients on budgeting, leasing, environmental, zoning, assessment, financial, eminent domain, and other matters. His litigation experience includes tax assessment matters, land use issues, financial matters, and other issues before administrative and judicial forums. He assists developers and communities in development projects, including obtaining financial assistance and complying with historic preservation guidelines. Dan has successfully represented clients in local governmental and judicial forums, including cases involving zoning and development decisions. He has drafted laws for municipalities on issues ranging from enforcing zoning codes and green buildings, to regulations under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. He is well versed in the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act and has guided many communities through the environmental review process.

Dan’s practice also includes work in areas concerning the valuation of property. He represents property owners and municipalities in condemnation proceedings and tax assessment challenges, from the initial filing of claims, all the way through to trial. His clients include municipal redevelopment agencies, developers, and taxpayers throughout New York State.

Dan brings a strong background in municipal affairs to his practice from an earlier era in his career, when he served as finance director for a sizeable city in Arizona.

Matt Foran is National Grid’s Interim VP of Account Management NY. His Customer Account Management teams develop strategic plans with our largest customers and developers on electric and gas infrastructure, energy efficiency, demand management and electrification. He also leads the teams that coordinate the planning and delivery of customer-driven electric connections and gas connections projects as well as the interconnection of renewable power projects. Matt has been an employee of National Grid for 28 years and has held various leadership roles in sales, energy efficiency and business development. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Brown University and an MBA from Babson College. He enjoys playing bass guitar in a local rock band and taking long walks with his wife Barbara and chocolate lab Hazel.

Anthony is at JCI for 16 years across various roles within the Sustainable Infrastructure group in the Northeast. Currently resides in the NY Capital District and leads the JCI Solutions sales & development teams in New York & New England. Holds a mechanical engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, MBA in Energy & Sustainability Studies from Franklin Pierce University, and maintains Certified Energy Manager and Professional Engineer certifications within the industry. In his current role, acts as the customer’s advocate in interactions with the JCI organization to ensure the customer receives the best value from technical offerings. Developed, managed, and installed ~50MW across NYS in the last decade across K-12 institutions and local government entities.

Jon is ConnectDER’s VP of Policy and Market Strategy. He has been with the company since its founding, and has held a number of roles including product design, product management, and manufacturing. His current focus is on enabling the use of ConnectDER meter socket adapters in an ever-growing number of states via standards updates, utility engagement, and legislative or regulatory efforts. Jon lives on a small farm in Pennsylvania with his wife and a constantly evolving but always steadily increasing number of animals.

Doug is a leading legal advocate for Solar Energy Deployment in New York State. His legal guidance has resulted in the development, permitting, and deployment of more than 50 2MW Utility Scale Community Distributed Generation Solar Farms.

Doug is an outstanding land use and real estate litigator in the Hudson Valley with over 20 years successfully representing Fortune 500 public utility entities, private individuals, and municipalities.

Besides being a skilled litigator, Doug provides unique business solutions, strategic advice, and counseling to businesses on a broad range of legal and contractual matters.

Before joining the firm, Doug was employed by one of Long Island’s preeminent municipal law and land use law firms. He is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law (1995) and Lafayette College (1989), and is admitted to practice in New York State.

Michael Fingar has led the development and execution of over 250 MWdc of community-scale solar projects across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Before joining 38 Degrees North, he was Chief Operating Officer at U.S. Light Energy. In this role, he oversaw project feasibility, design, permitting, and execution, guiding numerous projects through complex interconnection, land acquisition, and municipal coordination across ISO-NE, NYISO, and PJM. Michael began his career in 2011 as a PV installer of commercial rooftop systems. He later managed engineering for behind-the-meter projects in New York and led EPC efforts for remote net metering systems in Massachusetts. He also led operations and maintenance for over 100 distributed solar assets.

Christopher A. Koetzle is the Executive Director of the Association of Towns of the State of New York. Mr. Koetzle began this statewide role after serving 15 years as the Town Supervisor in the Town of Glenville in Schenectady County.

Mr. Koetzle began his public service career in 2007 when he was elected to the Glenville Town Board and has served as town supervisor since winning his 2009 election, becoming the longest-serving supervisor in the history of the town of nearly 30,000 residents. Mr. Koetzle also previously served the Association of Towns on both its Resolutions Committee, which is tasked with developing the Association’s legislative platform that is voted on every year, and its Executive Committee, which is the governing board of the Association.

A natural collaborator and problem-solver, Mr. Koetzle will call on his strong financial and communications backgrounds to lead the Association in its daily operations and advocacy at the state and federal levels on behalf of the 933 towns in New York State that are home to more than 9 million total residents.

A graduate of St. John Fisher College (B.A.) in Rochester and SUNY-Brockport (M.A.), Mr. Koetzle has served in many volunteer organizations and service organizations and has received numerous professional distinctions. He is married and has three children.

Ruthie is the Director of State Affairs managing policy and advocacy efforts in the Northeast region.

Prior to joining SEIA, Ruthie worked at PosiGen, where she advanced equitable solar policy aimed at expanding access to residential solar and delivering meaningful savings to those who need it most. Her work in solar and storage is guided by a commitment to centering frontline communities and the urgent need to increase grid reliability.

Ruthie received her BA in African American Studies from the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor and an MS in Energy & Sustainability from Northwestern University. When she’s not listening to energy podcasts, you can find Ruthie swimming laps, playing pickleball, or hanging out with family and friends. A native of California, she now resides in Brooklyn.

Kevin co-founded GreenSpark Solar in 2002 and assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2008. Under his leadership, GreenSpark became the 11th fastest-growing business in Rochester in 2015, and
reached the top spot on the Rochester Chamber of Commerce's Fastest Growing Companies list in 2017 and 2023.

Kevin's industry involvement extends to his position on the board of NYSEIA (New York Solar Energy Industries Association), advocating for sustainable growth of solar energy across New York State.
Additionally, he serves on the board of the Amicus Solar Cooperative, a member-owner purchasing cooperative of over 70 independent, values-driven solar energy companies represented in all 50 states, US
territories, and Canada.

Recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for his contributions to the distributed solar & wind industry, Kevin boasts over 1 GW of renewable energy installations across the country. His accolades range from the inaugural recipient of the Community Wind Innovator Award in 2011 to being named Business Person of the Year in 2022. Kevin's commitment to policy advocacy and championing the interests of small and mid-sized solar and wind businesses is evident in these accomplishments.

Kevin's dedication to renewable energy is matched by his commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture, with GreenSpark consistently named a Rochester Top Workplace. He continues to drive meaningful work within the solar industry, making a tangible difference for our communities and the environment.

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Mr. Luesebrink joined Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure in 2022 as a Partner. He focuses primarily on business origination and development as well as commercial strategy for the firm. Mr. Luesebrink was previously a Senior Vice President, Development at ENGIE where he oversaw the origination, development and acquisition of distributed solar and storage projects. Prior to ENGIE, Eric held a series of roles at Edison International and its various subsidiaries, including Edison Energy, Edison Mission Energy and Edison Capital. Responsibilities included origination and development of wind and solar opportunities, renewable asset financing and various strategic initiatives. At EME, the team acquired, developed and constructed nearly 1,800 MW of wind projects located throughout the US. Prior to joining Edison, Eric worked in the project finance group at the Fluor Corporation where he evaluated major infrastructure project investments. Eric received a Bachelor’s from the University of California at Berkeley and an MBA in Finance from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.

Navneet Trivedi is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Vrinda Inc.(www.vrindainc.com), a New York-based Strategy Implementation advisory firm focused on energy transition across the Energy & Utility sector.

Navneet is an Energy Transition Realist with a firm belief that value-based business models and practical implementation strategies to deliver for all stakeholders are key to a sustainable path towards energy transition. As decision

With more than 33+ years of experience across eight countries and work with over 100 electric utilities and technology companies, Navneet advises senior executives, regulators, and market stakeholders on the business and operating model decisions required to navigate the energy transition.

Navneet's work centers on high-impact issues, including energy storage, Grid Modernization, building decarbonization, and models for shifting from traditional electricity delivery to broader energy services. Trained as an electrical engineer with advanced study in energy systems and business, Navneet brings industry depth, strategic perspective, and practical execution to help organizations turn complex transition challenges into sustainable business value.

Nachum Sadan is the founder and CEO of GridEdge Networks, a technology company and developer of networking solutions that enable grid integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DER), Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging and Discharging (V2G).

Nachum is the inventor of DERCOM – A distributed flexible interconnection platform for DER and EVs. In 2020 GridEdge partnered with Avangrid’s Smart Grid Innovation group to develop and field test DERCOM in CT and NY. The company received two grants from NYSERDA for developing a “DER Closed-loop Control System Using Distributed Communications” in 2021 and a “Flexible Interconnection and Grid Services Platform for DER, ESS and EV Charging” in 2023. In 2024 GridEdge was awarded a grant from the State of CT under the IES program to demonstrate “Grid Integration of EV Fleets Using V2G Technology” and successfully completed the project in 2026. DERCOM has been Alpha tested in CT from 2023 to 2025 and Beta tested in NY from 2025 to 2026. First commercial deployments are planned in 2027.

Nachum holds a Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston and is an active member of the IEEE-PES and contributor to the IEEE 1547 interconnection standard. He holds 7 US patents and is the author of a number of technical papers and an invited speaker at industry events including NY-BEST (4 times), IEEE TD World (2 times), Distributech (2 times), IEEE-PES Grid Edge Technologies (2023), and IEEE-PES GM (2025).

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As New Leaf Energy’s Director of Policy and Business Development for New York, Alex Chaplin works to remove barriers to renewable energy deployment and guide New Leaf’s strategy within the state. Since joining New Leaf in 2021, Alex has focused on several policy areas across New England and New York including interconnection processes, ISO markets, and energy storage charging tariffs. Prior to New Leaf, Alex worked as an analyst for the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company where he helped municipal electric utilities optimize their assets’ participation within ISO-NE. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA, and lives in Waterford, NY with his two dogs.

Jason Kaplan is the President and Chief Legal Officer of PowerMarket, a leading community solar acquisition and management provider with over 850 MW under management. Jason is a leading advocate for the inclusion of low-income communities in community solar and has published numerous articles on the subject. Along with his other responsibilities, Jason has led the development of key strategic partnerships with non-profit organizations in NY and beyond that serve these LMI communities, including the Salvation Army and Resource Council of WNY. Jason loves being a vocal participant in community solar working groups, ensuring program rules align with both public policy goals and the practical realities of implementation. He holds a JD and Masters in Policy from Vermont Law School, cum laude, and BA in Geology from Colgate University, cum laude.