Full Agenda

Kristofor Anderson

Director, Energy Resources Division, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; Member at Large, NASEO Board of Directors

Kristofor Anderson is the director of energy resources for the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA). This division serves as the state of Georgia’s energy office, where Anderson manages millions of dollars in federal grants for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy resiliency. Anderson also manages the state energy office programs including the Weatherization Assistance Program, the State Energy Program, the Fuel Storage Tank Program, and multiple newly created programs by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Prior to joining GEFA, Anderson was a planning consultant and worked on a range of planning and management programs for federal and energy industry clients.

Anderson received a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and received a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Janine Benner

Director, Oregon Department of Energy

Janine Benner is the director of the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). Janine joined ODOE in 2017 as assistant director for Planning and Innovation and was confirmed by the Oregon Senate as director in February of 2018. Janine came to ODOE from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), where she served as associate assistant secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. Janine also spent 12 years working for Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), as energy and environmental policy advisor, legislative director, and deputy chief of staff. She grew up in Portland, OR and has a degree in history from Princeton University.

Ben Brouwer

Bureau Chief, Energy Bureau, Montana Department of Environmental Quality; Member, NASEO Board of Directors

Nick Burger

Deputy Director, Energy Administration, District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment; Member, NASEO Board of Directors

Nick Burger is the Deputy Director of the Energy Administration. He was previously a Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation and the director of RAND’s Washington office. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his research has focused on energy, climate, and resilience issues. At DOEE, Nick leads a team that is working to improve the District’s building energy efficiency, access to renewable energy, and clean transportation options. His team designs and implements a range of programs that make energy cleaner and more accessible for District residents.

Nick was a Lead Author on the Fourth Assessment Report produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and is the author of two dozen academic papers and reports. Nick has worked with Habitat for Humanity of DC for ten years, helping them construct eight Passive homes for District residents. He served as an ANC Commissioner in ANC 6B for four years and has worked extensively on zoning and housing expansion. Most recently he served on the District’s Green Building Advisory Council.

John Clinger

Senior Director, Energy and Data Center Solutions, ICF

John Clinger coordinates data center strategy across ICF, supporting developers, investors, utilities, and public sector clients worldwide. His technical focus covers renewable energy integration, large-load grid challenges, on-site power, and efficiency best practices for both data center facilities and IT infrastructure.

John led technical and marketing strategy for the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR data center initiatives for over a decade, co-designed and managed the U.S. DOE’s Better Buildings Data Center program, and remains an advisor to both agencies on data center strategy. His regulatory experience includes supporting the European Commission on environmental policy for data centers, as well as equipping utilities, state agencies, and municipalities with frameworks for sustainable, long-term market growth.

John also oversees a wide range of broader energy initiatives focused on grid decarbonization, energy efficiency, and emerging technologies. He holds an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B.C.E. in Computer Engineering from the University of Delaware.

Molly Cripps

Director, Office of Energy Programs, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Molly is the Director of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs (OEP). In addition to Molly’s energy-related work, she serves as the Director of Operations for the Bureau of Environment, including emergency and environmental response efforts.

Molly leads teams that focus on the design and implementation of clean energy and sustainable transportation programs and projects, including those funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and Tennessee’s allocation under the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust.  She has served on the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Board of Directors since 2014 and is currently serving as the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee.  She also serves as the Co-chair of the NASEO & National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Advanced Nuclear State Collaborative and supports Governor Lee’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Council.  Molly is a member of the Executive Committee for the Drive Electric TN Consortium and represents TDEC on the Energy Efficient Schools Council and various TVA information exchanges and working groups.

Prior to joining the State in 2010, Molly spent several years practicing law in Tennessee, with a focus on compliance and municipal liability defense. She holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Tennessee and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Maria Effertz

Director, Division of Community Services, North Dakota Department of Commerce

Maria Effertz is the Community and Economic Development Lead with the North Dakota Department of Commerce. She works with the Main Street Program, ED&F developers and state liaison for community development programming. Prior to joining Commerce in April 2020, Maria worked in marketing and external relations for engineering and oil and gas development.

Maria has degrees in public relations, political science and management. Maria is from and currently lives near Velva, has two kids, two horses, one dog and too many cats to count.

Jeffrey Genzer

General Counsel, National Association of State Energy Officials

Jeffrey C. Genzer joined Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke, P.C. in 1985. His practice has concentrated on energy and environmental counseling and litigation. He has worked on electric and natural gas ratemaking, energy project development, bulk power supply, transmission system issues, contract negotiation, franchise and municipalization issues, alternative energy sources, conservation and energy efficiency programs, including demand-side management and integrated resource planning programs.

In the environment area he has been involved especially in Clean Air Act and Toxic Substances Control Act issues and all phases of environmental reviews for energy projects.

He has appeared before a variety of federal agencies and state and federal courts, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a variety of state commissions, agencies and courts. He also has an active federal legislative practice. He has worked with a number of local and state governments throughout the United States from New York to Hawaii. Mr. Genzer presently serves as General Counsel to the National Association of State Energy Officials, the National Association of Energy Service Companies, the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association and the Energy Programs Consortium. He has spoken on numerous occasions, especially on federal legislative activities, energy, environmental and utility issues.

Prior to entering law school, Mr. Genzer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia. He worked on a number of development projects and served as the first energy planner in the region. Mr. Genzer supervised, planned, and constructed numerous water systems and other construction projects. He also prepared legislation and successful grant proposals. While in law school, Mr. Genzer was employed at the National Consumer Law Center.

He monitored legislative and regulatory activities and wrote legal and policy memoranda in the field of energy law. After his second year of law school, Mr. Genzer clerked for Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke, P.C. Prior to returning to the firm, he served as Staff Counsel to the Committee on Energy and Environment of the National Governors' Association. In that role he drafted legislation in the energy and environmental area, and served as the chief energy lobbyist for the Association. He provided legal analysis for the Governors on such issues as electric utility regulation, nuclear waste, oil overcharge refunds, toxic victims compensation, and natural gas regulation and a variety of environmental issues. Mr. Genzer also coordinated the activities of the state energy offices. His practice is focused on energy, environmental, utility and legislative matters.

Dominique Gómez

Deputy Director, Colorado Energy Office

Dominique Gómez is the Deputy Director of the Colorado Energy Office which works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and consumer energy costs by advancing energy, energy efficiency and zero emissions vehicles to benefit all Coloradans.

Prior to this role, she served as the Program Director at the Salazar Center at Colorado State University where she focused on climate adaptation and resilience, and as Chief Operating Officer at WaterSmart Software where she worked on operations at a fast-growing startup.

Dominique is a Commissioner at Denver Water and a member of the Board at Cascadia Consulting, a sustainability consulting firm based in Seattle, as well as Communities Unlimited, a nonprofit serving rural with persistent poverty. She lives in Denver with her husband and young daughters

The Honorable Catherine Jereza

Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy

Catherine (Katie) Jereza serves as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity (OE). She leads the Department's research, development and demonstration programs to strengthen and modernize our nation’s power grid.

She returns to OE in 2025 after serving as OE’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transmission Permitting and Technical Assistance from 2017-2019. During that time, she led Department efforts to promote the reliability, security and affordability of electricity infrastructure. In between her positions at OE, she served as a Corporate Vice President for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), providing strategic leadership for government and external engagement.

Ms. Jereza has more than 30 years of experience in the energy, water, and manufacturing industries, where she led multiple startups, turnaround and major problem-solving initiatives. Specifically, she was the Director for Infrastructure Resilience at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Program Director at Energetics Incorporated, and Environmental Specialist at the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Water Supply Program. She also worked as a sales engineer for GE Water and Process Technologies and the Lincoln Electric Company.

Ms. Jereza was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025. She holds an MBA from the Loyola University Maryland and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Robin LeBaron

President and Co-Founder, Pearl

Robin LeBaron is the president, and co-founder of Pearl, a national firm that is transforming the way homes are bought and sold in the U.S. by certifying high-performing homes and creating a platform that connects homeowners with the professionals who build, improve, sell, and finance high-performing homes. Prior to co-founding Pearl, Robin served as the Managing Director of the National Home Performance Council, a national non-profit organization created to promote energy efficiency upgrades in U.S. homes, where he led national efforts that developed energy efficiency, real estate home data, and certification standards, and authored guides on best practices in energy efficiency for the U.S. Department of Energy and other stakeholders. He previously served as the executive director of Hope Community, Inc., a non-profit based in East Harlem, New York, that built and managed 1,200 units of affordable housing, including the first affordable LEED Silver multi-family buildings in New York City.

Elizabeth Mahony

Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

Elizabeth Mahony most recently worked for Attorneys General Andrea Joy Campbell and Maura Healey as an Assistant Attorney General and Senior Policy Advisor for Energy. Elizabeth served in the Energy and Telecommunications Division, focusing on utility clean energy procurements, solar program development, clean energy rate design, consumer protections, and legislative engagement. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Elizabeth was Acting General Counsel for the Department of Energy Resources and Committee Counsel to Benjamin Downing, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy before that. Prior to her work in the energy field, Elizabeth was an associate at a small litigation firm in Quincy, Massachusetts, and was Public Affairs Director for the late Senator Susan C. Fargo (D-Lincoln). She is a member of the Boston Bar Association’s Energy Committee. Elizabeth is a graduate of Marist College and Suffolk University Law School. She lives in Walpole.

The Honorable Matthew Marzano

Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The Honorable Matthew J. Marzano was appointed as Commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S Senate to a term ending June 30, 2028.

Marzano previously served as a “detailee” from the Idaho National Laboratory on the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, where he advised the committee on policy matters relating to clean air, climate, and energy, including the bipartisan ADVANCE Act.

Prior to this role, Marzano was selected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional Fellow, representing the American Nuclear Society and serving on the U.S. Senate EPW Committee. Marzano combines his policy background with more than a decade of experience in the nuclear industry, during which he focused on nuclear energy systems for both defense and commercial applications.

Marzano earned his Senior Reactor Operator license at Braidwood Nuclear Power Station, in Illinois, where he led installation testing of a modernized control system to improve plant performance and safety. He began his career as a civilian instructor for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program at the U.S. Department of Energy. In that capacity, he oversaw the training of U.S. Navy personnel preparing for assignment as nuclear plant operators on submarines and aircraft carriers. Following this role, Marzano transitioned to the commercial nuclear power industry at the V.C. Summer new nuclear construction project in South Carolina, where he supported construction activities while pursuing a Senior Reactor Operator license.

Dr. Andrew McAllister

Commissioner, California Energy Commission

Andrew McAllister was first appointed to the California Energy Commission in 2012, and in 2022 was reappointed by Governor Newsom to a third term. Commissioner McAllister leads the areas of building decarbonization, energy efficiency and load flexibility. He has worked on the clean energy transition for more than three decades, in more than a dozen countries partnering with counterparts ranging from tiny remote communities to large utilities. Commissioner McAllister serves in numerous leadership roles including on the boards of Western Interstate Energy Board, the National Association of State energy Officials, the Smart Electric Power Alliance, the Dartmouth Irving Institute for Energy and Society and Camp Kesem at UC Davis. He holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, and B.A. from Dartmouth College. He served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer.

Joe Pater

Director, Office of Energy Innovation, Wisconsin Public Service Commission

Nicholas Preservati

Director, West Virginia Office of Energy

Mr. Preservati has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry as a C-suite executive, general counsel, and litigator.  He has received an AV Preeminent Peer-Review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers.  He has also been nominated by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Energy Law and Natural Resources Law and has been recognized by Chambers USA for Energy & Natural Resources Law.

Mitchell Simpson

Director, Energy Office, Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment

Mitchell Simpson is the director of the Arkansas Energy Office (AEO), a division of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Mr. Simpson has managed various local, state, and federal programs and divisions in municipalities like Little Rock and in branches of state government including the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services. At AEO, he directs the office’s energy efficiency, weatherization, transportation, financing, and market preparation programming. He holds a master's degree in public administration from Arkansas State University and a juris doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Julie Staveland

State Energy Office Director and Assistant Division Director, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; Secretary, NASEO Board of Directors

Sue Stocker

Chief Financial Officer, National Association of State Energy Officials

Susan Stocker is responsible for oversight of the financial and accounting functions of NASEO.  She leads budget planning and execution and oversees compliance with federal cost allocation and related regulations. Ms. Stocker has over 30 years of accounting experience. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Stocker was the Senior Accounting Manager at Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc. She reports to NASEO’s President.

Kenya Stump

Executive Director, Office of Energy Policy, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet

Kenya Stump was appointed as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy in March of 2020. Prior to that, Kenya served Assistant Director for the Division of Energy Assistance within the Office of Energy Policy. Before her work in energy, Kenya managed the environmental assistance programs at the Cabinet including environmental leadership, brownfields, and compliance assistance with the Division of Compliance Assistance. She also served as environmental scientist and policy advisor for the Director’s Office at the Division for Air Quality.  Prior to moving to state government in Frankfort, she served as an environmental consultant with the Kentucky Business Environmental Assistance Program at the University of Kentucky.  Kenya has master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Public Administration from Indiana University and the University of Kentucky, respectively.  She also holds a post-graduate certificate in Environmental Systems and graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry.

David Terry

President, National Association of State Energy Officials

David Terry is the President of NASEO. Mr. Terry leads NASEO's policy actions and programs in support of the 56 governor-designated state and territory energy directors and their offices. NASEO communicates the states' views on virtually all national energy issues. Mr. Terry has participated in governor-led policy meetings, testified before U.S. Congressional Committees and presented at White House and international energy forums.  Mr. Terry has 25 years of experience working on a range of energy issues for such organizations as the Governors’ Wind and Solar Energy and Coalition and U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to working in the energy area, Mr. Terry was researcher at the National Academy of Sciences and an analyst for a federal advisory committee focused on U.S.  energy technology innovation and global competitiveness.

Curtis Thayer

Executive Director, Alaska Energy Authority

Curtis W. Thayer is the executive director at the Alaska Energy Authority, the state's energy office and lead agency for statewide energy policy and program development. His past roles include president and CEO for the Alaska Chamber, commissioner of the Department of Administration and cabinet member for Governor Parnell, deputy commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, and working with Alaska’s Congressional Delegation. He also held roles at ENSTAR Natural Gas Company and the Alaska Gas Producers Pipeline Team. His board experience includes Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, Alaska Retirement Management Board, Alaska Royalty Oil and Gas Development Advisory Board, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 and current Chair of Alaska's Board of Marine Pilots. He is a graduate of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Executive Energy Leadership Academy and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Dr. Will Toor

Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office

In January 2019, Will Toor joined the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) as its Executive Director appointed by Governor Jared Polis. Will’s background spans transportation electrification, sustainable transportation, smart growth, electric vehicle policy, clean energy finance, green building policy, local government policy and regional planning. Prior to CEO, Will was Transportation Program Director at the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP). Before SWEEP, Will served as Boulder County Commissioner for eight years where he led the effort to create and adopt a countywide Sustainable Energy Plan, the BuildSmart green building code, the EnergySmart program, and the ClimateSmart Loan Program. Prior to being elected Boulder County Commissioner, Will served as Mayor of Boulder for six years where he developed Boulder's community transit network, EcoPass unlimited access transit pass programs, and policies for denser, mixed-use urban infill development as an alternative to sprawl. Will previously served on and chaired the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). He was appointed by Governor Ritter to the state Transportation Funding and Implementation blue ribbon panel, the Governor's Climate Action Panel, and the Regional Air Quality Council. He was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to the Air Quality Control Commission and the state oil and gas taskforce. Will spent 12 years as Director of the University of Colorado Environmental Center, where he developed campus sustainability programs in the areas of solid waste, building energy use, and transportation planning. Will holds a BS in Physics from Carnegie Mellon University and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago.

Emily Wilbur

Director, Division of Energy, Missouri Department of Natural Resources; Member, NASEO Board of Directors

John Williams

Chief Policy Officer, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

John Williams was appointed Chief Policy Officer for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on June 24, 2025.

In this position, Mr. Williams is responsible for providing guidance for energy policy development for New York State, which includes work with NYSERDA's Government and Regulatory Affairs unit, as well as supporting statewide policy activities including the Energy Planning Board, the Climate Action Council, and the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. He oversees the Policy, Analysis, & Research team, providing economic analysis and scientific research to best inform policymakers in energy and environmental issues as well as the Business Performance Management unit, which provides market characterization and evaluation, markets and statistical insights, and metrics and performance analysis, all of which guide effective clean energy strategies. In addition, Mr. Williams’ responsibilities include the reporting and performance of NYSERDA’s West Valley Site Management Program.

Mr. Williams serves as NYSERDA’s designee on the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment. Mr. Williams currently serves as Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Energy Officials. Mr. Williams is the recipient in 2021 of a Public Service Excellence Award from the State Academy for Public Administration.

Mr. Williams’ previous work experience includes serving as Energy Counsel for the New York State Assembly; Staff Attorney for The Energy Project of the Pace University School of Law; and Financial Analyst for the Public Service Company of New Mexico, a combined electric and natural gas utility serving the largest markets in the state of New Mexico. Mr. Williams earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Columbia University, a Juris Doctor degree from the St. John’s University School of Law, and a Master of Laws degree in Environmental Law from the Pace University School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in the states of New York and New Jersey.