Agenda
2025 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop
The 2025 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop is free for members to attend. We look forward to hosting you at PSE in Bellevue, Washington!
Day 1
Monday, October 13
*All times in Pacific Time Zone
6:00 PM
Opening Reception
Meet with SECC's Board of Directors and fellow members during this one-hour opening reception at the InterContinental Seattle Bellevue, our event hotel.
Sponsored by:
Day 2
Tuesday, October 14
8:30
Registration Open
9:30
Welcome & Year-In-Review
Welcome to the 2025 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop, hosted at PSE's headquarters in Bellevue.
- Nathan Shannon, President & CEO, Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative
10:00
Keynote Address: Aaron August, SVP, Chief Customer & Transformation Officer, PSE
During this keynote address, you will learn about how Puget Sound Energy is engaging with their consumers through new strategic initiatives around demand response, time-of-use (TOU) rates and virtual power plants, while maintaining a steadfast focus on customers, the quality of their experiences, and their pivotal role in this evolving energy landscape.
10:30
Morning Break
Sponsored by:
11:00
Keynote Panel: Consumer Pulse and Market Segmentation
SECC’s “Consumer Pulse and Market Segmentation” report has helped those in the energy industry to make meaningful connections with consumers for over a decade. With the release of our latest report, the ninth wave, we will showcase our latest consumer research findings and share how the latest consumer segmentation framework can lead to improved customer satisfaction and engagement.
- Brad Langley, Chief Marketing Officer, GridX
- Austin Medford, Supervisor, Power Supply, Cobb EMC
- Nikki Poe, Supervisor of Program Development, Electricities of North Carolina
- Arnold Santayana, Interim Director, Enterprise Customer Experience, CPS Energy
11:45
Awarding Those Who Make a Difference
Each year, we honor a few select members that stand out in their achievements with SECC.
Noon
Networking Lunch
Form new connections within SECC’s diverse group of members.
Sponsored by:
1:00
SECC Committee Breakout Sessions – Part One
Let your voice be heard and influence the work that SECC will deliver in 2026. These breakout sessions will provide attendees the opportunity to discuss the ways to collectively understand consumers, grow consumer knowledge around smart energy initiatives and expand SECC’s stakeholder engagement efforts.
2:00
Afternoon Break
Sponsored by:
2:30
Consumer Spotlight: Low Income & Gen Z
Energy affordability, understanding of energy technologies, as well as willingness to take part in energy programs, impacts all consumers, but those in lower-income and younger demographics are often much harder for utilities to reach and connect with. This session will highlight some findings from our latest Spotlight series and how utilities should act for meaningful impact.
- Leigh Winterbottom, Director of Rate Marketing, ICF
- Angelika Hoelger, Research Manager, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives
- Danielle Olaya, Community Relations Program Manager, Salt River Project
- Mehul Trivedi, Chief Innovation Officer, SEW.AI
3:30
Consumer Spotlight: Rural vs. Suburban vs. Urban
How much does location impact energy consumers and their understanding of utility programs and services? We look closer at the findings from our latest Spotlight series to show how and where consumers live results in different energy habits with the utilities that serve them.
- Scott Rosenberg, Co-Founder & CEO, 257
- Sara Bowles, Program Manager, Tacoma Power
- Paul Lindfors, Program Director, CLEAResult
- Thomas Sagstetter, Sr. Product Portfolio Manager, Xcel Energy
4:30
Meet the Board! Speeches, Election and Installation
The current Board of Directors is introduced, and board candidates share the reasons why they are well positioned to serve in the organization’s leadership. Attendees cast their votes, and the newly elected board members are formally instated.
5:00
Adjourn
5:30
Evening Reception
Sponsored by:
Day 3
Wednesday, October 15
9:00
Welcome Back
9:15
Distributing Demand Response
SECC research shows more consumers are willing to take part in demand response programs but still want the feeling of control over their energy usage. Hear from your peers as we discuss how consumers have engaged with innovative demand response opportunities.
- Mitch Droz, Program Manager, Demand Response, Puget Sound Energy
- Jordan Folks, Director, Demand Flexibility, Opinion Dynamics
- Dan Jacobson, Senior Marketing Manager, Landis+Gyr
- Paul Wezner, Chief Product and Customer Officer, Powerley
10:00
Challenges of Electrification: Managing Customer Behavior and Expectations
This session will explore residential customer experiences with cold climate and hybrid heat pump systems, including perceived energy savings, bill savings, thermal comfort and thermostat setback habits. As utilities encourage customers to electrify their homes, they will need to manage customer expectations as electric rates continue to increase.
- Geoff Barker, PhD, Principal Consultant, DNV
- Jesse Durst, Senior Market Analyst, Energy Efficiency Services, Puget Sound Energy
- Blake Herrschaft, Electrification Programs Manager, Peninsula Clean Energy
10:45
Morning Break
Sponsored by:
11:00
Connecting Consumers to Time-of-Use Rates
SECC research shows more consumers have made a rate change recently but not many understand what their new time-of-use rate plan entails and how to maximize its benefit. This session will showcase how a successful TOU rate plan can become a win-win-win for everyone.
- Darleen DeRosa, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Bidgely Inc.
- Scott Engstrom, Chief Customer Officer, GridX
- Vanessa Richter, Energy Industry Solutions Expert, Oracle Opower
- Kevin Rivard, Product Development Manager, New Products & Services, Puget Sound Energy
Noon
Networking Lunch
Form new connections within SECC’s diverse group of members.
Sponsored by:
1:00
Virtual Power Plants, Real Savings
With greater focus on grid stability and reliability, utilities are leaning into virtual power plant solutions to create real value and savings with the help of the customers in their service territory. This session will highlight some successful outreach campaigns to keep consumers engaged for the greatest benefit.
- Bob Champagne, Digital Transformation Officer, BHC Global
- Nick Bengtson, Regional Director - Utility Sales, EnergyHub
- Brittainy Pond, Program Manager, Demand Response, Puget Sound Energy
- Vincent Potter, Energy Project Manager, NC Clean Energy Technology Center
2:00
SECC Committee Breakout Sessions – Part Two
We’ve talked about the strategic possibilities, and now it’s time to align on specific actions for the coming year. These sessions will help our committees set their agendas for 2026 in a fun, interactive setting.
3:00
Adjourn
