SECC’s governing Board has 17 directors who represent commercial, utility, and advocacy organizations along with SECC’s President & CEO. Started in 2012, SECC’s Board has staggered terms, with approximately six directors elected each year to a two-year term.
2017 Directors & Affiliations
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Laura Basili Manager, Marketing & Customer Education ComEd Laura Basili is ComEd’s Manager of Marketing & Customer Education. In this role, Basili leads the marketing strategies and customer-engagement programs that support smart meter, smart grid and associated energy-management tools and programs for the organization’s 3.8 million residential and business customers. As ComEd nears completion of installing more than 4 million smart meters across the areas it serves, her efforts have instrumental in ensuring ComEd customers are aware of smart grid benefits. Basili also manages marketing strategies that increase education and awareness of ComEd’s newly developed solar campaign, initiatives created through Illinois’ Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) and utility of the future marketing initiatives. Prior to joining ComEd, Basili held marketing leadership roles with LaSalle Bank and real estate investment firm Tanguay-Burke-Stratton. Basili’s strong business acumen, combined with her expertise in the development, delivery and management of integrated marketing programs, have helped organizations launch successful client solutions and increase customer satisfaction scores. Basili received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Northwestern University and lives near Chicago. |
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Mark Brown Senior Customer Programs Officer Fayetteville Public Works Commission Mark is Senior Customer Programs Officer at Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, NC. Mark joined FPWC in January 2013. Mark’s responsibilities include Marketing, Conservation and Meter Services. Mark’s team is responsible for developing the programs, services and tools necessary for FPWC’s customer to take advantage of FPWC’s Smart Grid Initiatives. Prior to joining FPWC, Mark worked at DTE Energy for 23 years in progressively more responsible roles. Mark has a BSEE degree from Bucknell University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Michigan –Ann Arbor. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Michigan and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Cumberland County. Previously he served on the Board of Directors of The Plymouth Michigan YMCA, The Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps and the IEEE Southeastern Michigan Chapter. |
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Rob Caiello VP Marketing and Customer Experience Allconnect Rob leads the teams responsible for Allconnect’s business-to-business marketing and communication strategies, email marketing and customer experience and quality oversight. He also oversees customer satisfaction research and measurement, including benchmarking Allconnect’s customer experience with national brands using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Prior to Allconnect, Rob focused on direct-to-consumer marketing through senior-level marketing roles with DIRECTV and Home Shopping Network. He began his career in the utility industry with Niagara Mohawk Power Company (now National Grid), where he worked for eight years in demand side planning, energy efficiency programs and at a deregulated spin-off. He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology, followed by a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Quantitative Methods from Syracuse University. |
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Liz Coyle Executive Director Georgia Watch Liz joined the team at Georgia Watch in February 2012. As Executive Director, Liz manages the organization’s operations and staff and oversees all Georgia Watch programs in the areas of Health Access, Consumer Energy, Civil Justice and Financial Protection. Liz brings to her position more than 25 years of experience as a non-profit manager, communications professional and grassroots advocate. Since 1984, she has consulted with a broad spectrum of organizations including multi-national consumer products companies, public utilities, non-profit associations, and local governments. She’s a graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Comparative Literature. From the early days of its inception, Liz has been a follower and supporter of the Atlanta BeltLine. She is a founding member and chair of the BeltLine Network, an alliance of organizations including Park Pride, Georgia Stand-up, Concerned Black Clergy, Trees Atlanta, Georgia Conservancy, Community Housing Resource Center, AHAND, Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, and Sierra Club, all working to ensure the BeltLine lives up to its vision to connect Atlanta and its citizens through transit, trails, parks and economic development. Additionally, Liz was the citizen representative on the board of directors of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. from September 2006 to August 2009. |
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Patty Durand President & CEO Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative Patty is the President & CEO for the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative; a consumer focused non-profit aiming to promote the understanding and benefits of modernized electrical systems among all stakeholders in the United States. Patty’s prior experience includes working on smart grid research at Georgia Institute of Technology where she helped prepare and submit smart grid grant proposals to ARPA-E and DOE. Prior to Georgia Tech Patty was the State Director for the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Georgia’s largest grassroots environmental organization. Patty’s work there focused on programs addressing climate change and promoting sustainable energy policy. Patty has an IT background and worked on B2B projects with Hewlett Packard and Compaq Computers and currently serves on the board of the Smart Energy Society for the Technology Association of Georgia. Patty has an MBA from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg Virginia and a B.S. in Business from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia. |
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Peter K. Floyd Partner Alston & Bird Peter is a Partner at Alston & Bird in Atlanta where he focuses on energy, economic development and public finance transactions and regulatory matters. Peter represents clients in energy and utility (e.g., electric and gas (traditional and renewable), telecom, water and sewer) transactions, including infrastructure development, commodity purchases and sales and services (wholesale, retail and distributed generation), hedging, co-ownership, management, public-private partnerships and joint use; regulatory matters (compliance, disputes and program development), including the Georgia Public Service Commission (GPSC); and dispute resolution. Peter is co-leader of the firm’s Government and Economic Incentives Practice Team. For several years, Peter has been listed in Georgia Trend’s “Legal Elite” and Super Lawyers magazine’s Georgia “Rising Star” lists, and is now ranked in Chambers USA. Peter received his Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies from Georgia State University in 1997 and his law degree from Georgia State University, J.D., 2000. |
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Luisa Freeman Senior Principal Consultant DNV GL Luisa is a Senior Principal Consultant in the Emerging Markets group of DNV GL Energy’s Sustainable Energy Use division. She has more than 30 years of experience in energy efficiency, renewable energy technology and distributed generation program planning and evaluation for government and private industry clients in the United States and internationally. She began her career in energy efficiency research at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory then accepted a position as head of Program Planning and Evaluation at Northeast Utilities where she was an active member of industry associations such as EEI and EPRI. Ms. Freeman has been a consultant to the industry for the majority of her career, specializing in the design and evaluation of innovative gas and electric energy efficiency, demand management and demand response programs and pricing; customer needs, preferences and satisfaction; and energy sector customer research and change management. |
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Michele Gregg Director of External Relations Texas Office of Public Utility Counsel Michele concentrates her work on intergovernmental relations, legislative relations, communications, outreach and stakeholder collaboration. Prior to joining OPUC, Ms. Gregg spent nearly a decade as the Director of Legislative and Political Affairs for a statewide trade association. She specialized in tax and finance legislation and also directed the association’s political action committee, grassroots and election activities. She also lobbied on school finance and governance issues for several years. Ms. Gregg began her career in the Texas House of Representatives, serving four years as the Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for a Houston representative. She has spent 20 years in the legislative arena. Ms. Gregg received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She has served on Government Relations Committees for state and national associations. She lives in a competitive retail electric market with her daughters. |
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Gregory Knight Senior Vice President & Chief Customer Officer CenterPoint Energy Gregory manages the company’s strategy and operations related to marketing, sales, customer service and claims functions for the company’s natural gas and electric utility businesses as well as the unregulated Home Service Plus business. Since joining CenterPoint Energy more than five years ago, Gregory has been spearheading the company’s technology-driven customer engagement and relationship management strategy for its more than 5 million customers in its six state service territory. With more than 20 years of consumer and large commercial sales, customer service and marketing experience in utilities and service industries, his career includes tenures with the predecessor companies of Ricoh Americas Inc. and Verizon as well as Reliant Energy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has also completed the executive management program at Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management in Houston. Gregory serves on the board of Blueprint Houston, Communities in Schools Houston and is on UNCF Houston Chapter Advisory Committee. |
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Brad Langley Director of Corporate Marketing Tendril Brad Langley is the Director of Corporate Marketing at Tendril. He has more than 15 years of experience increasing awareness and driving demand for some of the world’s most recognized technology brands. In his role at Tendril, Brad leads the company’s marketing department, including thought leadership, demand creation, digital, brand communications and public relations. Prior to joining Tendril, Brad spent six years at Blanc & Otus, ultimately becoming the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the San Francisco office. There he led a team of 20 communications professionals tasked with meeting the diverse needs of a range of technology clients. He also spearheaded business development and customer satisfaction efforts. Brad has strong experience in enterprise software, energy and semiconductor markets, having worked with both global brands and start-ups. This includes his current role at Tendril, as well as his work on the agency side with leading companies Analog Devices, CA Technologies, Cisco, Comverge, NEC Electronics, Oracle and QUALCOMM (among many others). Brad has a B.A. in English from Santa Clara University. |
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Michel Losier Executive Director, Energy Efficiency and Customer Engagement New Brunswick Power Corporation Michel is the Executive Director of Energy Efficiency and Customer Engagement for New Brunswick Power Corporation and the Program Director of PowerShift Atlantic; a Natural Resources Canada, Clean Energy Fund project, led by NB Power. Having worked throughout a Vertically Integrated Utility; Michel has a broad range of exposure and a thorough understanding of the utility sector with extensive experience in customer service, customer and community relations, corporate reputation and media relations. He served as Director of Customer and Community Engagement, Regional Manager in Customer Service and Managing Director of Corporate Communications. Most recently, Michel was the Program Director of the award winning “PowerShift Atlantic” project; focused on collaborative and innovative solutions, engaging customers and leveraging new smart grid – energy storage technologies to better integrate renewables such as wind in the Maritimes. This was a new experience for customers as they played an active role in renewable integration. Michel has extensive public speaking experience, is a student of the upcoming electricity sector transformation and has been actively promoting the ongoing utility sector transformation with a “customer centric” focus. He is a graduate from the University of New Brunswick in Mechanical Engineering and a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick. New Brunswick Power is focused on a Reduce and Shift Demand Strategy working with Siemens on Smart Grid solutions for the future. Our ultimate goal is to be our customer’s energy services provider of choice as we journey forward building on our foundation of trust and striving for customer loyalty. |
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Naomi Manley-Casimir Director Accenture Innovation Centre for Utilities Naomi is the Director of the global Innovation Centre for Utilities for Accenture. In this role, Naomi is responsible for research and development in end-consumer preferences for energy-related products and services, supporting and enabling her Accenture colleagues working with utility retail and customer operations and managing IT asset development. Previously, Naomi was responsible for client relations at one of Accenture’s largest utility business process and application outsourcing engagements. She led the development and deployment of the Service Performance Dashboard, a comprehensive dashboard with over 200 business metrics that provides an executive to operational overview of the performance of the meter-to-cash business processes. Naomi also led the development and deployment of quarterly leadership meetings to improve leadership morale, strategic alignment, facilitate communications and engagement within Customer Care operations. In her years of consulting, Naomi’s experience focused primarily in generation, related to power plant and dispatch optimization, project management of an energy risk management application and management of a large-scale program comprised of seven concurrent projects. In her spare time, Naomi enjoys reading and spending time outdoors with her husband and two children. |
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John D. McDonald SmartGrid Business Development Leader – North America, Global SmartGrid Strategy Group GE Grid Solutions John is the SmartGrid Business Development Leader – North America, Global SmartGrid Strategy Group for GE Energy’s Digital Energy business. John has 38 years of experience in the electric utility transmission and distribution industry. John received his B.S.E.E. and M.S.E.E. (Power Engineering) degrees from Purdue University, and an M.B.A. (Finance) degree from the University of California-Berkeley. John is a Fellow of IEEE, and was awarded the IEEE Millennium Medal in 2000, the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Excellence in Power Distribution Engineering Award in 2002, and the IEEE PES Substations Committee Distinguished Service Award in 2003. John is Past President of the IEEE PES, a charter member of the IEEE Brand Ambassadors Program, a member of the IEEE Medal of Honor Committee, a member of the IEEE PES Region 3 Scholarship Committee, the VP for Technical Activities for the US National Committee (USNC) of CIGRE, the Past Chair of the IEEE PES Substations Committee, and Chair of the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC) Board. John was the IEEE Division VII Director in 2008-2009. John was on the Board of Governors of the IEEE-SA (Standards Association) in 2010-2011, focusing on long term IEEE Smart Grid standards strategy. John was elected to Chair the NIST Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) Governing Board for 2010-2012. John is a member of the Advisory Committee for the annual DistribuTECH Conference, and received the 2009 Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineer Award from Purdue University. John teaches a SCADA/EMS/DMS course at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a Smart Grid course for GE, and substation automation, distribution SCADA and communications courses for various IEEE PES local chapters as an IEEE PES Distinguished Lecturer. John has published forty papers and articles in the areas of SCADA, SCADA/EMS, SCADA/DMS and communications, and has co-authored three books. |
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Lincoln Wood Product Manager Southern Company Lincoln Wood is a product manager at Atlanta-based Southern Company. Since 2006, Lincoln has worked in complimentary areas of marketing including marketing research, product development, policy development, and innovation. Some of his accomplishments include the planning, development, and rollout of an energy data usage presentment tool to over 3.5 million customers and playing a leadership role in the DOE’s to national energy usage data privacy project, DataGuard. Lincoln also works in Southern Company’s Energy Innovation Center, furthering industry advancement in electric transportation and home automation technologies. Lincoln holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Economics and Sociology from the University of Georgia, is a Certified Energy Manager, and a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society. |