SpeakersSpeakers
Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Jon Wellinghoff was named Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the agency that oversees wholesale electric transactions and interstate electric transmission and gas transportation in the United States, by President Barack Obama on March 19, 2009. A member of the Commission since 2006, the U.S. Senate reconfirmed him to a full, five-year FERC term in December 2007.
Chairman Wellinghoff is an energy law specialist with more than 30 years experience in the field. Before joining FERC, he was in private practice and focused exclusively on client matters related to renewable energy, energy efficiency and distributed generation. While in the private sector, Chairman Wellinghoff represented an array of clients from federal agencies, renewable developers, and large consumers of power to energy efficient product manufacturers and clean energy advocacy organizations.
While in private practice, Chairman Wellinghoff was the primary author of the Nevada Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Act. The Nevada RPS is one of the two states to receive an “A” rating by the Union of Concerned Scientists. In addition, he worked with clients to develop renewable portfolio standards in six other states. The Chairman is considered an expert on the state renewable portfolio process and has lectured extensively on the subject in numerous forums including the Vermont Law School.
His experience also includes two terms as the State of Nevada’s first Consumer Advocate for Customers of Public Utilities. While serving in that role, Chairman Wellinghoff represented Nevada’s utility consumers before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, the FERC, and in appeals before the Nevada Supreme Court. While Consumer Advocate, he authored the first comprehensive state utility integrated planning statute. That statute has become a model for utility integrated planning processes across the country. Chairman Wellinghoff’s priorities at FERC include opening wholesale electric markets to renewable resources, providing a platform for participation of demand response and other distributed resources in wholesale electric markets including energy efficiency and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and promoting greater efficiency in our nation’s energy infrastructure through the institution of advanced technologies and system integration. He was instrumental in creating FERC’s Energy Innovations Sector (EIS), which is responsible for investigating and promoting new efficient technologies and practices in the energy sectors under FERC’s jurisdiction. Chairman Wellinghoff is co-chair of the Demand Response Collaborative launched jointly by FERC and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and is a member of NARUC’s Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Electric Efficiency and served as an advisor to the Defense Science Board’s Energy Policy Task Force. He is also on the Executive Leadership Team of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Green Transmission Efficiency Initiative. Chairman Wellinghoff also advises the Energy Foundation and the NRDC on China-U.S. energy policy matters. He recently returned from China where he headed a delegation of U.S. energy regulators.
Bill Bradbury grew up in Chicago, and moved to Bandon, Oregon in 1971. In Bandon, he owned and operated a small business before beginning his career in government. He served in the Oregon legislature for 14 years representing portions of Oregon's south coast as a State Representative and as a State Senator. He also held the positions of Senate Majority Leader and Senate President. Along with the Governor and Treasurer, he sat on the State Land Board, and he was appointed by Governor Kulongoski to chair the Oregon Sustainability Board. Bradbury currently is a member of Oregon’s Global Warming Advisory Commission, a group tasked with making recommendations to the legislature and educating Oregonians on how Oregon will meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals and tackle the adaptation challenges created by the impacts of climate change. Bill was one of the first 50 participants in Vice President Al Gore’s The Climate Project training sessions and has given over 250 "Climate Change in Oregon" presentations since September, 2006. Bradbury is now taking his leadership to the Oregon Governor's race and campaigning for a sustainable Oregon future that provides long-term jobs, stable funding for education, and protects Oregon's environment.
Bill Bradbury, Oregon's Global Warming Advisory Commission and Former Secretary of State
Erin Flynn, Urban Development Director - Portland Development Commission
As the Urban Development Director at the Portland Development Commission, Erin Flynn drives agency strategy and directs the work of PDC’s Central City, Neighborhood, and Business & Industry Teams.Since arriving at PDC in 2007, Ms. Flynn has led a major reorganization of the agency designed to refocus PDC’s core projects and programs on economic development and job creation. Ms.Flynn has also led the development and delivery of the City of Portland Five-year Economic Development Strategy, an ambitious plan to create 10,000 new jobs in the Portland area.
Prior to joining PDC, Ms. Flynn was Vice President of FutureWorks, a Boston-based policy and strategy consulting firm focused on regional economic development. At FutureWorks, Ms. Flynn led the creation of regional growth strategies including plans for the Greater Wasatch Area (Salt Lake City), the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area and the Portland-Vancouver region. In addition, Ms. Flynn directed major national economic development initiatives including MetroBusinessNet – a multi-year network of metropolitan business leadership groups working to develop “win-win” business practices and public policies that reduce social and economic disparity while improving the business operating environment. Network members included the Bay Area Council, Chicago Metropolis 2020, the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Austin Area Research Organization.
Ms. Flynn received her Ph.D. in Political Economy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000. Her dissertation examined the decline of Massachusetts’ traditional manufacturing sector and strategies employed by small firms in response to globalization. She earned a BA in Politics from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
John Morris, Director - Fluid Market Strategies
John Morris is the Energy Services Director at Fluid Market Strategies, Inc. (Fluid). John is responsible for the overall program management for several utility programs, including the award-winning Northwest ENERGY STAR® Homes Program and the Northwest Ductless Heat Pump Project. He also developed an operating framework for the Oregon Department of Energy’s Residential Green Building Program.
In addition to his energy efficiency work, John has helped guide Fluid’s development of two new product lines: carbon management services and corporate sustainability services.
John has been instrumental in the development of regional policy on renewable and efficient energy legislation. As a member of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council and Climate Solutions, John has worked extensively to encourage the development of state legislation that meets modern-day climate challenges.
In order to help develop the next generation of energy professionals, John created the Green Professionals Conference, an annual event designed to recruit the best and brightest talent into the energy industry.
Scott Lewis, CEO - Brightworks
Scott Lewis is the founder and CEO of Brightworks, a sustainability consulting firm with offices in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Brightworks helps organizations succeed by aligning their efforts with core principles of ecological sustainability. This work includes helping organizations develop and implement comprehensive, integrated sustainability plans, and helping developers, designers and owners improve the sustainability of their buildings. Jerry Ensminger is the founder and owner of TESTCOMM, LLC of Spokane, WA. He is responsible for the overall conduct of the company's business operations and oversees all major projects. Mr. Ensminger is a LEED Accredited Professional and has commissioned many LEED certified facilities. He is a Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP) by the Building Commissioning Association (BCA). The NEBB certifies him in the disciplines of building systems commissioning, HVAC air & hydronic systems testing, adjusting & balancing, and sound & vibration analysis. Mr. Ensminger is active in the BCA and served for numerous years on the Northwest Chapter Board of Directors.
Charlie Johnson is a recent graduate of Eastern Oregon University, where he studied Business Administration and Philosophy, Politcs & Economics. Soon after graduating, he seized an opportunity to start his career in the state's capitol as an economist with the Oregon Employment Department. The mission of the department is to "Support Business and Promote Employment", in part by developing and distributing quality workforce and economic information to promote informed decision making. Charlie was recently involved in conducting a statewide survey and other research related to a report about Oregon's green jobs titled The Greening of Oregon's Workforce: Jobs, Wages, and Training. Joe Helm joined Northwest Engineering Service, Inc in 1989 as an Engineering Project Manager. He became the President of the firm in January 2003. Joe has served on teh national ASHRAE technical committee for Guideline 0, "The Commissioning Process", and is the champion and architect for commissioning services at Northwest Engineering. His expertise includes hands-on commissioning of building systems, testing and balancing of HVAC systems, managing complex projects and teams. He has been involved in projects from conceptual design review to post occupancy as well as commissioning of existing buildings. Joe is a member of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers), BCA (Building Commissioning Association), ACG (AABC Commissioning Group), ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), PEO (Professional Engineers of Oregon), and NSPE (National Society of Professional Engineers). Experience includes work on High Tech, Health Care, Laboratories, K-12 & Higher Education, Institutional and Public Works projects.
Stephanie Swanson brings policy innovation, strategic thinking and marketing communications experience to global business leaders. Expertise includes project management and implementation, strategic planning and message development, company and cause branding, creative problem solving adn editorial savvy. Comprehensive news experience at both the national and local level is imperative for crafting stories that deliver a concise targeted message to grab the attention of journalists. Vast community outreach experience, versatility and depth extend into a variety of industries, interests and causes, including: green building, climate change, energy, city government, telecommunications, financial, food and beverage and utilities. Craig Diamond has 16 years of environmental and energy management experience in a variety of research, technical and consulting organizations. His background is in energy and climate policy, carbon markets, and corporate environmental strategy. Previously, Craig was Director of Strategy and Operations at The Climate Trust in Portland. Prior to that he was Product Line Leader at the Environment Division of the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA. Currently he is an Adjunct Professor at the PSU School of Business Administration, and is Co-Chair of the Sustainability Advisory Board for the City of Lake Oswego. Craig has written and published several papers on various issues, including the role of electricity in sustainability, market-based environmental management, and environmental management systems. Craig holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, and an undergraduate degree in Biology from Tufts University.
Jerry Ensminger, Founder - TESTCOMM, LLC
Charlie Johnson, Oregon Employment Department
Joe Helm, President - Northwest Engineering Service, Inc
Stephanie Swanson, Principal - Market Shift Strategies
Craig Diamond, Principal - Diamond Strategies
Andrew McGough, Executive Director - Worksystems
Andrew McGough is the Executive Director of Worksystems, Inc., a not for profit workforce intermediary serving the greater Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area. In this capacity Andrew oversees annual workforce investments of approximately $20 million, 25 staff, and multiple local, state and federal grants, contracts and fee for service activities. Andrew’s career consists of nearly 20 years of workforce development experience at the national, state and local levels. Prior to joining Worksystems, Andrew was the Executive Vice President of the National Association of Workforce Boards, the Chief Operating Officer of the Washington Workforce Association, and the Assistant Director of the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council. He has a comprehensive understanding of workforce and economic development programs and policies, and extensive community planning and business development experience.
Andrew is an innovative leader and has started two successful not-for-profit organizations. He has extensive experience working with volunteer boards and managing community-based initiatives. He has a proven track record of resource development and has successfully written over $60 million in competitive state and federal grants. He is a recognized expert in workforce program development and performance management, and has presented on these and other workforce topics at national and regional conferences.
Andrew has a Master’s degree in Economics and Public Policy from Roosevelt University and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Southern Illinois University. He has also completed executive leadership programs at Concordia University and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Paul Horton’s leadership experience includes co-founding and managing the non-profit Climate Solutions, serving as corporate sustainability director for the engineering firm David Evans & Associates, teaching sustainable business at the Evergreen State College, and, most recently, providing strategic sustainability consulting services to public and private sector clients. Paul has extensive experience in the areas of climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building, and sustainable transportation and land-use. He has conducted over 200 trainings and briefings on sustainable resource management and climate change. Paul earned his BA from the Evergreen State College and a Certificate in Sustainable Business from the Bainbridge Graduate Institute.
Paul Horton, Principal - Paul Horton Consulting Group, LLC: Strategic Sustainability Services
Michael Johnson, Founder - ReDirect Guide
Michael is a life-long advocate for wildlife and environmental protection, an avid enthusiast of outdoor recreation, and a driven entrepreneur fueled by passion for a better world.
In his rare free time, he enjoys telemark skiing, hiking, running, cycling, climbing, and other wilderness activities. He is an ardent supporter of wolves, partially because he believes that human attitudes toward large predators act as a barometer, indicating our progress towards a respectful, sustainable relationship with the natural world.
Michael earned his degree in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning from U.C. Davis, and has extensive experience in business development; project, staff, and retail management; and sales and marketing. In 1996, his personal interests began to shift in a new direction: green building and sustainable living. Eventually, this led to his departure from the environmental services industry to follow his entrepreneurial spirit, and to the creation of the ReDirect Guide. Michael now devotes a great amount of his time, attention, and business acumen to developing new products and services in his unyielding desire to create green jobs, help sustainability flourish in business and communities, and restore balance to the Earth.
Mary Bradbury Jones, Accelerated Online Program Director - Marylhurst University
Mary Bradbury Jones has over 20 years of experience in learning and development.She has worn many hats during this time: Student, Teacher, Facilitator, Curriculum Designer, Consultant, Manager and Leader. As an Organizational Development consultant, she spends the majority of her time working one on one with clients as they implement learning and development initiatives, execute change, develop leaders and build a learning organization.
In addition to her consulting business, Mary is currently the Director of Accelerated Online programs at Marylhurst University. Prior to that, Mary joined the University of Phoenix as adjunct faculty in 2002 and was a Program Chair for the Oregon campus from 2003-2006. Her area of expertise lies in Human Resources, Change Management, Leadership and Organizational Development. She received her Bachelors in Communication Studies from University of Kansas and a Masters in Human Resources Development from Webster University.
Mary lives in Oregon City with her husband Phil and their two children Zander and Sagan. Her husband Phil has a Doctorate in Biology and teaches as well.Mary enjoys music, gardening, hiking and camping.
Tom Osdoba, Managing Director, Center for Sustainable Business Practices - University of Oregon
Tom Osdoba is a social entrepreneur and strategic advisor to help communities become more sustainable. He is the Managing Director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices at the University of Oregon College of Business, and a consultant to numerous organizations that are advancing sustainability in North America. He holds a M.A. degree in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota and a B.S. in Economics from St. John’s University.
Tom has held senior leadership roles in two of North America’s leading cities on sustainability. As Sustainable Economic Development Manager for Portland, he created a framework for a sustainable regional economy, launched a collaborative, multi-sector sustainability institute, and created innovative clean energy investment strategies. As Sustainability Director for Vancouver, he led initiatives for climate protection, green building and development, economic development strategy, and purchasing, including award-winning initiatives for neighborhood-scale clean energy systems, and community engagement on energy and climate change.
He also created the Canada Carbon Trust, a collaborative, business-led initiative to mobilize and accelerate investments to reduce carbon emissions across all economic sectors.
Bryan W. Welsh, President - Welsh Commissioning Group, Inc.
Bryan Welsh is the founder and president of Welsh Commissioning Group, Inc. (WCG), a commissioning services firm located in the Seattle area. WCG has been providing commissioning services for over 10 years to clients throughout the West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii.
Bryan is a licensed professional mechanical engineer in the States of Washington and Idaho and holds an MBA. He is a USGBC LEED Accredited Professional, a BCA Certified Commissioning Professional and an ACG Certified Commissioning Authority.
Bryan has over 20 years experience in facilities and project management. During his six years of industrial facilities work he acquired experience with sophisticated maintenance management programs, computerized data acquisition & controls and test procedure development. His 10 years as Project Engineer and Director of Maintenance and Operations for K-12 schools gave him experience with the renovation and construction of over 15 school facilities where he learned first hand the importance of properly commissioning buildings.
Bryan has extensive experience in commissioning, retro-commissioning, computerized building management systems, utility/energy management systems, maintenance management systems, test procedure development, control systems, data acquisition/analysis and facilities operations. He has been involved with building commissioning since 1989 and a full time provider since 1999.
Bryan has presented on commissioning, retro-commissioning and related topics to a variety of audiences including ASHRAE, CSI, CEFPI, the National Conference on Building Commissioning and the Sustainable Building Advisory Program. He is the chairperson for the Building Commissioning Association Certification Committee and serves on the Building Commissioning Certification Board.
Derek Smith, Policy Advisor - Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, City of Portland Clean Energy Works Portland
Derek Smith leads Clean Energy Works Portland in his role as Policy Advisor with the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. He was formerly Director of Operations with YOLO Colorhouse, a green lifestyle paint brand, and Sustainability Director with retailer Norm Thompson.
Aaron Berg, Principal - Blue Tree Strategies Inc
Aaron is the Founder of Blue Tree Strategies Inc. Blue Tree provides clean energy consulting services to public and private sector clients in the form of program design, project finance and carbon accounting. Prior to forming Blue Tree, he was a Commercial Lender with ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia, Book Reviewer and Financial Manager of Sustainable Industries Magazine and Tax Accountant at local CPA firm Perkins & Co.
Scott Nelson, Vice President - Summit Building Engineering
Scott Nelson is a registered professional engineer and is a principal with Summit Building Engineering in Vancouver, Wash. In the past Scott has been a HVAC design engineer for high tech and commercial facilities but for the last 9 years a start-up consultant and commissioning professional. He specializes in UFAD systems and controls thereof. He is a frequent speaker at NCBC, ASHRAE, and other conferences. Scott is also LEED certified and currently Vice President of NWBCA.
Sean Penrith, Executive Director - Earth Advantage Institute
Since 2005, Sean and his team have successfully grown Earth Advantage Institute into a leading program provider and think-tank to devise creative green building, green market and climate change solutions for the built environment. Earth Advantage, Inc. now operates in OR, WA, HI, AL, MT, ID, CA and New England, and offers a slew of certification programs that cover new construction, existing homes, commercial and communities.
Sean is an active proponent of the development of voluntary carbon markets, ecosystem service markets, and the associated Ecosystem Services Council that acts as a stewardship body to guide the fledgling industry that aims to put Oregon on the global map. He believes that carbon mitigation solutions and voluntary carbon markets have a pivotal role to play in the built environment, and would further catalyze the green building movement. To this end, he is active in engaging in the development of the Western Climate Initiative structure, with specific focus on providing feedback to the Offsets Subcommittee. He championed the creation of an Energy Performance Score certificate, supported by Energy Trust of Oregon, for all homes in Oregon that details the energy efficiency and the carbon impact of a home. He sits on the board of The Climate Trust and chairs their Offsets Committee.
Sean presents frequently on topics that include green building, deep carbon reduction strategies, the future of sustainability, green value propositions, and climate change. He sits on the Bureau of Development Services’ Technical Advisory Group, on the advisory board for Clackamas County will create an energy efficiency retrofit fund, the Clackamas Energy Fund ("CLEF"), on the Executive Committee of the Green Building Council for HBA Metro, and on the Governor’s Energy Efficiency Work Group tasked with defining potential legislative action, for 2009, centered on energy efficiency in the built environment that aligns with Oregon’s climate goals. This initiative resulted in Senate Bill 79 for the Energy Performance Score (EPS).
H.E.L.P. Group, Inc
HELP Group Inc. is a group of BPI certified Home Performance professionals fully bonded and insured that specialize in diagnostic testing to complete weatherization services.
Berenice Lopez-Dorsey and Clyde Manchester, founding members of HELP Group Inc. are General contractors with over 22 years of experience providing strong and stable construction industry relations. They are also founding members of Efficiency First, a national nonprofit trade association that unites the Home Performance workforce and Home Performance Contractors Guild of Oregon. They are a CCB licensed group and Trade Allies of Energy Trust of Oregon.
They have been selected to be part of Clean Energy Works Portland, a project of the City of Portland, in collaboration with Multnomah County, ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia, Energy Trust of Oregon, NW Natural, Pacific Power, Portland General Electric, Work Systems, Inc., and Green For All, intended to enable homeowners to access low-interest, long-term financing for quick, easy and affordable investments in energy efficiency.
They are now part of the ECOS program through NW Natural Gas which runs through the end of 2010. This program makes weatherization and energy efficiencies more affordable to NW Natural Gas customers. And also part of Energy Trust of Oregon's new "Savings Within Reach" program which brings affordable energy efficiencies and weatherization retrofits to non NW Natural Gas customers, PGE, Pacific Power or Cascade Natural Gas customers.
Thor Hinkley, Renewable Power Program Manager - Portland General Electric
As Portland General Electric’s renewable power program manager, Thor Hinckley manages the nation’s leading residential green power program.
PGE’s Renewable Power Program serves almost 74,000 residential and business renewable customer accounts. According to the U.S DOE’s National Renewable Energy Labs this is the most successful residential program in the nation. Hinckley also developed the nation’s fastest-selling renewable energy program, Renewable Futuresm and oversees the Healthy Habitatsm donation program in coordination with The Nature Conservancy, the nation’s first utility salmon habitat restoration option. Hinckley’s leadership in business sustainability includes developing one of the nation’s leading renewable power programs for medium to large businesses — Clean Windsm — whose customers include Intel, American Honda Motors, Toyota Motors, Epson, and other leading Oregon businesses.
Hinckley’s professional activities include serving as board member of the Oregon Natural Step Network, one of the leading sustainability non-government organizations, and member of the board for the Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center. Hinckley also serves on the Renewable Advisory Council for the Oregon Energy Trust and previously served as a commissioner for the Portland Sustainable Development Commission.
Hinckley has presented at national conferences for the American Wind Energy Association, the National Hydropower Association, the Green Power Marketing conference and at numerous Renewable Energy Development Seminar’s. He accompanied the Solar Electric Power Association tour of Germany to observe Solar PV Feed-in-Tariffs in Germany in 2008.
Hinckley holds a bachelor of arts from Roosevelt University in Chicago, Ill., and is a master of business arts’ candidate at Marylhurst University in Oregon.
Gregg Small, Executive Director - Climate Solutions
Gregg brings more than 16 years of experience working on environmental and public policy issues, including 13 as an Executive Director. Prior to coming to Climate Solutions, Gregg served as the Executive Director of the Washington Toxics Coalition for 7 years and as the Executive Director of the California-based Pesticide Watch for 5 years. He has extensive experience bringing together diverse constituencies working on local, state, and national issues. For the past seven years, he has been a leader in Priorities for a Healthy Washington, a collaborative of more than 25 of the leading environmental organizations in Washington working together to pass strong statewide environmental policies. Before his work at Climate Solutions, Gregg played a leadership role in creating and developing a number of leading coalitions working on environmental health issues, including the Toxic Free Legacy Coalition, Californians for Pesticide Reform, and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Bodies. At Climate Solutions, Gregg oversees a staff of twenty policy experts, campaigners, innovators, and researchers across four Northwest offices, providing strategic direction for one of the most effective regional climate and clean energy organizations in the nation. Gregg began his professional career as an organizer for Green Corps, working in Washington, DC, Vermont, and California. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Dickinson College.
Alison Hopcroft, Fluid Market Strategies
Alison Hopcroft is an Associate at Fluid Market Strategies. She is a Consultant for Fluid’s Sustainability Consulting Services, which includes Carbon Management Services. Alison has several years of experience providing sustainability consulting and carbon management services to businesses and public agencies. Recent projects have included carbon management for public infrastructure and renewable energy projects on behalf of public agencies, and for organizational carbon management for private sector and non-profit clients. Alison has taught workshops on sustainability in public infrastructure, public-private partnerships for sustainability, and sustainable procurement.
Alison has a Masters degree in International Environmental Policy with an emphasis in Sustainable Business Management from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Claire Fulenwider, Ph.D., Executive Director - Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Claire Fulenwider currently is the executive director of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, a nonprofit organization whose focus is to encourage the use of more energy-efficient technologies and practices in the Northwest.
Claire has 30 years of leadership experience in the energy industry and a passion for energy efficiency, conservation and the environment. Immediately after completing her doctorate in political science/public policy at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in the 1970s, she served as Director of Energy Policy Research at the Wisconsin Center for Public Policy, where she managed various grants related to conservation, renewable energy and appropriate technology.
At Madison Gas & Electric she was hired as manager of conservation services with a staff of one in the early 1980s, growing that into a division of about 200 which included marketing and customer services. As Executive Director of Marketing and Customer Services she reported to the CEO and was instrumental in creating the Energy Center of Wisconsin, a successful state organization focused on energy efficiency and demand side management. Claire spent several years working for energy service consulting companies, serving as a principal and head of the Madison Xenergy office and then A&C Enercom. Moving to Wisconsin Power and Light (WPL) as Vice President of Business Development, she also assumed responsibilities as President and Chief Operating Officer of Heartland Energy Group, a power and gas marketing company that partnered with Cargill Corporation. She subsequently led the merger team of Alliant Energy’s marketing and customer services that unified the energy and customer services personnel of the three participating utilities (WPL, IES and Interstate Power). She has been involved in consulting and lecturing around energy efficiency, including training and development projects on energy efficiency with the American Public Power Association and for US AID in several states in India.
Claire currently serves on the Board of Directors for Top Ten, Consortium for Energy Efficiency, and the Energy Center of Wisconsin. She also serves on Advisory Committees for the Electric Power Research Institute and IEE.
Claire, an avid angler who sometimes catches fish and faithfully releases them, is thrilled to be surrounded by the Northwest’s abundance of water and all the recreation that it brings with it.
Scott Marshall, Associate Dean - Graduate Programs / Executive Director - Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability / School of Business - Portland State University
Scott Marshall is Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research at the School of Business, Portland State University and the Executive Director of the Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability. Scott currently teaches Global Business, Society and Ecology in the Master of International Management program, Managing Sustainable Enterprise in the MBA+ program and Sustainable Enterprise in the Oregon Executive MBA program.
Anne Murray Allen, Director for the Executive Development Center - Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management
Anne Murray Allen is currently the Director for the Executive Development Center at Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management. In this role Anne is responsible for developing non-degree certificate programs in business and public management essentials, sustainability, and industry-specific training. Her personal areas of interest and research are in understanding how healthy, performance-based organizations are built and sustained. These ‘social networks of collaboration’ are a key ingredient for organizations and communities to move into the future taking effective action in building a sustainable future.
Anne retired from Hewlett-Packard Company in 2005, having served in a wide breadth of management and executive positions over a 16 year period. These included leading company-wide Knowledge and Intranet Management, strategic planning (at the division and at the corporate level), culture integration for the Compaq/HP merger, IT for the Imaging and Printing Group, production management for scanners and Inkjet cartridges. After leaving HP, Anne consulted with a variety of organizations in the private, government, and not for profit sectors. She joined Willamette in July 2008.
Anne holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Manhattanville College and an MBA from the University of Denver.
Her favorite things to do are to ride horses, float rivers, ski, hike, and enjoy family and friends.
Mike Weedall, Vice President, Energy Efficiency - Bonneville Power Administration
Mike Weedall has over twenty-five years of experience in the energy industry. At present he is the Vice President of Energy Efficiency, responsible for leadership of BPA’s energy efficiency and load management programs. This includes program initiatives developed for and implemented throughout the Pacific Northwest. In addition, program services are provided to federal facilities throughout the region. Mike also leads BPA’s liaison with a variety of interest groups in the Northwest for energy efficiency issues.
Mike began his career in energy efficiency when he was selected to be a Presidential Management Intern for the U.S. Department of Energy in 1978. From 1981–1985, Mike was the Program Manager for Conservation Finance at BPA. In this position, he was responsible for incorporating finance elements into energy efficiency programs.
In 1985, Mike left BPA and founded Pacific Energy Associates, a firm designed to assist utilities and all levels of government in planning, developing, and implementing effective demand-side management, energy efficiency and customer service programs. From 1990–1993, he served as the Director of Energy Management Services for the Green Mountain Power Corporation where he was responsible for the management of demand-side resource planning, program development, program implementation, and program evaluation. Mike also served as the Manager of Energy Services and Electric Transportation for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) from 1993–2001. At SMUD, Mike led all demand-side management programs, as well as research and development activities for a variety of technologies. Before returning to BPA, Mike acted as Deputy Assistant Director for Conservation and Distributed Generation for the California Power Authority. Mike serves on the Executive Committee as a Director for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.
Mike and his wife Susan have one son, Scott, and enjoy exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Kris Peterson - KP Premium Consulting
Kris Peterson has spent over 30 years working in a variety of executive sales and marketing positions with the consumer electronics award winning retailer, Magnolia Audio-Video. Kris was a part of the Best Buy leadership team that scaled Magnolia into nearly 400 Best Buy location across the United States, and the very first Best Buy / Magnolia location in Shanghai China.
KP Premium Consulting helps new high-end consumer electronics products and brands capture and command their markets. Our clients change the way they sell their products to better target early adopter and premium customers. We then close the loop by teaching their people how to link the product's benefits to what the customer most wants so that they make the sale and begin to build intense loyalty.
Robert W. Cross, Independent Clean Energy Consultant
Robert has been instrumental in driving a number of projects forward within the industry that focus on finance and sustainability. Most recently, he worked as a consultant for Umpqua Bank to further develop and grow GreenStreet Lending. Prior to that, Robert was a project management lead on a number of important programs including: Clean Energy Works: Portland, the Real Estate Professional Trade Ally Program, and Building Value in Multifamily Investment seminar series, all part of Energy Trust of Oregon’s residential program while employed at Conservation Services Group.
Robert is currently volunteering on fundraising efforts for the Oregon Sustainability Center and serving as a member of the Eco District Technical Advisory Committee for the Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute.
Before relocating to Portland in 2008, Robert was an Executive Director of a business development group in NYC. He has worked extensively in the finance industry as well as a business development officer for a commercial, community bank and as a director of a commercial markets store mentor program at a large, retail bank.
Robert continues to pursue new opportunities in the sustainability sector and is a constant advocate for a better working synergy between the finance industry and sustainable building practices.
Diane Forsberg, Owner - Abacus Appraisal Group, LLC
Diane Forsberg is a State Certified Residential Appraiser in the State of Oregon. Diane is the owner of Abacus Appraisal Group, LLC located in Albany, Oregon and has been part of the real estate appraisal profession for over 11 years. In that time she has been fortunate to become experienced in single family residential properties from cozy condos to extensive custom homes, small mobile homes to large manufactured, urban to rural acreage and most everything in between. She finds 'unique' properties most interesting and as of late has turned her attention to green building. Diane is a Certified Green Appraiser gaining her education from EarthAdvantage. Furthermore, she is the interim President of the Southern Cascade Chapter of the National Assoc. of Independent Fee Appraisers, member of Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service, Regional Multiple Listing Service, Salem Assoc. of Realtors and a core coalition of appraisers for the state of Oregon. In her alter-life she loves photography, art, kayaking, biking, music, mountains and lots of friends.
Steve Rice, Executive Vice President - Umpqua Bank
Steve is an Executive Vice President of Umpqua Bank. Umpqua Bank is a diversified financial institution and Oregon's largest bank with headquarters in Portland. The bank is continuously engaged creating new products and services to meet the needs of its community - including the creation of its suite of GreenStreet products. Rice has spent the last 30 years in banking, primarily in commercial banking. He is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School, holds an MBA from the University of Portland.
Christian Miner, Owner - Behavioral Economics
Christian Miner is the founder of Behavioral Economics which performs Measurement and Verification of Industrial Energy Efficiency Programs. Additionally, Behavioral Economics has developed a software tool that analyzes industrial energy use data and reports back verified energy savings and cost data.