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Eric Bergstrom is the Managing Director of Recall Strategies, where he leads all aspects of the firm’s energy development operations, strategy, and project execution. With over 17 years of renewable energy development experience, Eric drives the strategic vision and growth of Recall’s energy development platform. Eric’s experience makes him a comprehensive leadership in renewable energy project development. He has expertise in land acquisition, permitting, and interconnection processes. He specializes in commercial structuring and power purchase agreements and has a proven track record in advancing projects from inception to commercial operation Eric oversees origination, land acquisition, permitting, interconnection, and commercial structuring across the company’s portfolio. His deep technical expertise in renewable energy combined with executive-level leadership has been instrumental in successfully building and leading development pipelines totaling several thousand megawatts. Throughout his career, Eric has secured hundreds of thousands of acres of land, navigated complex local, state, federal, and environmental permitting processes, executed power purchase agreements, and managed M&A processes to close project sales. He has successfully guided numerous projects through Notice to Proceed (NTP), overseeing all aspects of development and commercial delivery.
Mr. Miller is a Professor and Program Coordinator at Heartland Community College. Over the last 25 years at Heartland, Chris has taught and helped many students get great careers in the energy and electronic fields. He created the Energy Systems degree program at Heartland in 2009. He also helped author the specific language in the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Distributed Energy Installer program on ways to becoming an installer. He enjoys traveling and taking students on international programs on renewable and sustainable projects.
David has been actively involved in wholesale electricity industry restructuring for nearly 30 years.
For the past 17 years, David has been Director of Market Intelligence at Customized Energy Solutions (CES), where he provided MISO monitoring and analysis services for a wide range of clients and represented the interests of a group of transmission dependent utilities in MISO stakeholder discussions. Prior to joining CES, as a commissioner’s advisor at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, he helped with the approval of the first high-voltage regional transmission line in decades while helping lead multi-sector stakeholder reviews of MISO’s energy market implementation as well as Wisconsin stakeholders’ MISO policy initiatives. In the early 2000s as a commissioner’s advisor at the (then-named) Tennessee Regulatory Authority, he served on a governor’s task force to create a transmission open access pilot program.
David is responsible for shaping and directing the organization’s work to expand transmission, streamline generation interconnections, and facilitate new market opportunities for clean energy growth across the Midcontinent and with neighboring RTOs. As part of this work, David draws on his experience to seek ways to collaborate productively with other stakeholders and policymakers for sustainable clean energy expansion.
David holds a BA in economics from Trinity University in Texas and a PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University.
Edin Habibovic is an accomplished energy professional with more than two decades of experience in the RTO and electric power sector. He brings a unique blend of technical expertise and people leadership, with a focus on transmission system planning, reliability, resiliency, and renewable integration. His work also spans regulatory compliance and practical experience in substation design, cost estimation, and project oversight.
Edin has contributed to major initiatives across MISO and beyond, including Long Range Transmission Planning Tranche 2.1, a $21.8 billion investment, and the largest transmission portfolio in U.S. RTO history. He is a licensed professional engineer and holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor’s degree from Lamar University. His technical depth, people leadership and strategic perspective continue to shape policy, drive grid modernization, and guide long-term energy planning.
Chip Taylor is a Project Manager in Environmental Services at Atwell, a consulting, engineering, and construction services firm supporting energy and infrastructure clients. He brings 14 years of experience across power and energy, oil and gas, and renewables. A specialist in wetland delineation and permitting, Chip plans and manages environmental due diligence, vegetation and habitat surveys, and threatened and endangered species assessments; he also leads Endangered Species Act consultations, Section 106 reviews, and multi‑agency coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy, BLM, USFWS, USACE, NRCS, and state resource agencies to secure wetland, stormwater, floodplain, and related approvals.
Chip holds a B.A. in Natural Resources and Entomology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and maintains credentials including Lake and McHenry County Certified Wetland Scientist, 40‑hour HAZWOPER, and the U.S. Army Corps’ 40‑hour Wetland Delineation training; he is active with the Illinois Association of Environmental Professionals and the Society of Wetland Scientists.
Kyle Barry is a partner at McGuireWoods and has an extensive background in business expansion services and economic development projects, with a special emphasis on renewable and clean energy projects. Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Kyle served as the deputy general counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) in Springfield. During his tenure at DCEO, he managed the Springfield legal office as well as the legal affairs for the Large Business Development Division, the Energy and Recycling Division, the Illinois Office of Coal Development, and the Illinois Trade Office. Kyle’s economic development experience includes helping clients obtain public and private financing for economic development projects. Kyle also has extensive training and experience as a commercial litigator.
James Gignac is Midwest Policy Director with the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), an independent national nonprofit that uses science to protect our health, safety, and environment. As part of UCS’ Climate & Energy Program, James works to secure progressive energy policy, regulatory results, and market reforms designed to modernize the electric grid and facilitate the equitable transition away from polluting fossil fuels and toward greater use of clean energy resources.
Prior to joining UCS, James served as environmental and energy counsel to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and worked on a variety of regulatory, legislative, and litigation matters involving clean energy, climate change, and environmental protection. Before his time in state government, James was Midwest director for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign and represented private sector clients in environmental matters with the law firm Mayer Brown LLP. James earned a JD from Harvard Law School, and a BA in history and political science from Albion College in Michigan.
Andy Parker is the Director of Clean Energy Transition Strategy, Programs and New Technology at Ameren Illinois. He joined Ameren in 2008 as an Associate Engineer and has held several progressive positions across Ameren Illinois, including managing the Ameren Illinois’ Voltage Optimization program and DER Integration and Strategies Team. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and driving Ameren Illinois’ strategic approach to the clean energy transition and innovative initiatives to meet the Company, and State’s clean energy goals.
Andy received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2008 along with a Master of Business Administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2022.
Andrea O’Shea is the Program Manager of the Illinois Shines solar incentive program, administered by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA). The IPA is an independent state agency tasked with developing procurement plans and conducting energy, capacity, and renewables procurement events and developing solar energy incentive programs. Andrea joined the IPA in 2022 as a Program Associate and transitioned to the Program Manager role for Illinois Shines in August 2025. In this role, she leads the Illinois Shines team and oversees Energy Solutions as the Program Administrator to help build out Illinois’ clean energy future and support the state’s renewable energy targets.
Prior to joining the IPA, Andrea worked at the Energy Department for the Chihuahua State Government in Mexico, where she was responsible for organizing energy forums of public interest on trending topics regarding changes in the federal legal and regulatory framework for the Electricity, Oil and Gas Industries. She was part of the one-year analysis on Chihuahua State Government’s buildings electrical consumption to determine areas of opportunity for possible electric bill savings. Andrea holds a bachelor’s degree in Renewable Energy Engineering with a minor on Solar Energy from the Universidad Tecnológica de Chihuahua in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Dr. Gina Caronna is the President & CEO of The Workforce Connection (TWC), an organization committed to providing a workforce that meets the needs of the business community now and in the future. Her experience connecting trained and skilled workers with high-quality jobs includes working with educational institutions, training centers, and many employers. Projects that Gina has led include the development and expansion of an aviation educational training facility in conjunction with a large MRO business in the Midwest; development and implementation of short-term stackable training for technical positions in manufacturing; oversight of apprenticeship programs for manufacturing, aviation, electrical and construction trades; development and execution of a bachelor’s degree-granting program on a community college campus for mechanical engineering. Dr. Caronna has also served as the Vice President of STEM and the Dean of Technical Programs at Rock Valley College, the Executive Director of the P-20 Regional Network for educational institutions and business, and with the Rockford Public Schools on the career academy’s implementation team.
Courtney Geiger is the Vice President of Mission Services for Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and the Wisconsin Stateline Area, Inc. Courtney has been with Goodwill for 19 years and has extensive experience developing effective community partnerships and outcome-based programs that serve over 25,000 people annually in Northern Illinois. Courtney oversees diverse programming such as the Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship program, CEJA Navigator and Network Hub partnerships, Re-Entry and Social Justice programs, and recently opened the first Adult High School in Illinois, the Goodwill Excel Center in Rockford, IL.
Courtney serves on a number of local boards and committees, including the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and Juvenile Justice Council, Transition Planning Committee for Winnebago, Boone, and Ogle Counties, Youth Mental Health System of Care Advisory Committee, TASC Advisory Committee, Rockford Area Case Management Initiative Steering Committee, and the Highway Construction Careers Pre-Apprenticeship Program Advisory Committee. Courtney has a bachelor’s degree from Rockford University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Judson University.
Dakota holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on management from Robert Morris University, where he developed a strong foundation in organizational leadership, strategic planning, and operational efficiency. After completing his degree, Dakota chose to expand his technical expertise by returning to Heartland Community College to earn a certificate in Sustainable Energy and Building Automation—a move driven by his lifelong interest in helping the planet by working with renewable energy.
In 2017, Dakota began my professional journey with EDP as an intern. He steadily progressed within the organization and now serves as a Site Supervisor for Rail Splitter Wind Farm. In this role, he oversees daily operations, ensures safety and compliance standards, and leads teams to meet performance goals in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Dakota also helps lead teams at 3 different solar parks with a wide variety of equipment. Dakota enjoy daily challenges in my current role and continue to learn more every day.
Hannah McCorry is currently an Economic Analyst in the Federal Policy Program at the Illinois Commerce Commission. She works on all federal, RTO, and wholesale issues for the commission. She currently serves as the working group chair for the PJM Area Relevant State Entities Committee where she works with PJM, PJM’s stakeholders, and the PJM Transmission Owners, to comply with FERC Order No. 1920. Prior to joining the Commission, she worked at the Illinois Power Agency as an Economist where she conducted research and worked on Utility-Scale procurement and development for the State of Illinois.
She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Economics from Illinois State University. In her spare time she is a Docent at the Chicago Architecture Center, leading architectural walking tours around the city of Chicago.
Senyo Ador is a seasoned sustainable energy professional with 17 years of experience in US and Global energy markets. Leveraging his background in energy solution design and implementation, Senyo brings fresh perspectives to people-centered sustainability through his organizations Sesenergi and TRECC… through the development of localized distributed generation systems and institutionally aligned climate focused workforce development initiatives, this team focused leader finding new avenues to “green” every space he comes into. Senyo is most enthusiastic about the disruptive, adaptable and accessible models that the next generation of energy professionals can benefit from.
Jim leads Schain Banks’ Energy practice area and has been representing energy companies in the Midwest United States for nearly 20 years. He has led successful permitting efforts for numerous utility and community scale wind energy, solar energy, thermal energy and battery storage projects. Jim relies upon his lengthy experience and knowledge of the industry and the local and state entitlement process to provide clients with critical strategic advice and counsel. Jim has also successfully represented clients in many litigation matters relating to energy project developments.
Jim’s clients at Schain Banks especially rely upon his skills and expertise when facing organized project opposition. His knowledge and expertise in renewable energy, combined with his extensive land use litigation background, have supported project efforts to overcome and defeat uninformed local objections, and successfully obtain permit approvals. Jim has also successfully defended project entitlements against third-party lawsuits in court.
In addition to assisting with project permitting efforts, Jim advises energy clients on leasing, easement and land control matters. Jim also represents clients in performing due diligence relating to the acquisition and financing of energy projects. Along with other Schain Banks team members, he works to obtain economic incentives for project developers.
Beyond his renewable energy practice, Jim represents developers of commercial, industrial and large residential projects. Recent examples of his successful projects include a $50M surgical and medical center, commercial composting facility, Chicago industrial planned development, and a residential development of a former golf course by a national homebuilder.
Jim also maintains an active litigation practice, focusing on land use, real estate and business disputes.
Raj Rajan is currently Vice President of Project Development for SOO Green, building a rail co-located, weather-resilient, inter-RTO, HVDC power transmission link. Raj has four decades of experience in environmental stewardship related to production infrastructure and supply chains of utility, transportation, energetics, chemical, petroleum, tourism, food, beverage, and paper industries. He most recently served as the global technical lead for corporate sustainability strategy at Ecolab. He was appointed by two Minnesota Governors as state-wide business representative to the Clean Water Council, where he served for eight years advising the Legislature.
Raj is a licensed Professional Engineer in multiple states, holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Southern Illinois University and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, and is a Fellow of the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota. He currently serves on these environmental non-profit boards: Climate Generation and Environmental Initiative.
Chynna S Hampton is the Equity Director for Climate Jobs Illinois, a union led initiative that has successfully passed legislation to ensure the work is continuance in ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion for good paying union jobs in the clean energy sector. Hampton has worked to ensure that individuals and community organizations across the state of Illinois have access and opportunity to training and job readiness skills for unionized careers in clean energy. Prior to her role with CJI, Hampton was the Director of Workforce Development at HIRE360, where she ensured that Chicagoland’s construction unions and general contractors connected communities to opportunities in construction. Before joining HIRE360, Hampton was the Senior Project Manager for the Chicago Transit Authority’s Workforce Initiatives, where she most notably managed the workforce development on CTA’s largest construction project to date valued at $2.1 Billion dollars. Hampton earned her Master’s In Public Administration from Walden University, and her bachelors in Sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Doug Scott was appointed chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) by Governor JB Pritzker on June 17, 2023. This is Scott’s second stint as chair, having previously served in that position from 2011–2015. Between engagements with the ICC, Scott was vice president of the Great Plains Institute (GPI), where he worked on decarbonization efforts with states, utilities, and other interested parties. His team at GPI focused on utility business models, transmission, and clean energy/climate plans. As part of that work, Scott served as an advisor to the Illinois Office of the Governor on energy and environmental issues, including development of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.
Prior to his first session with the ICC, Scott served in a variety of public-sector positions for more than 25 years, including director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; mayor of the city of Rockford, IL; state representative; and Rockford city attorney. A Rockford native, Scott received his bachelor of arts with honors from the University of Tulsa and a juris doctor with honors from Marquette University.
Scott and his wife Tammy have been married since 1985 and reside in South Beloit, IL.
Brooke Watson and her husband Chauncey are Certified Solar Graziers by the American Solar Grazing Association and operate Illinois Solar Grazing, the largest solar grazing operation in Illinois. Although their farm is located in DeKalb, they have grazed over 320 acres across nine community solar sites in Cook, Grundy, Livingston, Kankakee, Stephenson and Will counties. Several of these sites participate in Illinois Shines.
Illinois Solar Grazing also provides commercial mowing and in addition to exterior mows at the sites they solar graze, they have another 100 acres that they mow across three community solar sites in McLean, Whiteside and Winnebago counties.
A sixth generation (and soon to be seventh) family farm that has been on the same site in DeKalb County since 1856, they are proud to have over 25 years of experience in the sheep industry. In addition to livestock, they also have a fully insured commercial mowing business that specializes in the removal of noxious weeds for housing developers, as well as a commercial snow removal business.
Their experience in both commercial mowing and sheep management is unique in the Midwest. With a flock of 500 ewes (and counting), they are ready to partner and deploy their services to meet the demand for solar vegetation management and will continue to scale up to meet the needs of their energy partners at additional community and utility scale sites.
In addition to being a board member for the United Agrivoltaics Heartland Alliance and a member of Wild Ones and WRISE, Brooke is also the founder of the Illinois Agrivoltaics Network which brings together farmers, solar graziers, solar developers and researchers to connect, share resources and continue the conversation about agrivoltaics. She is passionate about land stewardship, sharing the benefits of solar grazing in soil health and biodiversity, and how it can work in tandem with native plant and pollinator habitats.
Demond King is the Director of Operations at Rethink Electric, bringing over 15 years of experience in the renewable energy and electrical trades, including 5+ years with Rethink Electric. A licensed Master Electrician and NABCEP-Certified Solar Professional, he leads field operations, project execution, and workforce strategy across clean energy projects.
As Lead Instructor for the Rethink Apprenticeship Program, Demond develops and teaches industry-aligned curriculum, preparing future electricians and solar technicians for long-term success. Known for his mentorship and commitment to equity in the trades, Demond plays a vital role in advancing workforce development and clean energy access in underserved communities.
Sam has over a decade of experience in renewable energy development, and is currently serving as SVP of Development at Eolian, enabling the growth of battery storage projects across Eastern U.S. markets. Sam previously led market strategy, policy, and project development at battery storage developer Able Grid Energy Solutions in ISONE, NYISO, PJM, and the Southeast, and has developed solar projects in the Southeast at Cypress Creek Renewables. Sam holds an MBA from The Ross School of Business and an MS in Environmental Science, both at the University of Michigan, and attended Middlebury College in Vermont.
Matt Swaine is a Grants Manager with the Illinois Office of Energy and Business Utility, where he oversees the development and administration of state-funded programs supporting the energy transition. His work focuses on ensuring equitable access to funding for communities impacted by the shift to clean energy, particularly through initiatives like the Energy Transition Community Grant (ETCG) and the Community Solar Energy Sovereignty (CSES). With a background in sales, Matt brings a results-driven, relationship-focused approach to grantmaking—prioritizing collaboration, transparency, and community impact. He is committed to helping underserved communities navigate the clean energy landscape and leverage state resources for long-term resilience and sustainability.
Aaron McEvoy works in the Office of Energy and Business Utility as a Grants Manager. Specifically, he administers the Coal to Solar Program, Equitable Energy Future Grant, Jobs & Justice Fund, and the Zion Nuclear Plant taxing bodies portion of the Energy Transition Communities Grant. He also serves as the Administrator of Illinois’ Hydrogen Economy Task Force.
Prior to his role at DCEO, McEvoy spent the past decade leading in the professional association and social impact sector. He served as the Finance and Compliance Manager for the Illinois Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. His team served as the financial agent for the 21st Century Community Center and Teen REACH grants funded by ISBE and Illinois Department of Human Services respectively. He has years of experience as an Executive Director for statewide and national trade, professional, and medical associations. He is a graduate of Knox College in Galesburg, IL.
Noah Bond is a public sector leader and program strategist currently serving as the Small Business Manager for the CEJA Incubator and Accelerator Programs at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. With a background in public administration, GIS, and economic development, Noah brings a systems-level approach to supporting small businesses, clean energy contractors, and underserved communities. His work centers on building equitable pathways to entrepreneurship and workforce success across Illinois.
Larry currently serves as the CEJA Northern Regional Administrator for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the implementation of CEJA workforce programs in the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
Larry has extensive experience with both Workforce Development and Energy Efficiency programs. He previously served as the Northeast Region Manager for federally funded Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program and later statewide Director of Energy Assistance which included weatherization energy efficiency and utility bill assistance programs., where he oversaw historic funding levels, innovative system development, and the establishment of the state’s energy efficiency training institute.
Larry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
Scott Kains serves as a Public Hearing Facilitator in numerous counties in Illinois. His role is to conduct public hearings in an orderly fashion so that renewable energy applicants and their witnesses can present their cases without interruptions from the general public. Scott also ensures that the public can ask questions of applicants’ witnesses at the conclusion of their testimony but only to the extent that the questions are relevant to the issues raised in counties’ ordinances and the applications. He is authorized under Illinois law and counties’ ordinances to rule on legal procedural matters and on the admissibility of evidence.
Having served as a Sangamon County prosecutor for much of his career and as a private attorney concentrating on litigation, Scott is well-versed in the rules of evidence and courtroom procedure. His skills have served counties well in the conduct of public hearings, and he has earned the respect of county officials, renewable energy attorneys, and the public during these hearings. Scott’s 33-year career as an attorney has been marked by his ability to delve into the key issues in a case and, during public hearings, to treat all parties in a fair manner.
Scott and his wife reside in Springfield and are the parents of four adult children and six grandchildren. They are active in their church and spend a lot of time at St. Louis Cardinals games.
Andrea Wagner is a statewide sustainable energy specialist with University of Illinois Extension. She develops programming about renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and community planning for renewable energy projects. Andrea is passionate about helping community members understand how they can benefit from these types of projects and providing accessible information for farmers or landowners, homeowners and renters, and government officials. Part of her work involves staying up to date on legislation related to wind and solar energy, as well as battery energy storage, and how it affects municipalities and counties.
Andrea holds a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning and a Master’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture, both from Iowa State University. A native of Illinois, Andrea came to Extension after working as a county planner in Iowa for nearly four years, focusing on rural planning, natural resource protection, and floodplain management. She is accustomed to discussing concerns about development with landowners and well-versed in writing land use ordinances and seeing development plans through the permitting process. Andrea is especially interested in innovations with agrivoltaics and biofuels and their potential for revitalizing rural economies.
Jay Rowell is the Executive Director of Chicago-based HIRE360, a unique partnership between developers, general contractors, the hospitality industry, and trade unions to connect underrepresented populations to opportunities. Rowell previously served as the Deputy Treasurer for Illinois, where he oversaw the state’s $31 billion portfolio. In that role, he helped to dramatically increase the number of minority- and women-owned firms that manage the State’s investments and re-envisioned the Illinois 529 College Savings programs, earning Morningstar’s highest ratings. Before joining the Illinois State Treasurer’s office, Rowell was the Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, where he helped to improve the process of connecting people with available jobs, created a no-cost HR recruiting program and launched a new job board to better match job seekers’ skill sets with the needs of potential employers. Rowell earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Communication at American University.
Will Kenworthy is the Regulatory Director, Midwest for Vote Solar, where he has been shaping policies to transition to equitable clean energy since 2018. Will’s responsibilities include guiding regulatory interventions and offering expert witness testimony in electric utility regulatory proceedings, including integrated resource planning, distribution system planning, distributed generation compensation and valuation, as well as rate cases. Previously, Will worked in private sector startups in renewable energy development and industrial energy efficiency. Prior to his experience in solar energy, Will worked extensively in federal environmental and energy policy as a consultant and as a Congressional staffer. He holds a BSFS from Georgetown University and a Master of Public and Private Management (MPPM/MBA) from Yale University. Will is married and has three grown sons. Depending on the season and location, he enjoys sailing, golf, mountain sports, scuba, wine, gadgets and energy data.
Dana Wynn-Stockert is the Director for Clean Energy Programs at the Illinois Community College Board, ICCB, where she oversees the Rev Up EV community college initiative aimed to develop, revise, and expand training programs for electric vehicles (EV) and the EV occupational continuum. Dana has worked with Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs since December 2021, moving into her new role overseeing the Rev Up EV initiative in March 2024. Dana attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, studying Environmental Science and Sustainability.
Dana is a sustainability and environmental justice champion and advocate in her #hometown and at the East St. Louis Higher Education Center campus. Sustainability initiatives and community advocacy are motivation to actions that Dana is deeply committed to with her work with community colleges around the state. Prior to joining ICCB, Dana was a Business Engagement Manager with the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) for a solar workforce development, a lab technician at an international Genetic Quality Assurance lab, and a clerk for a private corporation in Convenience & Gas (C&G) for 16 years. Dana like spending time walking, hiking, gardening, and listening to live music in her spare time.
JC Kibbey is the climate advisor for the State of Illinois, where he analyzes, develops, and implements climate and energy policy. He helped negotiate and pass the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and the SAFE CCS Act, and is leading implementation of the state’s $430 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. He previously served as senior Illinois clean energy advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and as Midwest climate and energy advocate for the Union of Concerned Scientists. He holds a master’s in public policy from Northwestern and a bachelor’s in political theory from Michigan State University’s James Madison College.
Micaela Preskill is E2’s Director of State Advocacy. Since 2010, Micaela has run issue and electoral campaigns in Illinois, Colorado, Washington state and Massachusetts for the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). Micaela joined E2 from the Public Interest Network in Chicago, where she was the organization’s national recruitment director, responsible for recruiting, training and building staff and volunteer networks across the country. A California native, she is a graduate of Brandeis University.
Brian Granahan is the Director of the Illinois Power Agency (IPA), an independent state agency tasked with developing energy procurement plans; conducting energy, capacity, and renewables procurement events; developing solar energy incentive programs; and providing financial incentives for the continued operation of at-risk nuclear plants. As the Director, Brian oversees the development and implementation of plans to procure electricity and clean energy resources for customers of Illinois electric utilities. This work includes development of the IPA’s Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, which outlines the state’s approach to supporting new distributed generation and community solar projects, as well as overseeing programs providing incentives to support those projects.
Previously, Brian served as IPA’s Chief Legal Counsel, beginning with the Agency in April 2014. In this role, he oversaw a variety of legal, policy, and strategic responsibilities for the IPA, including serving as the Agency’s legislative liaison and representative in negotiations around the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (2021) and the Future Energy Jobs Act (2016). Brian began his career as an associate with Sidley Austin LLP and worked as clean energy advocate and staff attorney with Environment Illinois before shifting to the public sector and serving as a policy advisor to two Chairmen at the Illinois Commerce Commission. Prior to joining the IPA, Brian was a Vice President with the strategic consulting firm of Tur Partners LLC working to incubate a startup low-profit, limited liability company (L3C) focused on cleantech adoption by municipal governments.
Brian is a former board member of the Illinois Environmental Council and Green Economy Chicago, and most recently served as the Vice Chairman of the Clean Energy States Alliance Board of Directors. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with Honors from the University of Iowa and a juris doctor degree from New York University School of Law.
John Albers oversees Advanced Energy United’s regulatory engagement in the central region of the United States with a focus on advancing and defending renewable energy and energy efficiency policies at public utility commissions. Prior to joining United, John oversaw SunPower’s policy and strategy efforts in the Midwest. He developed his policy and regulatory experience as an Administrative Law Judge at the Illinois Commerce Commission and as an attorney in private practice assisting local and national organizations and businesses achieve their regulatory goals.
Lisa Barrett leads Advanced Energy United’s work on removing barriers and expanding opportunities for advanced energy technologies to participate in wholesale energy markets, focusing on the Midcontinent ISO and Southwest Power Pool. She has over 15 years of experience in the energy industry, including representing distributed generation projects in renewable energy certificate, forward capacity, and real-time energy markets in New England. Prior to joining Advanced Energy United, Lisa was a Program Manager for the Clean Energy Markets team at CLEAResult, where she worked with solar, combined heat & power, energy efficiency, and anaerobic digester projects.
Linda Larsen is the Associate Director of Research at the Climate Jobs Institute. She conducts applied research to support the state of Illinois’ clean energy transition, with a focus on creating quality jobs and ensuring equitable access to workforce opportunities.
Prior to joining the Climate Jobs Institute, she worked as the Communications and Education Program Director at the University of Illinois Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) where she conducted research, developed educational materials, and managed programs to grow the clean energy workforce. At SEDAC, she also assisted the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in launching the CEJA workforce programs.
Linda has a particular interest in expanding opportunities for returning residents in the clean energy workforce. An advocate for people who have been incarcerated, she is one of the lead authors of the Education Justice Project reentry guide, Mapping Your Future, which is distributed to tens of thousands of returning residents annually.
Heather Osborn was a natural heritage resident from February of 2018-2019. She is from Hartsburg, IL (near Lincoln!) and graduated with her Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2019. Before attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Heather received an M.S. in Biology from Western Illinois University. Heather’s residency provided her with many opportunities for personal growth related to independence and confidence. She also values the land management experiences that she obtained learned from her residency that land management is not “one size fits all”. Currently, Heather is working for IDNR Heritage Division as the Incidental Take Authorization Coordinator. This means that she is responsible for permitting projects that are under construction in places where there are known endangered and/or threatened animal species populations and working with developers to find a compromise between the project and the protection of the population. A fun fact about Heather is that she visited the State Fair every summer as a child with Logan County 4-H to show, or to support her brother’s show, and each year would convince her family to walk through conservation world!
As a first-generation Nigerian/English-American, Ky has lived on the African, European and American continents. Ky’s previous work experience includes academia and technology consulting. Since 2019, Ky has worked at StraightUp Solar as a Project Developer. At StraightUp Solar, Ky oversees the company’s submissions to the ILSFA program where he has been able to, as he says, “work to save the world, one solar panel at a time.” Ky has served his local church as a Trustee and as a Steward and is also a member of the Bloomington Human Relations Commission, having been appointed to the role by the Mayor of Bloomington, IL.
Clients look to David Streicker for counsel on complex energy and infrastructure development matters throughout the country. David advises clients on issues ranging from project siting, permitting and regulatory approvals, to project acquisition and related due diligence, public/private partnerships, tax and project finance incentives, power purchase and off-take agreements, gas supply agreements, project operating agreements, environmental and natural resources regulation and related legislative drafting matters, as well as litigation support.
David’s energy sector clients include entities developing electric generation assets (waste- to-energy, gas, wind, solar, and CHP), multi-state transmission lines, battery storage, coal conversion projects (CTL and SNG), electric transmission/smart-grid, bio-refining campuses, chemical plants, and mining projects. His transportation related matters center around the development of intermodal and airport related projects. Prior to joining Polsinelli, David served as general counsel and ethics officer for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), which is the State of Illinois’ primary economic development agency. In this capacity, he was the state’s lead attorney for all major development projects, including energy related assets, transportation, brownfields/military base reuse, manufacturing expansion, and headquarters relocation. Among the many matters that David actively participated in while at DCEO was the opportunity to lead the state’s legal efforts to successfully land the FutureGen Project – the world’s first near zero emission coal fired power plant. This assignment included extensive legislative and project development work, as well as close interaction with various levels of federal, state, and local government. In addition to his project development experience, David is an experienced litigator, having tried many matters in both state and federal courts, along with administrative hearings, binding arbitrations, mediations, and significant matters before the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Philip Dick, AICP has been the Director of the McLean County Department of Building and Zoning in Bloomington, IL since August 2001; he was the County Planner for McLean County from 1993 – 2001. Prior to that, he had been a planner for Palm Beach County, Florida for 3½ years. Mr. Dick holds a B.S. in Economics from Illinois State University and completed graduate course work in Geography, Economic Development and Planning at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Mr. Dick has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) since 1994, was the Director of the Illinois State Section of the American Planning Association from 2010 – 2014, received the 2014 Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association, was President of the Heartland of Illinois Resource Conservation and Development Council from 2018 – 2019 and was President of the Illinois Association of County Zoning Officials from 2018 – 2022. The McLean County Department of Building and Zoning has supervised the construction of 555 wind turbines in the county; the last 64 of which were activated on February 2, 2023.
Matt Aldeman is the Associate Dean of the newly-founded College of Engineering at Illinois State University. Prior to joining the College of Engineering, Matt was a faculty member in the Department of Technology at ISU, where he taught in the Sustainable & Renewable Energy and Engineering Technology programs. Previously, he worked at the ISU Center for Renewable Energy, and at General Electric as a wind site manager. Matt’s experience also includes service in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear propulsion officer and leader of the Reactor Electrical division on the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. Matt is an honors graduate of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School and holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University, a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Anthony Star served as Director of the Illinois Power Agency from March 2013 through September 2022 and has moved into a new role as Senior Advisor and Interim Chief of the Planning and Procurement Bureau. Anthony’s work at the IPA has included overseeing the development and implementation of plans to procure electricity and clean energy resources for customers of Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican. This includes the Agency’s annual electricity plans for energy and capacity for default service customers, plans for Zero Emissions Credits and Carbon Mitigation Credits, and the Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan which guides the Agency’s renewable resources activities including procurements for utility-scale wind and solar, the Adjustable Block Program to support photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar, and the Illinois Solar for All Program to support low-income photovoltaic projects. These efforts have saved default service customers hundreds of millions of dollars and are supporting the development of thousands of megawatts of new wind and solar resources.
Anthony previously served as a Policy Advisor to two Chairmen of the Illinois Commerce Commission, and before entering government service spent thirteen years at the Center for Neighborhood Technology in a variety of roles working on energy policy and environmental sustainability, culminating in the position of Director of Policy and Evaluation for CNT Energy. He helped start the nation’s first residential real-time pricing program as well as community-based energy efficiency and demand response programs. Anthony holds a BA in History and an MA in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago.
Dr. David G. Loomis is also Emeritus Professor of Economics at Illinois State University, Former Executive Director of the Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies and Co-Founder of the Center for Renewable Energy. He has over 20 years of experience in energy analysis and has performed economic development analyses at the county, region, state and national levels for many different energy projects and associated supply chains.
In particular, he has performed economic impact analyses for renewable energy projects in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. He has served as a consultant for Apex, Clean Line Energy Partners, EDF Renewables, EO.N, Geronimo Energy, Invenergy, J-Power, the National Renewable Energy Laboratories, Ranger Power, State of Illinois, Tradewind, and others. He has testified before the Illinois Senate Energy and Environment Committee, the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Missouri Public Service Commission, New Mexico Public Regulation Commission and numerous County Boards. Dr. Loomis is a widely recognized expert and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Associated Press, and Chicago Tribune as well as appearing on CNN.
Dr. Loomis has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in leading energy policy and economics journals. He has raised and managed over $8 million in grant and contracts from government, corporate and foundation sources. Dr. Loomis received his Ph.D. in economics from Temple University in 1995.