State Energy Strategy Advisory Committee - Washington State Department of Commerce

The Department of Commerce has convened an advisory committee to provide guidance, advice, and recommendations for the review and development of the 2021 state energy strategy. As outlined in the 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act, the committee includes representatives of utilities, industry, local government, tribes, labor unions, civic organizations representing vulnerable populations, environmental organizations, government officials and legislators. Gov. Jay Inslee appointed committee co-chairs from the membership.

The advisory committee will meet multiple times during 2020 as the 2021 energy strategy is developed. All committee meetings will be open to the public and will have remote accessibility. The committee is operating under a charter adopted by the members.

Learn more about the advisory committee members

George Caan, Executive Director, Washington Public Utility Districts Association
Mr. Caan has served as the executive director of WPUDA since 2011. WPUDA is a trade association representing 26 public utility districts across the state as well as Energy Northwest, a joint operating agency. Prior to joining WPUDA, Mr. Caan served for 15 years as the executive director of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, which is the state agency responsible for Nevada’s allocation of water and hydropower from the Colorado River. In addition to his responsibility as the state’s representative on Colorado River issues, Mr. Caan also managed an electrical utility system serving wholesale and industrial customers with a load approaching 750 megawatts. Prior to his Nevada position, Mr. Caan worked as the deputy director of the Washington State Energy Office. Mr. Caan graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He has an M.B.A. from Northeastern University.

Mr. Caan is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by public utility districts.

Jason Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Sovereign Power
Jason Campbell is a citizen of the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the CEO of Sovereign Power, an energy company wholly owned by the Spokane Tribe of Indians.  Sovereign Power drives integrated energy solutions based on the implementation of renewable energy.  Sovereign Power is currently utilizing partnerships across public, private, and non-profit sectors. Sovereign Power is growing capacity in power marketing, power production, and power distribution. Mr. Campbell, through Sovereign Power, strives to contribute to an improved quality of life for tribal citizens in a way that reflects the core values of the Spokane Tribe. Mr. Campbell first began giving back to his Spokane Tribal community by founding Areté Development Group after earning an M.B.A. from Gonzaga University. His job stints in literacy and legislation in Washington, D.C. led to opportunities in sustainable and responsible investment with the U.S. Social Investment Forum as part of the Indigenous People’s Working Group. He then learned shareholder advocacy with Boston Common Asset Management.

Mr. Campbell is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by Washington Indian tribes.

Reuven Carlyle, Senator (D), Chair Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee
Sen. Carlyle represents Legislative District 36, which includes several neighborhoods in northwest Seattle. Carlyle served in the state House of Representatives from 2009-2016 before being elected to the Senate. Professionally, Sen. Carlyle provides strategic business development services to bring advanced solutions to highly competitive global markets. He has held senior business development, board of directors, and advisory roles for McCaw Cellular Communications, AT&T Wireless, Xypoint Corp., AirSage, Twisted Pair Solutions, Synapse Product Development, and other firms. Sen. Carlyle received a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Sen. Carlyle is participating on the Advisory Committee in a position for the Washington State Senate Democratic Caucus.

Reeves Clippard, Chief Executive Officer, A&R Solar
Reeves Clippard is the Chair of the Executive Committee of the CleanTech Alliance. The Alliance is a group of over 400 member organizations spanning ten states and three Canadian provinces. Founded in 2007, the Alliance facilitates the generation and growth of cleantech companies through educational programs, research, and events where energy leaders make connections that make a difference. In his day job, Mr. Clippard is co-founder and CEO of A&R Solar, a Social Purpose Corporation that specializes in deploying solar energy technologies across Washington and Oregon. He also serves on the board of Farm Power NW, a dairy biodigester company.

Mr. Clippard is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by businesses in the clean energy industry. He will serve as Co-Chair.

Dave Danner, Chair, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Governor Inslee appointed Mr. Danner chairman of the Utilities and Transportation Commission in February 2013 and re-appointed him to a second term in December 2018. Mr. Danner had been the agency’s executive director since 2005 and secretary since 2008. Before that, he served as executive policy advisor to Washington Governor Locke and later as a member of the state Pollution Control Hearings Board and Shoreline Hearings Board. Mr. Danner has also been a telecommunications attorney in private practice, counsel to the Washington Senate Energy and Utilities Committee, and senior policy advisor at the Washington State Department of Information Services.  Mr. Danner serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the National Regulatory Research Institute. He is Vice-Chair of the International Consortium of Energy Regulators and is a member of the State Technology Services Board and the Executive Council of the National Council on Energy Policy.

Mr. Danner is participating on the Advisory Committee in a position for the chairman of the Utilities and Transportation Commission.

Beth Doglio, Representative (D), Member House Environment & Energy Committee
Rep. Doglio is currently serving her second term as a state representative from Legislative District 22, which includes Olympia and other parts of Thurston County. When the legislature is not in session, she serves as a senior advisor at Climate Solutions, a Northwest-based clean energy economy nonprofit. Rep. Doglio was the founding executive director of Washington Conservation Voters and served in that role from 1991 – 1995. In 1996, she was a field organizer for the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL). She also served as a campaign organizer and later the development director for Audubon Washington. Rep. Doglio has worked in public, private, and non-profit sectors, and has served in leadership staff positions in numerous political campaigns.

Rep. Doglio is participating on the Advisory Committee in a position for the Washington State House Democratic Caucus.

Kathleen Drew, Chair, Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
In January 2018, Governor Inslee appointed Kathleen Drew as Chair of Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, which reviews siting proposals for major energy facilities in the state. Before taking over leadership of EFSEC, Ms. Drew was assistant director of the Washington State Department of Licensing’s Business and Professions Division. There, she oversaw 44 programs and 10 boards and commissions. Prior to her four years at DOL, Ms. Drew served as a policy adviser for both the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services and in Gov. Gregoire’s Administration, where she worked on numerous environmental issues. She has served as a community and government relations director at the University of Washington Bothell, as a community relations manager at Sound Transit, and as a public information consultant for the Port of Seattle. Ms. Drew was a state senator in the 5th Legislative District from 1993 to 1997. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio University and a bachelor’s degree in communication from The Evergreen State College.

Ms. Drew is participating on the Advisory Committee in a position for the Chair of Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.

Sandi Edgemon, Business Services Manager, City of Richland
Ms. Edgemon is the Business Services Manager of the City of Richland Energy Services Department, which serves nearly 25,000 electric utility customers. In this position, she is responsible for the electric utility’s administrative functions, power management, resource planning, energy efficiency, energy policy and legislation, and communications and outreach. She actively engages in initiatives to solve regional energy issues and represent the interests of public power and the City’s customers. This includes her involvement in Northwest Requirements Utilities and Public Power Council. Ms. Edgemon has over 22 years of experience working in or with public power and electric cooperative utilities including her work at Energy Northwest, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Jackson Electric Membership Cooperative. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia.

Ms. Edgemon is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended the Association of Washington Cities.

Will Einstein, Director of Product Development and Growth, Puget Sound Energy
Will Einstein is Puget Sound Energy’s Director of Product Development and Growth.  In this role, he leads PSE’s development and marketing of new products and services for PSE customers, including new renewable energy offerings, carbon reduction programs, and electric vehicle charging services. He also leads PSE’s street lighting and pole attachments business and leasing services program. Previously, Mr. Einstein served as Director of Business Services, which manages PSE’s large commercial and industrial accounts and leads PSE’s strategy for improving service to the business customer base. Mr. Einstein has also served as PSE’s Director of Community and Business Services for King County, Manager of PSE’s emerging technology and climate change program, and Manager in PSE’s Federal Government Relations group. Before joining PSE, Mr. Einstein served on the staff of members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the Metropolitan King County Council.

Mr. Einstein is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by investor-owned electric utilities.

Martin Gibbins, Climate and Energy Issues Chair, Lobby Team, League of Women Voters
Mr. Gibbins joined the LWV in early 2017. He earned engineering degrees from Virginia Tech and worked 35 years for Boeing in design, analysis, research, and management. He is now retired, living on a lake in Carnation.

Mr. Gibbins is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by civic organizations.

Deric Gruen, Program Director, Front and Centered
Since 2015, Deric Gruen has been a Program Director with Front and Centered, a statewide coalition of more than 60 organizations and groups working for climate justice and rooted in communities of color and people with lower income. Prior to joining Front and Centered, he was the founding director of the Office of Sustainability at Bellevue College, winner of a national 2013 Climate Leadership Award, where he led campus, curricular, and student leadership initiatives. Mr. Gruen was a Fellow at the Center for Communications and Civic Engagement at the University of Washington and a member of the Emerging Leaders in Energy and Environmental Policy network, a transatlantic program of Ecologic Institute and Atlantic Council. He has consulted on transportation, environment, and community development for organizations including the Sightline Institute and People’s Economy Lab, and was a contributor to the Seattle Globalist. Mr. Gruen graduated from the University of Washington Evans School.

Mr. Gruen is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by civic organizations representing vulnerable populations.

Matt Harris, Director of Government Affairs and Assistant Executive Director, Washington State Potato Commission
Matthew Harris is the Assistant Executive Director and Director of Governmental Affairs for the Washington State Potato Commission. In this position, he works to overcome technical and policy barriers to ensure a fair regulatory environment and to educate regarding the effects of trade, transportation and regulatory barriers on the Washington potato industry. His work involves preventing or removing unfair market access barriers by eliminating or limiting impediments affecting the sale and use of Washington state’s potatoes in local, domestic, and foreign markets. Mr. Harris has been working in the food and agriculture industry for twenty-two years managing regulatory compliance for agricultural commodity organizations.  He holds a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Washington State University.

Mr. Harris is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by agricultural energy users.

Nancy Hirsh, Executive Director, NW Energy Coalition
Nancy Hirsh is Executive Director for the NW Energy Coalition. She directs the Coalition’s efforts to enhance investments in energy efficiency, renewable resources, and energy services for people of lower-income through work with utilities, commissioners, regulators, and policy-makers. She serves on the board of Renewable Northwest. From 1996 through 2014, she served as the Coalition’s policy director.  Before joining the Coalition, Ms. Hirsh spent twelve years in Washington, DC working on national energy policy issues for the Environmental Action Foundation and the National Wildlife Federation.

Ms. Hirsh is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by environmental organizations. She will serve as Co-Chair.

Nicole Hughes, Executive Director, Renewable Northwest
Nicole Hughes joined Renewable Northwest as Executive Director in July 2018. Renewable Northwest is a non-profit focused on advocating for renewable energy in the policy and regulatory space. Nicole has over 14 years of experience in project development and consulting for utility-scale wind and solar energy projects, working for AWS Truepower, HDR, Element Power, RES Americas and Tetra Tech. She has also contributed to policy, serving on the American Wind Energy Siting Committee and the Health and Safety Standards Committee, the Oregon Department of Lands and Conservation Division Rules Advisory Committee, and worked on Wind Energy Guidelines for Washington, Oregon and California. Prior to her work in the energy sector, Ms. Hughes worked as an archaeologist for the Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Ms. Hughes is participating in the Advisory Committee representing independent power producers.

Paul Jewell, Policy Director, Washington State Association of Counties
Paul Jewell joined the Washington State Association of Counties in 2018. He oversees a broad range of policy issues, including natural resources, water, land use and solid waste management. He also served as a Kittitas County Commissioner for 10 years between 2008 and 2018. Prior to his career in public service and government policy, Mr. Jewell was a private-sector small business owner.

Mr. Jewell is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by the Washington Association of Counties.

Dan Kirschner has been the Executive Director of NWGA since 2002 working to foster understanding and informed decision-making on issues related to natural gas in the region. His duties include formulating and disseminating market intelligence, policy analysis, and communicating the industry’s perspective. Prior to joining NWGA, Mr. Kirschner was the Vice President of Public Affairs at the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce. Before the Chamber, Mr. Kirschner was the Majority Chief of Staff in the Washington State House of Representatives. He also served as Regional Director for U.S. Senator Slade Gorton in eastern and central Washington. Mr. Kirschner has a B.A. in Government and Economics from Eastern Washington University and an MBA from the University of Washington.

Mr. Kirschner is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person employed by or recommended by a natural gas pipeline serving the state.

Kent Lopez, ‎General Manager, Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Mr. Lopez has been with WRECA since 2005. WRECA represents approximately 20 small mutual electric companies and rural electric cooperatives throughout Washington. The members serve over 280,000 customers at approximately 149,000 locations throughout Washington. WRECA was established in 1942 to provide its members with a unified voice at the state capitol in Olympia.

Mr. Lopez is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by rural electrical cooperatives.

Bruce Martin, Energy Resource Manager, WestRock Tacoma
Bruce Martin is the Energy Resource Manager for WestRock Tacoma. WestRock is the second-largest American corrugated packaging company and owner of the containerboard mill in Tacoma. Mr. Martin has been an active member of the Integrated Resource Planning stakeholder committees for both the Power and Water divisions of Tacoma Public Utilities. Previously he worked for various Northwest pulp and paper companies as Energy or Environmental Manager, while also serving on the Boards for regional manufacturing trade groups including the Northwest Pulp and Paper Association, Northwest Industrial Gas Users Association, Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, Energy Action Northwest, and the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers. A Tacoma native, Mr. Martin studied Chemical Engineering and Pulp and Paper Science at the University of Washington.

Mr. Martin is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by industrial energy users.

Clay Norris, Power Management Manager, Tacoma Power
Mr. Norris was appointed Power Management Manager at Tacoma Power in 2015. He has more than 30 years of utility experience, most recently as an executive with Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). At NEEA, he supported regional energy efficiency programs funded, in part, by Tacoma Power. He has served on several regional and national boards and executive committees, including the North American Energy Standards Board, SERC, the North Carolina Transmission Planning Collaborative, Public Generating Pool, and Public Power Council. Mr. Norris has a B.A. in math and physics from Illinois College, a B.S. in electrical engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and an MBA from the University of Illinois – Springfield.

Mr. Norris is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by municipally-owned electric utilities.

Patrick Oshie, Member, Northwest Power and Conservation Council
Gov. Inslee appointed Mr. Oshie to the NWPCC in April 2019. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Oshie was Of Counsel with energy law firm Davison Van Cleve representing industrial and large volume electricity customers before the Washington and Oregon utility commissions. After receiving his law degree from the University of Washington, Mr. Oshie began working in utility regulation in 1984, serving as counsel to the Committee for Consumer Services in Utah. In 1987, he returned to Washington, where he represented Seattle City Light in its Skagit River Hydroelectric Project relicensing proceeding and the construction of the Lucky Peak Power Project on the Boise River. He later worked with the Yakama Nation to plan and develop the Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project and on other fisheries and environmental restoration undertakings, including cleanup work at the Hanford site. In 2001, he was appointed by Gov. Locke to serve on the Washington UTC. After serving two terms, he joined the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and later served as Vice-President and General Counsel of Peak Reliability, the interconnection’s Reliability Coordinator.

Mr. Oshie is participating on the Advisory Committee as a representative of the State of Washington to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

Rebecca Ponzio, Climate & Fossil Fuel Program Director, Washington Environmental Council
Ms. Ponzio joined WEC in 2013. She directs the organization’s climate and fossil fuel program and manages the broad coalition fighting oil infrastructure through the Stand Up To Oil campaign. Before joining WEC, Rebecca worked for several years in salmon recovery at the Puget Sound Partnership and Shared Strategy, and before that did environmental permitting and compliance at the Department of Ecology. She has a dual master’s degree from the University of Washington in Urban Planning and in Public Administration.

Ms. Ponzio is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by environmental organizations.

Chris Roe, Senior Manager, Amazon
Mr. Roe leads Renewable Energy and Sustainable Operations for Amazon’s worldwide sustainability organization. He is responsible for strategy and execution against the company’s 100% renewable energy and zero-carbon goals. Prior to Amazon, he led energy, water, and waste initiatives within Boeing’s Real Estate organization in support of the company’s corporate environmental goals. Mr. Roe has a master’s degree in Engineering from Cambridge University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington.

Mr. Roe is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by commercial energy users.

John Rothlin, Manager of Washington Government Relations for Avista Corporation
John Rothlin was named Manager of Washington State Government Relations for Avista Corporation in December of 2012. John worked for nearly 18 years in the Washington State House of Representative, including five and a half years as Chief of Staff for the House Republican Caucus. Before coming to work for the Legislature, he lived and worked for ten years in Central Washington, working in media and public relations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Washington State University.

Mr. Rothlin is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by investor-owned natural gas utilities.

Tim Sheldon, Senator (D), Member, Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee
Sen. Tim Sheldon is the longest-serving member of the Legislature, representing the 35th District covering Mason County and parts of Thurston and Kitsap Counties. Prior to his election to the Senate in 1997, Sen. Sheldon served seven years in the House of Representatives. He has also served as Mason County commissioner from 2005 to 2016; Port of Hoodsport commissioner from 1988 to 1994; and as Mason County PUD #1 commissioner from 1999 to 2002. Sen. Sheldon is a member of the Executive Board of Energy Northwest and a member of the Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization. He is a general partner in Sheldon Properties, a family-owned tree farm on the Olympic Peninsula selling high-grade saw logs, gravel, and oysters. Sen. Sheldon holds a B.S. in Economics, from the Wharton School of Finance & Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the University of Washington.

Sen. Sheldon is participating on the Advisory Committee in a position for the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus.

Jessica Spiegel, Director Northwest Region, Western States Petroleum Association
Ms. Spiegel joined WSPA in February 2015, managing and leading WSPA’s state government affairs operations in Oregon and Washington and driving the execution of the organization’s advocacy priorities. WSPA is a non-profit trade association representing companies in the business of petroleum exploration, production, refining, transportation and marketing in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Prior to joining WSPA, Ms. Spiegel was a policy analyst for environment and natural resources for a legislative caucus in Washington. She previously worked in permitting large-scale mine operations, responsible for five operations for Barrick Gold Corporation in Nevada. Ms. Spiegel holds a B.S. in Geology from Oregon State University and a law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School.

Ms. Spiegel is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by suppliers of petroleum products.

Dan Wilson, President, Local 338 United Steelworkers
A 46-year Union Member, Dan Wilson has worked in the power industry as a licensed Millwright and Operator with Hydro-Electric, Gas Turbine, and Coal/Oil Generated Power Plants. Since 1987, he has held credentials through the National Association for the Uniform Licensing of Power Engineers (NIULPE). For the past 14 years, he has served as President of the United Steelworkers Local 338 in Spokane Washington, where he represents 1,200 private sector members who work in heavy industry and manufacturing. He is a long-time member of the Spokane Regional Labor Council and the Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO.

Mr. Wilson is participating on the Advisory Committee as a person recommended by labor unions.

Alex Ybarra, Representative (R), Washington State Legislature
Rep. Ybarra was appointed to the state House of Representatives in 2019. He represents the 13th Legislative District, which includes Lincoln and Kittitas counties, as well as parts of Grant and Yakima counties. Outside his legislative duties, Rep. Ybarra is employed by the Grant County Public Utility District as their energy reliability and compliance auditor. He also serves as the director for the Quincy School Board. Previously, Rep. Ybarra spent 14 years working for the Rocket Research Company as an engineer for military and aerospace products and was a member of the state Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Rep. Ybarra graduated from Central Washington University with a B.S. in Mathematics and also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.

Rep. Ybarra is participating on the Advisory Committee in a position for the Washington State House Republican Caucus.