Dr. David G. Loomis is a Professor Emeritus of Economics at Illinois State University, 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.

Chairman Scott is an accomplished, well-respected attorney with an extensive public service background at both the state and local levels. Scott most recently served as the Vice President for Energy Systems at the Great Plains Institute, where he addressed climate strategy, regulatory response, and issues involving the changing utility business model.

Prior to joining the Great Plains Institute, Scott previously served as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission from 2011 to 2015, during which he helped Illinois expand its renewable energy usage and saved consumers hundreds of millions of dollars on their utility bills. Prior to being appointed to the ICC, Scott worked to protect consumers and significantly reduce emissions from the state's power plants as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Scott's public service also includes a term as Mayor of Rockford, Illinois, three terms as an Illinois State Representative, and ten years as an attorney for the City of Rockford.

Chairman Scott holds a Juris Doctorate with honors from Marquette University and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Tulsa.

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.

Brian Ross, AICP, is a Vice President at the Great Plains Institute. He leads GPI’s renewable energy market transformation efforts in the Midwest and nationally. He has worked extensively with local, regional, and state governments on climate and energy planning, renewable energy policy and community-based land use and natural resource regulation. Brian currently leads efforts at the state and national level to integrate renewable energy and community co-benefits to enhance natural and economic systems, meet host community land use priorities, and support agriculture business models and create local partnerships for renewable development. He helped create the ground-breaking PV- SMaRT initiative on solar and water quality and now leads a new U.S DOE initiative (PV-SuCCESS) focused on the solar /ecosystem services nexus in the Midwest. Brian has written numerous model ordinances for local government, adapted models for local implementation, works nationally on DOE’s SolSmart program, and helps direct other wind, solar, and hydrogen, and electric vehicle initiatives.

Hilary Scott-Ogunrinde (O-goo-ren-day) is a cleantech leader and experienced professional in business development, operations management, grant administration, and organizational development. She is a vocal and productive community advocate for the growth and economic equality of small and minority owned businesses. She has a career committed to improving the

quality of life of domestic and international communities through environmental and economic grassroots redevelopment. Throughout her career, her knowledge and ability to facilitate stakeholder collaboration, maintain regulatory compliance, as well as develop and achieve financial and strategic goals has consistently led to promotions and increased levels of responsibilities. These rewards are a direct result of her creativity, communication skills, work ethic and commitment to personal and professional excellence.  Upon graduating from Xavier University of LA with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, she completed a Master of Health Administration from Saint Louis University School of Public Health. Hilary has led teams in both the healthcare and construction industries in a variety of corporate settings. She was featured in the Journal of Investigative Medicine as co-investigator in the report “Knowledge and attitudes toward obesity among patients at an inner-city clinic.” and featured in numerous media outlets for her leadership role in advocating for minority/women/disadvantage business enterprise contracting participation in the St. Louis Greater Metropolitan Area. The latter half of her career has focused on champion environmental and economic opportunity in environmental justice and depressed communities in Illinois and Missouri. As a leader and advocate in the construction and energy industry, she has led and directed teams to design, develop, and finance cutting-edge projects that have an environmental, economic and social ROI. In 2022, Hilary was selected as a leader in cleantech to the Maria Telkes Fellowship. She now serves at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as Deputy

Director of Energy and Utility. Hilary Scott-Ogunrinde is the proud mother of 2 boys, wife to Wale Ogunrinde and loving sister, daughter, cheerleader, and champion to those that call her friend and colleague.

Brian Granahan is the Acting 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 Acting Director, he oversees the development and implementation of plans to procure electricity and clean energy resources for customers of Illinois electric utilities. This includes the Agency’s annual electricity plans for energy and capacity for default service customers, as well as the Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, which guides the Agency’s work in facilitating the development of renewable energy generation.

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 presently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Clean Energy States Alliance Board of Directors. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa and a juris doctor degree from New York University School of Law.

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 an Associate Professor of Technology at Illinois State University, where he teaches in the Sustainable & Renewable Energy and Engineering Technology programs. Matt joined the Technology department faculty after working at the Illinois State University Center for Renewable Energy for over five years. Previously, he worked at General Electric as a wind site manager at the Grand Ridge and Rail Splitter wind projects. 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.

Brian Cuffle is a Supervisor Distribution Design. As of April 1, 2008, was assigned the position of the “Single Point Of Contact” for all interconnection customers and the Net Metering Coordinator for Ameren Illinois. Brian is in charge of the DER (Distributed Energy Resources) group for Ameren Illinois. Brian Started at Ameren in 1992 in Customer Accounting Department. He has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS.

Tim just started his 11th year as superintendent for Williamsfield Schools in Williamsfield, IL. As superintendent and curriculum director, he has worked to increase operational efficiencies while ensuring each student has innovative opportunities to learn. As administrative lead for the Bus2Grid Initiative, he has helped Illinois school districts secure more than $21 million in grant funding for electric school buses and energy assets.

Delmar Gillus is the Chief Operating Officer of Elevate, located in Chicago, Illinois. As part of the Elevate team, Mr. Gillus is responsible for implementing operational, workforce development, and project management processes in support of Elevate’s growing portfolio of clean energy projects. Mr. Gillus currently leads Elevate’s core operational functions and also supports business development, program design, project coordination, engineering support, and contract management for Elevate’s diverse energy efficiency and growing renewable energy programs. Mr. Gillus played a critical role in passing Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the nation’s most equitable and comprehensive climate legislation. As a representative and negotiator for the IL Clean Jobs Coalition during the drafting of CEJA, Mr. Gillus was responsible for ensuring the legislation centered equity throughout and provided programs that created project opportunities and jobs in underserved environmental justice communities. Through CEJA and other Elevate programs, Mr. Gillus works to increase contractor diversity, deliver workforce development programs, create opportunities for diverse contractors in community solar programs, and ensure smart grid programs are accessible to all Illinois utility consumers. He also supports on-going efforts to improve Elevate’s internal systems through the development of IT, cyber security, HR, legal, project management, and quality systems in support of Elevate’s clean energy programs. Lastly, Mr. Gillus is active in industry boards and advisory councils such as the IL Future of Work Task Force, the Building Performance Association, and the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC), where he serves as board treasurer, and provides on-going mentorship and support to emerging energy leaders within and outside of Elevate. Outside of work, Mr. Gillus volunteers and supports the Chicagoland National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Alumni chapter, where he mentors and develops young engineers mostly through NSBE’s Pre-College Initiative (PCI) programs. Prior to joining Elevate, Mr. Gillus worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois in the information technology division leading human performance and process optimization efforts for internal customers and members.

Megha Hamal is the Chief Strategy and Communications Officer of the Illinois Power Agency (IPA), an independent state agency tasked with developing procurement plans, conducting procurement events, and administering solar energy incentive programs. Megha joined the IPA in 2021 as the Communications Manager and was promoted to Senior Communications Manager in 2022.

As the Chief Strategy and Communications Officer for the IPA, Megha is responsible for supporting the strategic direction and positioning of the IPA, including the development of new initiatives and key priorities to engage external stakeholders regarding Agency work, spanning from making the Agency’s work more accessible to positioning the Agency as a thought leader to providing analysis informing public policy debates.

Prior to joining the IPA, she was Director of Communications at one of the largest independent clinical laboratories in Chicago, where she led their strategic communications efforts and managed all COVID-19 communications (external and internal) during the height of the pandemic.

Her strategic communications work during the pandemic resulted in positive press coverage for the laboratory in Crain’s Chicago Business and Chicago Sun-Times. Before that role, she was a successful entrepreneur, who led a public relations and branding consulting firm in Chicago with clients from all over the world. She was recognized as one of the top 20 branding professionals in Chicago by Expertise.com in 2019.

Early in her career, Megha worked for a global higher education parent company, where she led their public relations and media relations efforts. She started her career in the press office at the Illinois Department of Transportation. With more than 10+years of cross-sector public relations experience, Megha understands the importance of storytelling to build a powerful and lasting brand. Her work has appeared in national and international print/online publications, such as, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, Fox News, Huff-Post, CEO World Magazine, Philly.com, ABC7 Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, South Florida Caribbean News, WVON 1690AM, and numerous consumer trade publications. Megha holds a bachelor’s degree in Advertising from Minnesota State University and a master’s degree in Mass Media with a focus in Public Relations from University of Illinois.

Outside of work, Megha enjoys cooking, exploring nature, and spending quality time with her husband and son.

2003 Graduate of Eureka College, 22 year member of Laborers Local 996, Past President of LiUNA 996 2006-2019, 2020 Mclean County Chamber of Commerce Leaders of Distinction 20 Under 40, Recording Secretary of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Council, Recording Secretary of the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly Delegate, Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois, Power Up Illinois, Illinois State University Construction Management Steering Committee, Illinois Department of Transportation Safety Council, Knox County Area Partnership, Building Owners & Managers Association, Central Illinois Chapter Healthcare Engineers, Illinois Underground Contractors Association, Climate Jobs Illinois

John's experience includes representing SunPower's interests in the Midwest as a member of its Policy and Strategy team. Prior to that he spent six years in private law practice advising and representing national and local renewable energy businesses and associations in their pursuit of strategies to achieve regulatory and legislative goals in Illinois. While in private practice, he also worked part-time securing land leases and local permits for community solar projects in Illinois. John’s experience and interest in energy and utility matters stems from his nearly 18 years of service as an Administrative Law Judge at the Illinois Commerce Commission. John received his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Illinois State University.

Jacob Sitati joined the Jobs Council in 2022 as the Director of Policy & Advocacy. In this Jacob leads and manages Chicago Jobs Council’s policy development, oversees advocacy and stakeholder engagement under the direction of the CEO, and is a member of the Jobs Council’s leadership team. Jacob brings nearly 15 years of legal consulting, policy, and advocacy experience. In his most recent role as a Managing Principal at Maurice and Fischer, LLC, Jacob managed stakeholder relationships and successfully led legal, governmental relations, advocacy, policy, legislative, and regulatory teams for global clients in emerging markets. He was a member of the Faculty at Valparaiso University and a Visiting Fellow at Strathmore Law School in Nairobi, Kenya. Jacob is committed to using policy and advocacy to raise awareness of important social justice issues and amplify the work being done to create a more equitable society.

Beth Soholt is the Executive Director of the non-profit organization Clean Grid Alliance. CGA is the Midwest’s premier organization focused on driving the development of renewable energy by applying technical and public policy expertise, expanding renewable energy markets and building support for clean energy in the Midwest. Launched in 2001, CGA members include non-profit clean energy and environmental advocacy organizations, wind, solar, and storage developers, wind turbine manufacturers, and businesses that provide goods and services to the renewable energies industries. The CGA footprint covers nine states that stretch from the Dakotas to Indiana and Michigan to Missouri. CGA is also working in MISO South states including Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Beth serves on the CGA board of directors and is responsible for setting strategic direction for the organization at the state and regional levels, fundraising, developing key relationships and guiding CGA staff in day-to-day work. She holds a seat on the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) Advisory Committee representing the Environmental Sector. Beth holds a law degree from Hamline University Law School, St. Paul, Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. Additional information on CGA can be found at www.cleangridalliance.org

Scott R. Tess is the Sustainability & Resilience Officer for the City of Urbana, IL. He supervises the commodities recycling program, co-manages the Landscape Recycling Center, and is responsible for working with the Sustainability Advisory Commission to implement the City’s energy, water, and waste priorities. Scott is also responsible for managing and redeveloping the City’s closed landfill as a solar farm. Additionally, he leads the City’s resilience efforts with a focus on continuity of operations and urban biodiversity. Scott earned his B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his Masters of Planning from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.

Kate McCormick is the Assistant Director of Policy at the Illinois Commerce Commission, tracking and advising on federal energy issues, primarily related to MISO and PJM. Prior to joining the Commission, Kate worked on energy policy with the Natural Resources Defense Council followed by work on civic engagement and consulting on sustainable food ventures with City Colleges of Chicago and New Venture Advisors.

Kate graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and has master’s degrees in Latin American Studies and Public Policy from Stanford University. She completed an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2019.

Michael Hankard, founder and owner of Hankard Environmental, Inc., has 33 years of acoustical engineering and consulting experience. He has conducted over 600 hundred environmental noise impact assessments for projects in the power, mining, agricultural, transportation, and other industries. He holds a B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Maine (1990) with a specialization in acoustics, is a full member of both the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE) and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). His entire career has been dedicated to the measurement, analysis, and mitigation of environmental noise.

Mr. Hankard has conducted some of the most extensive utility-scale wind turbine noise compliance measurement surveys in the U.S. As part of these efforts, he has spent more than 100 hours at operating wind farms measuring and listening to their noise emissions, collected and analyzed 1,000’s of hours of measured data, and had many discussions with residents living around these facilities. Using this information Mr. Hankard has generated an accurate noise modeling (prediction) process for turbine projects which he uses to advise on the design of facilities across the U.S. He stays current with his knowledge of research conducted by scientists worldwide regarding issues of concern, including the measurement and prediction of wind farm noise emissions, including low frequency noise, infrasound, and amplitude modulation. He also regularly reviews health related and attitudinal studies relating to wind farm noise emissions.

Mr. Hankard has testified as an expert on wind turbine noise at local hearings and information sessions, before local agencies and boards, before state public service commissions, and in courts of law. He has testified at state-level wind turbine project proceedings in six states, and at dozens of county and township meetings in 17 states. He has provided technical studies and written testimony in both state and federal court cases involving wind turbine noise impacts.

Sarah Rudofsky is a seasoned education professional with a passion for fostering student success and advancing educational opportunities. Currently serving as the Executive Director of Early College and Career Education at the Chicago Public Schools, Sarah leads dedicated teams in empowering students to earn college credit and participate in career-oriented programming during their high school years. With over 25 years of experience, Sarah has devoted herself to deepening her understanding of human learning through diverse roles and responsibilities. She has made a significant impact by teaching in classrooms, coaching educators and administrators across the nation, and collaborating with industry and post-secondary leaders to shape the future generation of talent.

In her present position, Sarah orchestrates a team of instructional designers who craft, systematize and support transformative career education experiences. Additionally, she serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders within the district, providing invaluable guidance on curriculum design, training models, facilitation techniques, and workforce development strategies.

Before assuming her current role with Chicago Public Schools, Sarah played a pivotal role at Action Learning Systems, a prominent consulting firm specializing in supporting underperforming districts throughout California. Leading teams of educational leaders, she guided a process of data analysis and problem-solving to drive improvements across all facets of the educational infrastructure.

Additionally, Sarah has made significant contributions to workforce development strategies, recognizing the importance of preparing students for the demands of the professional world. As a tactical thought partner to senior leaders within the Chicago’s industry and commerce landscape, Sarah advises on best practices in workforce development. By staying abreast of industry trends and collaborating with business leaders and postsecondary partners, she ensures that the educational programs offered align with the evolving needs of the job market.

Chynna S Hampton is the Equity Director for Climate Jobs Illinois (CJI), a union led initiative that has successfully passed legislation to ensure the work is continuance in ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion (DEI) for good paying union jobs in the clean energy sector. Hampton is working 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 partnered with Chicagoland’s construction unions, developers, and general contractors to develop DEI initiatives on projects throughout Chicago and the surrounding areas. Hampton also worked to connect economically- disadvantaged communities, access opportunities to careers in construction. Hampton currently serves on the Board of Directors for Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) where she assists in the mission of promoting thoughtful economic growth for businesses and working families. She also serves on the Board of Directors for I Am a Gentleman. Hampton earned her Master’s in Public Administration from Walden University, and her bachelors in Sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She lives in Chatham with her two children, Cyrenity & Carter and during her free time enjoys volunteering with organizations that assist Chicago residents facing food insecurity.

Mr. Bennett is the PJM liaison for Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In this role, he interacts with state utility commissions, executive agencies and legislators on energy policy in the areas of RTO grid reliability, transmission planning, operations and wholesale markets. Prior to joining PJM, Mr. Bennett was the Managing Director at Energy Advocacy, LLC, a boutique consultancy focused on regulatory policy in the retail and wholesale energy markets. Mr. Bennett also held management roles in government affairs for both PPL EnergyPlus and Exelon. Mr. Bennett has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 65 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region’s transmission grid, which includes over 82,000 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM’s regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $2.8 billion to $3.1 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

As Deputy Program Director for the Midwest, John coordinates campaigns for Vote Solar’s legislative and regulatory priorities throughout the Midwest. Prior to joining Vote Solar, John helped build low-income solar programs for solar companies. He has prior experience coordinating grassroots advocacy efforts for the Sierra Club and voter turnout initiatives for electoral candidates. John is also a Boren Fellowship recipient for Swahili, having worked overseas on off-grid solar and electricity access in India and East Africa. He believes that the climate crisis provides an invitation to begin addressing long-standing economic injustice and that historically overburdened communities should lead the way to our renewable energy future.

John has a Masters in Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service and his undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and International Relations from Washington University in St. Louis. He lives in Bridgeport, Chicago, with his wife and dog.

T. Travis Brown is a Senior Ecologist, Team Lead, Branch Manager, and project manager in WEST’s Bloomington, Indiana, office. He leads projects ranging from pre construction bat and bird studies to wetland delineations and freshwater mussel surveys. Travis is permitted to survey over 50 federally listed species, including four eastern bats, twelve fish species, and most mussel species found in the upper Mississippi and Ohio River drainages. He manages survey work related to wind and solar energy developments, military base inventories, pipelines, and airports, as well as provides support to habitat conservation planning and mitigation projects. Travis also assists clients with agency communication and permitting strategies for projects involving streams and wetlands.

Travis’s field experience includes bat surveys, mussel surveys, rare plant surveys and habitat assessments, red cockaded woodpecker habitat assessments, black-footed ferret surveys, chronic wasting disease data collection, stream macroinvertebrate data collection and analysis, fish inventories, fish community analyses, stream habitat assessments, stream/wetland restoration implementation/monitoring, dragonfly/butterfly inventory, and herpetofauna inventories.

Travis earned a Master of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor’s in Wildlife Biology from Murray State University in Kentucky.

Erin Bowen, MAI is a Senior Manager with CohnReznick in Valuation Advisory Services. Ms. Bowen is based in Phoenix, Arizona, with presence covering the west coast. Ms. Bowen’s work in Commercial Real Estate valuation spans over 12 years. Ms. Bowen specializes in lodging, cannabis, seniors housing, large scale retail and multifamily conversion properties. Lodging work includes all hotel property types and brand segments including limited, full service and resort properties; additionally, Ms. Bowen has appraised numerous hotel to multifamily conversion properties including market rate and affordable housing. Cannabis work includes dispensaries, cultivation facilities including specialized indoor facilities and greenhouse properties, processing and manufacturing facilities. Senior’s housing assignments include assisted living, skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers. Retail work spans power centers, lifestyle centers, outlet centers and malls. She has appraised numerous additional properties including multifamily, office, medical office, industrial, churches, and vacant land.

Ms. Bowen has expertise in appraising properties at all stages of development, including existing as is, proposed, under construction, renovations and conversion to alternate use. Valuations have been completed nationwide for a variety of assignments including mortgage financing, litigation, eminent domain, tax appeal, estate gifts, asset management, as well as valuation for financial reporting including purchase price allocations (ASC 805). Ms. Bowen has worked on numerous appraisal assignments for eminent domain use for both condemner and land owner.

Additionally, Ms. Bowen has specialized in Property Value Impact Analysis, measuring the possible detrimental impact of economic and environmental influences on property values for a variety of property types, including cell towers, stadiums, behavioral health centers with an emphasis on renewable energy facilities including solar and wind. She has qualified as an expert witness and testified in front of power siting boards, zoning boards and planning commissions in New Mexico, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.

Amanda coordinates Prairie Rivers Network’s campaign to work with advocates, leaders, and communities to realize the benefits of clean, renewable energy and address the costs of non-renewable sources, such as coal. She helps develop and implement policies, programs, and initiatives to fight climate change and ensure a just, equitable, and clean transition to renewable energy.

Amanda joined Prairie Rivers Network in 2017. Previously she worked as a Research and Teaching Assistant with the Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab at SIUC and as an Environmental Consultant on coal mining issues in southern Illinois. As a long-time Board Member of Food Works, she was also a leader and organizer in the region’s local food system. She currently serves on the Board of the Land Conservation Foundation and manages the Farmers’ Market in Monticello. Amanda enjoys gardening, running, and spending time exploring nature with her husband, Ryan, and two young sons.

Amanda holds a B.S. in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution from the University of Illinois, and a M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from Southern Illinois University

Nicole Saulsberry is a self-described documentary buff and passionate traveler. During her doctoral studies at Stanford University, she received the Fulbright IIE Dissertation Fellowship to study in Eritrea, East Africa, where she wrote a dissertation on Woldeab Woldemariam, a prominent nationalist and the “father of Eritrea.” Her studies in Eritrea and later research experiences in Rome and London prompted Nicole’s interest in human rights and conflict resolution. Before joining the Sierra Club, she served as the Special Assistant to the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and as a research and budget analyst with the Illinois House Democratic Research and Appropriations Committee. In June 2019, Nicole joined the Sierra Club as the State Government Representative in Springfield where she lobbies and informs stakeholders of Sierra Club’s legislative agenda. Nicole says, “Working at the Sierra Club is an extension of my passion for human rights -- the right of every citizen, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, economic status, and religion to live, work, and thrive in a safe and healthy environment.”

Colleen Smith serves as the Director of Government Affairs for Invenergy- a leading privately held developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions. In her role, Colleen oversees Invenergy’s state affairs across MISO, SERC, PJM, and ISO-NE.

Prior to joining Invenergy, Colleen served as the Deputy Director for the Illinois Environmental Council, in the Illinois House of Representatives and additional government affairs roles. Colleen holds her Masters of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School, and has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from University of Colorado- Boulder.

Linda Fifield Larsen is the Project Manager for the Climate and Equitable Jobs Workforce Implementation team, helping the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity launch new equity-focused workforce and contractor programs. She is based at the University of Illinois Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) where she serves as the Education and Communication Program Director. Previously, she led several workforce development programs to grow the energy efficiency workforce on behalf of the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program. In addition to these workforce efforts, she supervises SEDAC’s research and publications, external communications, internship and education programs. She is leading a working group of Illinois Department of Natural Resources staff to provide education and engagement around their newly developed Climate Action Plan. Through these efforts, she supports SEDAC’s mission to reduce the energy footprint of the state of Illinois.

Linda is passionate about advancing social and environmental causes through her writing and teaching. Prior to her work at SEDAC, Linda taught sustainability themed writing courses at the University of Illinois. She has also worked as the Writing and Research Coordinator for the Education Justice Project’s Reentry Guide Initiative where she supervised the production and distribution of tens of thousands of reentry guides for people leaving prison. She ran an after school program at Urbana Middle School on building sustainable cities and has published extensively on the human health benefits of spending time in nature.

Tanvi Shah is the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer of the Illinois Power Agency (IPA), an independent state agency tasked with developing procurement plans, conducting procurement events, and administering solar energy incentive programs. Joining the IPA in June 2023, Tanvi is responsible for developing strategies for increasing access to Illinois’ clean energy economy for historically excluded communities, building relationships and partnerships with key external stakeholders to advance diversity in the clean energy space, and leading the implementation of internal commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the IPA.

With an extensive background spanning over a decade, Tanvi is a seasoned workforce development professional with expertise in program design, project management, facilitation, and organizational development. Prior to joining the IPA, Tanvi was the Director of Capacity Building at the Chicago Jobs Council, where she led the organization's initiatives in learning and development, research and innovation, and systems change. She spearheaded the creation of capacity building resources and professional development trainings, prioritizing the integration of racial equity practices for workforce and human services professionals across the nation. Tanvi's dedication to equity was further reinforced through a year-long Racial Equity Fellowship with Chicago United for Equity, where she collaborated with government and nonprofit leaders on initiatives addressing equity and access for communities of color. Throughout her career, Tanvi has consistently demonstrated her commitment to driving transformative change and promoting equitable practices within organizations and beyond.

Callie Heidbreder is a Business Programs Specialist at USDA Rural Development. She also serves as the Energy Coordinator for Illinois where she specializes in the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

Callie earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Agribusiness Markets & Management. Prior to joining Rural Development in 2020, Callie worked in the private sector for a financial institution.

Brad is a Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for clean energy development, pollution reduction, transportation and land use reform, and natural resources protection in Midwest states. Brad leads ELPC’s clean energy team, which develops and promotes ambitious policies to modernize the energy grid, accelerate renewables, reform energy markets, and decarbonize the economy. Brad engages at utility regulatory commissions and courts at the state, regional, and federal level to advance ELPC’s clean energy goals. Brad previously served as a federal judicial law clerk in Washington, D.C., a law fellow at the Environmental Law Institute, and an environmental engineer at CH2M Hill, Inc. Brad received his law degree with honors from New York University School of Law and a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.

Mr. Miller is a Professor and Program Coordinator at Heartland Community College. Chris is proud of three achievements: Helping a lot of students over the last twenty plus years get great careers in the renewable and electronic technical fields. Second, the creation of the Renewable Energy degree program at Heartland in 2009. Third, helping author the specific language in the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Distributed Energy Installer program on ways to becoming an installer. Other facts include being a ham radio operator N9RKD, being a Communications Assistant District Staff Officer in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, a Fulbright participant on sustainability in Africa, and offering an international program on sustainability and renewable energy in Belize.

Sarah Wochos is a Vice President of Policy and Business Development for New Leaf Energy. Based out of New Leaf's Chicago, IL office, she leads the state market team, which is responsible for all legislative, regulatory, and business development activities in state markets across the nation. Sarah is a Board Member of the Solar Energy Industries Association and the Coalition for Community Solar Access. Prior to working for New Leaf Energy Sarah worked on energy policy for the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Council of State Governments.

Jonathan Callaway Chief Executive Officer of Recall Strategies- has worked in the political and public affairs space for 15 years and has run federal, state, and local campaigns in over 30 states. In 2017, the national advocacy tech-company, Phone2Action, featured him as the leading expert in state and local politics in their ongoing instructional series. That same year, his urban development project was nominated for campaign of the year by Campaign and Elections Magazine. Today, his company focuses on developing and permitting large scale energy projects, including wind, solar, transmission, thermal, green hydrogen and battery storage projects in 38 states. Recall Strategies represents more MegaWatts of new renewable development, at the state and local level, than any other public affairs company in the United States. They are currently permitting 250 utility scale projects across the United States as well as a number of community scale projects. He also owns a land services company focused on leasing land for green and brown field projects.