2019 SEPA Grid Evolution Summit

Colette is a member of Reed Smith’s Energy and Natural Resources Group resident in the Washington, D.C. office. Colette is a highly regarded thought leader and practitioner in domestic and international energy sectors. Colette recently served as Commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). She was nominated by President Barack Obama in August 2014, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2014 for a term that expired in June 2017. At FERC, Honorable focused on reliability oversight of the bulk power system, cyber and physical security, oversight of wholesale markets, transmission planning and cost allocation in regional transmission organizations, gas-electric coordination, renewables integration, energy storage integration and valuation, enforcement, ratemaking, infrastructure development, and enforcement matters. Colette joined the FERC from the Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC), where she served since October 2007, and led as Chairman from January 2011-January 2015.

Board Chair

As President and Chief Executive Officer of El Paso Electric Company, Mary E. Kipp is responsible for oversight of the utility’s overall operations and also serves on the Board of Directors. Mary has been with El Paso Electric in various positions since December 2007, during which time she has overseen a number of divisions at the company, including regulatory and rates, human resources, external affairs, public relations, and environmental, health and safety. Mary has also served as the company’s President, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer.

Before rejoining El Paso Electric, Mary spent four years as a senior enforcement attorney in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Office of Enforcement in Washington, D.C., where she investigated and prosecuted violations of federal energy laws. Prior to her work at FERC, Mary was an attorney at Greenberg Traurig LLP, El Paso Electric and El Paso Natural Gas Company. She received a bachelor’s degree from Williams College in Massachusetts, a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, and is an alumnus of Exeter College, Oxford University.