Beyond the Box: Emerging Innovative Solutions for the Regulatory Process

Rep. Jeff Morris is recognized as a preeminent source of critical thought on policy issues in the public and private sectors in the areas of energy, critical infrastructure, technology and commercialization.

He’s been named one of the 13 most Tech Savvy Legislators in the United States by Governing Magazine, selected by his North American peers to lead two bi-partisan policy organizations, currently Co-Chairs the NCSL National Energy Task Force, co-founded Northwest Energy Angels (now Element 8) and created the Legislative Energy Horizon Institute.

Morris owns his own business, Energy Horizon Corporation, where his private sector work specializes in consulting with cleantech companies in commercializing their intellectual property as well as consulting on general energy projects.

Morris, a fourth-generation native of the San Juan Islands, represents Washington State’s 40th Legislative District.

Sheri Givens has served as President and CEO of the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) since November 2022. SEPA is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, membership-focused organization comprised of over 1,000 members – including investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, public power, corporations, technology companies, state utility commissions, consumer advocates, academic institutions, and other clean energy stakeholders nationwide – focused on accelerating an affordable, reliable, resilient, and equitable transformation to a clean energy system through actionable solutions, shared best practices, and industry collaboration.

Givens’ professional experience includes over twenty years in legal, regulatory, legislative, and external affairs in both the public and private sectors. She has worked for an investor-owned utility, a utility regulatory commission, a state utility consumer advocate’s office, and as an independent energy consultant. She is a frequent speaker and writer on domestic and international energy issues.

Givens joined SEPA after serving as vice president and head of U.S. policy and regulatory strategy at National Grid, an investor-owned utility in the U.S. Northeast. She led and supported the company’s efforts toward an equitable and affordable clean energy transition, net zero planning and progress, customer offerings, legislative strategy, external stakeholder engagement, and future of electric and heat strategy for Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.

Prior to joining National Grid, she developed a national reputation heading an independent consulting company providing advisory services on energy markets, consumer education, and regulatory policy issues for trade associations, non-profit organizations, domestic and international utilities, federal and state governmental entities, consumer advocates, and policymakers.

Givens spent over ten years in public service in several senior roles in Texas. She served as an attorney for the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Texas Workforce Commission, and Texas Legislature. She was the Governor-appointed Texas utility consumer advocate who led the state’s Office of Public Utility Counsel representing over 20 million residential and small business electric and communications customers in regulatory, legislative, and legal proceedings and hearings. As the consumer advocate, she initiated a first-of-its-kind statewide consumer education campaign, frequently meeting in person with consumers to discuss energy education and assistance related to their homes and businesses. In 2013, the Association for the United States Army awarded her the Citation for Exceptional Service in Support of National Defense for her statewide military consumer education program and advocacy. She also represented residential and small business consumers on both the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and Texas Reliability Entity’s Boards of Directors. Givens was elected by fellow nationwide consumer advocates to serve on the Executive Committee of National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA), and in 2018, NASUCA recognized her dedication and contributions to the organization and consumers by presenting her with the Irwin “Sonny” Popowsky Outstanding Service Award.

Givens earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center. She is a licensed attorney in Texas.

She currently serves on the RE+ Events Board (Co-Chair) and as an Ambassador for the Clean Energy Education and Empowerment Initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). She previously served on the DOE’s Electricity Advisory Committee, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships Board, Keystone Energy Board, Association of Women in Energy Board, Northeast Clean Energy Council Board, and Boston Green Ribbon Commission.

Ellen Nowak was first appointed to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in July 2011 by Governor Scott Walker. She was reconfirmed for a new, six-year term beginning on March 1, 2013. Commissioner Nowak was named Chairperson of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in March of 2015. In March of 2018 Governor Walker appointed her as Secretary of the Department of Administration. She served in that role until the end of the Governor’s term and was then reappointed as chairperson of​ the PSC in January 2019.

Ellen currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). She currently is a member of NARUC’s Committee on Gas and the Smart Electric Power Association’s Renovate Initiative. She previously served on the Executive Committee for NARUC and served as its First Vice President. Her duties at NARUC also included serving on the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment and the Task Force on Environmental Regulation and Generation. Commissioner Nowak also served on the Advisory Council to the Board of Directors for the Electric Power Research Institute, the Advisory Council for the Center for Public Utilities and the Advisory Committee for the Critical Consumers Issues Forum.

Previously, Ellen served as the chief of staff to Waukesha County Executive, Dan Vrakas. From 2002-2006, she served as legal counsel and subsequent chief of staff to the Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly. She also later worked as the deputy director of School Choice Wisconsin. From 1998-2002, Ellen practiced business litigation at Mallery & Zimmerman SC in Milwaukee.

Ellen has a law degree from Marquette University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

As Vice President of Regulatory and Business Innovation, Janet Gail Besser leads SEPA’s Regulatory and Business Innovation related work.  She brings to this role broad energy industry experience as a regulator, clean energy business association leader, utility executive, developer, consultant, and consumer advocate.  Previously, she was Executive Vice President of the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC), Vice President, Regulatory Strategy and Policy at National Grid, Chair and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, where she led electric industry restructuring, and an executive and expert consultant at Analysis Group and Lexecon.  She also held senior staff roles at the Massachusetts Energy Office and New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, served as policy director for a DC-based national independent power association, and began her career as a small hydro developer and low-income consumer advocate.  Janet is a nationally recognized expert on a wide range of energy policy issues with deep relationships across the industry.  She earned a Master in Public Policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Williams College.