Unlocking a GEBs Future: Accelerating Coordinated Utility Programs: A Practitioners’ Perspectives Series

Kate works as a research manager at SEPA with a focus on utility business models and regulatory innovation. In addition, she is the staff co-lead for SEPA’s Energy Storage Working Group, and a team member of the Renovate Initiative, a collaborative effort focused on state regulatory process innovation. Previously at SEPA, she worked with the 51st State Initiative, shaping the evolution of the utility sector, and supported the engagement facilitating the D.C. Public Service Commission’s grid modernization (MEDSIS) initiative in the District.
Prior to SEPA, Kate completed her master’s degree from John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in International Relations & Economics, with a concentration in Energy, Resources & Environment. In addition, she completed a graduate consultant project for BP Global on the future of the U.S. transportation sector, as well as graduate internships at the Edison Foundation’s Institute for Electric Innovation (IEI), the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and Fresh Energy. Prior to SAIS, she worked in Kyoto-fu, Japan for the JET Programme, and was the development manager for Milkweed Editions, an independent book publisher based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University, with a B.A. in art history and political science. Kate has worked and lived in Japan, Italy, India, and South Africa, and is always planning her next adventure.

Obadiah Bartholomy manages SMUD’s Distributed Energy Strategy team which is responsible for developing enterprise strategy for electric vehicles, building electrification and energy efficiency, behind the meter solar and storage and load flexibility. His team works with customer, grid engineering, market, planning and pricing and financial teams to help evolve utility practices and programs to fully integrate and share benefits from distributed energy resources. Obadiah has worked at SMUD for 20 years in research and strategy positions and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly and an MS in Transportation Technology and Policy from UC Davis.

Holy Cross Energy, SEPA’s 2020 Electric Cooperative of the Year, is leading the responsible transition to a clean energy future.  Lisa Reed has been fortunate to be riding this wave of industry changes with Holy Cross Energy since 2009.  She recently moved from Power Supply to Energy Programs in order to facilitate and promote HCE’s innovative new programs to its members.  Lisa received her Master’s Degree from Colorado State University and lives on the western slope of Colorado near the resort towns of Aspen and Vail.

Andy Eiden is a Principal Planning & Strategy Analyst in PGE’s Distributed Resource Planning (DRP) team. Mr. Eiden has over 10 years of experience in the energy industry focusing on distributed resources across both planning and evaluation, and has worked across the private, non-profit, and now utility sectors. At PGE, Mr. Eiden leads company-wide efforts at DER forecasting, including coordination with load forecasting, IRP, DSP, and Power Operations. He also serves on a variety of industry committees and technical advisory groups, including the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s Steering Committee for End Use Load Research, NREL’s Technical Advisory Group for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings, and an Industry Advisory Board for Lane Community College for a Building Energy Controls Apprenticeship program funded by the US DOE. Andy is a graduate of Portland State University with a dual degree in Economics and Environmental Studies. In his spare time he enjoys reading, spending time with his friends and family, and plotting to quicken our collective response to the climate crisis.