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

As Director, Strategic Projects, Research & Industry Strategy, Kate works across SEPA’s research portfolio and with SEPA’s members to identify key strategies and opportunities to advance a clean, affordable, and resilient energy system for all. In 2024, Kate was on detail to the Biden-Harris White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer (OCSO), serving as the Deputy Director, Clean Energy.

Kate has a master’s degree from John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in International Relations & Economics, with a concentration in Energy, Resources & Environment, and graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

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.