SEPA Announces New Research Advisory Council to Help Facilitate Smart Transition to Clean and Modern Energy Future

The Council will provide guidance on industry trends and key issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) introduces a new Research Advisory Council to assist in the fulfilment of its mission. Comprised of industry leaders and representing SEPA’s diverse membership, the Council will provide strategic insight into industry changes and developments, as well as guidance on research priorities. These insights will be utilized to support SEPA’s Working Group programs and provide input to SEPA meetings and events structure, focus and programming.

Members will meet throughout the year to review and provide feedback on SEPA’s progress towards SEPA’s goals. Jeff Ressler, CEO, Clean Power Research will chair the Research Advisory Council and Gary Brinkworth, director of enterprise research and technology innovation at TVA will serve as vice chair.

“Clean Power Research has been a proud member of SEPA for over 20 years and we consider SEPA to be one of the most forward thinking and influential organizations in the clean energy space,” said Jeff Ressler. “I’m honored to be named as the first chairperson of the SEPA Research Advisory Council, and look forward to working with the council to provide strategic insight into the evolving clean energy market and to help identify opportunities for SEPA and the organization’s increasingly diverse set of constituents.”

“Having industry luminaries representing various stakeholders and viewpoints is critical as we work to help the industry navigate changes,” stated Sharon Allan, SEPA’s chief strategy and innovation officer. “The Research Advisory Council’s diverse perspectives will make SEPA’s programs more robust, and help us bring together the necessary stakeholders to accelerate progress.”

SEPA Research Advisory Council Members

• Chair: Jeff Ressler, CEO, Clean Power Research
• Vice Chair: Gary Brinkworth, director of enterprise research and technology innovation, TVA
• Lola Infante, senior director, clean energy technology and policy, EEI
• Amanda Mortlock, VP, utility partnerships, 3Degrees
• Ken Wacks, management and engineering consultant
• Nelson Hastings, manager, cybersecurity and privacy applications group, NIST
• Gregg Kresge, manager of electrification of transportation, Hawaiian Electric
• Chris Johnson, chief operating officer, Blue Planet Energy
• Marc Chupka, VP, research & programs, U.S. Energy Storage Association
• Ron Melton, chief engineer, Pacific Northwest National Labs
• Cuong Nguyen, lead, smart grid testing and certification, NIST
• Mark Knight, industry advisor, business & technical solutions, Burns & McDonnell
• Doug Arent, deputy associate lab director, NREL
• Steve Cowell, president, E4TheFuture
• Britta Gross, managing director, mobility transformation program, RMI
• Ahmed Mousa, manager – utility of the future, PSEG
• Chris Monacelli, electric utility manager, City of Westerville
• Avi Gopstein, smart grid program manager, NIST
• Christopher Irwin, program manager, Office of Electricity, DOE
• Ted Ko, director of policy, Stem
• Jan Ahlen, director, energy solutions, NRECA
• Neel Gulhar, VP, product management, Oracle
• Monica Neukomm, senior policy advisor, office of energy efficiency and renewable energy, DOE

About SEPA
The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) is dedicated to helping electric power stakeholders address the most pressing issues they encounter as they pursue the transition to a clean and modern electric future and a carbon-free energy system by 2050. We are a trusted partner providing education, research, standards, and collaboration to help utilities, electric customers, and other industry players across four pathways: Transportation Electrification, Grid Integration, Regulatory Innovation and Utility Business Models. Through educational activities, working groups, peer-to-peer engagements and advisory services, SEPA convenes interested parties to facilitate information exchange and knowledge transfer to offer the highest value for our members and partner organizations. For more information, visit www.sepapower.org

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