Regulatory and Business Innovation

Sharon serves as the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer providing leadership and strategic direction for the organization. She is an executive known for business transformation and growth and has advised corporate boards, Fortune 100 companies, venture & private equity companies, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. National Institute of Standards & Technology, and many U.S. National Laboratories on their efforts to address the transformation of the energy sector.

Prior to joining SEPA, Sharon has driven double-digit growth in both small and large global companies. She has held roles as the CEO of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, managing director/partner, Accenture, president, Elster Integrated Solutions as well as executive roles at ABB. During her time as CEO of SGIP and president of Elster, she executed M&A, launched new software, hardware & service offerings and worked with the respective boards to drive the strategy and growth of the business . At Accenture, she advised top power companies around the world in the areas of innovation, transformation, and new technology

She currently sits on the advisory board of Enertech Capital.

Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science degree (Hons) in electrical engineering from the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Duke University Fuqua Business School.

Phone: 919.414.2173     Email: sallan@sepapower.org

As Managing Director, Janet Gail Besser oversees strategy for the SEPA Pathways – Utility Business Models, Regulatory Innovation, Grid Integration and Transportation Electrification – and leads content development and execution for Regulatory Innovation.  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.

Phone: 202.552.4411     Email: jbesser@sepapower.org

Ben joined SEPA in 2020 as Principal, Grid Integration. He leads SEPA’s Grid Integration pathway focused on integrating increased penetrations of carbon-free energy with positive impacts to affordability, safety, security, reliability, resiliency and customer satisfaction.

Ben spent the previous 10+ years working at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) conducting research on information and communication technologies for distributed energy resources. He has strong expertise related to the development and implementation of control, monitoring, and communication technologies to support scalable integration of new energy resources like smart solar, storage, and flexible loads. Ben has led and served on several industry committees related to interoperability and DERs.

Ben holds his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and is the author of numerous industry technical publications.

Phone: 202.869.1948     Email: bealey@sepapower.org