Each committee serves as a community of industry professionals dedicated to sharing knowledge, exploring trends, fostering connections, and solving issues within their focus areas. Through conferences, workshops, roundtables, and webinars, these committees provide timely, relevant, and actionable insights while offering a platform for leaders and innovators to exchange ideas and shape the future of the industry.

SAFETY COMMITTEE

The Safety Committee focuses on all issues related to workplace safety at generation, transmission, distribution, and management facilities in the utility industry.

» CHAIR - Bradley Palu  Corporate Safety Manager, Nebraska Public Power District
» VICE CHAIR - Wendy Ellen  AE Occupational Health & Safety Manager, Austin Energy
» Doug Dicke  Safety Director, Zachry Group
» Lance Dockter  Safety Manager, Ulteig
» Jonathan Hallstrom  Lead Safety Specialist, Omaha Public Power District
» Mike Hermsen  Lead Safety Coordinator—Power Delivery, Evergy
» Josh Minturn  District Safety Manager, Kiewit
» Shawn Olsen  Senior Safety & Health Coordinator, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
» Alex Oshiro  Site Safety Representative, Salt River Project
» Jim Swindler  Senior Safety Engineer, Colorado Springs Utilities
» Russ Weatherly  Senior Manager—Environmental, Health & Safety, Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Sample Events

» Annual Safety Conference
» Safety Roundtables
» Grounding & Arc Flash Workshop

GENERATION COMMITTEE

The Generation Committee addresses a broad range of topics related to electric energy production and supply, including strategic planning, resource development, and innovative technologies to meet evolving energy demands.

» CHAIR - Curt Brown  Vice President-Energy & Process Industries, Black & Veatch
» Nathan Ames  Operations Manager, Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
» Bryan Brashear  North Central Power Business Development Leader, HDR
» David Compton  Project Manager, Jacobs Engineering
» Ian Gavin  Manager—Electric Plants, Colorado Spring Utilities
» Ryan Gerdts  Director—Production Operations, Omaha Public Power District 
» Kaitlyn Honey  Director, Reliability Engineering—Renewables, Xcel Energy
» Sheldon Lee  Senior Engineering Manager—Gila River Power Station, Salt River Project
» Randi Prime  Generation Engineering Manager, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
» Tom Reid  Vice President—Power Generation, ENTRUST Solutions
» Pete Rogge  Senior Manager—Generation Engineering, Evergy
» Rick Urrutia  Vice President—Generation Operations, CPS Energy

Sample Events

» Decarbonization Conference
» Resource Adequacy Conference
» Seasonal Readiness Workshop

TRANSMISSION COMMITTEE

The Transmission Committee concentrates on all aspects of planning, engineering, operating, and maintaining transmission facilities in the utility industry, including substations.

» CHAIR - John Quintana  Transmission Asset Maintenance Manager, Western Area Power Administration
» Aaron Caldwell  Senior Project Manager, POWER Engineers
» Jenni Carron  Manager of Project Management, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
» Rob Farrar  Senior Project Manager & Substation Department Manager, Stanley Consultants
» Keith Fleming  Supervisor—Relay Engineering, Austin Energy
» Tyler Kime  Engineering Supervisor—Lines & Substations, Nebraska Public Power District
»  Kevin Ludwig  Vice President & Grid Portfolio Leader, Black & Veatch
» Trey Neidert   Transmission Section Leader, HDR
» Keith Nix  Vice President—Technical Services & System Reliability, Texas-New Mexico Power 
» Mike Pfeister  Supervisor, Salt River Project
» Tim Richards   Transmission Line Projects Senior Engineer,  Platte River Power Authority
» Ron Wilgers  Director—Electric Projects & Engineering Services, Black Hills Corporation

Sample Events

» Transmission & Substation Renewables Conference
» Large Power Delivery Projects Conference
» Resiliency, Response & Restoration Symposium

DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE

The Distribution Section is committed to topics involving the planning, engineering, operation, and maintenance of distribution facilities in the utility industry, including distributed generation and distribution substations.

» CHAIR - Brent Gerling  Distribution Engineering & Design Supervisor—Northland, Evergy
» VICE CHAIR - Jon Grooters  Director—U.S. Market, EnerNex
» Jake Barker  Director—Area & Transmission Planning, PacifiCorp
» Joshua Contreras  Power System Principal Engineer—Supervisor of Distribution Standards, Austin Energy
» Travis Johnson  Manager—Electric Distribution Standards, Xcel Energy
» Jonathan Meyer  Construction Supervisor, Arizona Public Service
» Mark VanSkiver  Engineering Specialist IV—Delivery, Nebraska Public Power Service
» Joshua Walker  Senior Manager—Electrical Consulting, ENTRUST Solutions Group

Sample Events

» Distribution Engineering & Planning Workshop
» National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) Workshop
» Overhead Line Design Best Practices Workshop

VITAL ISSUES COMMITTEE

The Vital Issues Committee explores emerging trends, innovative technologies, and critical challenges in the electric energy industry, organizing educational programs to enhance the skills, talents, and leadership of the industry workforce.

» CHAIR - Sarah LaBarre  Managing Engineer, Colorado Spring Utilities
» Tyson Archie  Reliability Compliance Manager, Platte River Power Authority
» Jeffrey Brown  System Metering & Substation Automation Manager, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
» Scott Clausen  Substation Department Manager—Transmission & Distribution, Burns & McDonnell
» Kevin Hartig  Principal, ENTRUST Solutions Group
» Patrick Hale  Director—Talent Development, CPS Energy
» Adam McKindles  Senior Client Account Manager—Power, Black & Veatch

Sample Events

» Introduction to the Electric Utility Workshop
» Electric Utility Financial Decision Making Workshop
» Foreman Leadership Fundamentals Workshop

NEXTGENERATION POWER PIONEERS COMMITTEE

The NextGeneration Power Pioneer Committee drives the energy transformation by fostering education, collaboration, and leadership development for early-career professionals and the next generation of the electric utility industry.

» CHAIR - Spencer Garland  Senior Manager of Gas Generation, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
» VICE CHAIR - Becca Wittenbrook  EPC Pursuit Manager + Renewable Energy Sponsor—Energy Utilities, Black & Veatch
» Trevar Britton  Transmission/Distribution Project Manager, HDR
» Lou Cadriel  Construction Consultant, Salt River Project
» Alex Cambiano  Manager—Substation Planning & Scheduling, Evergy
» Wyatt Lauer  Construction Project Manager, Burns & McDonnell
» Heather Tocci  Gas Resource Planning Engineer, Colorado Spring Utilities

Sample Events

» Annual Pre-Conference Workshop at the Spring Conference
» Unity in Leadership Webinar
» Mentoring & Educating the Future Power Engineering Generation for Success Webinar

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Have content or presentation ideas, or interested in hosting an event organized by the Alltricity Network Education Committees at your facility? Get in touch—we’d love to collaborate!

 

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