15th Annual AESP-NEEC Conference Speaker Biographies

Judith Judson was appointed as Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources in April 2015. Prior to joining the DOER, Judith worked at Customized Energy Solutions as Director of Emerging Technologies for the U.S. where she advised clients on the use of innovative technologies to cost-effectively modernize the US electric grid. Judith joined Customized Energy Solutions from Massachusetts-based clean energy technology company, Beacon Power LLC, where she served as Vice President of Asset Management and Market Development. As a nationally recognized expert on energy storage, Judith has participated in numerous hearings and technical conferences at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Judson chairs the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council and represents Massachusetts on the Boards of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Inc.; and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

Previously Judith served as Chairman and Commissioner of the Massachusetts Public Utilities Commission during the Romney Administration. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University

Steve Mysholowsky is now in his 35th year at Con Edison. Steve is the Section Manager of the EM&V Section for Con Edison’s Energy Efficiency/Demand Management Department. He is responsible for all of the ongoing Impact and Process evaluation research and also oversees all M&V activity which encompasses EE, DMP and BQDM programs. His group is also responsible for all QA/QC program activity and he manages and provides direction to a portfolio of external Evaluation and M&V Consultants.

Steve was a participant of the NYS Evaluation Advisory Group (EAG) and sits on various E2 Working group subcommittees that currently support the REV initiative. His group administered, managed and completed the first ever NYS Joint Statewide Impact Evaluation of the Residential HVAC-Gas EEPS program. He has worked in a number of capacities, including Budgeting, Regulatory Accounting, Financial and Load Forecasting areas, and managed the Targeted DSM Program, prior to assuming his current position.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance from the Bernard M. Baruch College of Business.

Dan Zaweski is currently the Manager – Planning and Evaluation for the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Department of PSEG Long Island. In this role Mr. Zaweski is responsible for developing the energy efficiency and renewable energy programs offered by PSEG Long Island and reporting on their achievements. Mr. Zaweski also serves as a key member of the PSEG Long Island team working on non-traditional, non-wires alternative solutions for PSEG Long Island.

Mr. Zaweski holds a BA and MBA with concentrations in Management. Prior to joining PSEG Long Island in 2014, Mr. Zaweski spent the previous 15 years with the Long Island Power Authority in capacity of Assistant Vice President for Energy Efficiency and Renewables where he also led the development of its Feed-In-Tariffs, Offshore Wind solicitation and oversaw the customer component of it R&D programs

In addition to his duties at PSEG Long Island, Mr. Zaweski, serves on the Board of the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and is also a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Advisory Board.

Marlana Patton brings the first nearly 20 years of communications experience to her role as Peregrine’s Director of Communications, where she helps to develop reports and proposals and also creates and delivers communications on behalf of clients.

Previously, Marlana worked as a communications consultant, helping senior management in companies across a variety of industries to refine branding and positioning and develop communications for audiences that included executives, investors, partners, and consumers. She also served as executive director of English At Large, a Boston-area nonprofit, where she executed a complete organizational rebranding, accelerated community outreach, and dramatically increased fundraising.

Her prior experience includes marketing writing and corporate web site management for software companies, including Sybase, Allaire, and Macromedia

Lisa Cascio joined NEEP in October 2013 as its Public Relations Manager.  In this role, she is responsible for designing and implementing a public relations plan that promotes NEEP’s mission and activities across multiple channels, including traditional media, social media, website, public speaking opportunities, and events.  As part of the Strategic Marketing and Communications Team, Lisa brings visibility to NEEP’s work to accelerate energy efficiency in homes, buildings, and industry in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region.

Lisa has been in the PR industry since 1996, working in college athletics, higher education, and non-profit. Most recently, she was the Director of Marketing and Communications at Susan G. Komen Massachusetts.  Lisa has a B.A. in English from The College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. in Administrative Studies from Boston College.

Geoffrey Phillips works in the Energy Efficiency Marketing group for Eversource Energy on Customer Engagement. Based out of Westwood, Massachusetts, the Marketing team is responsible for all of Eversource’s customers across its service territory. Using data to develop a deeper understanding of customers and their needs, Geoff develops strategies to increase customer engagement and drive participation in EE programs for C&I and Residential customers.

Geoff has both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Engineering as well as an MBA. His background includes stints working as a product manager, marketing manager, and strategic change consultant. He lives in Brookline, MA with his two dogs Mace and Lando.

Matt Gibbs is Director at Eversource Energy and he leads the company’s energy efficiency portfolio for Connecticut’s natural gas and electric customers. Matt, in collaboration with other regional utilities, regulators, and stakeholders helps deliver the state-wide Energize CT initiative for the company’s 1.5 million customers. Prior to joining Eversource, Matt spent 13 years with Nexant as Vice President of their Integrated Customer Solutions division. At Nexant, he was responsible for their national energy efficiency implementation work which included marketing, engineering, Trade Ally, and customer service departments. Matt holds a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bristol and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Chris McCracken has been at ICF for 15 years and is currently a Principal with ICF International’s Energy Advisory & Solutions Team. He assists clients in assessing the impacts of environmental regulation on their portfolios to support the development of compliance, regulatory, and operational strategies. Chris’ clients include electric utilities, IPPs, and NGOs. He led ICF’s support for RGGI, Inc. for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative 2013 Program Review, which led to the updated Model Rule. He is currently leading projects related to EPA’s Clean Power Plan and the development of CO2 standards for new and existing sources. Chris has degrees from the University of California and Carnegie Mellon University.

Sandy Taft is an environmental professional with 28 years of experience. Serving the first three years in the consulting industry for Haley & Aldrich, Inc., an environmental and geotechnical consulting firm, and the last 25 in the utility industry. This work included serving as the Director of Environmental Management for Boston Gas Company and then for KeySpan Energy Delivery’s New England Territory. With the acquisition of KeySpan by National Grid in 2007 Sandy was named Director US Climate Change Policy. Sandy continues to work on climate change and environmental/sustainability policies as Director Environmental & Sustainability Policy.

Sandy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from St. Lawrence University and a Master of Science in Geology from Kent State University.

Sandy is a past Chair of the American Gas Association’s Environmental Matters Committee. And recently completed serving as the first Chair of the newly created Environment and Energy Committee of the New England Chapter of the British American Business Council. In addition Sandy represented National Grid on the New Hampshire Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership as Treasurer. Sandy served on the Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Advisory Committee at the invitation of the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs and similar roles in both New York and Rhode Island.