Program Tracks

Informal opportunity to connect with colleagues, speakers, plus NEEP & PowerOptions staff.  

Now more than ever, state and local leadership is crucial for a just transition to a clean energy future. And with rising concerns, including energy affordability and funding uncertainty at the federal level, states and local governments in the region are implementing innovative policies and programs to reach their goals. This plenary will feature state and local leaders sharing energy efficiency, electrification, solar, and other clean energy strategies and discussing the ways they partner to support communities. 

Maggie Molina, Executive Director, NEEP

Heather Takle, President & CEO, PowerOptions

Chris Kearns, Acting Energy Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources

Sue AnderBois, City of Providence City Council

Powering Up Participation: Advancing Energy Efficiency, Electrification, and Community Energy Programs with Effective Community Engagement  

Effective community engagement strategies are a key component of successful decarbonization programs. In this session, panelists will showcase proven approaches to connecting with stakeholders such as forming lasting partnerships with community-based organizations, providing tangible benefits for community expertise, and crafting effective online education and outreach campaigns. Panelists will discuss the importance of authentic, two-way processes in fostering community buy-in, how engagement can advance program efficiency and effectiveness, and strategies for using digital media to expand program uptake.

Kristen Stelljes, Senior Vice President, PowerOptions, Inc.

April Brown, Director, Providence Racial & Environmental Justice Committee

Sarah Huang, Director of Equity and Environmental Justice, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Sonal Jessel, Program Director, Building Power Resource Center

Overcoming Bottlenecks: How Regional Collaboration Can Advance Geothermal Heating & Cooling at the Local Level 

Geothermal heating and cooling offers a forward-thinking solution for a range of environmental and economic challenges at the community level. Widespread adoption of the technology, however, is hindered by a variety of bottlenecks, including long waits for technicians and equipment. In this session, panelists will explore strategies for overcoming these bottlenecks. 

Chase Macpherson, Manager of Community Solutions, NEEP

Angie Alberto Escobar, Director of Gas to Geo Transition, HEET

Stacy Kinnaly, Executive Director, Geothermal Drillers Association  

Beyond the Incentives: How Innovative Financing Models Can Advance Inclusive Energy Efficiency and Electrification 

It is more important than ever to develop strategies that make financing for energy efficiency and electrification projects accessible to hard-to-target populations like renters, multifamily landlords, commercial property owners, and homeowners in low- and moderate- income communities. In this session, panelists will delve into financing mechanisms that can advance community-level decarbonization, including Inclusive Utility Investments, ESPCs, green leases, PACE programs, and more. 

Greg Miller, Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank

Ashley Muspratt, President & CEO, CET

Mackey Dykes, Vice President of Financing Programs, CT Green Bank

Andy Posner, Founder & CEO, Capital Good Fund

Synergizing Success: Utility-Municipality Collaborations for Impactful Energy Efficiency and Electrification Programs 

Effective partnerships between utilities and municipalities are critically important for developing and implementing successful energy efficiency, electrification, and community energy programs. In this session, panelists will discuss strategies for fostering these types of  partnerships, including best practices for drafting formal agreements, data sharing, and joint outreach efforts. Panelists will also share best practices for overcoming common challenges in aligning goals and resources between utilities and local governments. 

David Ruggiero, Energy and Resiliency Initiatives Administrator, City of Providence

Amanda Formica, Lead Customer Account Manager for Community Solutions, National Grid

Katherine Peters, Director of Residential Energy Efficiency, Eversource

Michael Cunningham, Key Account Manager, Rhode Island Energy

No Community Left Behind: Crafting Inclusive Engagement for Energy Programs in Multifamily Affordable Housing  

Multifamily housing plays a vital role in meeting an essential community need for safe and affordable housing. This diverse sector encompasses public housing - subsidized and unsubsidized affordable units, and mixed-income properties - that comprise a crucial component of community infrastructure. However, the path to decarbonizing multifamily housing presents the distinct challenge of retrofitting occupied buildings. This session will explore the nuanced approaches required to retrofit various multifamily housing types with emphasis on the importance of community-centered program design and implementation. 

Michael Anderson, Senior Manager for Community Solutions, NEEP

Joshua Smith, Associate Program Manager, CMC Energy Services

Greg Abbe, Sustainability Program Developer, MA Office of Housing and Livable Communities

Scaling Community Energy Solutions 

Community-driven solutions can be transformative for communities seeking to expand clean energy access through community solar, resilience hubs, and Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs. In this session, panelists will share their experience with implementing these initiatives and discuss how they can provide significant health, economic, and environmental benefits to residents. Speakers will discuss the complexities and costs of these projects and highlight recent experience with CCAs and their results on lowering energy prices, increasing purchasing power, and supporting local economic development. Speakers will delve into implementation challenges and successes, scaling up these solutions to maximize combined impact, envisioning the future of community-centered energy strategies, and exploring how these interconnected programs can work together to create more resilient, sustainable, and economically vibrant communities. 

Moneer Azzam, Principal, Beacon Climate Innovations

Talia Fox, Sustainability Manager, Town of Arlington (MA)

Alex Keally, Project Developer, Solect Energy

Henry Herndon, Acting General Manager, Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire

You won't want to miss our closing plenary where we'll examine how to build authentic, inclusive, and meaningful community partnerships. Join us for insights and inspiration around community engagement.

Kate Felder, Energy Efficiency Consumer Advocate, Rhode Island Energy

Lina Bravo,  Coordinator of Digital Learning and Outreach, RI Adult Education Information Centers

Heather Takle, President & CEO, PowerOptions

Maggie Molina, Executive Director, NEEP