Advisory Panel

SECC’s Best Practices Awards recognize leadership from electricity providers in the shift to a more consumer-focused energy ecosystem. They focus on real examples of engagement and education success and provide a blueprint for other providers (and their industry partners) to follow.

By focusing on applicable insights, thought leadership and innovation, it is our hope that these awards spark real and considerable change within the utility industry. Winners are selected by an advisory panel of seven industry experts.

The 2021 Best Practices Awards Advisory Panel includes:

Chris Oberle

Senior Vice President at Escalent
Chris has over 2 decades of experience in the utility industry. He currently leads the management advisory and Cogent Syndicated services at Escalent targeting improved service, brand and product experiences for utility clients. Prior to joining Escalent, he founded the J.D. Power Utility Practice and was a Principal at Navigant Consulting where he focused on management strategy and process improvement engagements. He has also led marketing and strategic planning efforts for major financial services companies. Chris holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a Bachelor degree from the University of Southern California.

Chris Villarreal

President at Plugged in Strategies
Chris has worked in the electricity regulatory policy industry for 20 years, including 11 years as staff at the California PUC and Minnesota PUC. In that time, Chris has led initiatives on topics such as grid modernization, rate design reform, data access and data privacy, cybersecurity, and energy storage. Chris is also the author of several white papers from his time at the California PUC on topics such as pre-pay, microgrids, and cybersecurity, as well as the lead author of the NARUC DER Rate Design and Compensation manual, released in 2016. He is currently President of Plugged In Strategies where he advises clients on grid modernization, technology, and regulatory and policy matters.

Katherine Hamilton

Chair at 38 North Solutions
Katherine Hamilton is Chair of 38 North Solutions, a public policy consultancy specializing in clean energy and innovation. Her firm also manages a non-profit organization, Project for Clean Energy and Innovation. Previously, she ran the GridWise Alliance, was policy director to the Energy Storage Association, and served as an advisor for Good Energies, a private equity company with a clean energy portfolio. Katherine directed American Bioenergy Association, developing renewable portfolio standards in states legislatures, including Maryland and New Jersey. At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Katherine worked in buildings research and government relations. Katherine spent a decade at an investor-owned utility, designing electrical systems for commercial and residential developments. Katherine holds degrees from Cornell University and the Sorbonne. Katherine is Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Advanced Energy Technology and is part of The Energy Gang podcast.

Larissa Koehler

Senior Attorney, Energy at the Environmental Defense Fund
As a Senior Attorney in EDF’s Energy program, Larissa engages in multiple regulatory proceedings in California, New York, and New Jersey, including those around electric vehicles and distributed energy resources, to break down barriers to accelerating clean energy in the state. She also works on policy analysis and legislative advocacy on transportation electrification in multiple states and at a federal level. From 2018 to early 2020, Larissa was on temporary assignment in London, where she focused on electrification of transport, improving air quality through UK legislation and implementing EU policy to minimize methane emissions in the energy sector.

Lori Walker

Vice President, Energy Market Director at Hiner & Partners
Lori has been in marketing research for 30+ years. Her expertise includes all aspects of the customer experience (operational strategy and performance), marketplace intelligence, new product development including product naming, communications, UX testing, and trademark litigation. She is an expert in all quantitative and qualitative methods. She is a also certified as a Master Moderator for focus groups. While at Southern California Edison for 16 years, she led deployment research for the nation’s most advanced metering system, Edison SmartConnect®. Her insights supported product development, communications, web site design, and meter installation experience for Residential and Business customers. Lori holds a Master of Marketing Research from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from California State University, Long Beach.

Michael Murray

President of Mission:data
Michael served as Mission:data's Chief Technology Strategist from 2014-2016 and now as its President. Previously, he co-founded Lucid in 2004, an energy management software company serving commercial building owners. He has over fifteen years of experience with building automation, energy management, metering and public utility regulation. Michael earned his B.A. with highest honors from Oberlin College.

Phil Davis

Vice President, Planning and Partnerships at Sterling Planet
Phil has 40 years’ experience developing and implement strategies for large scale energy management programs. Since retiring from Schneider in 2016, Phil has been a visiting consultant primarily in distributed energy resources and sustainability. Phil previously worked with Schneider Electric’s in-house groups (Summit Energy (energy procurement and management), APC (data centers), Telvent (Utility grid systems), and Andover Controls (buildings). Phil also has served with several industry groups making major contributions to developing industry standards and regulations. Phil’s training in economics and econometrics has allowed him to work with customers to develop energy strategies that optimize cost, risk, and production.

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