Monday, September 16

 
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM - Community Service Projects, Meet us in the lobby of The Thompson Hotel

Once again, we're offering two separate projects for annual meeting attendees who would like to participate in community service projects before the start of the meeting.  Don't miss these bonding activities, which include:

• Set up a new ReStore location for Habitat for Humanity. Transportation will be provided.

• Assemble care packages for payment-challenged residents of Berkshire Homes who are getting ready to move into Birchstone, a new apartment complex. Kits, donated by U2030, will include hygiene items, clothing, and cleaning supplies.   

 

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM – Welcome Cocktail Reception, Rooftop Bar, The Thompson Hotel

  
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
 
7:30 AM – 8:00 AM – Continental Breakfast
 
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM – Welcome, Safety Moment & Introductions
Facilitators:

• Chima Chijioke (Georgia Power Company)

• Chris Hilborn

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8:30 AM – 9:00 AM – Fireside Chat: Welcome to Nashville & Innovating for Tomorrow with NES
Join us as leaders from our host utility, NES, welcome us to their vibrant city and share its innovative strides to enhance customer experience and operations, spotlighting its concerted efforts to modernize the business and foster strategic engagement with employees, customers, and communities.
Participants:

• Teresa Broyles-Aplin (NES)

• Brent Baker (NES)

Moderator:

• Ram Kasarla (i3 Verticals)

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9:00 AM – 9:15 AM – Panel: Progress on U2030’s Vision & Roadmap
Find out what we have accomplished, learning, member resources, and what’s next for U2030.
Panelists:

• Vanessa Edmonds (U2030)

• Christina Corcoran (U2030)

• Mike Smith (U2030)

• Marlene Rosenberry (U2030)

• Val Williams (U2030)

• Dave Reim (U2030)

Moderators: Chima Chijioke & Chris Hilborn

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9:15 AM – 9:30 AM – Break

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9:30 AM – 10:00 AM - Townhall: Utility AI Projects Discussion
During this collaborative Townhall session, we will discuss utility transformation projects and exchange ideas to enhance our collective understanding and drive successful project outcomes.

Moderator: Dave Reim (U2030)

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Panel: New Strategies for Developing a Culture of Transformative Leadership
During this session, utility executives will explore innovative strategies for cultivating a culture of transformative leadership, focusing on the essential elements that foster growth, innovation, and adaptability. By delving into practical approaches and real-world examples, participants will gain insights into building empowering and forward-thinking organizational cultures.

Panelists:

• Sean Vanslyke (SEMO Electric & GoSEMO Fiber)

• Frankie McDermott (SMUD)

• Luke Peterson (Hibbing PUC)

• Kay Fuhrman (Heidrick & Struggles)

Moderator: Jay Stowe (U2030 & Stowe Utility Group)

 
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM – Group Activity: Utility Feud
Divide into two teams and answer questions based on answers from experts about the future of the utility enterprise. Our host will ask you to guess the top answers (based on surveys) to foster an engaging, competitive atmosphere that encourages learning and discussion.
Host: Dwight Scruggs (Cinch Home Services)

Teams: Nashville Electric Service and Georgia Power Company
 

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM – Lunch & Ignite Talks: Enlighten Us but Make it Quick
Ignite Talks, 5 minutes each, 20 auto-advancing slides.

Presentations:

• Strengthening Customer Relationships through Innovation & Regional Collaboration: A Case Study from Chicago’s Department of Water Management (CDWM), Dave Kohn, Deputy Commissioner, Regional Partnerships, Department of Water Management, City of Chicago, IL

• Leadership Fortitude: Overcoming Challenges through Resilience, Annalee Larsen (Provo City, UT)

• From Consumers to Prosumers: Redefining Utility-Customer Engagement for a Sustainable Future
  Bashir Bseirani (Avertra)

• Meeting Utilities' Unexpected Needs, Paul Applegate (InvoiceCloud)

• Adapting Training Programs for a Multigenerational Workforce, Roland Hammork (PG&E)

• Powering Customer Engagement with Oracle's Software Solutions and AI, Dan Tunnicliff (Opower at Oracle Energy and Water)

• Empowering Change through ComEd's CX & Operational Excellence, Vanessa Morrissette (Comed)

• The Case for Staying Connected After SPARK, Christina Corcoran (U2030)

 

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM - U2030 Annual Research Report Results
During this session, U2030’s Mike Smith will share preliminary results from an in-progress research study conducted through a partnership between U2030 and Energy Central, "Transformative Leadership at the Intersection of Customers and Operations." He will share findings into critical issues at the evolving juncture of the energy and water sectors, focusing on pioneering leadership strategies across customer and operational arenas.
Speakers:

• Mike Smith (U2030)

• Audra Drazga (Energy Central)

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1:30 PM – 2:15 PM – CX CoE Session: Partnering with Customers in a Constrained Energy & Water Environment
Join us for a Gallery Walk/Mind Map exercise and a thought-provoking panel discussion about strategies for enhancing customer experiences in today’s era of constrained resources. Our moderator will guide the panel through a series of projected data points and questions to arrive at possible solutions on how utilities must partner with residential and C & I customers in anticipation of customer and energy and water needs through 2030.

Panelists:

• Marci Westlake (TMWA)

• Tim McAreavey (Omaha Public Power District)

Moderator: Dan Tunnicliff (Oracle)

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM – Break
 
3:00 PM 3:45 PM – Breaking Stereotypes: Seniors Speak on Payment & Technology Preferences

Hear from a lively panel of senior citizens discussing common misconceptions that utilities and other service providers have about their payment preferences, technology proficiency, and communication needs. This insightful session aims to challenge stereotypes, highlight senior customers' true capabilities and preferences, and foster more inclusive and effective service strategies. Join us to gain valuable perspectives directly from the senior community and learn how to meet their needs better.

Panelists:

• Karen Williams

• Tricia Edmonds

• Joaquina Martinez

• Melvin Fowler

Moderator: Nick Oettinger (InvoiceCloud)
 

3:45 PM – 4:00 PM - Group Activity
Facilitator: Sean Vanslyke (SEMO Electric Cooperative & GoSEMO Fiber)

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4:00 PM – 4:45 PM – Emergency Preparedness & Communications CoE Session: Fine Tuning Emergency Preparedness & Response
Hear from a dynamic utility executive panel as we explore the nexus of the utility customer organization and operations/engineering during periods of acute needs (reliability, customer, safety). We’ll discuss the unique challenges during these emergency operations and explore what has worked that can be built on. This session will include interactive voting on preferences and ideas. 

Panelists:

• Guy Payne (SnoPUD)

• Jason Stott (Georgia Power Company)

• Everett Stuckless (ENMAX)

Moderator: Mike Smith (U2030)

4:45 PM – 5:00 PM – Day 1 Recap & Key Takeaways Wall

• Chima Chijioke (Georgia Power Company)

• Chris Hilborn (Independent)

 
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM – Women Who SPARK Awards Ceremony & Dinner, Sambuca, Nashville, TN

Sponsor: InvoiceCloud

Masters of Ceremonies:

• Jody Allison (Liberty Utilities)

• Janisse Quiñones (LADWP)

• Paul Applegate (InvoiceCloud)

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Wednesday, September 18, 2024
 
7:15 AM – 8:00 AM – Continental Breakfast
 
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM – Day 2 Welcome

• Chima Chijioke (Georgia Power Company)

• Chris Hilborn (Independent)

 
8:15 AM – 8:45 AM – Day 2 Keynote Fireside Chat: Janisse Quiñones: Shaking Things Up as the New CEO of LADWP

Join us for an engaging fireside chat with Vanessa Edmonds, Executive Director of U2030 and Janisse Quiñones, the new CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). With a passion for civil service, Janisse is leading LADWP through a pivotal time. She will share her vision for achieving 100% clean energy by 2035, the role of workforce development in driving this change, and the innovative ways LADWP is supporting underserved communities. We’ll also dive into her plans for powering a green, sustainable 2028 Olympics and ensuring energy reliability for Los Angeles. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a trailblazer shaping the future of utilities and clean energy.

Speaker: Janisse Quiñones (LADWP)

Interviewer: Vanessa Edmonds (U2030)

8:45 AM – 9:15 AM – Ignite Talks: Projects from Women Who SPARK Award Winners
Speakers: WWS Award Winners Announced During Event

Moderator: Amanda Ercanbrack (City of Provo)

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9:15 AM – 9:30 AM – Break
  

9:30 AM – 11:15 AM – Futures Thinking Mini Workshop

Facilitators:

• Jod Kaftan (Oracle)

• Kim Grego (Oracle)

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11:15 AM – 12:00 PM - Panel: Women Who SPARK Award Winners: Team Award
Transformation projects require cross-functional collaboration among employees from different departments, including IT, operations, customer service, and management. Hear from winners of our Women Who SPARK Transformation Team Award whose collaborative leadership approach is mobilizing employees and other stakeholders to foster innovation, adaptability, and a customer-centric

Moderator: Val Williams (U2030)

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12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – Lunch & Ignite Talks: Projects for Women Who SPARK Award Winners
Speakers:  WWS Winners Announced During Event

Moderator: Amanda Ercanbrack (City of Provo)

 

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM – Fireside Chat: Women Who SPARK Stories of Leadership and Impact in Utilities
Join us for a fireside chat featuring two utility leaders' extraordinary contributions, career achievements, and impact. 
Speakers: WWS Winners Announced During the Event

Moderator: Jody Allison (Liberty Utilities)
 

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM - Energy Transition CoE Session: A Great Relationship: Technology and the Energy Transition
As our industry moves deeper into the energy transition, we see the critical role of technology in enabling this new energy landscape every day. Technologies like DERMS, data & analytics, the role of advanced AI, ADMS, Customer portals, and more are quickly becoming the lynchpins to a successful energy transition. In this session, we’ll explore the ups and downs of technology in the utility industry’s energy transition journey.

Panelists:

• Kerri Carnes (APS)

• Daniel Hanks (NES)

• Allegra Hodges (Portland GE)

Moderator: Jason Rodriguez (Zpryme)

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2:15 PM – 2:30 PM – Group Activity

Facilitator: Sean Vanslyke (SEMO Electric Cooperative & GoSEMO Fiber)

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2:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Meeting Wrap-Up & Key Takeaways Wall
Participate in a fun end-of-day activity where participants write down their most important insights and reflections from the meeting and then post them on a shared wall for everyone to see and discuss, fostering collective learning and engagement.

• Chima Chijioke (Georgia Power)

• Chris Hilborn (Liberty)

 

3:00 PM - Meeting Adjourns