2026 Waterpower Week Presenter Lineup

Matthew AllenDirector of Legislative Affairs
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Session Co-Chair, Moderator

Gabe AlsenasDirector, Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center
Florida Atlantic University
Speaker

Advit ArunSenior Associate for Capital Markets
Center for Public Enterprise
Speaker

Faisal BakhteyarSenior Director, Origination
Brookfield Renewable
Panelist

Marla BarnesSenior Vice President, Industry and Member Engagements
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Emcee

Scottie BarrentineProject Manager, Pumped Storage Initiative
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Speaker, Panelist

George BonnerDirector, NC Reneawble Ocean Energy Program
Coastal Studies Institute, Atlantic Marine Energy Center
Speaker

Ted BrekkenProfessor
Oregon State University
Speaker

Todd BriggemanProject Manager, Hydropower and Hydraulic Structures
Black & Veatch
Session Leader

David Brown KinlochPresident
Appalachian Hydro Associates
Panelist

Maura BruegerDirector of Government and Legislative Affairs
Seattle City Light
Table Facilitator, Co-Chair

Elaine BuckTechnology Manager, Marine Energy, Water Power Technologies Office
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

David CapkaDirector, Division of Dam Safety and Inspections, Office of Energy Projects
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Speaker

Karrie CarnesPublic Affairs Specialist, Communications, Digital Media and Visual Design
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)
Facilitator

Joey CharlesHydro Compliance Coordinator, Land Management Department
Georgia Power Company
Faculty

Chetan ChauhanPresident
American Hydro
Conversation Starter

Jon CofrancescoEnvironmental Protection Specialist
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Faculty

Merry DangMarket Lead, Canada
McMillen, Inc.
Emcee

Ryan DavidsonBusiness Development and Policy Lead
CalWave Power Technologies, Inc.
Speaker

Stuart DaviesCEO
ORPC, Inc.
Speaker, Panelist

Kyle DeSomberMechanical Engineer/Hydropower Advisor, Sustainable Systems Team Lead
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy
Session Leader/Speaker, Faculty

Steve DeWittCrosscutting Support, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Speaker

Rachel DibbleVice President, Power, Generation Asset Management
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)
Panelist

Jonathan DiCesareSenior Regulatory Compliance Advisor
Patriot Hydro
Moderator

Paul DietzSenior Manager, Forecasting & Market Analytics
Grant County Public Utility District
Moderator

Sam DorseySenior Legislative Assistant, 1st Congressional District of California
U.S. House of Representatives
Speaker

Mike DrainNatural Resources & Compliance Manager
Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District
Table Facilitator, Co-Chair

Lindsay DubbsResearch Assistant Professor; Associate Director, NC Renewable Ocean Energy Program
Coastal Studies Institute
Speaker

Joseph EavesExecutive Vice President
Lot Sixteen
Table Facilitator

Celeste FayPrincipal
Velergy, Inc.
Session Leader/Speaker

Cam FisherEnvironmental Scientist
Environmental Science Associates
Panelist

Ryan FisherActing Director of Civil Works
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Keynote Speaker

Amanda FlemingEnvironmental Affairs
Alabama Power Company
Speaker

Christopher FrySenior Director, Energy Economics
New York Power Authority (NYPA)
Presenter

Paul GayVice President
SMI
Speaker

Jim GibsonVice President, National Business Class Lead
HDR
Session Leader

Seth GreenChief Dam Safety Engineer, Alabama Power
Southern Company
Co-Chair

Frankie GreenNational Hydropower Coordinator
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Department of the Interior
Speaker

Len GreeneVice President, External Affairs
FirstLight Power Resources
Moderator

Matthew GrossoDeputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Technology and Acting Director of the Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Christopher HayesSenior Advisor, Technical Programs and Training
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Emcee

Michael HelmerDeputy Assistant Secretary of Energy, Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI)
U.S. Department of Energy
Fireside Chat Speaker

Karr HerschElectrical Engineer - HydroWIRES, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Maxine HillmanSenior Communications Consultant
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Speaker, Contestant

Tom HuckerSenior Advisor, Energy Dominance Financing (EDF)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Alicia JacksonProgram Manager, Land Resources Branch, Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Faculty

Alison JakupcaPrincipal Consultant
Kleinschmidt Associates
Session Leader

Allison JohnsonStrategic Innovation and Outreach Program Manager, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Meg JohnsonData Scientist, Technical Senior Staff
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Session Leader/Speaker

Natalie JoubertVice President, External Affairs and Policy Analysis, PCOM
Hull Street Energy, LLC
Table Facilitator

Surabhi KarambelkarPolicy Director
Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI)
Panelist

Sophia KatzRecreation Planner, Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Faculty

Nick KellyData Scientist, Software Engineer
Independent Contractor
Faculty

Hailee KesselChief Regulatory Officer
Current Hydro, LLC
Contestant

Joseph KesslerExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
New York Power Authority (NYPA)
Conversation Starter

Tim KonnertDeputy Director, Division of Hydropower Licensing, Office of Energy Projects
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Speaker

Vladimir KoritarovDepartment Director, Electric Power Systems; Program Manager, Water Power Program
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Sarah KulpaVice President, Area Business Group Manager
HDR
Moderator

Damian KunkoSenior Vice President
SMI
Speaker

Jillian LawrenceChief Operating Officer, Confluence Hydro
Hull Street Energy, LLC
Co-Chair

Chris LawrenceExecutive Director
Mid-West Electric Consumers Association
Panelist

Jeff LeaheyVice President
SMI
Table Facilitator

Meredith LeeBusiness Development Manager - North America, Heavy Civil Infrastructure
Bechtel Global Corporation
Session Leader/Speaker

Marcus LehmannCEO
CalWave Power Technologies Inc.
Speaker

Aaron LevineSenior Legal And Regulatory Analyst, Strategic Energy Analysis Center
National Laboratory of the Rockies, U.S. Department of Energy
Faculty

Doug LevineSenior Professional Staff Member, Natural Resources Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Speaker

Steven LiebermanVice President of Transmission and Regulatory Affairs
American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP)
Speaker

Lewis LoweFounder and Principal
L Squared Strategic Communications
Table Facilitator

Jenna Mandell-RicePartner
Van Ness Feldman LLP
Panelist

Brittney MayFederal Government Relations Representative
Ameren Missouri
Table Facilitator

Elizabeth McCormickPartner
Troutman Pepper Locke
Moderator

Dana McCoskeyEnvironmental Technologies Manager, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy
Faculty

Samantha McDonaldPartner
Kanner & Associates LLC
Panelist

Caitlin McHaleDeputy Assistant Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Speaker

Kara MeckleyDivision Chief, Office of Habitat Conservation
NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Department of Commerce
Speaker

Linnea MelbyeSenior Advisor, Commissioner's Office
Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior (USBR)
Speaker

Alec MesdagPresident and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Alaska Electric Light & Power Company (AEL&P)
Introducer

Alan MichaelsChair, NHA's Board of Directors, and
New York Power Authority, the Director of Regulatory Affairs
Emcee

Tim MundonChief Technology Officer
Oscilla Power, Inc.
Speaker

Lisa MurkowskiSenator, R-Alaska
U.S. Senate
Keynote Speaker

Florian NagelExecutive Vice President, Head of Americas Region
B.Grimm Power
Speaker

Connor NelsonManager - Regulatory Affairs and Markets
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Faculty

Courtenay O’MaraHydro Licensing & Compliance Supervisor
Southern Company
Emcee, Conversation Starter

Erika OseLegislative Affairs Manager
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Session Co-Chair

Sam OwenGovernment Relations Director
American Public Power Association (APPA)
Table Facilitator

Nicholas PalsoSenior Project Manager, Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives, Hydroelectric Incentives Program
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Jack PanCEO and Lead Oceanographer
Ocean Motion Technologies, Inc.
Speaker

Sean PerkinsHydraulic Engineering Proposal Manager
American Hydro
Speaker

Jennifer PolardinoRegulatory Consultant
Kleinschmidt
Speaker

Brenda PracheilAquatic Ecologist, Fisheries Biologist
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy
Faculty

Daniel RabonPrincipal
Rabon Energy Strategies (RES)
Panelist

Tim RamseyMarine Energy Program Manager, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Lauren RuedyChief Engineer, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Kelsey RuganiVice President
Kearns & West
Faculty

Cate RussellEnvironmental/Regulatory Section Manager
HDR
Contestant

Charles ScaifePhysical Scientist (Hydrologist)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Katie SchmidtDirector, National Dam Removal Program
American Rivers
Panelist

Walter SchurtenbergerCTO/Lead Designer
Hydrokinetic Energy Corp.
Speaker

Madden SciubbaSenior Project Manager, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Margaux SewardProject Manager
National Laboratory of the Rockies, U.S. Department of Energy
Session Leader/Speaker

Jake ShermanFounder
Punchbowl News
Fireside Chat Speaker

Kannan SivaprakasamHydropower Fleet Engineer
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Speaker

Sandy SlaytonSenior Project Manager/Principal Consultant
Rye Development
Panelist

Jody SmetChief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President Regulatory Affairs
Eagle Creek Renewable Energy
Speaker

Barbara SmithExecutive Director
Southwestern Power Resources Association (SPRA)
Panelist

Bryan SojkowskiSenior Fish Passage Engineer
Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, D.P.C.
Speaker

Jot SplendaChief, Environmental Project Review Branch, Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Speaker

Mark StearnsManager, Power Generation, Program Managerment
Seattle City Light
Panelist

John StinemanFounder and Chief Strategist
Strategic Elements
Speaker

Kate StirrVice President of External Affairs
Natel Energy
Moderator

Alan StuartLicensing Project Manager
Duke Energy Corporation
Panelist

Tim SullivanVice President of Operations and Senior Regulatory Specialist
Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, D.P.C.
Emcee

Laura SwettChair
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Keynote Speaker

Kerri-Anne ThorpeCommunications Uses and Hydropower Program Lead
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior
Speaker

Brett TowlerSenior Fish Passage/Dam Safety Engineer
Gomez and Sullivan
Speaker

Copeland TuckerDirector of Public Affairs
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Session Leader/Speaker

Rocio Uria-MartinezResearch Economist
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), U.S. Department of Energy
Session Leader/Speaker

James VanZwietenAssistant Research Professor
Florida Atlantic University
Speaker

Corey VezinaHydropower Program Manager, Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O)
U.S. Department of Energy
Speaker

Janet WaltherDirector of Hydro Licensing and Compliance
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)
Panelist

Andrew WebberFounder and Chief Executive Officer
Digital Power Optimization (DPO)
Panelist

Don WelchSenior Program Manager
3U Technologies LLC
Speaker

Tim WelchCEO and Facilitator
Hydropower Matters LLC
Faculty

Sharon WhitePartner
Rock Creek Energy Group
Speaker

Wesley WilliamsAssociate Professor
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Speaker

Malcolm WoolfPresident and CEO
National Hydropower Association (NHA)
Facilitator (Fireside Chat), Session Leader/Speaker

Martin Wosnik
University of New Hampshire
Speaker

Marcel Young-ScaggsSenior Water Resources Engineer
Inter-Fluve
Speaker

2026 Waterpower Week Presenter Lineup

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