Agenda
June 2 - 4, 2025
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara
8301 Hollister Ave., Santa Barbara, CA
We’re hard at work crafting an agenda that will inform, inspire, and engage. Check back for updates.
Agenda
Monday, June 2
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Check-in and group networking activities*
- Golf at The Sandpiper
- Kayaking
- Hiking
- Jeep mountain and wine tour of the Santa Ynez Valley
- Spa appointments (individual)
6:30 p.m. Welcome reception | The Bluff (located on the hotel property)
*Group activity details will be scheduled based on individual preferences and availability. Final times will be shared closer to the event date.
Tuesday, June 3
8:00 a.m. Breakfast | Santa Ynez Terrace
9:00 a.m. Welcome address | Santa Ynez Ballroom
9:15 a.m. Strategic perspectives and advice for planning the future of customer programs, resource adequacy, and grid modernization
Hear from senior leaders on the issues, opportunities, and challenges utilities face as they navigate rapid load growth, aging infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty, shifting environmental goals, and affordability concerns.
- Gene Rodrigues, Former Assistant Secretary for electricity at U.S. DOE
- Alex Núñez, Baltimore Gas and Electric
- Samuel Hancock, Xcel Energy
- David Pickles, ICF (Moderator)
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Powering up: How tech leaders and utilities are partnering to meet surging grid demand from AI, data centers, electrification, and emerging technologies
- Laurent Boinot, Microsoft
- Dmitri Jarocki, Google
- George Katsigiannakis, ICF
- Alison Kaufmann, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (Moderator)
12:00 p.m. Lunch | Santa Ynez Terrace
1:00 p.m. Planning for the future: Scalable solutions to address load growth and affordability
- Samir Succar, ICF (Moderator)
- Kim Winslow, Evergy
- Scott Vogt, ComEd
2:00 p.m. Break
2:15 - 3:30 p.m. Spotlight sessions
- AI use cases in customer programs
- Norma Grubb, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Haider Khan, ICF
- Building trust amid rate hikes: How PSEG turned a tough year for customers into a brand win Confronted with a 15%-20% rate increase, PSEG knew it needed more than a standard message to connect with its customers. Hear how the team used the opportunity to humanize PSEG and create a compelling campaign that’s rare for the industry. You’ll also learn how they gained executive buy-in and overcame unexpected hurdles that nearly stopped the campaign from launching.
- Karen Cleeve, PSEG
- Matt Silverman, ICF
6:30 p.m. Summer garden soiree | Oval Lawn
Wednesday, June 4
8:00 a.m. Breakfast | Santa Ynez Terrace
8:30 a.m. Better together: How gas and electric utilities are partnering and learning from each other | Santa Ynez Ballroom
- Jessica Yu, Baltimore Gas and Electric
- Andrew Steinberg, Southern California Gas Company
- Tison Reno, Entergy Mississippi
- Stacy Noblet, ICF (Moderator)
9:30 a.m. Rethinking utility programs for a smarter, more resilient future
- Minh Le, Los Angeles County Internal Services Department
- Brian Stonerock, Southern California Edison
- Billy Grayson, ICF (Moderator)
- Additional utility panelist to be confirmed
10:15 a.m. Closing remarks
10:30 a.m. Activities and departures
Speakers
