Join us for an immersive, hands-on workshop experience led by the industry's foremost wildfire experts. Designed for utility professionals responsible for wildfire mitigation, vegetation management, and grid resilience, these workshops go beyond theory — giving you practical tools, peer collaboration, and expert guidance you can act on the moment you return to your utility.
Walk away with a maturity assessment score, prioritized next steps for your Wildfire Mitigation Plan, and a concrete roadmap to meet regulatory and insurance requirements.
∙A maturity matrix assessment score that benchmarks where your program stands today and where it needs to go
∙Prioritized next steps for your Wildfire Mitigation Plan
∙Ignition management and tracking options to inform decision-making
∙The knowledge of what it takes to build an effective PSPS plan.
∙Foundational knowledge to build a vegetation management risk program that meaningfully reduces ignition risk
Take your conversations to the fairway for a complimentary round of golf at the stunning Omni Rancho Las Palmas Golf Course. Join fellow utility leaders for a relaxed round in the Palm Springs sun — where some of the best partnerships are built between holes. Limited spots available, so reserve your tee time early with your AiDASH contact.
Fast, fun, and surprisingly addictive — pickleball is the perfect way to connect with peers in a whole new setting. Whether you're a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, this is your chance to forge real relationships with fellow utility innovators beyond the breakout sessions.
Join us for an immersive, hands-on workshop experience led by the industry's foremost wildfire experts. Designed for utility professionals responsible for wildfire mitigation, vegetation management, and grid resilience, these workshops go beyond theory — giving you practical tools, peer collaboration, and expert guidance you can act on the moment you return to your utility.
Lawrence J. Kahn, Director, Utility Vegetation Management Institute | Adjunct Professor, Tulane University Law School, Center for Environmental Law
Vegetation is the leading cause of storm outages and the primary fuel for wildfires — and the utilities that manage it proactively, with the right vegetation intelligence and programs in place, are the ones that turn risk into reliability. These two masterclass modules give vegetation management operators and executives the tools, strategies, and financial frameworks to move from fixed-cycle trimming to risk-driven vegetation work. Learn from one of the industry's foremost vegetation management experts — and leave with a roadmap you can act on.
Abhishek Singh, Co-founder & CEO, AiDASH
The grid has never been more essential — or more at risk. For too long, utilities have managed vegetation, assets, wildfire, storm, and operations through point solutions and siloed resiliency programs — leaving critical data fragmented across the organization. The silos must come down. In this opening address, Abhishek Singh introduces Evolve 2026’s unifying theme — Securing Tomorrow, Together — and shares how a growing number of utilities across North America are adopting a PreventionFirst approach to grid planning and operations, breaking down silos to build the integrated grid of the future.
Todd Conner, Senior Vice President Electric Distribution, Xcel Energy
The day of point solutions is gone — the day of integrated solutions is here. Todd Conner draws on hard-won experience running electric distribution at one of the country’s largest utilities to make the case for unified intelligence across vegetation management, assets, storms, and wildfire. He shares his vision for what a PreventionFirst operating model delivers across every planning horizon — and what it means for the customers and communities who depend on a reliable grid every day.
Michael Rhymes, Chief Information Officer, Entergy
What does it take to manage a modern grid at one of the country’s largest utilities? Michael Rhymes shares how to build an end-to-end technology and data model that delivers reliability and resilience — and how vegetation insights are key to integrated planning across asset, storm, wildfire, and vegetation management programs.
Ruben Llanes, CEO Digital Grid, Schneider Electric
Todd Conner, Senior Vice President Electric Distribution, Xcel Energy
The numbers are stark. Weather events, aging infrastructure, and increasingly complex grid environments are driving costs that utilities and ratepayers can no longer absorb after the fact. But the true cost of consequence-driven operations goes beyond dollars — it shows up in decisions made under pressure and communities left without power. This session asks a fundamental question: when you're making the call with incomplete data and communities depending on power, what does that moment actually cost?
Jim Gill, Sr. Director Energy System Strategy, PG&E
Kamran Rasheed, Director, Vegetation Management Ops, PG&E
Justin Turner, Managing Director, Wildfire Mitigation, American Electric Power
Arvind Simhadri, Senior Director, Product Management, AiDASH
Giovanni Herazo, Head of Solutions Architecture, Schneider Electric
David Zipkin, SVP, Product, Technosylva
Dr. Anukool Lakina, Co-Founder & CEO, BurnBot
Moderator: Arun Mani, Principal, KPMG
Three horizons, one connected system. Ecosystem leaders walk through how vegetation risk detection, wildfire modeling, and precision fuel reduction work together to enable faster, more defensible decisions. The panel then examines how risk-based vegetation management helps utilities build programs that genuinely reduce risk rather than simply check boxes. Finally, the lens widens to capital strategy — topology changes, circuit segmentation, and infrastructure design built for the risk environment of the decades ahead, not the one already passed.
Commissioner Erik Helland, Iowa Utilities Commission
Mclee Kerolle, Advisor to Commissioner O’Connell, New Mexico PRC
Moderator: Neil Chatterjee, Former Commissioner & Chairman, FERC
A compelling case and an approved program are two different things. This panel puts PreventionFirst where
it matters most — in front of the state regulators whose job is to scrutinize it.
What do regulators actually see when utilities arrive with risk-based prevention proposals? What earns credibility, and what signals that reactive operations have simply been repackaged? How is mitigation effectiveness defined, measured, and validated when the two sides of the table are working from different mandates — and in some cases, different definitions of success?
The tension is real: utilities are managing investment costs and uncertain effectiveness against serious consequences, while regulators are accountable for outcomes they did not design and cannot fully control. This panel is an honest stress test of that relationship — where incentive structures are genuinely moving toward Prevention First, where the resistance is structural, and what it actually takes to move from idea to an approved, defensible program.
Matt Schnugg, Chief Product Officer, Schneider Electric Digital Grid
Neeraj Joshi, CTO, Energy and Resources Industry, Microsoft
The grid has never been more complex — or more vulnerable. Storm forecasts, wildfire risk, vegetation encroachment, asset health — critical data sitting in silos, slowing the decisions that matter most. Agentic AI promises to change that, unifying intelligence across every domain so operators can act with speed and confidence that simply isn't possible today. In this fireside chat, Matt from Schneider Electric and Neeraj from Microsoft make the case for agentic AI as a transformative force — exploring where it will have the biggest operational impact and what it takes to build the foundation required to lead in the decade ahead.
Wesley Gray, VP of Operations & Engineering, PNM | Public Service Company of New Mexico
Louie Dabdoub, VP of Power Delivery Services, Entergy
Drew Seidel, VP, Distribution Region Operations, AEP SWEPCO
Moderator: David Wolpa, CRO, AiDASH
Across many utilities, vegetation, asset, wildfire, storm, and other operational data often live in separate programs run by separate teams — making it challenging to anticipate risk, align priorities, and take coordinated action across the organization. This session brings together utility executives from across resiliency functions to share where they are on the journey toward unified intelligence — what's working, what's hard, and what they've learned along the way. Speakers will share practical guidance on the decisions, technology, and organizational shifts required to build a more connected operational picture — and what earlier threat anticipation and smarter prioritization looks like as it comes together.
Bertram Stewart, Manager, Vegetation Strategy, NationalGrid
Fletcher Johnson, Director, Vegetation Management, Xcel Energy
Maria Mcinerney, Vegetation Management, PowerCo
Moderator: Isabella Espinel, Customer Success, AiDASH
Vegetation drives 78% of storm outages and is the primary fuel for wildfires — making it the most consequential data layer across every resiliency program. As utilities evolve toward more integrated operations, vegetation intelligence is emerging as a powerful common thread — one that strengthens decision-making across wildfire mitigation, storm response, asset inspection, and emergency operations. This session brings together heads of vegetation management to share how they are building best-in-class VM programs — and how vegetation insights make every other resiliency program more effective. Speakers will share practical guidance on risk-based work planning, situational awareness, and what it looks like when vegetation intelligence is put to work across the full organization.
PUBLIC POWER AND COOP INNOVATION: MEETING INCREASED DEMAND, MINIMIZING DISRUPTIONS, AND MITIGATING RISK
Mark Moreno, VP Reliability and Field Engineering, Central Virgina Electric Cooperative
Jade Morris, Utility Vegetation Coordinator, Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative
Matthew Dykes, Power Quality Supervisor Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative
John Buckley, Director - Work Management- Energy Delivery, OPPD
Moderator: Jeff Waldbauer, Head of Reliability, Resiliency and Emergency Response, AiDASH
Cooperative and municipal utilities face a distinct set of pressures: rising demand, aging infrastructure, and the need to deliver reliability across vast service territories — often with lean teams and constrained budgets. This session explores how public power utilities are deploying vegetation management and grid intelligence to meet those pressures head-on, driving measurable improvements in reliability and risk mitigation without sacrificing operational efficiency.
Justin Winters, Sr. Incident Response Specialist, Entergy
Mason Withers, Director - Risk Mitigation, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH
Randy Lyle, Sr. Director, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH
Moderator: Shashank Shekhar, Managing Director and Partner, BCG
When a major storm or wildfire threatens the grid, the decisions that matter most were made long before the event. This session covers both planning periods — blue sky days and the critical hours before conditions turn. The first half focuses on storm preparedness: infrastructure hardening, operational readiness, and the tools and analytics utilities need to plan ahead. The second half shifts to wildfire: Wildfire Mitigation Plan development, situational awareness, and how PreventionFirst planning turns reactive response into confident, coordinated action. The message across both is the same — preparation is the strategy.
Azum Ali, Chief Customer Officer, AiDASH
Join us as we celebrate excellence in grid planning and operations — honoring the utilities and leaders defining what PreventionFirst looks like in practice. The AiDASH Evolve Awards recognize outstanding achievement across four categories: Reliability, Wildfire Risk Impact, Efficiency, and Visionary.
Cap off Evolve at the AiDASH Evolve Country Roundup - a refined, country-inspired closing evening inspired by Stagecoach, California’s iconic western music festival. Set under the Palm Springs night sky, unwind, connect, and celebrate with industry leaders and partners as the week comes to a close.
Enjoy a thoughtfully curated dinner, great drinks, and country music classics in an elevated setting where western charm meets AiDASH’s signature style - and where the week’s conversations turn into lasting connections. Sponsored by Vantor.
Josh Winer, Senior Director, Vantor
As wildfire risk and weather volatility increase, utilities need a better way to spot risk across vast service territories and act sooner. This session will show how AiDASH and Vantor help utilities move from routine vegetation management to a prevention-first approach using AI-powered analysis, high-resolution satellite imagery, and a trusted spatial foundation. Together, these capabilities help teams see risk at network scale, understand change over time, and prioritize the right mitigation work. The result is a more practical way to reduce ignition risk and strengthen grid resilience.
Rahul Saxena, CPTO and Co-Founder AiDASH
Sean Wiid, CEO, UP42
Utilities aren’t short on data - they’re starting in the wrong place. This fireside chat makes the case for SatelliteFirst as the natural starting point of grid intelligence — providing the network-wide view that no ground crew, drone, or inspection vehicle can match at scale — and explores how targeted remote sensing tools like LiDAR and aerial surveys amplify that foundation when deployed where the satellite data says they're needed most. Drawing on real operational experience, the conversation explores what shifts when utilities move from fixed inspection cycles to an intelligence-led model - where risk is continuously surfaced, prioritized, and acted on. Remote sensing isn't a replacement for human judgement — but it is a fundamental shift in where that judgement begins.
Joe Vaccaro, Director - Operations & Engineering, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH
Mason Withers, Director - Risk Mitigation, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH
Jeffrey Spohn, Director, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH
Randy Lyle, Sr. Director, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH
Building an effective wildfire mitigation program requires more than good intentions — it requires the right roadmap, the right tools, and a clear-eyed understanding of where your program stands today. This session brings together some of the foremost wildfire mitigation experts in the industry — veterans of CAL FIRE, SDG&E, and Arizona Public Service (APS) — to share what it actually takes to build a program that meets the demands of regulators, insurers, and the communities you serve. Topics span all three planning horizons: how to build and operationalize a Wildfire Mitigation Plan and use fuels data and situational awareness tools for operational and situational response; how to assess wildfire risk and prioritize the vegetation and inspection work that reduces ignition likelihood during routine maintenance planning; and how to build the long-term capital case for system hardening and ignition management that strengthens the grid for decades. The session will also tackle the questions utilities are asking most right now: how to right-size a Wildfire Mitigation Plan for your utility's specific risk profile, how to address the wildfire risk that is unique to your service territory, and how differing state regulations are shaping Wildfire Mitigation Plans for multi-state utilities. Whether you're starting your program or looking to accelerate it, this session delivers practical, field-tested guidance you can act on.
Step into the PreventionFirst Grid Planning & Operations Center (PreventionFirst GPOC) — an immersive experience demonstrating how unified vegetation management, wildfire, asset, and grid intelligence transforms utility decision-making across every time horizon. Explore live demonstrations from AiDASH, Technosylva, Schneider Electric, KPMG, and other partners, organized around three connected decision cycles: operational response (0–7 days), routine vegetation management and maintenance planning (1–5 years), and long-term capital hardening (5–15 years). The PreventionFirst GPOC is where vegetation insights meet the full grid — and where the future of infrastructure resilience takes shape.
To support participation at Evolve 2026, AiDASH offers event speakers waived registration fees for themselves and up to three colleagues, plus coverage of the speaker’s travel expenses, subject to their organization’s compliance policies. If not permitted, the speaker may decline the offer. Travel compensation applies only to the speaker, not accompanying colleagues.
If you’re interested in speaking, please contact us at: evolve@aidash.com
WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORKSHOPS
Wednesday & Thursday Afternoon
8 hours of course content over 2 days with the world's leading wildfire experts.
The workshop moves through eight interconnected session topics, each building on the last to give you a complete, practical framework for strengthening your wildfire mitigation program.
Session Topic 1: Maturity Matrix Assessment An interactive evaluation of your Wildfire Mitigation Plan — wherever you are in the process. Whether you're just getting started, mid-development, or working from a completed plan, our wildfire experts help you identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and map a clear path forward.
Session Topic 2: Creating a Fire Safe Culture What does a fire safe culture actually look like inside a utility — and how do you build one? This topic explores how to embed fire-safe practices into everyday operations, examine common causes of utility-ignited wildfires, and realign operating philosophies to prevent them.
Session Topic 3: Data Governance From breaking down data silos to centralizing streams and establishing meaningful KPIs — this topic covers how utilities can turn data into a strategic asset, including how your data practices hold up under regulatory scrutiny, legal review, and audit.
Session Topic 4: Risk Mapping & Tiering Wildfire risk maps are one of the most powerful tools in your mitigation arsenal. Our experts walk through the key factors that define risk tiers — vegetation, topography, historical fire activity, hazard potential, and wildland-urban interface — and show how to use them to guide operational decisions and target capital investment where it counts most.
Session Topic 5: Situational Awareness When a Red Flag Warning is issued, how quickly can your utility respond — and how confidently? This topic covers how to integrate weather, fuel conditions, fire behavior, and asset proximity into a unified operational picture, including how AI-powered tools can be embedded directly into your utility's operational strategy.
Session Topic 6: Vegetation Management Program Design A well-structured vegetation management program is the backbone of any effective Wildfire Mitigation Plan. This topic focuses on building a scalable, risk-based VM program — covering annual inspections, cycle intervals, clearance standards, and stakeholder communication — that measurably reduces ignition risk and holds up to regulatory review.
Session Topic 7: Operational Strategies Real decisions. Real scenarios. This topic covers when and how to adjust system settings commensurate with fire danger, how leading utilities have implemented PSPS with real-world examples and outcomes, and best practices for pre- and post-event circuit patrols.
Session Topic 8: Ignition Management & Tracking Every ignition — and every near-ignition — is data. This topic shows how a disciplined approach to ignition tracking can reveal trends, inform equipment selection, surface operating assumptions worth challenging, and drive smarter tactical and strategic decision-making across your entire program.
YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Randy Lyle | Principal, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH A 45-year veteran of the fire industry, Randy spent 32 years at CAL FIRE, rising to Division Chief in San Diego. At SDG&E, he developed the Ignition Management Program, fuel treatment strategies, and helped shape California's statewide High Fire Threat District map. He has since authored wildfire mitigation and PSPS plans for utilities across the Western U.S.
Joe Vaccaro, P.E. | Principal, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH With over 16 years in wildfire mitigation and climate adaptation, Joe pioneered some of the first utility fire prevention plans at SDG&E that evolved into today's Wildfire Mitigation Plans. His expertise spans vegetation management, fire risk assessment, regulatory affairs, and program development across utilities, regulators, and stakeholders nationwide.
Mason Withers | Principal, Wildfire Mitigation Practice, AiDASH Mason brings deep expertise in quantitative risk and regulatory strategy within the utility sector. At SDG&E, he developed wildfire risk models and tools used to prioritize billions of dollars in capital mitigation investments. He has also held senior roles at KPMG and Filsinger Energy Partners advising utilities on multi-billion dollar risk portfolios.
Jeff Waldbauer | Head of Reliability, Resilience & Emergency Response, AiDASH As former CEO of BKI Engineering Services, Jeff led wildfire resiliency and mitigation initiatives for more than 250 utilities nationwide, becoming a trusted partner for co-ops, municipal utilities, and Public Utility Districts facing growing wildfire and climate-driven risks. He now leads AiDASH's initiatives to help utilities transition from reactive response to PreventionFirst mitigation strategies.
8 hours of course content. World-class wildfire expertise. Outcomes you can act on.
Session Topic 1: Maturity Matrix Assessment
An interactive evaluation of your Wildfire Mitigation Plan — wherever you are in the process. Whether you're just getting started, mid-development, or working from a completed plan, our wildfire experts help you identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and map a clear path forward.
Session Topic 2: Creating a Fire Safe Culture
What does a fire safe culture actually look like inside a utility — and how do you build one? This topic explores how to embed fire-safe practices into everyday operations, examine common causes of utility-ignited wildfires, and realign operating philosophies to prevent them.
Session Topic 3: Data Governance
From breaking down data silos to centralizing streams and establishing meaningful KPIs — this topic covers how utilities can turn data into a strategic asset, including how your data practices hold up under regulatory scrutiny, legal review, and audit.
Session Topic 4: Risk Mapping & Tiering
Wildfire risk maps are one of the most powerful tools in your mitigation arsenal. Our experts walk through the key factors that define risk tiers — vegetation, topography, historical fire activity, hazard potential, and wildland-urban interface — and show how to use them to guide operational decisions and target capital investment where it counts most.
Session Topic 5: Situational Awareness
When a Red Flag Warning is issued, how quickly can your utility respond — and how confidently? This topic covers how to integrate weather, fuel conditions, fire behavior, and asset proximity into a unified operational picture, including how AI-powered tools can be embedded directly into your utility's operational strategy.
Session Topic 6: Vegetation Management Program Design
A well-structured vegetation management program is the backbone of any effective Wildfire Mitigation Plan. This topic focuses on building a scalable, risk-based VM program — covering annual inspections, cycle intervals, clearance standards, and stakeholder communication — that measurably reduces ignition risk and holds up to regulatory review.
Session Topic 7: Operational Strategies
Real decisions. Real scenarios. This topic covers when and how to adjust system settings commensurate with fire danger, how leading utilities have implemented PSPS with real-world examples and outcomes, and best practices for pre- and post-event circuit patrols.
Session Topic 8: Ignition Management & Tracking
Every ignition — and every near-ignition — is data. This topic shows how a disciplined approach to ignition tracking can reveal trends, inform equipment selection, surface operating assumptions worth challenging, and drive smarter tactical and strategic decision-making across your entire program.
A 45-year veteran of the fire industry, Randy spent 32 years at CAL FIRE, rising to Division Chief in San Diego. At SDG&E, he developed the Ignition Management Program, fuel treatment strategies, and helped shape California's statewide High Fire Threat District map. He has since authored wildfire mitigation and PSPS plans for utilities across the Western U.S.
Eight hours of hands-on sessions that go beyond theory — giving you practical tools, peer collaboration, and expert guidance you can act on the moment you return to your utility.
Maturity Matrix Assessment
An interactive evaluation of your Wildfire Mitigation Plan — wherever you are in the process. Whether you're just getting started, mid-development, or working from a completed plan, our wildfire experts help you identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and map a clear path forward.
Data Governance
From breaking down data silos to centralizing streams and establishing meaningful KPIs — this topic covers how utilities can turn data into a strategic asset, including how your data practices hold up under regulatory scrutiny, legal review, and audit.
Risk Mapping & Tiering
Wildfire risk maps are one of the most powerful tools in your mitigation arsenal. Our experts walk through the key factors that define risk tiers — vegetation, topography, historical fire activity, hazard potential, and wildland-urban interface — and show how to use them to guide operational decisions and target capital investment where it counts most.
Situational Awareness
When a Red Flag Warning is issued, how quickly can your utility respond — and how confidently? This topic covers how to integrate weather, fuel conditions, fire behavior, and asset proximity into a unified operational picture, including how AI-powered tools can be embedded directly into your utility's operational strategy.
Vegetation Management Program Design
A well-structured vegetation management program is the backbone of any effective Wildfire Mitigation Plan. This topic focuses on building a scalable, risk-based VM program — covering annual inspections, cycle intervals, clearance standards, and stakeholder communication — that measurably reduces ignition risk and holds up to regulatory review.
Operational Strategies
Real decisions. Real scenarios. This topic covers when and how to adjust system settings commensurate with fire danger, how leading utilities have implemented PSPS with real-world examples and outcomes, and best practices for pre- and post-event circuit patrols.
Ignition Management & Tracking
Every ignition — and every near-ignition — is data. This topic shows how a disciplined approach to ignition tracking can reveal trends, inform equipment selection, surface operating assumptions worth challenging, and drive smarter tactical and strategic decision-making across your entire program.
A 45-year veteran of the fire industry, Randy spent 32 years at CAL FIRE, rising to Division Chief in San Diego. At SDG&E, he developed the Ignition Management Program, fuel treatment strategies, and helped shape California's statewide High Fire Threat District map. He has since authored wildfire mitigation and PSPS plans for utilities across the Western U.S.
With over 16 years in wildfire mitigation and climate adaptation, Joe pioneered some of the first utility fire prevention plans at SDG&E that evolved into today's Wildfire Mitigation Plans. His expertise spans vegetation management, fire risk assessment, regulatory affairs, and program development across utilities, regulators, and stakeholders nationwide.
Mason brings deep expertise in quantitative risk and regulatory strategy within the utility sector. At SDG&E, he developed wildfire risk models and tools used to prioritize billions of dollars in capital mitigation investments. He has also held senior roles at KPMG and Filsinger Energy Partners advising utilities on multi-billion dollar risk portfolios.
A former wildland firefighter with over two decades of utility industry experience, Jeff brings deep expertise in forestry, wildfire risk mitigation, and distribution operations. During his 25-year tenure at Arizona Public Service, he rose to Director of Distribution Operations, overseeing forestry and fire mitigation divisions alongside grid modernization strategy. He now advises utilities on vegetation management, integrated forestry, fire risk, and transmission and distribution operations.
As former CEO of BKI Engineering Services, Jeff led wildfire resiliency and mitigation initiatives for more than 250 utilities nationwide, becoming a trusted partner for co-ops, municipal utilities, and Public Utility Districts facing growing wildfire and climate-driven risks. He now leads AiDASH's initiatives to help utilities transition from reactive response to PreventionFirst mitigation strategies.
Joe brings over 16 years of specialized experience in wildfire mitigation and climate adaptation to his role as Principal of Wildfire Risk & Mitigation Solutions, LLC. Previously serving as Wildfire Mitigation Metrics & Measures Manager at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), he pioneered several groundbreaking initiatives in utility wildfire safety, including developing one of the first utility Fire Prevention Plans that evolved into today's wildfire mitigation plans.
His expertise spans vegetation management, fire risk assessment, regulatory affairs, and program development. Throughout his career, Joe has successfully led cross-functional teams and worked extensively with utilities, regulators, and stakeholders to implement effective wildfire mitigation strategies. Drawing on his engineering background and passion for innovation, he continues to develop cutting-edge solutions that help utilities adapt to evolving wildfire risks while ensuring regulatory compliance and operational excellence.
Randy Lyle is Principal of Wildfire Mitigation Strategies and a 45-year veteran of the fire industry, bringing extensive experience in fire suppression, prevention, and mitigation to his consulting work. His career began with 32 years at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), where he rose to the rank of Division Chief in San Diego and became a recognized leader in the application of GIS technology to wildfire management. Following his retirement from CAL FIRE in 2007, Randy served as Fire Program Manager and helicopter specialist with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), where he played a critical role in developing the utility’s response to the devastating 2007 fires.
His contributions at SDG&E include the development of an Ignition Management Program, a fuel treatment program, and a contract fire resource program. He also significantly contributed to the California Public Utilities Commission’s fire safety rulemaking process, influencing the creation of the statewide High Fire Threat District map. Since establishing Wildfire Mitigation Strategies, Randy has worked with electric utilities across the Western U.S., including authoring wildfire mitigation and public safety power shutoff plans in Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota. He has received numerous awards for his work in developing situational awareness tools and enhancing public safety around wildfires and is a respected speaker at industry conferences.
Mason Withers is an experienced professional in risk management, with a focus on quantitative risk, operations and engineering, and regulatory aspects within the utility sector. Mason has held leadership positions at Filsinger Energy Partners, KPMG, and SDG&E, where he has been instrumental in developing and implementing wildfire mitigation plans and risk models.
At Filsinger Energy Partners, Withers served as Senior Director, Risk, providing strategic guidance to utility clients and informing decision-making for multi-billion dollar portfolios. Prior to this, as Director, Deal Advisory and Strategy, Power and Utility at KPMG, Withers led teams in supporting client needs and contributing to wildfire risk strategy at various utilities.
During his tenure at SDG&E, Withers managed quantitative risk and data science teams, leading aspects of RAMP filings and developing utility-oriented quantitative risk assessments. Withers also played a key role in developing wildfire tools utilized to prioritize billions of dollars in capital investments. Withers holds a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Business Administration from San Diego State University.
Jeff Spohn is Director of Wildfire Mitigation Practice at AiDASH, where he helps utilities advance their wildfire mitigation efforts through integrated vegetation management and operational consulting. He brings extensive leadership experience across wildfire risk management, forestry, utility vegetation management, and transmission and distribution operations, with a strong track record of building strategy, leading teams, and delivering reliable, customer-focused utility services.
Before joining AiDASH, Jeff held senior leadership roles at Arizona Public Service, where he oversaw distribution operations and maintenance, forestry and fire mitigation, grid modernization strategy, and emergency response. He also serves as President and Chief Consulting Arborist at Mohawk Environmental Consultants, and his credentials include ISA Certified Arborist and Utility Specialist, ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist, and Type 1 Interagency Hot Shot Wildland Firefighter. He holds a BS in Forestry from West Virginia University.
Bertram Stewart is Manager of Vegetation Strategy at National Grid, where he develops and executes long-term vegetation management plans and helps drive strategy across vegetation operations and reliability analytics. With more than two decades of experience in the electric utilities industry, he brings deep expertise in vegetation strategy, program investment allocation, stakeholder engagement, contract negotiation, and utility operations.
Before joining National Grid, Bert held forestry leadership roles at Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain Power, building a strong foundation in utility forestry and transmission vegetation management. He is known for applying industry best practices to strengthen system performance and vegetation programs, and he holds an Associate’s Degree in Arboriculture and a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Forestry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Fletcher Johnson is Director of Vegetation Management & Wood Pole Integrity at Xcel Energy, where he oversees all transmission and distribution vegetation management as well as wood pole assessment and treatment programs. With nearly three decades at Xcel Energy, he brings extensive experience in utility vegetation management, operational leadership, project management, and strategic planning.
Fletcher has built his career at Xcel Energy, progressing from Forester to Supervisor, Manager, and now Director, giving him a deep, practical understanding of vegetation management program development and execution. His long-standing leadership in the field has made him a respected voice in utility vegetation and asset integrity, and he holds a B.S. in Urban Forestry from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.
Maria McInerney is Reliability Analytics Manager at Powerco, where she applies systems thinking, analytics, and policy insight to support asset management excellence, network reliability, and resilient infrastructure. With more than a decade of experience across regulated environments, government, research, and service delivery, she is known for translating complex data into clear, risk-informed insights that support investment prioritization, system performance, and strategic decision-making.
Before joining Powerco, Maria held senior intelligence, public health, and policy roles across New Zealand and Canada, bringing a strong evidence-based approach shaped by her background in epidemiology. Her career spans leadership in analytics, pandemic response, performance frameworks, and public sector transformation, giving her a distinctive perspective on resilience, risk, and the role of data in infrastructure strategy. She holds an MSc in Epidemiology from the University of Calgary and has published research on population health and preventive interventions.
Matt Schnugg is Chief Product Officer for Digital Grid at Schneider Electric, where he leads product strategy and innovation at the intersection of energy, digital technology, and grid modernization. With a background spanning product leadership, advanced analytics, cloud strategy, and digital transformation, he brings a cross-functional perspective shaped by senior roles across some of the world’s leading technology and energy companies.
Before joining Schneider Electric, Matt held leadership positions at Google, GE Digital, and Microsoft, where he worked across cloud commercial intelligence, product and strategy, AI and advanced analytics, and enterprise growth. His experience also includes board service with Grid Forward, reflecting his longstanding involvement in the future of grid innovation. Matt holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Richmond.
Azum is passionate about solving global challenges at the intersection of technology, security, and people. At AiDASH, he leads global customer strategy and engagement, partnering with infrastructure leaders to transform operations and deliver resilient outcomes. Previously a Principal at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), he is an electrical engineer, Harvard Kennedy School graduate, and Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Mark Moreno is the Vice President of Reliability & Field Engineering, bringing more than 23 years of power distribution experience and a people-centered leadership style. He oversees vegetation management, engineering, procurement, and contract operations with a focus on system reliability and community service. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA from Columbia Southern University, is a licensed Professional Engineer, and has led major outage mitigation and reliability initiatives across several utilities. He lives in Madison Heights with his family and enjoys music, mentoring, and community involvement.
John is currently the Director of Work Management – Energy Delivery at Omaha Public Power District and has broad vegetation management, work planning and scheduling, project management, distribution construction contractor management, and LEAN process improvement experience with public power utilities.
As Director of Work Management, John is responsible for several departments in the Division including, Vegetation Management, T&D Work Planning and Scheduling, and Underground Facility Locating (811).
John is the Business Sponsor for the Field Service Management implementation that is part of OPPD’s Next Gen Grid AMI Ecosystem Program. The Program involves technological updates to OPPD systems including Geographic Information System, Outage Management System, Asset Management System, Customer and Customer Care & Billing Platforms.
John received his Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and an Executive Master of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Jeff Waldbauer is Head of Reliability, Resilience and Emergency Response at AiDASH, where he brings a broad leadership background spanning operations, finance, and organizational strategy. His career reflects a strong record of leading teams and driving operational excellence across engineering, power operations, and executive management roles, with a focus on building resilient organizations and supporting critical infrastructure leadership.
Before joining AiDASH, Jeff served as Director of Power Operations at Vantage Point Solutions and held executive leadership roles including Chief Executive Officer at BKI Engineering Services and Chief Financial Officer at the same organization. His experience also includes senior operational and organizational leadership positions across engineering, education, and nonprofit institutions, giving him a distinctive cross-sector perspective on leadership, resilience, and performance.
Mclee Kerolle is a space lawyer and energy regulatory advisor with a multidisciplinary background spanning public policy, legislative analysis, and international space law. She currently serves as a Technical Advisor to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, where she brings legal, policy, and market insight to complex regulatory issues. Her work reflects a strong commitment to public interest, workforce development, and expanding access to opportunity in emerging industries.
In addition to her regulatory work, Mclee is Co-Founder of the Global Space Industry Trade Association and has held leadership roles with organizations including WARPSPACE, the Caribbean Space Society, and the Space Court Foundation. Her career has focused on advancing policy, diversity, and international collaboration across the space sector, supported by a legal foundation that includes a J.D. from CUNY School of Law and a Master’s degree in Air and Space Law from Leiden University.
Erik Helland is a Commissioner with the Iowa Utilities Commission, bringing deep experience in utility regulation, legislative leadership, and organizational strategy. He began his service on May 1, 2023, for a term running through April 30, 2029, and also served as Commission Chair through April 30, 2025. Known for building partnerships across government, civic, and industry stakeholders, Erik has focused on innovation, operational efficiency, and clear communication around complex legal and technical issues.
In addition to his commission leadership, Erik serves on several National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners committees, including the Committee on Critical Infrastructure, the Washington Action Program, the Committee on Electricity, and the Advanced Nuclear State Collaborative. His background includes prior service at the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board, four years in the Iowa Legislature, and experience in compliance and process improvement. He holds both a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a law degree from Drake University.
Josh Winer is a senior commercial leader with deep expertise in geospatial technology, enterprise sales, partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. Currently Senior Director of Global Enterprise Sales at Vantor, he has built a career helping organizations better map, understand, and share information about our planet, with extensive experience across satellite imagery, 2D and 3D geospatial products, and strategic business development.
Before joining Vantor, Josh held senior leadership roles at Maxar Technologies and DigitalGlobe, where he led global sales, partnerships, pricing strategy, and product commercialization for customers across mapping, automotive, telecommunications, logistics, and outdoor recreation. Known for combining market insight with innovative business models, he has helped bring new geospatial solutions to market and build long-term strategic partnerships at scale. Josh holds an MBA from the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business and a BBA in Sales and Business Marketing from Western Michigan University.
A serial entrepreneur with almost two decades of experience in building innovation-led products, Abhishek is the CEO and co-founder of AiDASH. An IIT Kanpur alumnus, he was formerly the COO, USA, and Head of Digital Transformation at Kellton Tech. Abhishek brings with him robust industry experience, astute domain knowledge, and innovative business and marketing strategies.
Arvind Simhadri is Senior Director of Product Management at AiDash, where he helps shape product strategy at the intersection of utility operations, asset management, and grid innovation. With a background spanning product management, electric asset strategy, and engineering, he brings deep expertise in translating complex utility challenges into practical, technology-driven solutions.
Before joining AiDash, Arvind held a series of leadership roles at Pacific Gas and Electric Company, including Director of Distribution Overhead Asset Management and senior positions in distribution asset strategy, electric asset strategy, and grid integration and innovation. Earlier in his career, he worked in engineering and control systems roles at Fluor and holds both an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and an MS in Systems Engineering from MIT, along with a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Calgary.
Jim Gill is Senior Director of Electric Asset Strategy at Pacific Gas and Electric Company and currently serves as Interim Vice President of Electric Asset Management, where he leads transmission, distribution, and substation asset risk management with a focus on public safety, wildfire risk reduction, reliability, and operational efficiency. A professional engineer with more than 20 years of utility industry experience, Jim has built a strong track record leading cross-functional teams across strategy, engineering, operations, regulatory compliance, and asset management.
Before taking on his current leadership roles, Jim held a range of senior positions at PG&E and HDR, including roles in standards and work methods, hydropower asset management, licensing, water management, and operations. His experience spans electric and generation asset strategy, FERC compliance, hydro operations, and field engineering, giving him a broad perspective on utility performance, risk, and resilience. Jim holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is a licensed Professional Engineer.
Neeraj Joshi is CTO for the Energy and Resources Industry at Microsoft, where he helps customers and partners navigate digital transformation and the energy transition through innovative industry solutions and long-term technology strategy. With more than two decades at Microsoft, he brings deep expertise in cloud computing, industry platforms, customer enablement, and technical leadership across the energy sector.
Over the course of his career, Neeraj has held a range of senior roles spanning Microsoft Cloud for Industries, commercial software engineering, developer evangelism, and SQL Server performance leadership. His work has included advancing Azure Data Manager for Energy, driving strategic engagement with major energy companies and partners, and helping shape cloud adoption across enterprise customers. He holds a master’s degree in Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and has also studied at UW Foster School of Business and V.J.T.I.
Ruben Llanes is CEO of Digital Grid and President of North America Power & Grid at Schneider Electric, where he leads innovative software and grid modernization solutions that help utilities deliver power more safely, reliably, sustainably, and flexibly. A seasoned clean technology executive, Ruben brings deep expertise in digital transformation, software, go-to-market strategy, and utility innovation, with a strong focus on helping utilities navigate rising demand, aging infrastructure, and the growth of distributed energy resources.
Since joining Schneider Electric in 2010, Ruben has held a series of leadership roles spanning business development, mergers and acquisitions, strategy, channel sales, and operations. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of AutoGrid, further strengthening his leadership in grid software and energy innovation. Earlier in his career, he built a strong foundation in finance and capital markets at Deutsche Bank. Ruben holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Anukool Lakhina is Co-Founder and CEO of BurnBot, where he is focused on scaling vegetation fuels treatment to help prevent destructive wildfires. A serial entrepreneur and technology leader, he brings deep expertise in data analytics, AI, and systems innovation, applying that background to one of today’s most urgent climate and resilience challenges.
Before launching BurnBot, Anukool founded and led Guavus, a pioneering big data and streaming analytics company whose solutions were deployed by leading communications providers around the world. His experience also includes work in venture investing and climate innovation through Convective Capital and Wonder Labs. Anukool holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Boston University and is widely recognized for building technology-driven solutions that translate complex data into real-world impact.
Arun Mani is an energy transition strategist with nearly 30 years of consulting experience advising management teams and boards on infrastructure decisions across the electric, gas, and water sectors. Currently an Infrastructure and Capital Advisory Principal at KPMG US, he works with utilities, investors, and corporations to navigate energy transition, shape strategy, drive growth, and lead operational transformation.
Over the course of his career, Arun has held senior leadership roles at KPMG, Oliver Wyman, PA Consulting Group, Huron Consulting Group, Barrington-Wellesley Group, Navigant, and Deloitte. He is recognized for his broad industry perspective, his work convening forums on key utility topics, and his leadership in advancing leading electric distribution operating practices. Arun holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Denison University and has also studied strategic decision-making and risk management at Stanford University
Geo Herazo is Head of Solution Architecture for Digital Grid in North America at Schneider Electric, where he leads teams delivering advanced grid solutions that help utilities modernize operations, improve reliability, and address the growing complexity of DERs, large commercial and industrial loads, and data center demand. With deep expertise spanning smart grid technologies, DERMS, AI/ML, grid systems, and digital transformation, he is recognized for helping utilities deploy practical, scalable solutions across on-prem, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Before joining Schneider Electric, Geo held senior leadership roles at AutoGrid, JM Family Enterprises, and Florida Power & Light, where he led major grid modernization, automation, and innovation initiatives. His accomplishments include helping drive the $800 million Energy Smart Florida project, authoring patents in fault detection and outage management, and advancing AI-driven applications for grid reliability and predictive operations. A bilingual leader in English and Spanish, Geo holds a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida and has completed advanced study in data science and big data analytics through MIT xPRO.
David Zipkin is SVP of Product at Technosylva, where he brings deep expertise at the intersection of climate technology, cloud computing, and product leadership. With a career spanning senior roles at Amazon, AWS, Microsoft, and high-growth startups, he is known for building and scaling products that combine technical innovation with strong commercial impact.
Before joining Technosylva, David served as Director of Worldwide Sustainability at Amazon, helping advance the company’s net-zero carbon commitment, and spent more than a decade at AWS leading major product organizations including migration products, Amazon S3, and AWS Marketplace. His work has included launching category-defining products, leading acquisitions and integrations, and scaling global teams across product, engineering, and data science. David holds an SM in Technology Policy from MIT and a BA in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.
Kamran Rasheed is Director of Vegetation Asset Strategy and Analytics at Pacific Gas and Electric Company, where he leads data-driven vegetation strategy to support public safety, system reliability, and wildfire risk reduction across one of the nation’s most complex utility territories. With nearly two decades at PG&E and deep expertise in vegetation operations, safety, regulatory strategy, and analytics, he is known for applying advanced technologies and operational rigor to strengthen utility resilience.
Over the course of his career, Kamran has led large-scale vegetation management and emergency response efforts, including PG&E’s response to California’s drought and bark beetle crisis, oversight of major budgets and contractor operations, and the deployment of tools such as LiDAR, photogrammetry, geospatial analysis, and predictive modeling. Before joining PG&E, he worked as an Operations Manager at ACRT. Kamran holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Forestry from the University of Peshawar and has been recognized for his leadership in sustainability and environmental stewardship.
ean Wiid is CEO of UP42, where he leads the company’s mission to make geospatial data and analytics more accessible and actionable for organizations around the world. With a background spanning product leadership, platform strategy, operations, and location intelligence, he brings deep expertise in building data-driven businesses at the intersection of geospatial technology and digital innovation.
Before becoming CEO, Sean served as Chief Product Officer at UP42 and held senior leadership roles at Navico, C-MAP, HERE Technologies, and Nokia, where he worked across platform strategy, business planning, operations, and maps and location services. His career reflects a long-standing focus on geospatial technology and product development, supported by an MBA from ESMT European School of Management and Technology and both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geomatics from the University of Cape Town.
Todd Conner is Senior Vice President, Electric Distribution at Xcel Energy, leading electric distribution operations serving customers across the Greater Minneapolis–St. Paul area. He stepped into the SVP role in April 2025 after serving as Vice President, Electric Distribution (since August 2023).
With deep expertise across electric distribution and nuclear operations, Todd previously held leadership roles at Xcel Energy spanning nuclear equipment reliability and maintenance and nuclear fleet operations. Prior to Xcel, he was Vice President of Global Plant Modifications at Westinghouse Electric Company, supporting engineering and project management services globally, and held senior nuclear leadership roles at DTE Energy and Exelon Nuclear.
Todd’s background includes a B.S. in Nuclear and Power Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an Executive Management Program credential from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
Michael Rhymes is Chief Information Officer at Entergy, where he leads the strategy, planning, and delivery of the company’s information technology systems in support of Entergy’s customer and business priorities. In this role, he oversees a 500-person IT organization and 1,400 vendor partners, driving an IT strategy focused on high-value, innovative IT and AI solutions, reliable and secure services, and talent and community development.
A seasoned technology and transformation leader, Michael previously served as CIO of Gates Corporation and held senior IT leadership roles at Eaton and Cooper Industries, as well as leadership positions at Ernst & Young/Cap Gemini and Andersen Consulting (Accenture). He also serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Shenandoah Telecommunications (NASDAQ: SHEN), including on its Audit Committee.
Michael holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Texas A&M University, and his areas of expertise include IT strategy and management, AI enablement, cybersecurity, application strategy, and enterprise transformation.
Wesley Gray, P.E. is Vice President – Operations and Engineering at Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), where he leads operational and engineering priorities for New Mexico field operations. He has served in this role since July 2025, following leadership positions at PNM as Executive Director and Director of New Mexico Field Operations.
A transformational utility leader with 15+ years of experience across municipal and cooperative electric utilities, Wesley is known for driving organizational evolution, overseeing P&L and budgets, optimizing cash flow, improving customer satisfaction, and developing long-term operational roadmaps—often reducing costs while increasing sales.
Earlier in his career, Wesley held engineering and operations leadership roles including Assistant Director of Electric Utility for the City of College Station, Assistant General Manager/Manager of Engineering and Operations at Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative, Chief Operations Officer/Manager of Engineering at Grays Harbor PUD, and engineering leadership roles at Tucson Electric Power, Texas-New Mexico Power, Austin Energy, and PNM.
Wesley holds an M.S. and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Nevada, California, and Texas, with additional credentials including APPA Public Power Manager and Senior Member of IEEE.
Louie Dabdoub, CPP is Vice President, Power Delivery Services at Entergy, where he leads the support organization responsible for enabling the safe, reliable, and cost-effective delivery of electricity to customers. His portfolio spans critical functions including safety, fleet management, meter services and field metering, vegetation and right-of-way management (T&D ROW), damage prevention, mesh network, distribution automation, portfolio effectiveness, work management, and utility performance.
Previously, Louie served as Entergy’s Vice President of Incident Response, directing enterprise emergency operations planning, response preparedness, and mutual assistance. In that role, he led the company’s response to 150+ crisis events—including major hurricanes, tornadoes, cyberattacks, ice storms, and fires—and helped design and establish Entergy’s Incident Response Department, recognized by an independent third party as “Best in Class.”
Before joining Entergy, Louie was a Supervisory Protective Security Advisor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, focused on protection of critical infrastructure, and earlier served as a Police Commander with the New Orleans Police Department. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Loyola University New Orleans and is an ASIS Board Certified Protection Professional (CPP).
Neil is a former Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and has deep ties in Washington and across the industry, with extensive experience across the energy landscape both domestically and internationally. He is respected for his ability to strike compromise and work with a wide variety of stakeholders.
In his time on the Hill and at FERC, Neil built a reputation as a bipartisan operator who builds alliances and cuts through red tape with an eye on always promoting innovation. Neil’s significant knowledge and experience is derived from operating at the highest levels of government and as such, is able to provide clients valuable insights and counsel when navigating the highly regulated energy industry.
While at FERC, Neil championed several strategic initiatives, including streamlining and improving FERC’s liquified natural gas application review and approval process, bolstering power grid reliability and resilience, and boosting renewable resources’ ability to compete in regional power markets and reduce carbon emissions.
Neil is a policy reformer who broke down market barriers for the entrance of new technologies, particularly for low-carbon technologies. He has been an advocate for harnessing technology to mitigate physical and cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure.
Prior to his time at the Commission, Neil served as an advisor to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), where he aided in the passage of major energy, highway, and agriculture legislation. Neil also has experience working as a principal in government relations for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He began his career as a staff member on the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Lawrence is an attorney, entrepreneur, and educator who has provided advisory services in the environmental and maritime “trees and seas” space for over 25 years. He is a Distinguished Research Fellow with the Tulane Center for Environmental Law.
Previously, Lawrence worked for the U.S. Army, where he was certified as a Contracting Officer’s Representative and negotiated and enforced government contracts. He also had oversight of the hazard tree removal program, management of Army timber, flora and fauna resources, protection of Army air, water and land resources, and development of environmental remediation projects and hazard tree programs for the (then) Division of Land Management.
Following law school, Lawrence served as Staff Attorney for the Seamen’s Church Institute’s Center for Seafarers’ Rights before going into private practice, joining the New York-based Freehill Hogan & Mahar, where he became partner in 2007. In 2013, he left the firm to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, including both a tree company and a recycling company. Lawrence served as an officer, director, and general counsel for the recycling company and brought it international renown when he led the successful effort to have it become the first non-EU company qualified under the EU’s Ship Recycling Regulations.
Lawrence developed (and currently serves as Director of) the Tulane Utility Vegetation Management Initiative, a joint project of Tulane Law School’s Center for Environmental Law and Tulane Law School’s Center for Energy Law. Through that initiative, he is involved in training a select group of Tulane Law School students in utility vegetation management law, practice, and procedure, and developed with those students the first comprehensive study of all UVM laws throughout North America.
A graduate of Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in ancient studies, Lawrence received his J.D. from Tulane Law School in 1995.
He has advised numerous companies and appeared as an expert on CNN World News, NBC’s Dateline, and other television news programs, as well as in a variety of trade publications, including Tradewinds, Lloyd’s List, and The Journal of Commerce. He was a featured speaker on recycling at the Tradewinds Conference held in Singapore in January 2017 and was a featured speaker on safe and green recycling at Ethical Corporation’s Responsible Business Summit in 2018. He was a member of the faculty of the Admiralty Law Institute, and the paper he delivered at its biennial meeting in March 2020 has been published in the Tulane Maritime Law Journal.
Drew Seidel is responsible for the electric distribution system, engineering, operations, construction and maintenance for SWEPCO's more than 535,000 customers in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas.
Before being named a vice president in 2018, Seidel served as the plant manager at the Welsh Power Plant in Pittsburgh, Texas. He also has served as plant manager of SWEPCO's H.W. Pirkey Power Plant in Hallsville, Texas; energy production superintendent at Welsh Plant; and plant manager at Knox Lee Power Plant in Longview, Texas. Seidel first joined West Texas Utilities Co. (WTU) in 1992 and later served as plant manager at Central Power and Light Co.'s (CPL) Victoria Power Station in Victoria, Texas. WTU and CPL were sister companies of SWEPCO in the Central and South West system before its merger with American Electric Power in 2000.
Seidel earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He completed the AEP Strategic Leadership Program at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business.
Seidel and his children live in Longview, Texas.
As the CPTO and co-founder of AiDASH, Rahul works closely with product management, engineering and design teams to guide our core products from conception to production. An IIT Delhi alumnus and a serial entrepreneur, Rahul brings with him deep-domain expertise in technology, product development, and engineering. He is passionate about AI and machine learning and is driven by a zeal for problem solving and maximizing efficiency through technology-led innovations.
David Wolpa is Chief Revenue Officer at AiDash, where he leads go-to-market strategy and revenue growth for a company helping core industries become more resilient, efficient, and sustainable through the power of satellites and AI. With 15 years of experience in climate tech, David brings deep expertise in sales leadership, market development, product strategy, customer success, and building high-performing teams.
Before joining AiDash, David held senior commercial leadership roles at Gecko Robotics and Uplight, where he drove major revenue growth, expanded into new industries and geographies, and helped shape enterprise software go-to-market strategies. Earlier in his career, he led large-scale technology initiatives at Pacific Gas & Electric and began as an engineer with NASA/Boeing, contributing to robotics and life support systems for the International Space Station. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a BS in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
Isabella is a Lead Product Consulting Manager at AiDASH, where she partners with IOU clients to develop tailored solutions using the Intelligent Vegetation Management System and advanced analytics. Prior to joining AiDASH, Isabella worked as a Consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she tackled complex problems, from COVID strategy in retail to personalization engine strategies for major corporations. Throughout her career, she has contributed to renowned organizations such as formula D_, Scale Venture Partners, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. With her experience in market research, data analytics, and customer success, Isabella is dedicated to leveraging AI and technology to enhance the reliability of utilities and improve lives globally.