Leslie D. Best, MPA, MSME is Managing Partner at The Best Group, LLC an engineering consulting firm focused on light and medium-duty clean transportation. Focused on supporting organizations in driving their sustainable product development roadmaps, marketplace execution including end-to-end ecosystems, and providing practical technical insight into the myriad of issues arising during the technical development and execution stages. She brings to The Best Group extensive global experience from both automotive and the aerospace/defense industries in product design, development, launch, innovation, technology insertion and program management. She has specializations in consumer products, light-duty and commercial vehicle interior design and integration, product safety and compliance and public policy.
Ben Farrow brings 25 years of experience focused on decarbonizing the energy sector. Over that period, he held a variety of management roles at The RETEC Group (now part of AECOM) and Puget Sound Energy focused on renewable energy and electric transportation, including extensive work in business strategy, project development, policy, and regulatory work to drive innovation and change in energy generation and use. In addition to his work in energy, he has also founded several outdoors-focused companies. Ben holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Princeton University.
As Senior Legal Counsel of Transportation Equity, Román Partida-López leads The Greenlining Institute's mobility and transportation electrification work. He advocates for legislative and regulatory laws that improve access, affordability and lasting socio-economic and environmental benefits for low-income communities of color. He focuses on advancing equitable policies and programs that deliver clean air, zero-emission mobility options and workforce opportunities for our most impacted communities.
Patti is a Senior Program Specialist at Idaho Power and currently coordinates the company’s strategic transportation electrification efforts. Prior to joining Idaho Power, Patti worked for the state of Idaho where she helped advance alternative transportation fuels and secure the Boise area’s Clean Cities designation. She is now a Treasure Valley Clean Cities Board member. Patti holds a bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University and M.S. from the University of Colorado.
Jenifer Bosco is the managing attorney of the Energy & Utilities Unit at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). NCLC is a non-profit law and policy advocacy organization that works for economic justice for low-income and other under-resourced people in the U.S. through policy analysis and advocacy, publications, litigation, and training. She has advocated for low-income consumers in several states, on a range of issues including utility affordability programs, transportation electrification, building electrification, and competitive energy supply. She is a contributing author of NCLC’s treatises, Access to Utility Service and Collection Actions, and is a co-author of Advancing Equity in Utility Regulation and The Future of Transportation Electrification: Utility, Industry and Consumer Perspectives for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Jen is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Boston College.
Pam is an award-winning diversity specialist and the founder and CEO of Integrated Solutions, an energy services company specializing in energy efficiency, workforce development and civic engagement. Her mission is to promote an equitable energy economy that supports community advancement. Pam holds a degree in Marketing, a Human Resource Management certification, and is a Certified Cultural Diversity Professional and Trainer (CDP, CDT). She also has a certification in Understanding Diversity and Inclusion from Purdue University. Pam has served on various boards, including The Coca-Cola Company's diversity board and advisory roles for the Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) and Women of EVs. She is a lead author for the Energy Equity Project and a JEDI Advisor for the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL).
Jana Gastellum is the Executive Director of Oregon Environmental Council, a statewide nonprofit specializing in championing equitable, innovative and collaborative solutions to environmental challenges. She has two decades of experience building coalitions and passing ambitious policies that cut climate pollution and advance transportation electrification, amongst other wins. As OEC’s leader, she also advocates for toxics reduction, water security, and health and worker protections under a changing climate. She serves on state advisory bodies. Jana is regarded for her collaborative style, thought leadership, and problem-solving. She holds a M.S. and B.S. in Earth Systems, an interdisciplinary program at Stanford University.
Wayne Killen is a contracted Senior Consultant to the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office in an outreach and business development role focused on the mobility sector (car through heavy-duty truck, aircraft, marine and rail) and their supply chains, charging companies and other related segments eligible for the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing or Title 17 deployment loan programs. This debt financing is designed to spearhead further U.S. investment in advanced vehicle technologies to improve fuel efficiency, reduce greenhouse gases and fortify the global standing of American innovation while building up the clean tech/transportation value chain. Previously, Wayne was the Director of Charging Infrastructure Planning & Business Development, as well as a founding employee at Electrify America. Wayne's electric vehicle focus began in 2012 at Audi of America and evolved into establishing Audi ONE, a new corporate strategy and operational unit designed to prepare the premium car maker for the electric age with tailored sales, service, marketing and charging infrastructure support. Wayne has over 30 years of experience with American, Asian and European car companies in various product planning, portfolio strategy and product launch roles.
Terea leverages her seat at the proverbial table to remind stakeholders that it is our shared kuleana (responsibility) to use this transformative moment in transportation to ensure that everybody’s movement is safe, inclusive, and accessible. In her role at Hawaiian Electric Company, she leads the implementation of the utility’s Electrification of Transportation Roadmap, legislative affairs, and equitable community engagement.
As a former professor of operations and supply chain management, she focuses on modeling transparent, accountable decision-making to innovate highly effective and efficient transportation electrification programming for our most deserving communities.
Terea is the former Director of Clean Mobility Programs at GRID Alternatives where she managed the design and implementation of several key transportation electrification programs, including the statewide equity program, Access Clean CA. She also serves on Forth Mobility’s Board of Directors, is a member of the 70th class of Coro Northern California’s Public Policy fellowship program, and proud graduate of Mills College in Oakland, CA.
Nadia is a seasoned leader in the energy, utility, and legal sectors. In 2024, she joined the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) as Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. Previously, she spent 17 years at Xcel Energy, most recently as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Clean Transportation. There, she built a new division and team that launched 20 industry-leading customer programs, secured multi-million-dollar regulatory wins, and fostered key partnerships. She managed a five-year, billion-dollar budget, achieving 250%+ year-over-year growth. Nadia has been recognized nationally in the industry. A UC Berkeley alumna with a J.D., M.C.P., and B.S., she serves on several boards, including the National Electric Vehicle Working Group.
Tim McMahan is a partner practicing in the areas of energy, land use, real estate development, environmental and municipal law. His principal office is in Portland, Oregon. Tim has extensive experience in representing energy facility developers, property owners and municipal clients in Washington and Oregon. Tim focuses his practice on leading interdisciplinary teams advocating for and defending energy facilities and other major infrastructure projects facing opposition. Tim chairs Stoel Rives’ Climate Change Practice Initiative.
Prior to founding Muia Materials, Maurice spent a decade as a power systems engineer for electric utilities and renewable energy engineering companies in the continental United States and the Caribbean region. As an electrical engineer with materials science experience, he engineered some of the most complex electrical systems for transmission renewable energy facilities and substations. His natural attention to detail delivered NERC CIP facilities for the Bulk Electric System on time with improved electric service for millions of people across the country. Maurice’s understanding of climate and infrastructure policies has made him a sought-after expert in the burgeoning green grid sector. He has been featured in USA Today, St. Louis Post Dispatch and Bloomberg. Maurice has advised major EV manufacturers, power grid equipment suppliers and energy providers on accelerating to a sustainable energy future.
Erika Myers is the Executive Director of CharIN North America. CharIN - The Charging Interface Initiative - is a leading global charging technology association dedicated to accelerating the EV transition through the adoption of universal open and interoperable charging standards. CharIN members comprise leading automotive manufacturers, charging-station companies, component suppliers, energy providers and grid operators amongst others. Previously, Erika was the Director of Global eMobility for the World Resources Institute (WRI) in the Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, the Principal of Transportation Electrification for the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) and an alternative fuels and clean energy consultant with ICF International. Over the course of her two-decade career in clean energy and alternative transportation, Erika has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Remarkable Women in Transport by the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) and a 2021 Top Woman in Electric Vehicles for Policy & Advocacy by DriveElectric. Her professional background gives her a unique perspective on the opportunity to leverage renewable energy and electric vehicle charging to reduce emissions through the widespread deployment of vehicle-grid integration.
Nick Nigro is the founder of Atlas Public Policy and has led Atlas as the company has become a respected voice in the public policy field. Nick has nearly 20 years of experience managing teams of various disciplines and sizes with a focus on innovation and value creation. He is a nationally known expert on climate change policy, transportation electrification, and the greater use of data in policy analysis. Nick holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Stacy has played a role in advancing clean transportation for more than 20 years. As ICF’s Vice President of Transportation Electrification, she leads a team that partners with utilities, government agencies, and commercial entities to plan, design, and implement programs focused on infrastructure deployment, technical assistance, and load management. Stacy regularly shares her industry perspective as a speaker and Forbes contributor and is a senior fellow with the ICF Climate Center. Stacy is part of the Climate Council for ScopeFour Capital, an investment firm focused on decarbonization, and a chapter leader in the Women of Electric Vehicles organization. She is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Western Michigan University.
Christine Reid has been the political director of IBEW Local Union 77 since 2020, representing 8,300 members across Washington, Northern Idaho and Montana. A registered lobbyist in Washington, she advocates for utility workers in energy generation, transmission and distribution, along with numerous support roles. Christine focuses on coalition building, workforce safety and energy policy, partnering with state utilities and legislators. A member of IBEW 77 since 2006, Christine also serves on the boards Northwest River Partners and other organizations promoting clean energy, hydropower and labor advocacy.
Paul is the Director, Global Transportation Initiatives for Black & Veatch’s Growth Accelerator where he builds ecosystems needed to plan, finance, deploy and operate sustainable transportation and distributed clean energy infrastructure at scale. He advises and leads teams supporting investors, utilities, fleets, and energy and transportation providers to electrify and automate ground, aviation and marine fleets. Previously, Paul was a Director at EV Grid, where he led Vehicle Grid Integration and Storage roadmaps with California Energy Commission, California PUC filings, National Institute of Standards and Technology on EV fueling and participated in the CA Governor’s ZEV Action Plan.
