2023 Legislative Reception

Maryland continues to set ambitious targets for decarbonization and achieving Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals. As the state, local communities, and business leaders develop the strategies for implementation, the need for the right people to be in place and all people to be included in this transition, will be critical to success.

 

The 2023 MCEC Legislative Reception was held  in a hybrid format, on February 23, to host in-person networking, and allow remote attendees to hear from guest speakers on the climate and energy legislation, and related workforce and economic priorities, under consideration by the Maryland General Assembly.

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2023 MCEC Legislative Reception

2023 Special Guest Speakers

Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller

Lt. Governor
Aruna Miller

State of Maryland

Photo of Sen. Bill Ferguson

Sen. Bill Ferguson

President of the Senate

District 46

Photo of Sen. Brian J. Feldman

Sen. Brian Feldman

Chair of the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee

District 15

Korman_Marc_09-24

Del. Marc Korman

Majority Leader, House Appropriations Committee

District 16

Del. Lorig Charkoudian

Del. Lorig Charkoudian

House Economic Matters Committee

District 20

Photo of Del. David Fraser-Hidalgo

Del. David Fraser-Hidalgo

House Economic Matters Committee

District 15

Photo of Del. Lily Qi

Del. Lily Qi

House Economic Matters Committee

District 15

Vaugh Stewart

Del. Vaughn Stewart

District 19

Dir. Paul Pinsky

Paul Pinsky

Director
Maryland Energy Administration

Lael Campbell

Lael E. Campbell

Vice President, State Government Affairs - East
Constellation

Geoff Oxnam

Geoff Oxnam

Founder & CEO
American Microgrid Solutions

Board Chair, MCEC

Photo of Katherine Magruder

I. Katherine Magruder

Executive Director
Maryland Clean Energy Administration

2023 Featured Panels

Workforce Development & Leadership: Preparing the People Needed Now and in the Future

Employers are already struggling to find the right people to meet workforce needs, making it essential to address recruitment, training, and retention concerns, now. Some programs are already in place, but how do they connect with the right people, and make sure that everyone has access? This panel will discuss existing programs, their struggles and achievements, and what is needed as employers, professional and trade associations, and local governments collaborate to build the workforce vital to a successful clean energy transition.

Photo of Stephanie Johnson

Stephanie Johnson

Executive Director
CHESSA

Stephanie Johnson

Stephanie has an extensive policy and advocacy background. She worked for the Association of Corporate Counsel for several years, where she oversaw international, federal, and state advocacy initiatives and developed policy strategies related to corporate compliance issues. In addition, she served as the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for TESOL International Association, heading the association’s federal policy and communications departments. She is currently the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Solar and Storage Association, where she leads legislative and regulatory campaigns related to state-level solar energy in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. She has a M.A. in American Studies from Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg and a B.A. in English and Political Science from Indiana University.

Bio
Kevin Dunshee

Kevin Dunshee

Chief Commercial Officer
Solar Landscape

Kevin Dunshee

Kevin uses more than 40 years of experience working with corporations and community-based organizations to connect Solar Landscape’s mission to the goals of organizations, businesses, and communities. As Chief Commercial Officer, he oversees the company’s community/municipal engagement and workforce development.

Kevin’s relationships with municipalities, non-profit organizations, and trade organization leaders have enabled Solar Landscape to become a nationally recognized leader in community solar. The workforce development program he oversees received a Sunny Award from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2023 for Equitable Workforce Development. Solar Landscape also earned the Energy Department’s Inclusive Solar Outreach Award in 2022.

He is passionate about bringing environmental justice to communities by helping lower costs, reduce carbon emissions and educating residents about career opportunities in the green energy economy. He combines his experience as an educator to help the company’s partners understand the benefits of community solar development and the importance of reducing toxic carbon emissions.

Kevin grew up in Neptune, New Jersey and graduated with a degree in Education from Monmouth University.

Bio
Mary Keller

Mary Keller

Special Grants Administrator
Maryland Department of Labor

Mary Keller

Mary Keller serves as the Special Grants Administrator for the Maryland Department of Labor's Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. Mary oversees several high priority initiatives, including the nationally-recognized Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Maryland program, the Department's work on combating substance use disorder and homelessness. Most recently, Mary has been tapped to oversee Labor's newly awarded $22.9 million award from the United States Department of Commerce to support the emerging offshore wind industry in Maryland. Prior to coming to Labor, Mary worked in the Governor's Office of Healthcare Reform. Mary is passionate about developing and administering innovative and life-changing workforce solutions.

Bio
Megan Outten

Megan Outten

Stakeholder Manager
Business Network for Offshore Wind

Megan Outten

Megan Outten serves as the Business Network for Offshore Wind's stakeholder manager. Outten started out her career in offshore wind as part of the original Skipjack Wind team, where she oversaw Maryland and Delaware stakeholder engagement. Outten worked closely with both public and private sector leadership to collaborate on local supply chain opportunities and market initiatives. Additionally, she led the development of programs and strategies to build and highlight supply chain opportunities in rural communities on Maryland's Eastern Shore. As the Business Network's stakeholder manager, Outten leads market campaigns related to industry education and workforce development creation. She graduated from Salisbury University where she received her B.A. in Communications and Political Science.

Bio
Grant Shmelzer

Grant Shmelzer

CEO
IEC Chesapeake

Grant Shmelzer

As CEO of the Independent Electrical Contractors Chesapeake Chapter for the last 25+ years, Grant has grown the apprenticeship program from 20 apprentices to almost 1000. Mr. Shmelzer serves on the Maryland Apprenticeship Council and has under the Ehrlich, O'Malley and Hogan Administrations. Mr. Shmelzer was recently appointed to Virginia Apprenticeship Council by Gov. Youngkin. Grant also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Skills Coalition. As an active member of the Workforce Development Community he continues to advocate for improved connections between employers and job seekers.

Bio

Energy & Climate Justice, Equity, and Accessibility for ALL

The advancement of clean energy is multifaceted – improved health for people and the planet, security, long-term reliability, and the ability to quicky respond in emergency situations. There are economic considerations, and the potential for significant opportunities related to the transition and implementation of new technologies and infrastructure. Amidst the excitement of the energy future on the horizon, it is critical that steps be taken to move all Maryland communities forward, together. This panel will discuss challenges and strategies to ensure equity and accessibility in the clean energy movement.

Photo of Charmaine Brown

Charmaine Brown

Advisor - Diversity,
Equity & Inclusion Strategies & Initiatives
MCEC

Dr. Sacoby Wilson

Dr. Sacoby Wilson is a Professor with the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Maryland-College Park. Dr. Wilson has over 20 years of experience as an environmental health scientist in the areas of exposure science, environmental justice, environmental health disparities, community-engaged research including crowd science and community-based participatory research (CBPR), water quality analysis, air pollution studies, built environment, industrial animal production, climate change, community resiliency, and sustainability. He works primarily in partnership with community-based organizations to study and address environmental justice and health issues and translate research to action.

Bio
Wandra Ahley-Williams

Wandra Ashley - Williams

Regional Director
Climate XChange

Wandra Ashley - Williams

Wandra Ashley-Williams is an accomplished senior management executive, community activist, and elected official with notable experience in diversified industries as well as public service. She serves as Regional Director at Climate XChange Maryland. Wandra holds key positions in the leadership of several community and civil rights organizations, including National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) National Board of Directors, the Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW) Board of Directors, the League of Women Voters Baltimore County Board of Directors, the Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program (MEEHP) Advisory Workgroup, and she served on the Clean Energy Jobs Initiative Board of Directors where she advocated for the passage of the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act. Her present legislative work centers on the Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act (CCEJ) and the coalition she has built, the Rebuild Maryland Coalition. For her many contributions, Wandra has received numerous community awards, honors, and citations, including the Courageous Leadership Award presented at the 2019 Annual MLK Awards Banquet and she received the Dr. William Montague Cobb State Advocacy Award for special achievement in Social Justice, Health Justice, Health Education/Promotion, Fundraising and Research presented at the NAACP National Convention held in Baltimore, MD.

Bio
Photo of Divesh Gupta

Divesh Gupta

Director of Strategy,
Utility of the Future
BGE

Divesh Gupta

Divesh has been with the Exelon family of companies for 15+ years. At BGE, his team develops and implements long term vision and strategy, and near-term innovations for BGE’s customers – e.g., EV infrastructure, BGE’s Path to Clean, Smart City tech, community solar, energy storage and more – all with a focus on “how might” BGE deliver equitable solutions for customers. Previously, Divesh led Constellation's Energy Solutions Team, pairing clean tech with creative energy contracts with on-bill funding. He has also worked as Chief of Staff for Constellation Retail's President, and as an attorney for Exelon, providing counsel and representation on regulatory activities involving competitive generation, wholesale and retail businesses. Divesh serves on the Board for Baltimore’s historic St. Frances Academy, the nation’s oldest operating African-American Catholic High School, established in 1828. He also serves on the Foundation Board for Bowie State University, Maryland’s oldest Historically Black College/University. He currently functions as First Vice President of the Maryland-DC Utilities Association, and as a Vice Chair for Environmental Justice/Just Transition for the American Bar Association’s Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Ecosystems Committee. Divesh earned his B.A. in Policy and Sociology from Rice University and his J.D. from Duke University.

Bio
Adriana Hochberg

Adriana Hochberg

Climate Change Officer and Acting Director,
Department of Environmental Protection
Montgomery County Government

Adriana Hochberg

Adriana Hochberg serves as Montgomery County’s Climate Change Officer and as Acting Director for the Department of Environmental Protection. She leads Montgomery County’s efforts to combat climate change while building a healthy, equitable, and resilient county. Ms. Hochberg coordinated the development of the Climate Action Plan, a strategic roadmap for the County to cut community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2027 and reach zero emissions by 2035. Ms. Hochberg previously served as an Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for Montgomery County. Ms. Hochberg previously spent eleven years with the Government of the District of Columbia, serving in the Office of the City Administrator and as Chief of Staff in the Department of Energy and Environment. Ms. Hochberg has also served as Presidential Management Fellow at the US Environmental Protection Agency and as Coordinator for International Relations at the Konan Town Hall in Japan. Ms. Hochberg is passionate about creating sustainable, equitable, and walkable communities. She is a graduate of the Walking College Fellowship from America Walks and developed an action plan to make her community safer for pedestrians. Ms. Hochberg earned a master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s from Williams College.

Bio

Special Thanks to Our 2023 Event Sponsors

Sponsorships support MCEC Policy Watch activities and related initiatives. Download the Event Sponsorship Prospectus

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