Frank A. Cuomo is the Director of Commodity Operations at Con Edison, where he oversees a substantial annual portfolio of approximately $500 million. He began his engineering career in the consulting industry before joining Con Edison in 2011. Over the years, he has held various positions within Con Edison Steam Operations, including project manager and general manager. Frank is a NYS Licensed Professional Engineer, a graduate of Manhattan College School of Engineering, and holds an MBA from the Baruch Zicklin School of Business. He has also served as an adjunct professor at NYU Shack Institute of Real Estate.

Frank's expertise lies in customer energy use and system design. He has collaborated with numerous customers, stakeholders, and industry partners to explore paths towards a Clean Energy Future. Notably, he led the Future of Renewable Steam Team (FIRST), a company initiative focused on decarbonization efforts.

As a subject matter expert in Steam Operations and customer building systems, Frank is known for his ability to cultivate positive relationships with stakeholders and communicate complex business topics effectively. He has also served as Incident Commander during large-scale emergency events.

In his current role, Frank ensures the seamless procurement and scheduling of energy commodities, maintaining 24/7 operations to meet customer energy demands. His strategies in gas planning and regulatory proceedings reflect his competencies in networking, customer energy systems, and overall energy distribution, essential for steering the company towards a sustainable future

Joseph “Joe” Flores serves as the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Advisor (CSA) for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
CISA is an Agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that maintains 10 regional offices around the country.

CISA CSAs champion cyber resilience through partnership engagement, consultation and cybersecurity assessments with the public sector and private companies that support the 16 critical infrastructure (CI) sectors. Currently, and for the past ten years, Joe has also been a member of the Air National Guard serving in both the National Capital Region and in New England. Joe has held previous positions as a Cyber Surety Technician and is currently a Cyber Warfare Operator (threat hunter) with the 102nd Cyberwarfare Squadron in Rhode Island.
Before moving over to the cyber advisor program, Joe served as the CISA New England Regional Protective Security Advisor. In this role, Joe worked across New England and in collaboration with the various Sector Risk Management Agencies to deliver support and assistance to CI sector partners through training, assessments, and security subject matter expertise.

Before joining DHS, Joe started his path into a federal career by working as an analyst with the Department of the Navy and as a Security Specialist with the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. In this role Joe was able to train Diplomatic Security Special Agents and contractors and supported the United Nation’s General Assembly in New York for three years as a coordinator for military special operations teams.

Joe received a Professional Leadership Certificate from American University, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Organizational Leadership from Johnson & Wales University and a Professional Science Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Rhode Island. Joe holds ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst + (CySA+) certifications.

A seasoned engineering professional with extensive experience in the district energy and electric generation industry over the past 25 years, Don Silvia serves as Regional Vice President of Northeast Operations at Vicinity Energy. With a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) from Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Don is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and a Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP) through the Association of Energy Engineers. Additionally, he holds a First Class Stationary Engineer license from the State of Maine.
As Regional Vice President of Northeast Operations, Don manages Vicinity's district energy operations in both Cambridge and Boston, including the implementation of Vicinities electrification efforts in Boston and Cambridge.

Jacob Graff currently serves as the President for Cordia in the North and West Regions. He has ascended through the ranks since joining Cordia in 2018 as a Production Manager, showcasing his leadership and expertise. Previously, he worked at Xcel Energy, progressing from an Engineering Intern to a Principal Engineer.

In his current role, Jacob oversees sales and operations for Cordia's business units in Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego, Tempe, and Tucson.

Jacob holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from South Dakota State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Minnesota since 2016.

Cameron Ratliff is the Associate Director of Utilities at the University of Virginia where Cameron leads a team of 27 employees who operate and maintain over 220+ miles of piping which includes steam, condensate, MTHW, LTHW, chilled water, domestic water, reclaim water, sanitary sewer and storm water and seven miles of tunnels.
Prior to UVA Cameron spent 20+ years in the construction industry as a project superintendent completing numerous projects across the country. This experience and has enabled the UVA Utilities team to self-perform over $5 million annually of utility distribution and mechanical project work.
Cameron strives for continuous improvement of the team, the infrastructure and ensures the safe and sustainable operation of the Energy and Utility systems at UVA.

Saad Khan is the National Business Development Manager for EMCO Corporation's subsidiaries: Sandale, Engineered Pipe Group, and Westlund. With a foundation in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta, Saad specializes in piping solutions across North America. Saad leads a business unit that works exclusively on the specification and supply of advanced piping systems for large-scale industrial and municipal projects.

His expertise spans thermoplastics, carbon steel, exotic metal alloys, and pre-insulated piping systems, ensuring commercially valuable designs that optimize a client's KPIs. Saad's project portfolio includes industries such as, but not limited to: District Energy, Wind Farms, Mining, Oil & gas, geothermal, water & wastewater infrastructure.

Passionate about problem-solving and servant leadership, Saad is dedicated to building tomorrow's infrastructure with integrity, technical excellence, and a commitment to stakeholder success.

Niall is a Senior Manager with FVB based in the Toronto office. He leads the business case development, detailed design and management of district energy projects with technologies such as Air Source Heat Pumps, Water Source Heat Pumps that utilize closed and open loop geo-exchange.
Niall consults for universities and colleges across North America on the development and execution of complex steam to hot water campus conversion projects and low carbon thermal energy networks. Niall is currently working with the City of Toronto, Mississauga, Kitchener, Pickering and the Federal Government of Canada to develop low carbon thermal energy networks. Niall is an advisor to municipal bodies to assist with the development of district energy systems in the Greater Toronto Area.

Stefan Ellmin holds the position of Deputy CEO at FVB Sweden Inc. and the area management of offices located in the northern part of Sweden. Stefan has over 25 years of experience in district heating and district cooling engineering, with expertise in technical, business, and leadership roles. He is also a sought-after lecturer and guest speaker at universities and business seminars.

Stefan serves as an advisor to private and municipal district heating and cooling companies, real estate firms, and manufacturing industries in Northern Sweden, providing guidance on the development and implementation of complex low-carbon thermal energy projects. He is currently working as a project and design manager for a 200 MW (60 Mtons) seawater cooling system.

Scott McCord is a lifelong Minnesota Gopher and a dedicated Principal Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Over the past two decades, he has been instrumental in transforming the campus energy infrastructure including two district heating systems, three power plants, and 5 networks comprising a 50,000-ton chilled water network that has significantly reduced installed capacity and operating costs. Currently, Scott leads the Mechanical Engineering team responsible for utility production and supply within the university’s district energy systems. His expertise in engineering, optimization, and design continues to drive innovation and sustainability in campus utilities.

Elizabeth Nolder, PE is a Principal at RMF Engineering. She designs and manages multi-discipline, campus-wide disribution projects for RMF's higher education clients throughout the east coast. She has spent her career focused on the design of underground utiltiy distribution, primarily thermal and electrical systems.

Eric Steinour (PE) is a Project Engineer for Affiliated Engineers, Inc. Since joining AEI in 2013, Eric has worked on a variety of utility projects as part of the Energy and Utilities Group in AEI’s Chapel Hill, North Carolina office. His project experiences range from steam, hot water, and chilled water distribution to central thermal plants and thermal energy storage. He has used his detailed approach to design efficient and maintenance-friendly utility plants, as well as develop and analyze the distribution systems that supply essential utilities to campuses. He has also had an active role in steam-to-hot water campus conversion sustainability efforts at both the master planning and implementation levels.

Michael Crocker is Vice President & Director of Engineering at Innovas Technologies, where he leads design and implementation of application engineering systems, directs product design and commercialization efforts, and manages technology improvement and IP development.

Darin Smith - Assistant Director of Utility Renewal & Projects at Duke University Facilities Managment Department. Wortked at Duke University for 29 years mainly with the Utilities Division consturcted and planning various utilities systems for the university. Prior to coming to Duke University I worked for Cornell University for 11 years as a Mechaincal Designer in the Planning Design and Construction department.

Jeff Steffensen BCxP, Commissioning Market Leader, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
Jeff has over 19 years of experience as a multi-discipline engineer. His expertise includes an in-depth knowledge of new and existing building commissioning with a wide range of project types. Jeff excels at integrating technology into process optimization. Jeff’s extensive background includes biocontainment facilities commissioning an re-commissioning; laboratory retro-commissioning; building automation systems audits and replacements; building automation system optimization; critical systems field services; functional performance testing; and integrated systems testing. He is a detail-oriented leader in the field through all phases of the commissioning process. Jeff’s facility experience includes laboratory and pharmaceutical, vivaria, central utility plants, data centers, and healthcare facilities.

Dan Golde, P.E., leads the engineering project management team at UC Davis Design and Construction Management (DCM). With over 20 years of combined experience in project management, design, and construction, he brings valuable expertise to his role. Dan joined UC Davis to oversee the construction of Phase 1 of the Big Shift project, a significant undertaking within the heart of the campus. With Phase 1 successfully completed, Dan is now supporting the team as they proceed with Phase 2 (more distribution piping and building conversion) and Phase 3 (heat recovery and thermal energy storage plant), both of which are underway.

Chas Porter
Cornell University
Thermal Distribution Manager
Energy and Sustainability- Utilities Distribution and Energy Management

I have been with Cornell for over 19 years, starting my career in January 2006 as a Union pipewelder, completing a 5 year apprenticeship, and working my way through the ranks of journeyman, foreman and general foreman of the Utilities Distribution Pipe Shop welding construction and maintenance crew. I gained very extensive working knowledge becoming a subject matter expert of Cornell's steam, condensate, hot water, chilled water, potable water, and gas distribution systems. Including piping and mechanicals from plant production to end consumer building use with a focus primarily on our extensive underground utility network.
In January 2024 I accepted the position of Thermal Distribution Manager with Cornell Utilities. I manage all the same systems I had a hand in building and maintaining for the last 19 years, with the additional responsibility of assisting with all phases of the current campus hot water conversion, project design review inputs, systems modeling, and daily maintenance and construction issues. I hold the credentials of an AWS Certified Weld Inspector(CWI) as well as a City of Ithaca NY Master Plumber which assist in my daily tasks at Cornell.
I am also very proud to pass my knowledge of pipefitting/welding to the next generations coming through as a lead weld instructor at the Local 81 Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprenticeship school, teaching for the last 8 years.

Charlie Marino has dedicated the past decade to the field of building performance optimization and decarbonization. As a SVP of the Built Ecology team at WSP, he focuses on strategy developement to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and oversees related major HVAC infrastructure upgrades for commercial, healthcare, life science, and multifamily building sectors.

To help refine implementation pathways that will enable New York City to realize its carbon emissions reduction goals, Charlie actively participates on advisory boards related to NYC Local Law 97 and industry stakeholder groups such as ASHRAE New York City, Building Energy Exchange, and the New York Energy Consumer Council to help foster communication between sustainability professionals and the consulting engineering community. Charlie has served as a past president of ASHRAE NYC and is currently a board member and VP of the New York Energy Consumers Council.

Jennifer Meisenhelder is the Associate Director of Construction at the University of Florida. She began her career in consulting where she focused on design and construction of large and complex municipal utility projects. At the University of Florida, Jennifer directed large infrastructure projects, utility planning and the operational aspects of steam and chilled water distribution, before moving to large capital construction. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Resource Management from the Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, a MBA from the University of Florida and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Florida.

I am a Business Development Manager at Thermo Systems, driven by a passion for making a positive impact on the world. My focus lies in cultivating new relationships and driving business growth, with the ultimate goal of contributing to a better future.

With a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University, I bring a solid educational foundation to my work. Specializing in industrial control systems, I am committed to enhancing efficiency, resiliency, and cost-effectiveness while minimizing potential risk and downtime for our clients.

I take great pride in mentoring, guiding, and empowering the next generation of leaders. As the co-chair of the Young Professionals Group for the International District Energy Association, I am honored to serve in a role that not only fosters growth and development but also promotes sustainability and innovation.

Beyond my professional endeavors, I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends. I am also an avid practitioner and teacher of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where I actively compete and embrace the discipline and values the sport instills.

I am always eager to connect with like-minded professionals who share a passion for business development, engineering, personal growth, and making a positive difference in the world. Let's connect and explore opportunities to collaborate and drive meaningful change together.

Rebecca is director of Talent Management for the Con Edison companies where she is responsible for workforce development, talent acquisition, leadership learning and development programs and services, people analytics, career development, succession management, organizational development, conflict resolution, executive development programs, and performance management. In leading these practices, she has a critical focus on supporting the company’s DEI strategy.

Prior to this role, Rebecca was director of Learning overseeing the company’s 11-acre campus and satellite training facilities. She launched Con Edison’s transformation to a blended learning approach for adult learners, leading the development and curation of technical and compliance training and testing portfolios, hands-on and simulated labs, and virtual and augmented reality courses for the corporation’s 15,000 employees.

Rebecca has extensive Customer Operations experience in mass market and corporate customer segments, and was responsible for the customer care, billing, credit and collections strategies for Con Edison’s largest electric, gas and steam customers including the New York Stock Exchange, Rockefeller Center, Yankee Stadium, manufacturing corporations, real estate conglomerates, government, universities, and hospitals representing $3 billion in annual revenue. For many years, Rebecca was liaison to New York State Department of Public Service Staff and peer utilities in regulatory policy collaboratives and proceedings for rates and billing, consumer protection, deregulation, unbundling, and bill redesign. She has managed an array of capital projects and IT implementations.

In 2023 Rebecca was recognized by Manage HR Magazine as one of the Top 10 Leaders in Talent Management. She serves on the Executive Council of the Center for Energy Workforce Development. Rebecca has a bachelor’s degree in business management and an M.B.A. from the Lubin School of Business, Pace University and is a Coro Leadership New York Fellow. She is a patron of the arts and volunteers to support spinal cord injury research to end paralysis.

Cameron Ratliff is the Associate Director of Utilities at the University of Virginia where Cameron leads a team of 27 employees who operate and maintain over 220+ miles of piping which includes steam, condensate, MTHW, LTHW, chilled water, domestic water, reclaim water, sanitary sewer and storm water and seven miles of tunnels.
Prior to UVA Cameron spent 20+ years in the construction industry as a project superintendent completing numerous projects across the country. This experience and has enabled the UVA Utilities team to self-perform over $5 million annually of utility distribution and mechanical project work.
Cameron strives for continuous improvement of the team, the infrastructure and ensures the safe and sustainable operation of the Energy and Utility systems at UVA.

Samuel Olmstead, P.E. is the Director of Utilities and Campus Resiliency at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Mr. Olmstead has over 20 years of experience in institutional district energy systems and facilities management, having served in engineering, operations and director roles in his Yale career. In his current role, Mr. Olmstead is responsible for 24/7 facilities services including Utilities, Fire Code Compliance, and the Facilities Operations Center, as well as operation and maintenance of critical infrastructure including the Yale's microgrid and stormwater management infrastructure. Mr. Olmstead graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Connecticut.

Grant Selking is a Senior Director at Thermo Systems LLC, where he leads the engineering and operations teams for District Energy and Life Sciences. He is experienced in the installation and implementation of control systems for utility plants, power management systems, critical air handling units, and site-wide SCADA systems. Selking has successfully delivered on a multitude of large and fast paced projects across the country. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from Purdue University and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

Senior Director of Operations for Energy & Power - Americas at Jacobs Engineering
Responsible for managing operations and P&L, strategic growth, business development, and oversight of portfolio focusing on Energy, decarbonization, renewables, Utility Master Planning, district energy, transmission and distribution, microgrids, substation design, combined heat and power, and utility infrastructure .

Frank A. Cuomo is the Director of Commodity Operations at Con Edison, where he oversees a substantial annual portfolio of approximately $500 million. He began his engineering career in the consulting industry before joining Con Edison in 2011. Over the years, he has held various positions within Con Edison Steam Operations, including project manager and general manager. Frank is a NYS Licensed Professional Engineer, a graduate of Manhattan College School of Engineering, and holds an MBA from the Baruch Zicklin School of Business. He has also served as an adjunct professor at NYU Shack Institute of Real Estate.

Frank's expertise lies in customer energy use and system design. He has collaborated with numerous customers, stakeholders, and industry partners to explore paths towards a Clean Energy Future. Notably, he led the Future of Renewable Steam Team (FIRST), a company initiative focused on decarbonization efforts.

As a subject matter expert in Steam Operations and customer building systems, Frank is known for his ability to cultivate positive relationships with stakeholders and communicate complex business topics effectively. He has also served as Incident Commander during large-scale emergency events.

In his current role, Frank ensures the seamless procurement and scheduling of energy commodities, maintaining 24/7 operations to meet customer energy demands. His strategies in gas planning and regulatory proceedings reflect his competencies in networking, customer energy systems, and overall energy distribution, essential for steering the company towards a sustainable future

Jennifer Meisenhelder is the Associate Director of Construction at the University of Florida. She began her career in consulting where she focused on design and construction of large and complex municipal utility projects. At the University of Florida, Jennifer directed large infrastructure projects, utility planning and the operational aspects of steam and chilled water distribution, before moving to large capital construction. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Resource Management from the Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, a MBA from the University of Florida and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Florida.

Joanna Yager is an accomplished leader in the energy industry with 18 years of technical experience. She began her journey at Con Edison as a mechanical controls engineer developing projects at the company’s steam and electric generating facilities. As a Senior System Operator responsible for operating the bulk transmission system, she thrived in dynamic environments and adapted well to new challenges. Her role as Section Manager in Gas Operations strengthened her decision-making skills by relying on data to navigate complex situations effectively. As a Project Manager in Transmission Project Development, she utilized her action-oriented leadership strength to drive results and ensure strong credibility with external stakeholders. Mentorship has become an integral component of her professional development, and she champions formal and informal employee development programs to foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. Joanna believes that empowering others is necessary for organizational growth and invests time in coaching, skill-building, and advancing a positive work environment. Outside of work, Joanna enjoys reading books, doing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with her husband, son, and daughter at their home in Westchester County, NY.

Marie-Nicole Trimboli graduated from the Cooper Union with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. She began her career in the engineering consultant industry before joining Con Edison in 2012. Over the years, Marie has held various roles of increasing responsibility within Steam Operations, with the latest being Section Manager of Steam Long Range Planning. In this role, she successfully led numerous projects and initiatives focused on the decarbonization of the steam system. Marie is a licensed NYS Professional Engineer.

John Giamarino, Chief Engineer, Central Operations, Steam & Gas Engineering at Con Edison.
John joined Con Edison in 1990 as a management intern. He has held positions of increasing responsibility such as maintenance supervisor, Power Generation Maintenance – Field Operations; engineer, Fossil Power Engineering, East River Station, and Steam Engineering; and senior engineer, Steam Engineering and Project Engineering. He was also project specialist, project manager, maintenance manager, and operations manager at East River Station.
John is an experienced, customer-centric leader who knows how to create positive relationships and a culture focused on operational excellence.
John earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and Master of Business Administration in finance from Fordham University. He is a graduate of Business Academy XVIII.

Mr. Erwin leads the US Energy Consulting Services group for Ramboll and provides engineering services for commercial, industrial, municipal, and higher education clients. Mr. Erwin is also responsible for stamping and sealing drawings and reports across the 20 states where he is licensed as a professional engineer. Areas of technical specialty include district energy, decarbonization, boiler and chiller plants, HVAC systems, and renewable energy projects. Mr. Erwin is currently responsible for managing key clients, complex and critical portfolios and projects, as well as, overseeing, preparing, developing, and writing reports; investigative studies; evaluations; audits; energy master plans, decarbonization plans and assessments.

Trevor Boz, PE, LEED AP is a mechanical engineer and Principal leading PAE Engineers’ NYC office. With over 17 years of experience of innovative HVAC design, Trevor has contributed his expertise to projects in a variety of sectors such as laboratories, healthcare facilities, higher education, and industrial buildings. An adaptable leader with a keen eye for solving problems, Trevor specializes in designing energy efficient laboratories, chiller plants, heating plants, and energy recovery systems for large projects. He is an a licensed professional engineer in nine states, and is passionate about delivering simple solutions within complex designs.

Pat Gillooly is the Senior Vice President of Engineering for Vicinity Energy. In this role, he oversees the technical engineering team that leads Vicinity’s decarbonization engineering efforts, day-to-day corporate engineering needs of Vicinity’s facilities and providing support for emergent equipment, operational issues and business development opportunities that require corporate engineering support.

Prior to joining Vicinity, Mr. Gillooly served as Vice President of Technical Engineering with Veolia North America. In this position, Mr. Gillooly led a diverse group of technical experts in cogeneration, district energy, water and wastewater industries. The team provided support services for Veolia’s operations and maintenance services, design-build projects and owned assets throughout the United States and Canada. Mr. Gillooly served at Veolia as the Vice President of Operations of the Medical Area Total Energy Plant (MATEP). In this position, Mr. Gillooly was responsible for the daily operations of the plant. Before joining MATEP, he held various engineering positions at Eversource Energy (formerly NSTAR Electric).

As President and Chief Executive Officer, Kevin oversees day-to-day business operations with the leadership team reports of Operations, Sales and Account Management, Marketing and Communications, Human Resources, and Engineering/Information Technology. Kevin will also drive the transition to electrification and the delivery of eSteam™ across our systems and work closely with Vicinity’s Executive Chairman Bill DiCroce to continue elevating Vicinity’s position as the leader for the decarbonization of North American cities lucky enough to hold district energy systems.

In his former role as Technical Officer (CTO), Kevin oversaw the Information Technology (IT), Engineering, Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), and Technical teams to drive technical performance and innovation and support operations. Kevin has over 20 years of experience in the power industry and had previously worked for Veolia in senior and leadership positions for nearly 10 years.

Kevin’s most recent role at Veolia was serving as senior vice president of operations for Veolia North America’s (VNA) East business. Appointed in 2018, Kevin was responsible for VNA’s largest region of business, overseeing over 50 facilities, including the company’s largest district energy systems: Boston and Philadelphia.

He graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. He also achieved an MBA from Boston University.