CLEAN ENERGY BUSINESS COUNCIL
_edited.png)
2025 Conference Agenda
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: October 7, 1PM - 4PM
Pre-registration required
​
Communicating with the Public, Stakeholders, and Commissions for Permitting Success
This year’s Future Forward Conference is offering a unique opportunity for attendees to
add value and enhance their experience by participating in a Pre-Conference Workshop
focused on how to create the environment that can lead to getting a project permitted
and hands-on training on how to handle contentious hearings, public meetings, or
information sessions. Whether you are new to the industry or a seasoned veteran,
developer or consultant and looking for new ideas, this Workshop is geared for you.
​
Presenters: Program Chairs Dr. Christopher Ollson and Alan Claus Anderson joined by Frank Rizzo of Bantam Communications
Conference agenda subject to change
DAY 1: October 8
Welcome and Keynote Speakers
7:30am - 10:00am
9:00am - 9:15am
9:15am - 10:15am
10:15am
Registration Opens
Welcome / Opening Remarks
Dorothy Barnett - Executive Director, Climate + Energy Project
Plenary Opening
Alan Claus Anderson - Energy Practice Group Chair, Polsinelli
Elizabeth Weise - Energy Reporter, USA Today
Break
Make your way to Emerald I or IV/V for the concurrent sessions
Concurrent Sessions
Large-scale Energy Systems
10:30am - 11:20am
11:30am - 12:20pm
12:30pm - 1:20pm
1:30pm - 2:20pm
2:30pm - 3:20pm
3:30pm - 4:20pm
4:30pm - 5:30pm
Natural Gas Plants: The Dispatchable Energy
Jason Humphrey - Vice President of Development, Evergy
Dr. Christopher Ollson - Environmental Health Scientist, OEHM
Steve Samuel - Associate Vice President, Business Development Director, Black and Veatch
Moderator: David Streicker - Energy Lawyer, Polsinelli
Battery Storage: Satisfying Power
Demand Safely
Shawn Morris - Public Safety Consultant, Energy Safety Response Group
Adam Jakubowski - Senior Consultant, Energy Safety Response Group
Gabriel Weger - Section Manager Acoustics and Noise Control, Burns & McDonnell
Rafael Torres - Director of Storage Integration, NextEra
Moderator: Dr. Chris Ollson - Ollson Environmental Health Management
Lunch - Energy Policy Discussion
Senator Michael Fagg - Chair, Senate Committee on Utilities
Representative Leo Delperdang - Chair, House Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
Eric Stafford - Vice President of Government Affairs, Kansas Chamber of Commerce
Moderator: Alan Claus Anderson - Energy Practice Group Chair, Polsinelli
Energy Project Siting in Kansas and the Role of Property Rights
Dr. Claire Burch - Scientist, Olsson
Alan Claus Anderson - Energy Practice Group Chair, Polsinelli
Moderator: Josh Svaty - Gencur Svaty Public Affairs
Solar: Unique Challenges to Siting Large Solar Projects in Traditional Agricultural Areas
Peter Berthelsen - Conservation Blueprint
Leif Clark - Senior Manager of Community Engagement Strategy, EDF Power Solutions
Michael Cressner - Vice President of Development, Orion
Moderator: Dr. David Loomis - President,Strategic Economic Research
Bridging the Divide: Building Trust and Communicating on Wind & Solar Development During the Current Political Climate
Andrea Everett - Principal Research, Embold Research
Kara Titus - Director, Community Relations, Lightsource BP
Frank Rizzo - Executive Vice President of Strategy and Operations, Bantam
Networking Reception
Energy Efficiency & Community Engagement
Healthy Homes, Affordability, and Energy Upgrades
Ryan Allenbrand - Children’s Mercy Hospital
Jess Travis - Climate + Energy Project
Moderator: Jacob Moore - Metropolitan Energy Center
Energy Burst Session (20 min)
Jeff Risley - Executive Director, Renewable Energy Farmers of America
Safeguarding Federal Grants & Bridging the Funding Gap
Rayan Makarem - Community Outreach Associate, Environmental Protection Network
Heather Navarro - Director, Midwest Climate Collaborative
Brady Watson - Senior Campaign Coordinator, Union of Concerned Scientists
Moderator: Lindsay Hamilton - Program Director - Climate + Energy Project
​
DAY 2: October 9
Breakfast & Welcome
7:30am
7:30am - 10:00am
Underwriter Breakfast with Chairs of the Kansas House and Senate Utilities Committee (Invitation Only)
​
For more information, contact thomas@climateandenergy.org
Registration Opens
Concurrent Sessions
Large-scale Energy Systems
9:00am - 9:50am
10:00am - 10:50am
10:50am
11:00am - 11:50am
12:00pm - 12:50pm
1:00pm - 1:50pm
2:00pm - 2:50pm
3:00pm - 3:50pm
4:00pm - 4:50pm
Transmission: Critical Infrastructure: Economic Opportunity, Ratepayer Benefits, and Reliability
Brad Pnazek - Vice President, Transmission Business Development, Invenergy
Terry Harvill - Vice President, Transmission Regulatory, LS Power
Kara Wry - Natural and Cultural Resources Department Manager, Burns and McDonnell
Moderator: Andrew Schulte, Energy Lawyer, Polsinelli
The Economic Impacts of Energy Projects in Communities
Dr. David Loomis - President, Strategic Economic Research
Michael MaRous - President, MaRous & Company
Thomas Becker - Assistant Researcher, Institute for Policy & Social Research University of Kansas
Moderator: Trish Voth - Partner, Foulston
Break - Visit with our Sponsors
Science and Policy Changes and their Impact on Wind Projects
Dr. Jonathan Rogers - Georgia Tech, Lockheed Martin Professor of Avionics Integration & President, Persimia
Chris Jorgensen - Lead Environmental Scientist, Olsson
Kimberly Svaty - Gencur Svaty Public Affairs
Moderator: Dr. Chris Ollson - Ollson Environmental Health Services
Lunch - Energy Policy Discussion
Alan Claus Anderson - Energy Practice Group Chair, Polsinelli
Andrew French - Chairperson, Kansas Corporation Commission
Paul Suskie - Executive Vice President, Regulatory Policy and General Counsel, Southwest Power Pool
Data Centers and Large Load Customers: How Do They Affect the Need for More Energy in Kansas
Andrea Jones - Director of Origination, Data Infrastructure, Diode Ventures
Kara Lowe - CEO, Kansas City Tech Council
Moderator: Frank Caro, Energy Lawyer, Polsinelli
Energy Infrastructure Siting, Land Use, and Balancing Priorities
Tony Capizzo - Flint Hills Initiative Director, The Nature Conservancy
Brian Obermeyer - Great Plains Grasslands Strategy Director, The Nature Conservancy
Holly Fisher - Attorney, Capital Projects and Maintenance, ITC Holdings Corp.
Supporting Local Policy Makers and Landowners During Energy Project Decision Making
Jeff Risley - Executive Director, Renewable Energy Farmers of America
Charles Newcomb - Chief Technology Officer, Mana Group Consulting, Rural Energy Academy
Moderator: Dorothy Barnett - Executive Director, Climate + Energy Project​
The Role of Local Advocates in Energy Project Siting Decisions
Ty Gorman - Sierra Club
Susan Adams - Greenlight America
Kerry Gooch - Kansans for An Affordable Future
Moderator: Allison Thomas - Program Director, Climate + Energy Project
Energy Efficiency and Community Engagement
EE101: An Introduction to Energy Efficiency in Kansas and the Greater Midwest Region
Brian File - Director, Products & Services, Evergy
Paige Kincaid - Program Director, Climate + Energy Project
Nick Moreno - Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Kansas City Board of Public Utilities
Moderator: Clara Stein - Associate, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Energy Burst Session (20 min)
Advanced HVAC & Refrigeration for a Smarter Future​
Ryan Grobler - FridgeWize
___________
Energy Burst Session (20 min)
Kansas Local Power
Energy Burst Session (20 min)
End of 2025 Program
ARE YOU READY TO TALK ENERGY ECONOMY?
An Innovative Conference for Kansas's Energy Future
​
Future Forward: The Kansas Energy Economy will feature keynote speakers, robust panel discussions, and innovative micro sessions. Kansas - and its businesses - are paving the way for the next generation of energy technology. Whether you're a leader in the clean energy industry or simply want to learn about the Kansas energy economy's future, this conference should not be missed. This will be more than a networking opportunity; attendees will leave with new ideas about how they can embrace and play a role in the new energy future.
​
Ticket sales are final and non-refundable​.
Interested in becoming a sponsor?
.png)
