Mary E. Kipp was named president of PSE in August 2019 and CEO in January 2020. Under her direction, PSE is leading the way to a clean energy future in partnership with its customers and the communities it serves.
Mary joined PSE from El Paso Electric (EPE), where she served as chief executive officer since 2015 and president since 2014. Under her leadership, EPE—also a 100-year-plus company with a deeply-rooted community history—evolved to serve a diverse customer base spread across a mountain west region and growing border communities. With EPE since 2007, Mary held a variety of leadership roles throughout the company, including General Counsel, regulatory and rates, risk management, human resources, external affairs, customer care, environmental and safety. Prior to EPE, Mary was a prosecuting attorney for FERC for four years, investigating and prosecuting violations of federal energy laws. Mary also worked as a lawyer at El Paso Natural Gas Company and at Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Mary serves as chair of SEPA (Smart Electric Power Alliance). She is also past deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; past chair of the Borderplex Alliance; and past executive committee member of the Texas Business Leadership Council. Mary received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College, a Juris Doctor degree from The University of Texas School of Law, and is an alumnus of Exeter College, Oxford University.
Mary E. Kipp was named president of PSE in August 2019 and CEO in January 2020. Under her direction, PSE is leading the way to a clean energy future in partnership with its customers and the communities it serves.
Mary joined PSE from El Paso Electric (EPE), where she served as chief executive officer since 2015 and president since 2014. Under her leadership, EPE—also a 100-year-plus company with a deeply-rooted community history—evolved to serve a diverse customer base spread across a mountain west region and growing border communities. With EPE since 2007, Mary held a variety of leadership roles throughout the company, including General Counsel, regulatory and rates, risk management, human resources, external affairs, customer care, environmental and safety. Prior to EPE, Mary was a prosecuting attorney for FERC for four years, investigating and prosecuting violations of federal energy laws. Mary also worked as a lawyer at El Paso Natural Gas Company and at Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Mary serves as chair of SEPA (Smart Electric Power Alliance). She is also past deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; past chair of the Borderplex Alliance; and past executive committee member of the Texas Business Leadership Council. Mary received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College, a Juris Doctor degree from The University of Texas School of Law, and is an alumnus of Exeter College, Oxford University.
Ash has nearly 25 years of experience in the national energy industry. Under his leadership, McKinstry has grown from a local mechanical contractor into a national leader in designing, constructing, operating and maintaining high-performing buildings. Ash’s extensive knowledge of the energy industry includes systems engineering, evaluation of sustainable ideas, development of alternative-financing solutions and optimizing & securing utility incentives and grants. Ash is responsible for evolving McKinstry’s vision and leadership for a variety of related initiatives aimed at innovation in the built environment. He’s also responsible for McKinstry’s market development strategy and provides leadership for the sales and business development efforts of all lines of business. Ash earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington. Ash is a registered professional engineer.
Ash has nearly 25 years of experience in the national energy industry. Under his leadership, McKinstry has grown from a local mechanical contractor into a national leader in designing, constructing, operating and maintaining high-performing buildings. Ash’s extensive knowledge of the energy industry includes systems engineering, evaluation of sustainable ideas, development of alternative-financing solutions and optimizing & securing utility incentives and grants. Ash is responsible for evolving McKinstry’s vision and leadership for a variety of related initiatives aimed at innovation in the built environment. He’s also responsible for McKinstry’s market development strategy and provides leadership for the sales and business development efforts of all lines of business. Ash earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington. Ash is a registered professional engineer.
Debra Smith is the General Manager and CEO of Seattle City Light, one of the nation’s largest community-owned owned electric utilities. City Light serves more than 460,000 meters and 900,000 people across Seattle and parts of eight adjacent franchise cities. Previously, Debra served as Central Lincoln PUD’s General Manager from July 2013 to October 2018. She brought 17 years of experience to that role from the Eugene Water and Electric Board, where she held a variety of positions, including Assistant General Manager. Debra earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Arizona State University and is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum of Oregon. She currently serves as chair of the Public Power Council and is on the board of the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee. Debra and her husband Dale have raised three sons and two daughters. They love City life, and have a home in Eugene, Oregon as well. The Smiths enjoy travel, time with friends and family and hanging out with their grandson Oliver.
Debra Smith is the General Manager and CEO of Seattle City Light, one of the nation’s largest community-owned owned electric utilities. City Light serves more than 460,000 meters and 900,000 people across Seattle and parts of eight adjacent franchise cities. Previously, Debra served as Central Lincoln PUD’s General Manager from July 2013 to October 2018. She brought 17 years of experience to that role from the Eugene Water and Electric Board, where she held a variety of positions, including Assistant General Manager. Debra earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Arizona State University and is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum of Oregon. She currently serves as chair of the Public Power Council and is on the board of the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee. Debra and her husband Dale have raised three sons and two daughters. They love City life, and have a home in Eugene, Oregon as well. The Smiths enjoy travel, time with friends and family and hanging out with their grandson Oliver.
As vice president and chief strategy officer for Avista, Ed Schlect is focused on driving growth for the company through service innovation, emerging technologies and new ventures in line with Avista’s core energy business. Schlect has over 30 years in the energy industry, initially at PacifiCorp and The Washington Water Power Company, now known as Avista. Schlect rejoined Avista in 2015 after serving as a founder of Ecova, an energy information firm, where he served in executive roles, including director of operations, vice president of product development, vice president of consulting services and executive vice president of corporate development. Schlect led the strategic planning for the company, evaluation of new energy technologies and merger/acquisition initiatives. These led to seven transactions which brought new services to customers and the eventual sale of Ecova to deliver value to shareholders. Schlect has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Washington State University and has completed a course in Operations Management at Harvard Business School. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and has held certifications as a Green Building Engineer and as Certified Energy Manager. Schlect serves on the board of directors of the Union Gospel Mission Foundation in Spokane, Washington.
As vice president and chief strategy officer for Avista, Ed Schlect is focused on driving growth for the company through service innovation, emerging technologies and new ventures in line with Avista’s core energy business. Schlect has over 30 years in the energy industry, initially at PacifiCorp and The Washington Water Power Company, now known as Avista. Schlect rejoined Avista in 2015 after serving as a founder of Ecova, an energy information firm, where he served in executive roles, including director of operations, vice president of product development, vice president of consulting services and executive vice president of corporate development. Schlect led the strategic planning for the company, evaluation of new energy technologies and merger/acquisition initiatives. These led to seven transactions which brought new services to customers and the eventual sale of Ecova to deliver value to shareholders. Schlect has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Washington State University and has completed a course in Operations Management at Harvard Business School. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and has held certifications as a Green Building Engineer and as Certified Energy Manager. Schlect serves on the board of directors of the Union Gospel Mission Foundation in Spokane, Washington.
Stephanie Greene is a Senior Principal at RMI where she leads the Carbon-Free Buildings Program. Stephanie helped launch and continues to expand RMI's building electrification initiative, which enables a cost-effective, sustainable, and equitable path to electrification. She is passionate about helping policymakers, utilities, businesses, and communities develop equitable, sustainable solutions for addressing climate change. Prior to joining RMI, Stephanie held a number of leadership roles at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Company, which is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Stephanie was most recently the director of Clean Transportation, where she led the utility’s electric vehicle initiatives in terms of strategy development, policy advocacy, stakeholder outreach, program design, management, and innovation. She also served as chief of staff to PG&E’s former CEO and president, where she supported various initiatives, including senior executive utility strategy development. She held several other roles at PG&E working on renewable energy policy, energy procurement, and demand-side analytics. Prior to PG&E, Stephanie worked at BSR, a global nonprofit business network and consultancy dedicated to sustainability. She holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and an M.S. and B.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University.
Stephanie Greene is a Senior Principal at RMI where she leads the Carbon-Free Buildings Program. Stephanie helped launch and continues to expand RMI's building electrification initiative, which enables a cost-effective, sustainable, and equitable path to electrification. She is passionate about helping policymakers, utilities, businesses, and communities develop equitable, sustainable solutions for addressing climate change. Prior to joining RMI, Stephanie held a number of leadership roles at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Company, which is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Stephanie was most recently the director of Clean Transportation, where she led the utility’s electric vehicle initiatives in terms of strategy development, policy advocacy, stakeholder outreach, program design, management, and innovation. She also served as chief of staff to PG&E’s former CEO and president, where she supported various initiatives, including senior executive utility strategy development. She held several other roles at PG&E working on renewable energy policy, energy procurement, and demand-side analytics. Prior to PG&E, Stephanie worked at BSR, a global nonprofit business network and consultancy dedicated to sustainability. She holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and an M.S. and B.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University.
Emmanuel Daniel is the Director of Smart Buildings & Campuses in the Center of Innovation at Microsoft Real Estate & Security. In this role he is responsible for building and delivering the Digital Transformation strategy for campuses across Microsoft. He leads a multidisciplinary team of architects (business / technical) and experience designers. He builds experiences that merge technology with the built environment, leading to the formation of spaces that respond to the needs of it users. As part of this role, he puts in place the strategy for identifying the next generation of products that will make more Smarter & Sustainable Buildings. Previously he was the Director, IoT & Smart Buildings, Singapore where he was responsible for the success of the Smart Building Business across Asia & the Middle East. He had direct accountability for driving Strategy, Delivery, Execution and building out the Partner Eco-System. Emmanuel’s leadership has led to key wins for Microsoft in Australia, Singapore, China, Israel, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, & Dubai. Emmanuel lives in Sammamish, WA. He enjoys spending any free time he gets with his family.
Emmanuel Daniel is the Director of Smart Buildings & Campuses in the Center of Innovation at Microsoft Real Estate & Security. In this role he is responsible for building and delivering the Digital Transformation strategy for campuses across Microsoft. He leads a multidisciplinary team of architects (business / technical) and experience designers. He builds experiences that merge technology with the built environment, leading to the formation of spaces that respond to the needs of it users. As part of this role, he puts in place the strategy for identifying the next generation of products that will make more Smarter & Sustainable Buildings. Previously he was the Director, IoT & Smart Buildings, Singapore where he was responsible for the success of the Smart Building Business across Asia & the Middle East. He had direct accountability for driving Strategy, Delivery, Execution and building out the Partner Eco-System. Emmanuel’s leadership has led to key wins for Microsoft in Australia, Singapore, China, Israel, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, & Dubai. Emmanuel lives in Sammamish, WA. He enjoys spending any free time he gets with his family.
