MEET THE SPEAKERS

Scott Corwin

President & CEO of the American Public Power Association

Previously served as executive director of the Northwest Public Power Association in Vancouver, Washington, where he worked on behalf of utility and associate members in ten western states and British Columbia. Prior to NWPPA, he served as the executive director of the Public Power Council, advocating for public power’s access to federal power from the Bonneville Power Administration. Corwin has extensive experience developing and advocating for federal policy positions before Congress, executive branch agencies, industry partners, and the media. He has served on numerous industry task forces relating to power supply, has been an expert witness before Congress, and served on various charitable and community boards.

 Corwin graduated from Darthmouth College, has a law degree from the University of Washington and is a member of the Oregon Bar Association and the District of Columbia Association. 

Jessica Yellin

Award-winning Journalist, Former CNN Chief White House Correspondent, and founder of News Not Noise

An Emmy, Peabody, and Gracie Award-winning political correspondent, Jessica Yellin served as Chief White House Correspondent for CNN during the Obama administration and covered Congress and national elections for CNN before that. From 2004 to 2007, she reported on the Bush White House at ABC News, primarily for Good Morning America. Jessica also worked at MSNBC during its more conservative days, when it was known as "America’s News Channel" with a prominent American flag logo. In the year 2000, Jessica was a local news reporter for WTVT-13 in Tampa, covering the intense 2000 recount from Tallahassee.

Jessica Yellin's writing has been published in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Additionally, her first novel, Savage News, is available now. Beyond the accolades, she is dedicated to delivering information without causing panic, helping audiences understand and process news to make informed and empowered decisions

You can find her @JessicaYellin on Instagram and 

the News Not Noise Letter on substack.

Vice Chair Siva Gunda

California Energy Commission

Commissioner Siva Gunda is serving his first term on the California Energy Commission.

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Gunda in February 2021 to serve as the Energy Commission’s public member. Gunda was later appointed to Vice Chair in September 2021. He is the lead commissioner on energy assessments.

Gunda served as manager of the Demand Analysis Office and deputy director for the Energy Commission’s Energy Assessments Division. The division forecasts and assesses energy demands and supplies.

Before joining the Energy Commission, he served in a variety of capacities at the Energy Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, including as the director of research, where he directed the institute’s operations and research portfolio.

He holds a master of science in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Utah State University. Gunda is pursuing his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from UC Davis. He is a serious cricket fan and former captain of his college team. He lives with his family in Davis.

Cottie Petrie-Norris

Chair of the Utilities & Energy Committee

Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris proudly represents California’s 73rd Assembly District – the cities of Costa Mesa, Irvine and Tustin.

Cottie Petrie-Norris is a businesswoman, mom, and community leader who was elected to the State Assembly in 2018. In the Assembly, Cottie has worked to secure millions of dollars in funding for projects across Orange County and has passed important legislation to protect the California coast, improve access to healthcare, keep our children and communities safe, and help local veterans and small businesses.

Cottie serves as the Chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Utilities and Energy and the Select Committee on Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Additionally, she serves on the Assembly’s committees for Budget, Banking & Finance; Insurance; and, Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy.

Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris has been named “Legislator of the Year” by the California Life Sciences Association, the California Family Business Association and the California PACE Association. She received the Watershed Champion Award for her work to preserve clean drinking water and habitat, and the Sierra Club’s Political Leadership Award for her work on climate resilience. She also received the TechNet’s Champion of Innovation Award for her advocacy to create jobs and fuel economic growth.

Cottie and her husband, Colin, are the proud parents of two sons, Dylan and Hayden, and their rescue dog, Flounder.

Elliot Mainzer

President & CEO, California ISO

Elliot Mainzer is the President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), with a career focused on supporting innovation in renewable energy development, transmission planning, and regional collaboration. He has led efforts to integrate new power generation and lithium-ion batteries, preserve overall system reliability during heatwaves, and provide strategic leadership for the CAISO’s extended day-ahead market proposal. Mainzer's background includes work at Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) where he focused on wind energy potential, transmission subscription management, and balancing federal power system needs with tribal welfare. He holds degrees in geography from U.C. Berkeley and Business Administration/Environmental Management from Yale University.

He and his wife Margaret have twin boys. Among his non-professional pursuits, Mainzer is an amateur jazz saxophonist and dedicated student of jazz theory and history. 

Matthew C. Slentz

 Senior Counsel, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC

Matthew is Senior Counsel with Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley’s litigation practice group. Matthew litigates a range of disputes for public agency clients in both trial and appellate courts, including suits involving public utilities, local government taxes and fees, land use and inverse condemnation, and Public Records Act requests. Prior to joining Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, Matthew served as Chief Deputy Public Defender for Stanislaus County.