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Leadership

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Our leadership team is passionate about ensuring the reliability and security of the Bulk Power System, and hiring and supporting top-caliber employees to support our mission. Learn more about our team below. 

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Tim Gallagherhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=4Tim GallagherPresident & CEOAs President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gallagher oversees ReliabilityFirst, one of the six federally recognized Regional Entities charged with setting and enforcing mandatory reliability standards, as well as assessing and reporting on the expected reliability performance of the Bulk Electric System in thirteen states and the District of Columbia. Mr. Gallagher has held this position since the inception of ReliabilityFirst in January 2006, and he is a non-voting member of the ReliabilityFirst Board of Directors. Prior to joining ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Gallagher was a senior executive at GridAmerica, LLC, the nation’s first multi-system independent transmission company. His background is centered squarely in electric system reliability, having spent time on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) staff where he was responsible for NERC’s compliance, standards, and reliability assessment programs. Before his tenure at NERC, Mr. Gallagher worked in the electric power industry in a variety of engineering and leadership positions in electric system planning, system protection and system operations. Mr. Gallagher is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ohio, a graduate of the GE Power Systems Engineering School, a former NERC-Certified System Operator, and was publicly elected to serve on the Governing Board of the Summit County Educational Service Center. He currently serves as a Director on the board of Vantage Aging, a not for profit agency whose mission is to support the needs of older adults wishing to age in place and live independently with dignity.As President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gallagher oversees ReliabilityFirst, one of the six federally recognized Regional Entities charged with setting and enforcing mandatory reliability standards, as well as assessing and reporting on the expected reliability performance of the Bulk Electric System in thirteen states and the District of Columbia. Mr. Gallagher has held this position since the inception of ReliabilityFirst in January 2006, and he is a non-voting member of the ReliabilityFirst Board of Directors. Prior to joining ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Gallagher was a senior executive at GridAmerica, LLC, the nation’s first multi-system independent transmission company. His background is centered squarely in electric system reliability, having spent time on the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) staff where he was responsible for NERC’s compliance, standards, and reliability assessment programs. Before his tenure at NERC, Mr. Gallagher worked in the electric power industry in a variety of engineering and leadership positions in electric system planning, system protection and system operations. Mr. Gallagher is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ohio, a graduate of the GE Power Systems Engineering School, a former NERC-Certified System Operator, and was publicly elected to serve on the Governing Board of the Summit County Educational Service Center. He currently serves as a Director on the board of Vantage Aging, a not for profit agency whose mission is to support the needs of older adults wishing to age in place and live independently with dignity.President & CEO0
Jeff Craigohttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=3Jeff CraigoSenior Vice President, Reliability and RiskMr. Craigo, Senior Vice President, Reliability & Risk, joined ReliabilityFirst in March of 2013.  Mr. Craigo is responsible for the reliability assurance, operational performance, and risk analysis organizations at ReliabilityFirst Corporation.  He provides leadership to management and staff and provides input into strategy, risk analysis and outreach practices with grid reliability and security as the primary goal across the industry. Mr. Craigo brings a diverse background in quality systems, manufacturing, strategic sourcing, supply chain, and leadership that span multiple industries, including the automotive, aerospace, electrical, hydraulics, and medical device industries.  Most recently, he served as a business partner and consultant, helping manufacturing companies improve their quality engineering and global strategic sourcing strategies.  His previous experience includes various leadership positions in quality assurance, global sourcing, and supplier development at Invacare Corporation, a global medical equipment manufacturer, where he was responsible for product quality, supplier development and new product process audits within a federally regulated (FDA) environment.  Prior to Invacare, Mr. Craigo held various progressing leadership positions in supplier development, quality assurance, manufacturing, and program management at Eaton Corporation, an international diversified industrial manufacturer of electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power equipment and systems for the aerospace, automotive, electrical, filtration, hydraulics, and truck industries.  Mr. Craigo has extensive experience in quality system and business process audits governed along federal statutory guidelines as well as managing the implementation of leading quality and manufacturing continuous improvement initiatives found today within industry.  Mr. Craigo is a graduate of Ohio University, with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering.  He serves as a board member to the Lorain County Habitat for Humanity.Mr. Craigo, Senior Vice President, Reliability & Risk, joined ReliabilityFirst in March of 2013.  Mr. Craigo is responsible for the reliability assurance, operational performance, and risk analysis organizations at ReliabilityFirst Corporation.  He provides leadership to management and staff and provides input into strategy, risk analysis and outreach practices with grid reliability and security as the primary goal across the industry. Mr. Craigo brings a diverse background in quality systems, manufacturing, strategic sourcing, supply chain, and leadership that span multiple industries, including the automotive, aerospace, electrical, hydraulics, and medical device industries.  Most recently, he served as a business partner and consultant, helping manufacturing companies improve their quality engineering and global strategic sourcing strategies.  His previous experience includes various leadership positions in quality assurance, global sourcing, and supplier development at Invacare Corporation, a global medical equipment manufacturer, where he was responsible for product quality, supplier development and new product process audits within a federally regulated (FDA) environment.  Prior to Invacare, Mr. Craigo held various progressing leadership positions in supplier development, quality assurance, manufacturing, and program management at Eaton Corporation, an international diversified industrial manufacturer of electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power equipment and systems for the aerospace, automotive, electrical, filtration, hydraulics, and truck industries.  Mr. Craigo has extensive experience in quality system and business process audits governed along federal statutory guidelines as well as managing the implementation of leading quality and manufacturing continuous improvement initiatives found today within industry.  Mr. Craigo is a graduate of Ohio University, with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering.  He serves as a board member to the Lorain County Habitat for Humanity.Senior Vice President, Reliability and Risk0
Niki Schaeferhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=11Niki SchaeferVice President and General CounselAs vice president and general counsel for RF, Ms. Schaefer is responsible for ensuring the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP) functions are effectively executed for electric utilities in the 13 states and Washington, D.C. that make up the RF footprint. In this role, she leads the Legal, Enforcement and Compliance Monitoring teams. Ms. Schaefer returns to RF from Eaton Corporation where she served as counsel to senior leadership teams across multiple business units within Eaton’s electrical sector supporting more than $2 billion in revenue. Prior to Eaton, she was the managing enforcement counsel at RF and directed the teams responsible for carrying out enforcement of electric reliability regulations. Before working in the electric industry, she was a trial lawyer for a large Cleveland law firm litigating commercial and personal injury cases in State and Federal Courts across the country. Ms. Schaefer received her B.A. in American Studies from Cornell University, and graduated cum laude from CWRU School of Law where she received an academic scholarship. In addition to earning multiple professional awards – most recently being named to the 2020 Super Lawyers list by Cleveland Jewish News – Schaefer is very active in the Cleveland community through volunteer work for University Hospitals Partnership for Families and the American Heart Association. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Gathering Place, a non-profit that provides free therapeutic services to people with cancer and their loved ones.As vice president and general counsel for RF, Ms. Schaefer is responsible for ensuring the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP) functions are effectively executed for electric utilities in the 13 states and Washington, D.C. that make up the RF footprint. In this role, she leads the Legal, Enforcement and Compliance Monitoring teams. Ms. Schaefer returns to RF from Eaton Corporation where she served as counsel to senior leadership teams across multiple business units within Eaton’s electrical sector supporting more than $2 billion in revenue. Prior to Eaton, she was the managing enforcement counsel at RF and directed the teams responsible for carrying out enforcement of electric reliability regulations. Before working in the electric industry, she was a trial lawyer for a large Cleveland law firm litigating commercial and personal injury cases in State and Federal Courts across the country. Ms. Schaefer received her B.A. in American Studies from Cornell University, and graduated cum laude from CWRU School of Law where she received an academic scholarship. In addition to earning multiple professional awards – most recently being named to the 2020 Super Lawyers list by Cleveland Jewish News – Schaefer is very active in the Cleveland community through volunteer work for University Hospitals Partnership for Families and the American Heart Association. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Gathering Place, a non-profit that provides free therapeutic services to people with cancer and their loved ones.Vice President and General Counsel0
Diane Holderhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=17Diane HolderVice President, Entity Engagement and Corporate ServicesMs. Holder, Vice President, Entity Engagement and Corporate Services, joined ReliabilityFirst in July 2022. She provides executive leadership and oversees RF's outreach to utilities, government officials and the general public as well as internal corporate services for RF employees, including human resources, finance and information technology. In her role, she also leads the implementation of new ideas from both staff and outside resources to enhance RF's ability to be a positive influence on the reliability, security and resiliency of the electric grid. Ms. Holder joined RF from Pennsylvania American Water, where she was the organization's Vice President of Operations, working to ensure the safe, reliable delivery of clean drinking water for customers. She oversaw operations at more than 25 facilities in western Pennsylvania, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing operations budgets and providing top-notch customer service. She also worked in the electric industry for nearly 30 years between Allegheny Power, FirstEnergy and Duquesne Light Company. Her roles and experience include engineering, external affairs, operations, distribution and working as a chief of staff. Ms. Holder holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.Ms. Holder, Vice President, Entity Engagement and Corporate Services, joined ReliabilityFirst in July 2022. She provides executive leadership and oversees RF's outreach to utilities, government officials and the general public as well as internal corporate services for RF employees, including human resources, finance and information technology. In her role, she also leads the implementation of new ideas from both staff and outside resources to enhance RF's ability to be a positive influence on the reliability, security and resiliency of the electric grid. Ms. Holder joined RF from Pennsylvania American Water, where she was the organization's Vice President of Operations, working to ensure the safe, reliable delivery of clean drinking water for customers. She oversaw operations at more than 25 facilities in western Pennsylvania, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing operations budgets and providing top-notch customer service. She also worked in the electric industry for nearly 30 years between Allegheny Power, FirstEnergy and Duquesne Light Company. Her roles and experience include engineering, external affairs, operations, distribution and working as a chief of staff. Ms. Holder holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.Vice President, Entity Engagement and Corporate Services0
Marcus Noelhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=2Marcus NoelChief Security OfficerMr. Marcus Noel, Chief Security Officer (CSO) joined ReliabilityFirst in November of 2021.  In this role, he is responsible for establishing and maintaining the organization’s cybersecurity and physical security management program to ensure that information and physical assets are adequately protected. Additionally, he will manage the critical task of elevating industry relationships to understand, address and communicate emerging threats and security trends. Previously, Mr. Noel spent 10 years at FirstEnergy Corp. where he worked on the Cybersecurity Governance Team, the Security Operations Center, Security Technologies, and ultimately served as Manager of the Cybersecurity Organization. Prior to FirstEnergy, he worked in cybersecurity at PNC Bank and Cuyahoga Community College. Mr. Noel is a graduate of Bryant & Stratton College with an associate degree in Accounting, Baldwin-Wallace University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and Cleveland State University with a master’s in Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate in Law. He has held the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification since 2009.Mr. Marcus Noel, Chief Security Officer (CSO) joined ReliabilityFirst in November of 2021.  In this role, he is responsible for establishing and maintaining the organization’s cybersecurity and physical security management program to ensure that information and physical assets are adequately protected. Additionally, he will manage the critical task of elevating industry relationships to understand, address and communicate emerging threats and security trends. Previously, Mr. Noel spent 10 years at FirstEnergy Corp. where he worked on the Cybersecurity Governance Team, the Security Operations Center, Security Technologies, and ultimately served as Manager of the Cybersecurity Organization. Prior to FirstEnergy, he worked in cybersecurity at PNC Bank and Cuyahoga Community College. Mr. Noel is a graduate of Bryant & Stratton College with an associate degree in Accounting, Baldwin-Wallace University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and Cleveland State University with a master’s in Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate in Law. He has held the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification since 2009.Chief Security Officer0
BethAnn Dowdellhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=16BethAnn DowdellSenior Director of Corporate ServicesMs. Dowdell has over 15 years of management experience, leading high performing teams in high growth companies. Ms. Dowdell helped develop strategies to improve productivity while meeting operating and fiscal targets. Ms. Dowdell was the Sr. Director of Operations at American Endowment Foundation where she was able to drive efficiency through process improvement and automation, create KPIs and standardized reporting and mentored other leaders. Prior to that role, Ms. Dowdell was with Asurint as their Vice President of Operations then Vice President of Enterprise Products. Within those roles she led multiple teams focusing on employee development, improving efficiency through technology and product development. Ms. Dowdell have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University. Ms. Dowdell has over 15 years of management experience, leading high performing teams in high growth companies. Ms. Dowdell helped develop strategies to improve productivity while meeting operating and fiscal targets. Ms. Dowdell was the Sr. Director of Operations at American Endowment Foundation where she was able to drive efficiency through process improvement and automation, create KPIs and standardized reporting and mentored other leaders. Prior to that role, Ms. Dowdell was with Asurint as their Vice President of Operations then Vice President of Enterprise Products. Within those roles she led multiple teams focusing on employee development, improving efficiency through technology and product development. Ms. Dowdell have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University. Senior Director of Corporate Services0
Erik Johnsonhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=12Erik JohnsonDirector, Reliability AnalysisMr. Johnson currently focuses on Internal and External analytics to drive improved Reliability and reduce Risk. In recent roles he focused on outreach and assistance to the entities. Mr. Johnson comes to ReliabilityFirst with over 20 years of work experience in the Cyber Security field. Prior to ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Johnson was most recently with the Federal Reserve System, where he coordinated cross functional teams in the assessment of Federal Reserve compliance with NIST standards. Mr. Johnson obtained a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from John Carroll University and a Master’s of Science in Information Security from DePaul University. He holds numerous certifications including his CAP, CISA, CISSP, CRISC and PMP.Mr. Johnson currently focuses on Internal and External analytics to drive improved Reliability and reduce Risk. In recent roles he focused on outreach and assistance to the entities. Mr. Johnson comes to ReliabilityFirst with over 20 years of work experience in the Cyber Security field. Prior to ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Johnson was most recently with the Federal Reserve System, where he coordinated cross functional teams in the assessment of Federal Reserve compliance with NIST standards. Mr. Johnson obtained a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from John Carroll University and a Master’s of Science in Information Security from DePaul University. He holds numerous certifications including his CAP, CISA, CISSP, CRISC and PMP.Director, Reliability Analysis0
Kristen Senkhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=14Kristen SenkDirector, Legal and EnforcementMs. Senk has been working for ReliabilityFirst Corporation (RF) since 2014. At RF, Ms. Senk is responsible for managing the legal and enforcement department, which includes advising the company on a wide-range of legal matters as well ensuring enforcement matters are resolved effectively and efficiently and that resolutions are fair and impartial.    Ms. Senk came to the organization after four years of being a trial lawyer at a large law firm in Cleveland, Ohio.  She handled a variety of cases from contract disputes to product liability to consumer-protection cases, in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies.    Prior to her work as a trial lawyer, Ms. Senk clerked for a small law firm in Akron, Ohio, and externed for Judge John Adams in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.   Ms. Senk has a B.A. from Walsh University and a J.D. from The University of Akron School of Law.Ms. Senk has been working for ReliabilityFirst Corporation (RF) since 2014. At RF, Ms. Senk is responsible for managing the legal and enforcement department, which includes advising the company on a wide-range of legal matters as well ensuring enforcement matters are resolved effectively and efficiently and that resolutions are fair and impartial.    Ms. Senk came to the organization after four years of being a trial lawyer at a large law firm in Cleveland, Ohio.  She handled a variety of cases from contract disputes to product liability to consumer-protection cases, in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies.    Prior to her work as a trial lawyer, Ms. Senk clerked for a small law firm in Akron, Ohio, and externed for Judge John Adams in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.   Ms. Senk has a B.A. from Walsh University and a J.D. from The University of Akron School of Law.Director, Legal and Enforcement0
Brian Thiryhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=15Brian ThiryDirector Entity EngagementMr. Thiry leads ReliabilityFirst’s Entity Engagement program that enhances reliability, resilience, and security through the assist visit program, certifications, appraisals, self-assessment tools, innovation and outreach. In this role, he leads a dedicated team that works with industry to assess and mitigate risks inside and outside of standards, plus provide outreach in the form of education and training to industry. Mr. Thiry came to ReliabilityFirst with over 11 years of electrical utility experience from his time at FirstEnergy Corp., mostly in transmission operations. Mr. Thiry also has a background in substation and transmission line design. In previous roles at ReliabilityFirst, he has worked in Compliance Monitoring and Events Analysis & Situational Awareness. Mr. Thiry holds a Professional Engineering License in the state of Ohio, and has a Bachelor’s Degree of Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University. Mr. Thiry leads ReliabilityFirst’s Entity Engagement program that enhances reliability, resilience, and security through the assist visit program, certifications, appraisals, self-assessment tools, innovation and outreach. In this role, he leads a dedicated team that works with industry to assess and mitigate risks inside and outside of standards, plus provide outreach in the form of education and training to industry. Mr. Thiry came to ReliabilityFirst with over 11 years of electrical utility experience from his time at FirstEnergy Corp., mostly in transmission operations. Mr. Thiry also has a background in substation and transmission line design. In previous roles at ReliabilityFirst, he has worked in Compliance Monitoring and Events Analysis & Situational Awareness. Mr. Thiry holds a Professional Engineering License in the state of Ohio, and has a Bachelor’s Degree of Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University. Director Entity Engagement0
Matthew Thomashttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=13Matthew ThomasDirector, Compliance MonitoringMr. Thomas, Director, Compliance Monitoring, ReliabilityFirst Corporation, joined in 2010. Mr. Thomas is responsible for all of the Compliance Monitoring activities performed at RF. In Mr. Thomas’s previous role at ReliabilityFirst, he served as the Senior Manager of CIP Compliance where he was responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the CIP Compliance Monitoring processes and team. His primary responsibilities included development of the annual CIP audit plans to assess regional risk and providing oversight of compliance engagements. Mr. Thomas has worked in both the Compliance Department as a CIP Auditor and the ReliabilityFirst Information Technology Department. Mr. Thomas has extensive experience in numerous IT fields including application development, web development, security analysis, network security and management, vulnerability testing and analysis, and policy development. Prior to joining ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Thomas worked for NCR with a focus on Software Engineering and Systems Development. Mr. Thomas graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems. Mr. Thomas holds both his GIAC Information Security Professional (GISP) and GIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership (GSTRT) Certifications.Mr. Thomas, Director, Compliance Monitoring, ReliabilityFirst Corporation, joined in 2010. Mr. Thomas is responsible for all of the Compliance Monitoring activities performed at RF. In Mr. Thomas’s previous role at ReliabilityFirst, he served as the Senior Manager of CIP Compliance where he was responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the CIP Compliance Monitoring processes and team. His primary responsibilities included development of the annual CIP audit plans to assess regional risk and providing oversight of compliance engagements. Mr. Thomas has worked in both the Compliance Department as a CIP Auditor and the ReliabilityFirst Information Technology Department. Mr. Thomas has extensive experience in numerous IT fields including application development, web development, security analysis, network security and management, vulnerability testing and analysis, and policy development. Prior to joining ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Thomas worked for NCR with a focus on Software Engineering and Systems Development. Mr. Thomas graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems. Mr. Thomas holds both his GIAC Information Security Professional (GISP) and GIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership (GSTRT) Certifications.Director, Compliance Monitoring0
Jim Uhrinhttps://rfirst.org/about/Leadership/leadership/DispForm.aspx?ID=7Jim UhrinDirector, Engineering and Reliability ServicesMr. Uhrin joined ReliabilityFirst in 2007 and has over thirty-eight years of working experience in the electric utility industry. Prior to serving in this role, Mr. Uhrin, held the position of Director, Compliance Monitoring, at ReliabilityFirst Corporation. Since 2013, Mr. Uhrin has been responsible for the directing and served in an oversight role over all of the Compliance Monitoring functions performed at RF (Ops/Planning and CIP). Some of these monitoring functions include audits, spot checks, investigations, and complaints. In Mr. Uhrin’s previous role at ReliabilityFirst, he served as the Manager of Compliance Service and Investigations, where he was responsible for the oversight of the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP), Regulatory Reviews, and implementation of most of the CMEP related activities. Prior to joining ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Uhrin was the Manager of Dispatch and Operation for PJM Interconnection, L.C.C, in their West office, where he managed both the day to day operations of the Bulk Power System and the West Regional office operations. Before joining PJM, Mr. Uhrin held various positions with Allegheny Power as Operations Support Manager, Team Leader in Network Planning and various Engineering positions in Allegheny’s Operations and System Planning Groups. Mr. Uhrin is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and has taken some MBA course work at Duquesne University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Pennsylvania and was a NERC Certified System Operator (2010).Mr. Uhrin joined ReliabilityFirst in 2007 and has over thirty-eight years of working experience in the electric utility industry. Prior to serving in this role, Mr. Uhrin, held the position of Director, Compliance Monitoring, at ReliabilityFirst Corporation. Since 2013, Mr. Uhrin has been responsible for the directing and served in an oversight role over all of the Compliance Monitoring functions performed at RF (Ops/Planning and CIP). Some of these monitoring functions include audits, spot checks, investigations, and complaints. In Mr. Uhrin’s previous role at ReliabilityFirst, he served as the Manager of Compliance Service and Investigations, where he was responsible for the oversight of the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP), Regulatory Reviews, and implementation of most of the CMEP related activities. Prior to joining ReliabilityFirst, Mr. Uhrin was the Manager of Dispatch and Operation for PJM Interconnection, L.C.C, in their West office, where he managed both the day to day operations of the Bulk Power System and the West Regional office operations. Before joining PJM, Mr. Uhrin held various positions with Allegheny Power as Operations Support Manager, Team Leader in Network Planning and various Engineering positions in Allegheny’s Operations and System Planning Groups. Mr. Uhrin is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and has taken some MBA course work at Duquesne University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Pennsylvania and was a NERC Certified System Operator (2010).Director, Engineering and Reliability Services0