PUBLIC POWER FORWARD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Technical and Operations Services at the American Public Power Association
- Vice President, Technical and Operations Services
Alex Hofmann is the Vice President of Technical and Operations Services at the American Public Power Association.
Alex sits as a Principal member of the National Electric Safety Code Main Committee, was named one of industry's top 40 innovators by Public Utilities Fortnightly in 2017, and developed and piloted the Light Up Navajo project with the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. He has been awarded three utility operations-related patents. He also sits on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Task Force on Emergency Preparedness, Recovery and Resiliency.
He oversees the safety, security, resiliency, energy services, reliability, and R&D portions of APPA member services. This includes programs like the Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, mutual-aid, cybersecurity services, operations benchmarking, designation, and analytical services.
Alex assists the association and its members with technical advocacy before the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Office of Management and Budget, and other governmental and industry forums.
Before joining American Public Power Association, Alex worked to develop electric infrastructure models, distributed energy projects, and LEED Certified electric systems. He earned his Master's in Public Administration from Columbia University in the City of New York, and his B.S. degree from the California State University of Monterey Bay.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Human Resources & Administration
Amy oversees human resources, information technology, office administration, and facilities management at the American Public Power Association. She has 20 years of experience in a variety of internal operations roles with non-profit and for-profit organizations. Amy began her career in accounting and has been in human resources since 2002. She holds the Professional in Human Resources and the Society of Human Resources Management's Certified Professional designations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Chairman - Elect / General Manager / CEO, Greenville Utilities Commission, Greenville, North Carolina
- Position of General Manager / CEO of the Greenville Utilities Commission
Tony was appointed to the position of general manager/CEO of the Greenville Utilities Commission in 2012, after serving as Assistant General Manager/Chief Operating Officer since 2006. He has more than 30 years of experience in public utilities, joining Greenville Utilities from Greer Commission of Public Works in South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's degree in Organizational Management from Southern Wesleyan University. His experience includes management of electric, water, sewer and natural gas operations. Tony currently serves on the Executive Committee for the East Carolina University Educational Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Directors and is a past Chair of the Pitt-Greenville Chamber of Commerce and is past chair for the Pitt County Committee of 100. He is involved with numerous other professional and civic organizations.
Job Titles:
- to Become New Executive Director of Traverse City Light & Power
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Chairman / CEO / General Manager, Kansas Power Pool, Wichita, Kansas
Colin has worked in the public power industry for over 26 years. Since 2000, he has served as Executive Director for Kansas Municipal Utilities, the statewide trade association representing and serving 185 communities across Kansas on electric, natural gas, water, wastewater & telecommunications issues. Under his guidance, KMU has grown nearly tenfold and recently opened the KMU Training Center to provide hands-on training to the next generation of municipal utility workers. Prior to joining KMU, Colin worked for the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities in a number of capacities including Assistant Executive Director. Colin is a graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Drake University with a Masters in Business Administration. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Mid-West Electric Consumers Association.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Vice Chair / General Manager, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, Edmond, Oklahoma
David has served as the General Manager of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) since 2013. David started his employment at OMPA in 2007 as the Director of Operations. Before coming to OMPA, he served nine years as the General Manager and CEO of Richmond Power & Light in Richmond, Indiana. David currently serves on the Members Committee of the Southwest Power Pool, the Boards of the American Public Power Association, and the Transmission Access Policy Study Group. Since joining OMPA, the Authority has seen several changes and advancements, such as adding new member cities, implementation of complex energy markets, and generating plant additions. He received his Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Advocacy & Communications and General Counsel
Delia oversees the American Public Power Association's regulatory, government relations, and communications functions. She has been general counsel for the Association since 2014. She helps with energy policy formulation and advocates before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), federal courts, and other energy policy forums. Delia heads the Association's Public Power Forward initiative to prepare member utilities for the evolving energy future. In 2016, Delia was recognized by Trending 40 as one of DC's top 40 in-house lawyers for corporations and non-profits.
Before joining the Association, Delia was a senior associate at a large law firm, where she represented energy companies in a broad range of matters before FERC and worked on energy-related project finance deals for about seven years. She also served six years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy within the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
Delia is on the executive committee of the Consumer Federation of America, President Elect of the Energy Bar Association, and member of the Department of Energy's Electricity Advisory Committee. She also is a member of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Future Electric Utility Regulation Advisory Group, American Antitrust Institute's Advisory Board, and is on the Board of the Women's Energy Resource Council.
Delia earned her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, M.S. degree in Industrial Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, and a B.S. degree from the United States Naval Academy. Most recently, she received a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University.
Desmarie leads the American Public Power Association's advocacy efforts before Congress, the White House, and federal agencies on a range of issues impacting public power. She has more than 20 years of experience in government affairs as both a congressional staffer and lobbyist. Prior to joining the Association, Desmarie was director of government affairs for Ygomi LLC, an international holding and operating company for technology services. She began her career on Capitol Hill.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Bryan Texas Utilities
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Membership and Education
Jeff is responsible for the recruitment and retention of utility and associate members at the American Public Power Association. He oversees member relations and services and manages multiple non-dues revenue streams for the Association. He chairs the board of managers of the American Public Power Association's utility services subsidiary, Hometown Connections. Before joining the Association, Jeff headed up membership and marketing for an agribusiness trade association in Arlington, Virginia. He holds a master's degree in public administration from American University.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Officers Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Immediate past - Chair / President and CEO, American Municipal Power, Ohio
Jolene has worked with municipal electric systems for nearly 30 years and is the first woman to lead AMP, the multi-state nonprofit corporation, which owns and operates electric facilities that provide generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power and energy to 135 members in nine states. Before becoming president and CEO, Jolene oversaw government relations, environmental affairs, energy policy, compliance, public/media relations, energy efficiency/business development services, and human resources and served as the principal legislative contact for both AMP and the Ohio Municipal Electric Association, where she was executive director. Jolene has served as a member of the Transmission Access Policy Study Group Board of Directors and its Executive Committee. At the state level, she is a member of the Ohio Lobbying Association and was recognized in a survey of the Ohio lobbying community as one of the most effective female lobbyists. Before joining AMP, she worked at Columbus Monthly magazine and Business First newspaper.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- American Public Power Association 's President and CEO
Joy Ditto became the American Public Power Association's president and CEO on January 13, 2020. Before that, she was the president and CEO of the Utilities Technology Council, a global trade association representing electric, gas, and water utilities on their mission-critical information and communications technologies. She has testified before the U.S. Senate and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and is a past member of the Department of Energy's Electricity Advisory Committee and a past chair of the National Energy Resources Organization. She is currently on the Board of the Electrical Safety Foundation International.
Before joining UTC, Joy was with the American Public Power Association for 15 years, rounding out her tenure as the senior vice president for legislative and political affairs.
Earlier, Joy spent seven years on Capitol Hill, as legislative assistant to two representatives from Pennsylvania, Joe McDade (R), and Don Sherwood (R), and a senator from Nebraska, Chuck Hagel (R). She was a staff assistant to Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in her first job out of college. Joy advised her bosses on issues involving natural resources, agriculture, trade, tax, banking, the justice system, environment, and energy.
As a "Marine Corps brat," Joy learned early that relationships are key to success, as are a willingness to work hard and an ability to see both "the forest and the trees."
Joy is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a BA in history and minor in political science and has received an executive certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University.
Joy is married with two daughters. She is a competitive equestrian in the sport of eventing.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Officers Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Treasurer / President and CEO, Utah Municipal Power Agency, Utah
Layne has been with UMPA for 24 years, with 21 years in management positions. Prior to his current position, Layne served as UMPA's Chief Financial Officer & Power Resource Manager. His experience includes power plant operations, contract negotiation and administration, power marketing, open access transmission tariff proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, power plant operations, issuance of bonds and other obligations of UMPA, and administration of all UMPA financial and accounting functions. He is a member of the Colorado River Energy Distributors Association's Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Officers Team
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Officers Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Chairman, Advisory Committee / Executive Director, Southwestern Power Resources Association, Oklahoma
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Chairman, Policy Makers Council / Mayor, City of Burlington, Kansas
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Officers Team
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Strategic Member Engagement and Education
Ursula oversees the American Public Power Association's Academy - with a full suite of conferences, webinars, and customized education programs. She leads the Association's programs for members in workforce issues and customer service development. Ursula consults with communities seeking to introduce public power and with public power communities protecting against privatization of their electric utilities. She has been with the Association for 20 years and holds an MBA from George Washington University.