Karl Popham of Mobility and Energy Consulting

Smart Cities

Biography:

Karl is the founder of Mobility and Energy Consulting LLC and the Chair of the Electric Vehicle Leadership Council powered by Chartwell Inc. In these roles he leverages 25 years of electric utility and consulting experience to include over a decade of transportation electrification leadership with the award-winning team at Austin Energy. Karl has been a successful Principal Investigator on over ten innovation grants for federal, state, and philanthropic funded deployments. An active speaker and research contributor, Karl is co-author of "Smart Cities; Applications & Standards” an industry textbook published by Springer. Previous roles include Austin Energy’s Program Management Office Division Manager and its interim Chief Information Officer, a Managing Director at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, and a Captain in the US Army Corps of Engineers.

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Email:

Address:Austin

Katie Render of Katie Render

Introducing inclusive design principles to building systems engineering represents a paradigm shift in how we approach the creation of safe, accessible, and functional spaces for all users. This innovative approach goes beyond mere compliance with accessibility standards, instead aiming to create environments that are inherently usable by people with diverse abilities, ages, and backgrounds. Traditionally, fields like Fire Protection Engineering have relied on highly regulated, prescriptive design methods with limited flexibility. However, this black-and-white approach oversimplifies the nuances of human behavior in built environments, potentially compromising safety objectives and occupant comfort. As we build towards a smarter future, it's crucial to explore alternative design methods, including performance-based design, for building systems. This evolution will align engineering practices with the innovative approaches already embraced by architecture firms across the industry, fostering a more holistic and inclusive built environment. Beyond improving safety and accessibility, this shift towards inclusive design in building systems offers significant economic and social benefits. It can lead to reduced retrofitting costs, increased property values, and enhanced user satisfaction, while also promoting social equity and fostering more vibrant, diverse communities.

Biography:

Katie Render, P.E. is a Fire Protection Engineer with five years of diverse engineering design and consulting experience across public and private sectors. Her work encompasses a wide range of projects, including federal and military installations, healthcare facilities, detention and correctional institutions, mixed-use high-rise developments, corporate offices, and entertainment venues. Katie is passionate about spreading awareness of performance-based design principles within the Fire Protection industry, especially as they relate to inclusive building design practices.

Email:

Address:Austin

Joanne Richardson of Gailwinds Group Consulting

New Trend emerging: Smart Residences combined with Traditional Hotel amenities. Microgrids Open New Horizons for extravagance and everyday living in the Hospitality Vertical.

Biography:

25yr experienced global sales leader in IOT smart building technology and electrical/HVAC solutions. Expertise in Hospitality, Retail and Telecommunications/Data verticals. Career includes York International, Daikin- McQuay, Honeywell, UTC/Carrier and Schnieder Electric. Mastery of 100's of MEP/ET projects: Mechanical, digital building technology controls and electrical platforms, Joanne is very versatile in design development pulling form her impressive background of successful project outcomes. In-depth understanding of practical solution placement & SOW development to positively impact change. Expertise in training sales teams to hunt, mentoring, and maturing young engineering sales teams to achieve high-level sales. Joanne will compliment all teams of decision makers to achieve desired goals and is a graceful, seasoned professional.

Email:

Address:Austin, United States

Pamela Hamblin of NuEnergy Solutions

Smart Cities

Biography:

Pamela Hamblin is a business-savvy and performance-driven professional with substantial experience developing and executing effective sales and marketing strategies to meet/exceed business needs and goals.  Proven success in ensuring flawless execution of sales strategy to build growing, sustainable, and profitable business. Proficient in designing and implementing optimal go-to-market model based on dynamics and business strategy, including sales roles, coverage models, and team configurations to maximize productivity. Well-versed in monitoring customer, market, and competitor activity, providing feedback and strategic recommendations to business, company, and relevant functional leadership teams. Instrumental at fostering and maintaining business relationships with key internal and external stakeholders as well as collaborating with cross-functional teams on upstream and downstream marketing goals. Expert at coaching, mentoring, and raising team’s ability to deliver and exceed expectations while creating opportunities for succession talent. 

Email:

Address:Austin

Rahul Vadisetty of US Bank

Austin, Texas, is emerging as a leader in the development of smart cities within the United States.As part of its strategic plan, the city is leveraging innovative technologies to enhance urban living,improve city services, and ensure sustainability. Key initiatives include the deployment of smart transportation systems, which aim to reduce traffic congestion and promote the use of electric vehicles. Austin is also investing in smart grids and renewable energy sources to increase energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact. Additionally, the city is focusing on digital inclusion by providing residents with access to high-speed internet and encouraging the use of data-driven solutions to address community challenges. Austin's commitment to fostering a collaborative ecosystem involving local government, businesses, and academia is further propelling its status as a forward-thinking smart city.

Biography:

Mr. Rahul Vadisetty, originally from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India,completed his master's degree in electrical engineering at Wayne State University in 2015. He has accumulated more than 8 years of professional experience as a Senior Software Engineer at U.S. Bank in Dallas, Texas. In addition to his professional role, Rahul is actively engaged as a research scholar, focusing on Artificial Intelligence(AI), Machine Learning (ML), and security topics. His research contributions have been published in numerous respected international journals, showcasing his expertise and dedication to advancing these fields.

Email:

Address:Frisco, United States

Anand Polamarasetti

Smart Cities Austin

Biography:

Anand Polamarasetti is an IT professional with 18+ years of experience in a wide variety of cutting-edge technologies and various business domains. From the past 10 years he has been helping various commercial and federal clients across USA with his Cloud technology experience.He received an M.C.A (Master of Computer Applications) degree from Andhra University,Visakhapatnam in 2004. Some of his achievements include IEEE Senior Member status, Fellow member at Fellows of the International Institute of Computer Science Professional Association,Four design patents with Intellectual property office, United Kingdom, Judging/reviewing manuscripts in SN Computer Science journal (published by Springer) and significant contributions to dozens of Open-Source Git repositories.He completed the course “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python” from HarvardX in 2023. HarvardX is a university-wide strategic initiative, overseen by Harvard's Office of the ViceProvost for Advances in Learning. From an IT perspective he believes in delivering simple solutions to complex problems and enjoys Cloud Architecture, Machine Learning and AI. Outside of work his passions include policy making, charity and enjoys traveling across the country.