Chris Hansen, Colorado State Senator

Chris Hansen, Colorado State Senator

Biography:

Senator Chris Hansen represents central and east Denver in the Colorado State Senate. He specializes in energy sector economics and data analytics, with 25 years of experience in the global energy industry. He currently serves on the Senate Finance, Joint Technology, State Affairs and Appropriations Committees and is the Chair of the Colorado Property Tax Commission. He formerly served as the Vice-Chair of the Joint Budget committee and Chair of Appropriations. During his tenure in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2017-2019, Hansen served on the Capital Development, House Transportation & Energy, Natural Resources, and Joint Budget Committees, and as Chair on the House Appropriations Committee.

Mark Gabriel, President & CEO of United Power

Mark Gabriel, President & CEO of United Power

Biography:

Mark A. Gabriel joined United Power as the co-op’s President and CEO in March 2021. Under Gabriel’s leadership, United Power has been recognized as the 31st cooperative to reach 100,000 meters served, interconnected its 10,000th rooftop solar system, and been named a Solar and Storage Champion by the Colorado Solar and Storage Association. Gabriel is instrumental in championing Our Cooperative Roadmap, United Power’s long-term action plan to ensure the co-op’s future as an industry leader in an evolving utility landscape. He also works to advance grid modernization and resiliency across the country as the current chair of the GridWise Alliance Board of Directors.

Gabriel is a popular speaker and award-winning author. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Fordham University in New York and completed the coursework for a Master of Science in administration and management from St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont.

Robin Lunt, Chief Commercial Officer of Guzman Energy

Robin Lunt, Chief Commercial Officer of Guzman Energy

Biography:

Robin joined Guzman Energy in 2018 and works across the business developing wholesale power solutions for distribution utilities and creating solutions to facilitate the energy transition through new renewable and dispatchable generation assets. Robin spent almost a decade in Washington, DC where she worked state and federal energy policy, and advised a commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on legal and policy matters in the western electric grid, RTO development, and oil and gas dockets. In addition to her time in DC, she previously worked as an attorney in private practice and as the general counsel of a demand side management company in Colorado. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University Law School and Pomona College.

Zach Pollock, Director of Grid Strategy & Emerging Technologies

Zach Pollock, Director of Grid Strategy & Emerging Technologies

Biography:

Zach Pollock is Director of Grid Strategy & Emerging Technologies within Xcel Energy’s Integrated System Planning group. He is responsible for developing strategy for planning and integration of emerging technologies to help enable the grid of the future. Prior to this role, he led many of the Company’s regulatory initiatives related to integrated system planning for the electric distribution system and gas LDC system, DER integration, renewable energy planning, and other related policy issues. Prior to joining Xcel Energy, Mr. Pollock spent more than a decade in various energy consulting, product, and research roles advising utilities, regulators, technology vendors, and investment firms on topics including integrated distribution system planning, interconnection and integration of DERs, non-wires and non-pipes alternatives, and emerging energy technologies. He has authored several industry-leading reports as a former industry analyst and has been quoted in numerous publications. Mr. Pollock holds a Master’s of Science degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University with a focus on energy policy, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Natural Resources from Cornell University.