VX2026 PROGRAM

19th Annual VerdeXchange Marketmakers Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026 · Millennium Biltmore Hotel · Los Angeles
⚠ Subject to Change

SUNDAY, MAY 31

3:15 PM – 6:30 PM VX26 VIP Orientation Reception — Co-Host | CG Japan (By Invitation)

6:45 PM – 9:00 PM VX/Mayer Brown/Stantec VIP Dinner — Los Angeles (By Invitation)

MONDAY, JUNE 1

7:00 AM · Doors Open: Welcome to VX26 (CB)
Speakers: Stephen Cheung (President & CEO, LAEDC); David Abel (Chairman, VerdeXchange); Congressman Mike Levin (US Congressman for CA)

8:20–9:10 AM · PLENARY 1: Infrastructure in Transition: Can Wise Regulation and Technology Solve Systemic Infrastructure Challenges? (CB)
Moderator: Arnab Pal (Executive Director, Deploy Action)
Panel: Siva Gunda (Commissioner, California Energy Commission); Christine Harada (Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission); Shinjini Menon (SVP, Southern California Edison); Allan Marks (President, Board of Commissioners, LADWP)

9:15–9:55 AM · PLENARY 2: Disasters: Preparedness, Response, & Resiliency —How Do We Better Respond? (CB)
Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
Featured: Mark Pestrella (Director, Los Angeles County Public Works)
Panel: Shivaji Deshmukh (GM, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California); David Nahai (Chair, LA Regional Water Quality Control Board)

10:05–10:55 AM · Concurrent Sessions

• What's Taking So Damn Long? Fixing Energy Project Permitting (R)
  Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
  Panelists: Noemi Gallardo (Commissioner, CEC); Jason Rondou (Interim COO, LADWP); Christine Harada (Commissioner, CPUC); Brianna Pilkinton (Senior Principal, Stantec)

• Local and Regional Responses to Drought, Flood, & Emergency Preparedness (GR)
  Moderator: Nancy Sutley (Board Vice Chair, MWDSC)
  Panelists: Jacob Lipa (Founder and Principal, Lipa Consulting); Liz Crosson* (Chief Sustainability Officer, MWDSC);

• Climate Districts for Disaster Recovery — PCH as the Common Denominator (CT)
  Moderator: Larry Kosmont (Chairman &CEO, Kosmont Companies)
  Panelists: Joe Irvin (City Manager, Malibu); Aaron Ordower (Environment Deputy, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath); Maggie Messerschmidt (Resilience Associate, ARUP); Kome Ajise (Exec Dir, SCAG)

• Can We Still Build Big Things? Part 1 — Lessons from CHPE (G)
  Moderator: Kathleen Brown (Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP)
  Panelists: Peter Rose (Senior Director, Stakeholder Relations at Hydro Québec); Janna Sidley (Board Member, LACERS); Cameron Bard (CRO, Madison Energy Infrastructure); Orion Fulton (Associate Principal, ARUP)

10:55 AM – 11:00 AM — Break

11:00 –11:45 AM · Concurrent Sessions

• Critical Minerals for the Energy Transition (R)
  Moderator: John Shegerian (Co-Founder, Chairman/CEO, ERI)
  Panelists: Steve Schell (CPO, SolGrapH, Inc.); Kevin Kammerzell (VP, Stantec)

• Data Center Water Reality — Closed Loop vs. Real Cost (CT)
  Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
  Panelists: Liz Crosson (Chief Sustainability Officer, MWDSC); Norma Grubb (CIO, CAIO, LADWP); Brianna Daniels (VP, Stantec); Tasha Harvey (Associate Principal, ARUP); Tomo Kumahira (Co-Founder &CEO, WaterOne.ai)

• Automation & the Future of Mobility (GR)
  Moderator: Billy Riggs (Professor, Director, USF)
  Panelists: Phil Recht (Partner, Mayer Brown LLP); Adam Lane (Public Policy Manager, Waymo); Daniel Eppstein (Head of Partnerships, CoMotion)

• Can We Still Build Big Things? Part 2 — Private Dollars (G)
  Moderator: Kathleen Brown (Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP)
  Panelists: Romi Kadri (Managing Partner, Levelized); Andrea Ambriz (GM, Exposition Park); Tom Soto (Founder & CEO, SAS Earth Energy Services); John Keisler (CEO & Managing Partner, Sunstone Economic Development); Lauren Faber O’Connor (Partner, Lowercarbon Capital); Ben York (Applications Manager, EPRI)

• By-Invitation Roundtable: Coordinating Load Flexibility for an Affordable Grid Future — 11:00 AM (begins) (M)
  Chair: Arnab Pal (Executive Director, Deploy Action)

• Water Charrette — 11:35 AM (begins) (T)

11:50 AM–12:35 PM · Concurrent Sessions

• SB 905 — Getting the Most from What We've Already Paid For (R)
  Moderator: Arnab Pal (Executive Director, Deploy Action)
  Panelists: Andrew McAllister (Commissioner, CEC); Tim Hade (Co-Founder, Brightfield AI); Julia Pyper (VP, Goodleap); Nadia Vogt (Associate, Senior Project Manager, Stantec); Gerro Prinsloo (Sales Director, AlumaPower Corp.)

• Data Center Siting & Permitting — Getting to Yes (CT)
  Moderator: Joe Sullivan (Director of Energy Solutions, IBEW)
  Panelists: Noemi Gallardo (Commissioner, CEC); Tasha Harvey (Associate Principal, ARUP); Edgar Khalatian (Partner, Mayer Brown, LLP)

• V2G — Finally Ready for Prime Time? (GR)
  Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
  Panelists: David Jacot (AGM & Executive Director of Distributed Energy Solutions, LADWP); Larry Chung (VP, SCE); Tiya Gordon (Co-Founder & COO, it’s electric); Watson Collins (Sr. Tech Executive, EPRI)
  Responder: Tim O’Conner (Executive Director & Ratepayer Advocate, LADWP)

• Building a WildFire Resilience Work Force in LA (CO)
  Moderator: Larry Frank (Sr Advisor to Mayor Karen Bass)
  Panelist: Nurit Katz (Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA; VP Board of Water and Power Commissioners, LADWP); Robert Barna (Battalion Chief, City of Los Angeles); Devon Zatorski (Principal Project Coordinator, City of Los Angeles); Veronica Davey (Director, Chrysalis); Chris Caines (Sr Project Director, Resilience Force)

1:00-1:10 PM · Lunch Served (CB)
Introduction Remarks: Stephen Cheung (President & CEO, LAEDC)
Special Remarks: Tamotsu Saito (Chairman, NEDO)

1:15–1:45 PM · LUNCH PLENARY 1: Energy, AI & the Grid (CB)
Moderator: Lauren Faber (Partner, Lowercarbon Capital)
Panelist: Robert Piascik (SVP, CIO & CTO, NYPA); Remi Raphael (CAIO, EPRI); Udi Ganani (VP, EIS Council)

1:45–2:25 PM · LUNCH PLENARY 2: Scaling an Affordability Agenda (CB)
Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
Panelists: Noemi Gallardo (Commissioner, CEC); Robert Hertzberg (Member Board of Directors, FPH2); Ted Bardacke (CEO, Clean Power Alliance)

2:25–2:45 PM · Public/Private Partnerships: Rebuilding Fire-Scorched Palisades and Altadena (CB)
Facilitator: Jessica Lall (Managing Director, CBRE)
Guests: Rick Caruso (Founder & Executive Chairman, Caruso); Christine Kwon (Director, Department of Angels)

2:50–3:35 PM · Concurrent Sessions

• Operate Today, Transform for Tomorrow — Infrastructure Balancing & Behind-the-Meter Gas (R)
  Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
  Panelists: Nate Taylor (Director, SoCal Gas); Nadia Vogt (Associate, Senior Project Manager, Stantec)

• Investing in Nature-Based Solutions — Valuing Ecosystem Services for California's Future (GR)
  Moderator: Miguel Luna (Chair, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy; CEO Urban Semillas)
  Panelists: Nurit Katz (Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA; VP Board of Water and Power Commissioners, LADWP); Paola Bernazzi (Principal, Sustainability, Stantec); Eileen Alduenda (Council for Watershed Health); Ed Parsons (Faculty Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, UCLA); Jennifer Norris (Executive Director, Wildlife Conservation Board); Ignacio Fernandez (Sr Policy Advisor, The Climate Registry); Geneva Thompson (Deputy Secretary of Tribal Affairs, CA Natural Resources Agency)

• EV Market Momentum — Pullbacks and Progress (CT)
  Moderator: Ruben Aronin (Senior Principal, Better World Group)
  Panelists: Alycia Gilde (Fmr Sr Advisor for Transportation to the White House; CSO LACISD); Tiya Gordon (Co-Founder & COO, it’s electric); Phil Recht (Partner, Mayer Brown LLP)

• Green Capital: Financing & Policy to Scale Innovation (G)
  Moderator: Kathleen Brown (Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP)
  Panelists: Anil Tammineedi (Partner, Angeleno Group); Lauren Faber O’Connor (Partner, Lowercarbon Capital); Romi Kadri (Managing Partner, Levelized)

• By Invitation Roundtable: Scaling Heat Pump Deployment — SoCal's $40M Investment Plan — 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM (M)
  Facilitator: Ross Zelen (Chief Committee Consultant, Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies)

3:40–4:25 PM · Concurrent Sessions

• Solar and Battery Storage — Getting the Policies Right (R)
  Moderator: Eliot Abel (SVP, Corporate Clean Energy Solutions, Pivot Energy)
  Panelists: Cameron Bard (CRO, Madison Energy Infrastructure); Haresh Kamath (Director for Cross-Cutting Technologies and Solutions, EPRI); Martin Howell (Associate Principal, ARUP); Violet Flocks (Associate, Mayer Brown LLP); Howard Chang (CEO, Ava Community Energy)

• AI for Water & Energy — Cyber Resiliency & Continuity of Operations (GR)
  Moderator: Joone Kim-Lopez (GM/CEO, Moulton Niguel Water District)
  Panelists: Jeff Berk (Principal, ARUP); Robert Piascik (SVP, CIO & CTO, NYPA); Udi Ganani (VP, EIS Council); Norma Grubb (CIO, CAIO, LADWP); Tasha Harvey (Associate Principal, ARUP)

• Intelligent Urban Infrastructure — Sepulveda Corridor Case Study (CT)
  Moderator: Eli Lipmen (Executive Director, Move LA)
  Panelists: Hilary Norton (Executive Director, FASTLinkDTLA); Kristen Torres Pawling (Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Councilwoman Yaroslavsky); Lamont Cobb (Director of Planning & Land Use, CD6)

• LAEDC/WTC International Cleantech Pitch Session (TR)
  Moderator: William Powles (Senior Director of International Trade, World Trade Center Los Angeles)

• CONTINUED: By Invitation Roundtable: Scaling Heat Pump Deployment — SoCal's $40M Investment Plan — 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM (M)
  Facilitator: Ross Zelen (Chief Committee Consultant, Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies)

4:30–5:15 PM · Concurrent Sessions

• Speed to Power — Get the Power You Need, When You Need It (R)
  Moderator: Victoria Harmon (CEO & Founder, VL Harmon Advisors)
  Panelists: Dr Kelly Sanders (Associate Professor, USC); Gerro Prinsloo (Sales Director, AlumaPower Corp.); Andrew Grinalds (Co-Founder & COO, Critical Loop); Nasser Usman (Co-Founder & CEO, GridGPT); Rachit Khare (Founder & CEO, Concept X)

• Advanced Generation — Fusion (GR)
  Moderator: Bob Powell (Professor, UC Davis; Science and Technology Committee Chair, Lawrence Livermore National Security)
  Panelists: Richard Magee (VP, TAE Technologies, Inc); Robin Wong (Industry & Partnerships Lead, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory); Ed Moses (Founder & CEO, Longview Fusion Energy Systems)

• Heavy Duty Trucking: The Complementary Role of Battery Electric and Hydrogen (CT)
  Moderator: Terry O’Day (COO & Founder, In-Charge Energy)
  Panelists: Aaron Lapsley (CTO, Hyroad); Reb Guthrie (Principal, Stantec)

• WTC Consular Panel (TR)
  Moderator: Stephen Cheung (President & CEO, LAEDC)
  Consulate Generals: Japan, Canada, India, and Germany

6:30 PM
Canada / Germany / Quebec / VX Hosted Dinner (By Invitation)

TUESDAY, JUNE 2

7:15 AM · Welcome Day 2 (CB)
Opening Remarks: Eric Garcetti (Frmr US Ambassador to India)

7:10–8:10 AM The Middle East Energy & Security Briefing (Breakfast) — By Invitation (CB)

8:15–9:00 AM · Infrastructure & The Olympics: Preparation, Execution & Legacy (CB)
Moderator: Andrea Ambriz (GM, Exposition Park)
Panelists: Mayor James T. Butts (City of Inglewood); Marcel Porras (Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, LA Metro)

9:10–10:00 AM · Concurrent Sessions

• Affordable Housing: Is the Model Broken? (CT)
  Moderator: Rick Cole (Councilmember, City of Pasadena)
  Panelists: Robert Hertzberg (Sr. Advisor, Mission Possible Partnership; CA Senate Majority Leader Emeritus); Dan Weinstein (Partner, CTI Housing); Ted Grove (Residential Land Development Sector Leader North America, Stantec)

• Wildfire Liability and Insurance — Who Pays? (GR)
  Moderator: Jules Radcliff (Attorney at Law, Radcliff Fairman, LLP)
  Panelists: Joy Chen (Executive Director, Every Fire Survivor’s Network); Maggie Messerschmidt (Resiliance Associate, ARUP)

• India and California Climate Tech Collaboration (CO)
  Moderator: Anil Tammineedi (Partner, Angeleno Group)
  Panelists: K J Srinivasa (Consul General of India, Los Angeles); Ambassador Eric Garcetti (Frmr US Ambassador to India); Gunjan Bagla (CEO, Amritt, Inc), Mason Rush (EA, CBRE)

• Session 1: Decarbonizing Ports, Maritime Uses & the Global Supply Chain (TR)
  Moderator: Lex Heslin (CEO, Enso Infrastructure)
  Panelists: Noel Hacegaba (CEO, Port of Long Beach); Gene Seroka (Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles); Yuhei Sasahara (Managing Director, NYK Group Americas); Alisa Kreynes (Director of Ports and Shipping, C40 Cities); Jason Rondou (Interim COO, LADWP)

10:10–11:00 AM · Concurrent Sessions

• Resiliency Hubs & Building Decarbonization (CT)
  Moderator: Beckie Menten (California Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition)
  Panelists: Andrew McAllister (Commissioner, CEC); Randall Winston (Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure, City of Los Angeles); Jonathan Parfrey (Executive Director, Climate Resolve); Sahar Abbaszadeh (Associate Principal, ARUP)

• Ports: Zero-Emission Operations by 2035 — What's the Real Plan? (GR)
  Moderator: Mary Nichols (Professor, Institute of the Environment, UCLA)
  Panelists: Randall Winston (Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure, City of Los Angeles); David Libatique (Deputy Executive Director, Stakeholder Engagement, Port of Los Angeles); Christopher McGrath (Principal, Stantec)

• Can CA Create a Truly Circular Economy? (R)
  Moderator: Coby Skye (Executive Director, San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority)
  Panelists: Zoe Heller (Director, CalRecycle); Emily Coven (California Executive Director, Circular Action Alliance); Heidi Sanborn (Founder & Executive Director / CEO, National Stewardship Action Council); Erin Rowland (General Superintendent, Waste Diversion & Recycling, City of Los Angeles); Mike Caprio (Director of Government Affairs-California, Republic Services)

• Session 2: Japan's Global Leadership in Hydrogen & Ammonia Project Deployment (TR)
  Moderator: Takehito Yokoo (CEO, Jozen Power)
  Panelists: Daishu Hara (Sr Director, Hydrogen and Ammonia Department, NEDO Japan); Jackie Birdsall (Sr Program Manager, Toyota North America); Aya Izawa (CN Business Development Assistant Manager, NGK Corporation); Yuma Taniguchi (Business Development Manager, Nikkiso CE&IG)

11:10–11:50 AM · Concurrent Sessions

• Making Power Happen — In an Era of AI, Finance, Regulatory, & Political Headwinds (GR)
  Moderator: Tom Soto (Founder & CEO, SAS Earth Energy Services)
  Panelists: Angelina Galiteva (Founder & Board President, Renewables 100 Policy Institute); Isaac Segovia (Member Board of Trustees, California Science Center); Rachit Khare (Founder & CEO, Concept X); Nasser Usman (Co-Founder & CEO, GridGPT); Elias Rashmawi (VP, Stantec)

• Breaking the Toxic Cycle of Hazardous Products (R)
  Moderator: Heidi Sanborn (Executive Director, Stewardship Action Foundation)
  Panelists: John Shegerian (Co-Founder, Chairman/CEO, ERI); Chris Sheppard (Principal Engineer, LA County Public Works); Tom Koutroulis (Director, County of Orange, OC Waste & Recycling)

• The War on Wildfire: AI, Autonomous Systems, and Breakthrough Technologies Defending Human Life and Critical Infrastructure (CT)
  Moderator: Joe Boystak (Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, Balboa Geolocation, Inc)
  Panelists: Peter Ambler (VP, Pano AI); Andrew Wordin (Battalion Chief, LACFD); Ed Chow (Civil Programs, Manager, JPL); Hamed Noori (Founder & CEO, SenseNet)

• Session 3: U.S. Hydrogen & Ammonia Market Reality — Which Business Models Are Working? (TR)
  Moderator: Lex Heslin (CEO, Enso Infrastructure)
  Panelists: Jason Caudle (CEO, First Public Hydrogen); Ricky Sakai (SVP, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America); Aaron Lapsley (CTO, Hyroad Energy); John Flory (President, Clean Hydrogen Buyers Alliance)

12:00 PM · Lunch Served (CB)

12:30-1:15 PM · Fireside Chat: Great Power Comes with Great Responsibilities: Energy Infrastructure & the AI Economy (CB)
Moderator: Rebecca Lee (Director of Government Affairs, Western US, NRG)
Panelists: Senator Ben Allen (California State Senate)*; Lauren Faber O’Connor (Partner, Lowercarbon Capital); Robert Hertzberg (Former CA Senate Majority Leader Emeritus)

1:15-1:45 PM · Indigenous Peoples: Full Partners in the Infrastructure Transition (CB)
Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
Panelists: Johnny Hernandez (Vice Chairman, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation), Luticia Miller (VP Project Development, First Nations Major Projects Coalition)

1:45–2:15 PM · Post Luncheon: The Innovators — Breakthrough Ideas That Could Change the Game (CB)

2:20–3:05 PM · Concurrent Sessions

• The Future of Long-Duration Energy Storage (CT)
  Moderator: Haresh Kamath (Director for Cross-Cutting Technologies and Solutions, EPRI)
  Panelists: Andrew McAllister (Commissioner, CEC), Violet Flocks (Associate, Mayer Brown LLP); Nate Kirchhofer* (Co-Founder & CEO, BioZen)

• Workforce in the 21st Century (R)
  Moderator: Ben Stapleton (CEO, US Green Building Council)
  Panelists: Carolyn Hull (President & CEO, CM Hull Strategic Advisors); Marcela Oliva (Board Member, CSC Strategic Taskforce; Board Member, US Green Building Council); Jo Tavares* (Director, West Los Angeles College), Peter Rose (Senior Director, Stakeholder Relations at Hydro Québec); Evan Birenbaum (Sr Technical Executive, EPRI) ‍

• Building Decarbonization : Hard Truths & Unintended Consequences (GR)
  Moderator: Jim Kelly (Director, S&C Electric)
  Panelists: Mary Nichols (Professor, Institute of the Environment, UCLA); Sahar Abbaszadeh (Associate Principal, ARUP); Meghan Sahli-Wells (Frmr Mayor, Culver City; Strategic Advisor, Better World Group)

• By-Invitation: Palisades / Altadena Building Back Better

• Session 4: Hydrogen Plus Alternative Energy Solutions for Backup Power & Resiliency - 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (TR)
  Moderator: Lorraine Paskett (Chief Operating Officer, First Public Hydrogen)
  Panelists: Timothy Sasseen (Manager, Hydrogen Solutions, American Honda Motor Company); Tanya Peacock (Managing Director, EcoEngineers); Tomohiro Fujita (Section Chief, Namie Town, Fukushima); James Kast (General Manager of Hydrogen, Iwatani Corporation of America)

3:10–3:45 PM · Concurrent Sessions

• VX2027 What Should Be on the Agenda (M)
  Facilitator: David Abel

• Storage-First Homes: The New Architecture for Affordable Energy Resilience (CO)
  Moderator: Matt Horton (VP, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation)
  Panelists: Vamsi Kumar Kotla(Founder & CEO, ReMo Homes); Lori Dermody (Manager of Corporate Sustainability Programs, LADWP); George Holmes (Exec-Chairman & CEO, Stormentum); Lujuana Medina (Environmental Initiatives Division Manager, County of Los Angeles)

• CONTINUED: By-Invitation: Palisades / Altadena Building Back Better (CB)

• Session 5: Global Hydrogen & Ammonia Market Reality — How Europe & Asia Are Filling the Vacuum & Developing Energy Security - 3:10 PM – 4:10 PM (TR)
  Moderator: Robert Hertzberg (Former CA Senate Majority Leader Emeritus)
  Panelists: Paul Nelson (Managing Partner, Saoradh Enterprise Partners); David Yanagisawa (Senior Manager, Mitsui and Co. Ltd.); Eugene Litvinov (Director, Energy & Hydrogen, Hyundai Motor North America); Shailesh Topiwala (Director, Robert Bosch LLC)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

7:00 AM · Doors Open

8:00–8:15 AM Welcome (CB)
David Abel (Chairman, VerdeXchange)

8:20–8:35 AM Welcome (CB)
Tim McOsker (Councilmember, 15th District)

8:30–10:00 AM · PLENARY Working Harbor Tour — San Pedro Bay Ports (By Invitation)
Joined by Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach Leadership

11:00–11:10 AM AltaSea Remarks (By Invitation)
Terry Tamminen (President & CEO, AltaSea)

11:10–11:50 AM Featured Remarks + Panel: Blue Economy & AltaSea (By Invitation)
Moderator: Brian Goldstein (Executive Director, Energy Independence Now)
Panelists: Mike Galvin (Director of Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate, Port of Los Angeles); Mark Jurisic (Chairman, International Longshore & Warehouse Union); Ian MacMillan (Assistant Deputy Executive Officer, South Coast Air Quality Management District)

Program subject to change. Check back on verdexchange.org for the latest updates.