4–7 May 2026 • Chicago, IL
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Produced By
Hosted By
The 2026 IEEE PES T&D Conference & Exposition is proud to support the next generation of energy professionals through our Collegiate and Young Professionals (CYP) Program.
Designed for students and early-career professionals in the power, energy, and utilities industry, this program offers career-focused workshops, interactive panels, a technical tour, and exclusive networking events with today’s industry leaders. Gain practical skills, explore emerging technologies, and connect with peers shaping the future of transmission and distribution.
Get ready to launch your energy career with three days of skill-building workshops, real-world insights, and exclusive networking opportunities—all designed to help you grow, connect, and thrive in the evolving power and energy landscape.
From professional development workshops to networking receptions and student panels, the CYP Program is your gateway to learning, connection, and opportunity.
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM • Panel
This session equips students with practical strategies to confidently navigate their first professional experience, make a positive impression, and lay the groundwork for long-term career growth. Panelists will share insights on preparation, workplace etiquette, and building strong relationships. Attendees will learn how to thrive in their first 90 days, stand out without overstepping, and avoid common early career pitfalls. Actionable tips and audience Q&A ensure students leave ready to succeed.
Heli Jaason oversees ComEd’s talent strategy, including talent management and development, team/organizational effectiveness, culture, and talent acquisition. She previously served as Director, Talent Management and Leadership Development for Exelon, where she oversaw talent and leadership programs across the Exelon enterprise and she has served in various HR business partner roles.
Prior to joining Exelon, Heli was a consultant with RHR International Company, where she consulted to senior leaders on executive effectiveness. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Connecticut.
Artie Jataputra is a Department Manager for the Distribution Modernization and the Underground & Submarine Cable groups within the Transmission & Distribution global practice at Burns & McDonnell. He has more than 11 years of experience in the electric utility industry, with a focus on distribution infrastructure projects ranging from 4kV to 40kV.
His experience includes system hardening, facility relocations, new business initiatives, distribution automation, voltage conversion, and large multi-discipline projects.
In his current role, he manages a team of nearly 50 engineers, designers and specialists, where his responsibilities include goal setting, resource strategy, training and development, recruiting and quality performance.
Anand Shah is an active leader within the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) and the broader IEEE community, serving in multiple Chair and governance roles at global and regional levels. His leadership includes involvement with the IEEE Nominations and Appointments Committee, IEEE Tellers Committee, and several MGA committees, including the Sections Congress and Training Committee. He has contributed extensively to Young Professionals, Chapters, and Membership initiatives across Regions 1–10, fostering collaboration between industry and academia.
Anand is the recipient of the 2024 IEEE MGA Young Professionals Achievement Award for leading the development and implementation of an IEEE-wide Virtual Paid Internship and Career Fair initiative, creating impactful career opportunities for students and young professionals worldwide.
Trishia Swayne is a registered Professional Engineer with more than 22 years of experience in the electric utility industry. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from Murray State University in 2002, followed by her MBA in 2004.
Trishia currently serves as a Senior Manager of Business Development at ENERCON Services, Inc., where she focuses on building and strengthening client relationships across multiple business lines.
She works closely with both internal and external stakeholders—acting as a liaison between ENERCON’s subject matter experts and engineering teams and the clients they serve. Her role centers on gathering feedback, identifying opportunities for expansion, and supporting the long‑term growth of ENERCON’s services.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM • Panel
This session guides students in leveraging LinkedIn to build a compelling online brand, expand their network, and secure job opportunities. Experts provide step-by-step advice on profile optimization, networking strategies, and effective job search techniques. A recruiter offers a live demo of candidate searches and shares insider tips on what makes a profile stand out. Attendees will leave with clear action items and best practices for using LinkedIn to advance their careers.
Angela Brown is a seasoned talent acquisition professional with over 10 years of experience across corporate, RPO, campus, and technical recruiting environments. Currently serving as a Senior Specialist, Talent Acquisition Strategy at Exelon, Angela supports enterprise hiring initiatives including early career and campus recruitment, military and veteran talent programs, recruitment events, and labor market insights.
Angela’s background spans multiple industries, including energy and utilities, professional services, insurance, technology, and manufacturing. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and Organizational Development from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Michigan–Flint.
Nel Ciurdar is a Department Manager of the Transmission & Distribution Substation group in Burns & McDonnell’s Chicago office. With 13 years of industry experience, Nel leads engineering teams and is directly involved in hiring, onboarding, and mentoring early-career engineers.
Nel brings a practical, hiring-manager perspective on how students can use professional networking and social media to build credibility, expand their network, and create real job opportunities.
Aman Mogos, PhD, P.Eng. is a Senior Advisor at Danovo Energy Solutions (formerly Quanta Technology), where he provides technical leadership in distribution capacity planning, reliability and resilience planning and grid modernization. He has extensive experience in system analysis, load forecasting, reliability studies, and microgrid development, supporting utilities in improving grid performance and resilience.
Dr. Mogos previously worked as a Research Engineer at the Saskatchewan Research Council, where he led projects on energy storage, microgrids, and remote power systems. He also served as a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan, teaching power electronics and mentoring engineering students.
He holds a PhD and MSc in Electrical Engineering and an MBA and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Canada. Aman is an IEEE Senior Member and currently serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. He is passionate about advancing sustainable energy systems and supporting the next generation of engineers.
Michael Watkins is the Manager of Early Career Talent at Exelon Corporation. With over 12 years of experience helping students and early career professionals turn potential into meaningful careers, Michael began his journey working in K-12 education and higher education, where he saw firsthand how access, exposure, and support can shape a student’s future, and that perspective continues to guide his work today.
Throughout his career, Michael has held roles at leading organizations including JLL, Nike, Apple, PwC, Microsoft, and KPMG, where he has built and led programs that connect
students to real world opportunities, from internships and apprenticeships to full-time careers. His work has focused on opening doors into industries such as technology, accounting and finance, as well as real estate, and helping students not only get in, but succeed and grow once they’re there.
In all his positions, Michael has partnered closely with business leaders, educators, and community organizations to develop pathways for students who may not always see themselves represented in these fields. He is especially passionate about breaking down barriers, building confidence, and helping young people understand that their background does not limit their future.
He believes that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not and he is committed to closing the gap by helping the next generation step confidently into their careers.
7:00 – 8:00 AM
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM • Panel
As the energy sector navigates rapid innovation, climate imperatives, and global disruptions, regulation must evolve to meet new demands. This panel explores how energy policies can drive sustainability, resilience, and innovation in uncertain times. Aimed at students pursuing careers in energy, the session will highlight key regulatory trends, the integration of renewables, and the role of policy in shaping the future energy workforce.
Kristin Munsch is Vice President for Regulatory Policy and Strategy for the Commonwealth Edison Company, an electric utility serving over 4 million customers in Northern Illinois. Her work focuses on regulatory policy, including the implementation of Illinois’ landmark environmental and energy legislation, the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act. Prior to this position, she served as Senior Associate General Counsel for ComEd, including leading the litigation for the approval of ComEd’s first Multi-Year Rate Plan and Multi-Year Grid Plan as well as other filings to implement Illinois’ landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA).
Before working with ComEd, Ms. Munsch was the Director for Regulatory and Customer Strategy with National Grid, a combined utility serving customers in New York and Massachusetts, where she focused on policies and strategies to advance state and company clean energy goals. Ms. Munsch comes from a consumer advocacy background, having served as Deputy Director for the Illinois Citizens Utility Board and Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois in the Public Utilities Bureau.
Before entering law school, Ms. Munsch primarily focused on program design and implementation of federal workforce development and public assistance programs for the City of Chicago and State of Illinois. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Shaun Moran has spent over 20 years working in electrical transmission and distribution, including over 15 years in engineering and leadership roles at ComEd, Eversource, and NIPSCO. He cofounded GridCo Partners to work alongside utilities, developers, and policymakers as they navigate the technical and regulatory realities of a changing grid.
Much of Shaun’s career has centered on putting resilience into practice. He has worked directly with utilities on grid hardening programs, storm restoration operations, and capital investment strategies designed around reliability and resilience outcomes. That experience spans the full arc from engineering to leading multi-billion dollar planning portfolios where resilience investments are analytically justified and defensible in regulatory proceedings.
Shaun has contributed to IEEE’s work on performance-based resilience metrics, including efforts to formally define distribution system resilience in the context of high-impact, low-frequency events, and grounding the applied framework in both operational performance as well as societal impact for utility customers. That same lens on grid reliability and resilience now informs how he thinks about the scale and speed of data center load growth hitting the system. He currently co-chairs the IEEE Data Center Task Force and is co-author of the IEEE PES Technical Report on Data Center Growth and Grid Readiness.
His advisory work spans state and federal jurisdictional areas across multiple power markets, and he regularly engages with utilities and regulators on how resilience considerations can be better reflected in planning, investment, and policy decisions.
Jennifer Sollars Barton leads S&C’s government relations work. Jennifer joined S&C from JAS-Strategies, LLC, where she served as founder and principal. Jennifer’s 20-plus-year career has included numerous leadership roles in government relations and business development, including Manager of Government Relations at PPL Corporation, Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, and Professional Staff for the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM • Panel
As technology accelerates and industries transform, the traditional engineering career path is being redefined. This panel explores the dynamic future of engineering careers—from emerging roles in AI, smart infrastructure, and sustainability to the evolving expectations around leadership, adaptability, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Experts will share insights on how engineers can future-proof their careers, embrace innovation, and thrive in a landscape shaped by digital transformation, climate imperatives, and global connectivity. This session will offer strategic guidance and inspiration for navigating the next era of engineering.
Anahita Bahrami is a consulting engineer at Danovo Energy Solutions specializing in power system reliability, resilience, and distribution planning. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, where her research focused on advanced analytics and data driven approaches to power system performance. Her work centers on improving grid reliability under both everyday operating conditions and extreme weather events.
Professor Alex Flueck has been a faculty member at Illinois Tech for 30 years. He is an expert in power and energy system stability. He has dedicated his career to helping the industry prevent blackouts while improving sustainability.
His research interests include solving the root causes of grid instability, investigating transient impacts of inverter based resources, and modeling unbalanced transient behavior of distributed energy resources. His favorite tools are programming, high performance computing, and artificial intelligence.
His teaching interests include large-scale power systems, fault-tolerant systems, AI machine learning, experiential learning, mindfulness, and innovation leadership.
As an executive coach and consultant, he helps senior leaders build teams that drive innovation.
Lea Maurer is Business Development Director at S&C Electric Company. In her roles of Field Engineer through Application Director, she has more than 20 years of experience helping utilities improve reliability through distribution feeder automation, smart device deployment, system protection, SCADA, and communications. Lea earned her bachelor’s degree in engineering from Northwestern University.
Laura Randle-Smith is the Vice President of Infrastructure at Exelon, the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities — Atlantic City Electric (ACE), Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), Delmarva Power & Light (DPL), PECO Energy Company (PECO), and Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco). In this role, she leads and controls the processes for best practice identification, implementation and standardization across the engineering, electric operations, gas operations, and DER functions for Exelon.
Laura also leads and directs the corporate analytics team in developing and executing strategies to support fostering a data driven culture and has governance and oversight responsibilities to ensure enterprise-wide operational platforms remain aligned and standardized post deployment. She also has responsibilities to ensure enterprise operational platforms remain aligned and standardized post-deployment.
Joseph E. Svachula is a recently retired, widely respected utility executive with nearly 40 years of experience in the energy industry. As the former Senior Vice President of Transmission & Compliance at Exelon Utilities, he was instrumental in formulating and executing Exelon’s transmission strategy and supporting policies.
He led the company’s participation in PJM and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), serving as Exelon’s Chief NERC Compliance Officer. Svachula oversaw the planning and ensured the safe and reliable operation of Exelon’s bulk power transmission system across its operating companies: Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO, and Pepco—collectively serving approximately 10 million electric and gas customers across six states and the District of Columbia.
5:00 – 7:00 PM
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
9:00 AM – 12:15 PM • Student Technical Tour
Join us for an engaging and educational tour designed specifically for students at the Maywood Tech Center Labs, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technology and innovative research. This tour includes visits to the Smart Grid GrIT and MOAT labs, the AMI Smart Cities Lab, and the Material Forensics lab. This is a unique opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world innovation.
Restrictions/Requirements for tour: Close toed shoes
Is security check required : Yes
Maximum Capacity: 25
Cost: free of charge
Take advantage of special IEEE Student Member rates:
*PES student registration includes access to exclusive student meals, sessions, exhibit hall tours, and receptions.
PES membership required.
Join us for an engaging and educational tour designed specifically for students at the Maywood Tech Center Labs, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technology and innovative research. This tour includes visits to the Smart Grid GrIT and MOAT labs, the AMI Smart Cities Lab, and the Material Forensics lab. This is a unique opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world innovation.
Tour Maximum Capacity: 25
Restrictions/Requirements for tour: Closed-toe shoes
Security Check: Yes (bring photo I.D.)
Pick-Up/Drop-Off Location: McCormick Place
Event registration is required to participate in the tour. Secure your spot when you register for 2026 IEEE PES T&D.
Contact us to learn more about the Collegiate & Young Professionals Program at 2026 IEEE PES T&D.
Explore how the rise of hyperscale and edge data centers is influencing grid planning, energy infrastructure, and sustainable load management.