Amanda McClinton serves as the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Energy at the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy (C&E), where she helps guide energy policy, planning, and implementation across the state. In her role, Amanda supports efforts to promote energy efficiency, manage federal energy grant programs, and advance statewide energy initiatives that balance traditional resources with emerging technologies and sustainability goals. She brings extensive experience in analytics and public service from her previous roles in state government, including positions in business analytics and benefits management. Amanda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Louisiana State University.

J. Blake Canfield is Executive Counsel for the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources. In this role Blake manages DENR’s Legal Division and is responsible for certain legislative matters involving DENR. He also advises DENR’s Secretary and staff on the department’s administrative and operational functions, as well as matters concerning DENR’s regulation of Louisiana’s natural resources. Before assuming his current role in 2013, Blake was Senior Attorney for the Louisiana Office of Conservation, where he represented the agency in litigation and administrative matters and provided legal counsel to the Commissioner of Conservation. Blake is a graduate of LSU’s Hebert Law Center and a member of the Louisiana Mineral Law Institute’s Advisory Council.

Dr. Mandalika is Assistant Professor - Research at the Center for Energy Studies. His research interests include biomass and bioenergy, biofuels, waste reduction and valorization, emissions measurement, carbon dioxide removal, ethics, and environmental justice. He has studied the production of the platform chemicals furfural and furfuryl alcohol in high yield from a variety of biomass sources using novel, green chemistry principles, evaluated the application of membranes for separations in biomass processing and conversion, and studied the removal of arsenic from water using adsorbents prepared from waste biomass sources.  He holds a B.S. in biosystems engineering from Clemson with a minor in environmental engineering, and M.S. and Ph.D. in biological systems engineering with a minor in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

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Brandon Frey serves as Executive Secretary of the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC), where he leads the agency’s day-to-day operations and works closely with the five elected commissioners to support the regulation of public utilities and common carriers throughout Louisiana. He has served in this leadership role since 2018, after previously overseeing the Commission’s legal division as Executive Counsel. In his capacity as Executive Secretary, Frey provides administrative oversight, coordinates technical and legal support for regulatory proceedings, and acts on behalf of the Commission in providing information to stakeholders, the public, and media. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

Dr. Greg Upton is Executive Director and Associate Research Professor at LSU’s Center for Energy Studies. His research interests are related to the analysis of economic, environmental, and public policy issues in the energy industry. During his tenure at LSU, he has addressed topical energy issues of significance to Louisiana, including state mineral taxes, solar tax credits, and net metering policies, the impact of the oil price collapse on Louisiana’s budgetary challenges, and implications of the crude oil export ban’s lifting on the Louisiana economy, among others. He has presented research to more than 200 industry, governmental, and academic audiences, and has been quoted or cited over 250 times in local and national media, including the Wall Street Journal and NPR’s Marketplace. Dr. Upton holds a Ph.D. in economics from LSU, where he also received both an M.S. and B.S. in economics.

Mary Landrieu is an American public servant and leader who represented Louisiana in the United States Senate for three terms from 1997 to 2015 as a member of the Democratic Party. During her three terms, she became a leading voice on energy, coastal restoration, and small business issues, and served as Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. She was the first woman from Louisiana elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate.

Dan Brouillette is an American government official and energy leader who served as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy from 2019 to 2021, after being confirmed by the Senate following his tenure as Deputy Secretary of Energy. He oversaw national energy policy, energy security, and major research initiatives at the Department of Energy, bringing decades of experience from both public service and senior roles in the private sector. Originally from Louisiana, Brouillette also served earlier in his career as Assistant Secretary of Energy and in legislative and regulatory posts.

Kelly Michael Armstrong is the 34th Governor of North Dakota, having taken office on December 15, 2024. A lifelong North Dakotan from Dickinson, he previously served as the state’s U.S. Representative for the at‑large congressional district from 2019 to 2024 and was a member of the North Dakota State Senate from 2012 to 2018. Before his gubernatorial and legislative service, Armstrong chaired the North Dakota Republican Party and practiced law after earning his Bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota. As governor, he focuses on promoting economic growth, energy development, and conservative public policy for the state.

Neil Chatterjee is an American lawyer and energy policy expert who served as a commissioner and twice as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, leading initiatives on energy markets, grid modernization, and policy for distributed resources. Previously advised Senate leadership on energy policy and continues to work in energy regulatory and industry leadership roles.