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awea staff
Public Policy
Rob Gramlich is Sr. V.P. of Public Policy for the American Wind Energy Association, the national trade association of approximately 2000 entities involved in all aspects of wind energy production. Rob joined AWEA in 2005 and now leads the association's strategic initiatives related to federal and state legislation, industry information and analysis, regulatory policy, and electric industry reforms. He has published articles on wind integration, carbon taxes, market power regulation, and electricity capacity markets. He has testified before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on generation interconnection policy. He serves on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee.
Rob served as Economic Advisor to FERC Chairman Pat Wood III from 2001 until early 2005 with responsibility for transmission policy development. Rob was previously in the Commission’s Office of Economic Policy from 1995 through 1999 where he developed policies and drafted orders on transmission policy and market power. He was also Senior Economist in the PJM Market Monitoring Unit, Senior Associate with the PG&E National Energy Group, and research assistant with the World Resources Institute and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Rob has a Masters degree in Public Policy from UC Berkeley and a BA with honors in economics from Colby College. Rob and his wife Merrie live in Bethesda, Maryland with their four children.
Mary Kate Francis
Manager, Policy Projects
mfrancis@awea.org
Phone: (202) 383-2549
- Coordinates activities of Public Policy team
- Writes and edits reports for Committees and Board of Directors
- Writes and edits policy advocacy documents and presentations
Mary Kate Francis joined AWEA in June 2007. Previously, Mary Kate conducted biofuels research projects at the Environmental Protection Administration and the Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Economics from American University
Regulatory Affairs
Tom Vinson
Director, Regulatory Affairs
tvinson@awea.org
Phone: (202) 383-2535
Tom Vinson joined AWEA in November 2007. He represents the wind industry before Congress and federal agencies primarily on climate change, clean air, and siting issues. Prior to joining AWEA, Tom spent more than 10 years working for Members of Congress in both the House and Senate. Most recently, he was legislative director for Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon. In that capacity, Tom worked on legislation and advised the member on issues ranging from energy to foreign policy, national defense, trade, and taxes, among others. He also directed the work of the House Northwest Energy Caucus, a bipartisan group of all House Republicans and Democrats from four Northwest states that primarily focuses on issues related to the Bonneville Power Administration and the Federal Columbia River Power System.
Gene Grace
Senior Counsel
Michael Goggin
Manager Transmission Policy
Phone: (202) 383-2531
Michael Goggin joined AWEA in February 2008. He represents the wind industry on transmission matters, coordinates member input on the development of policy positions, facilitates the exchange of information between members, handles press inquiries on transmission-related issues, and advocates policy positions that advance wind industry interests. Through these activities, he works to promote transmission investment and advance changes in transmission rules and operations to better accommodate wind energy in the power system while maintaining system reliability. Prior to joining AWEA, he worked for two environmental advocacy groups and a consulting firm supporting the U.S. Department of Energy’s renewable energy programs. Michael holds a B.A. with honors in Social Studies from Harvard College.
Jennifer Banks
Siting Specialist
Michele Myers Mihelic
Manager, Labor, Health and Safety Policy
mmihelic@awea.org
202.249.7344

Industry Data & Statistics
Elizabeth Salerno
Director, Industry Data and Analysis
Phone: (202) 383-2517
Liz is the Director of Industry Data & Analysis for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) amd has been with AWEA since 2005.
Liz manages the data and analytical agendas for AWEA including energy sector statistics, wind market economics, wind project and manufacturing data, green jobs, market forecasts, wind energy benefits, and the effect of policy options on wind industry market growth.
She provides analytical support across AWEA's legislative agenda including the Production Tax Credit, Renewable Electricity Standards, Climate Change Regulations and Research & Development Budget.
She holds a master's degree in Environmental Public Policy from the George Washington University and graduated with honors from Boston University with a B.A. in Economics.
Jessica Isaacs
Policy Analyst
- Supports Policy Analysis Agenda
- Provides Economic Development Research and Analysis
- Provides Industry Financial Analysis
Jessica provides support for the AWEA Policy department through research and analysis on topics including energy policy, industry development and status, industry economics and wind industry impacts. Jessica supports the legislative agenda through analysis of policy options such as a Renewable Portfolio Standard, the Production Tax Credit and Climate Change Regulation.
Prior to joining AWEA, Jessica was a Fulbright Scholar in Taiwan, where she studied various energy policies both domestically and regionally. Jessica holds a B.A. in Public Policy Analysis from Scripps College in Claremont, California.
Kathy Belyeu
Manager, Industry Information Services
Phone: (202) 383-2520
- Existing and planned wind power projects database
- Wind power generation database
- Quarterly U.S. wind power market press release
- Green power liaison
- AWEA slide show
- Development of other informational materials
Kathy Belyeu joined the AWEA Communications Department in March 2000. Before joining AWEA, she had experience researching legislative and regulatory initiatives and writing government affairs reports for a Midwest electric utility and the Washington office of an international utility. The topics she focused on included electricity restructuring and environmental initiatives, as well as corporate issues, such as taxes and health care proposals. Kathy received an M.B.A. degree from Georgetown University in 1995 with a special focus on international diplomacy. She received her B.A. degree in English Literature from Pomona College in 1991.
State and Regional Policy
Susan Williams Sloan
Director, State Relations
ssloan@awea.org
Phone: (512) 220-9063
Susan Williams Sloan joined AWEA in 2005 and works to promote state policies by engaging members and allied organizations in state and regional efforts. Susan also serves as staff liaison to AWEA’s Community Wind Working Group.
Prior to joining AWEA, Susan worked for wind and solar interests, promoting renewable energy policies locally in Austin, and then to the Texas legislature when it expanded the Renewable Portfolio Standard and established the transmission Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ).
Susan’s public affairs background includes working for public officials in Texas, cable and broadcast media interests at the local, state and federal levels, and companies in Texas and Hong Kong.

Federal Legislative Affairs
Christopher Chwastyk
VP, Federal Legislative Affairs
cchwastyk@awea.org
Aaron Severn
Director of Federal Legislative Affairs
Phone: (202) 383-2500
Aaron joined AWEA in February 2007. Prior to joining AWEA, Aaron worked for nearly three years as a Legislative Assistant for a U.S. Senator. He advised the Senator on energy, environmental, and public lands issues. Prior to working as a congressional staffer, Aaron worked as a research assistant at Resources for the Future, a non-partisan energy and environmental think tank in DC. Aaron has a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Grinnell College.
Yelena Viner
Grassroots Advocacy & WindPAC Coordinator
yviner@awea.org
Phone: (202) 383-2500, ext. 539
Yelena Viner joined AWEA in October 2008. Prior to joining the organization, Yelena held several internships in Washington DC ranging from Eurasian economic development with the Eurasia Center to law research with Polaris Project. At AWEA, Yelena supports the daily operations of the Grassroots lobbying program and its political action committee, WindPAC by facilitating communications and assisting in planning of special events. Yelena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from McGill University and a Master’s of Arts in International Affairs from George Washington’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
Jim Martin
Director, Strategic Policy Initiatives
jmartin@awea.org
Brad Lystra
Manager, Economic Development Partnerships
blystra@awea.org
Brad Lystra joined AWEA in September, 2008. He works with economic development organizations to support emerging needs in component manufacturing, services and construction for the rapidly expanding wind industry. He also coordinates Wind Energy Works!, (www.windenergyworks.org) an alliance of groups that aim to engage the public debate over wind energy development and counteract the spread of misinformation by wind energy opponents. Prior to joining AWEA, Brad completed his Masters of Science in Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Brad has worked on numerous political campaigns, including Governor Jim Doyle's successful 2006 Wisconsin reelection campaign. Brad graduated from Kenyon College in 2000 and grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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