CO2NNECT is a multi-day event bringing together experts and enthusiasts in the field of carbon management. Learn more about our 2025 speakers.
Richard Jackson
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
Oxy
Richard Jackson oversees Occidental’s global oil and gas operations, low-carbon integrated technologies and the midstream and marketing and health, safety and environment functions.
Over the years, Richard has held a variety of key technical and leadership roles at Oxy—including President and General Manager of the Permian Delaware Basin and EOR, as well as Vice President of Investor Relations. He’s also led from inception Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary advancing leading-edge, low-carbon technologies and projects including CCUS, Direct Air Capture and the development of technology for lithium extraction.
In addition, Richard serves on the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative’s Climate Investment Board and the American Petroleum Institute’s Upstream Committee. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering.
Stefanie Williams
Senior Research Analyst, Datacenter Services & Infrastructure,
S&P Global
Stefanie Williams is a Senior Research Analyst on the 451 Research Datacenter Services & Infrastructure team within S&P Global Market Intelligence. Stefanie’s research includes analysis of datacenter providers, market size, and supply/demand in key and emerging markets in North America and Australia-New Zealand. Additional areas of focus include US state-level legislated incentives, datacenter compliance, and datacenter management and optimization software.
Prior to joining 451 Research in 2011, Stefanie owned and operated an editing and document development business focused on technology and the sciences. She has a diverse background in customer service and business management.
In addition to regular appearances at datacenter and power industry events, Stefanie has been quoted in the Tampa Bay Times, the Plano Community News, and the AGCEA’s Signal magazine, as well as industry specific publications including DataCentre Magazine and Tech Monitor.
Stefanie holds a BA in English-technical writing from the University of North Texas.
Ryan Kammer
Research Manager, Industrial Innovation & Carbon Management,
Great Plains Institute
Ryan joined the Great Plains Institute in 2022 and serves as the research manager for the Carbon Management team. Ryan oversees both internal and external research projects related to carbon management and develops reports, webinars, and fact sheets for public outreach and education.
Prior to joining GPI, Ryan was a research geologist at the Indiana Geological and Water Survey, where he focused on carbon storage opportunities in deep saline formations in the Illinois Basin and throughout the United States. Ryan earned an MS in geology from Indiana University and BS and BA degrees from Wheaton College, IL, in geology and Spanish.
James Henahan
Senior Vice President, Commercial Analytics,
Calpine
James Henahan has served as Calpine’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Analytics since February 2022. In this role, Mr. Henahan oversees market analytics, pricing and asset optimization. Mr. Henahan began his career with General Electric, where he earned three patents related to power plant systems. He joined Calpine in July 2010 as Manager of Dispatch Analysis and has held various roles with increasing responsibility during his tenure. Mr. Henahan holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, as well as a Master of Business Administration from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Dr. Tip Meckel
Research Professor,
Bureau of Economic Geology at University of Texas-Austin
Dr. Tip Meckel is a research scientist investigating geologic carbon sequestration topics for the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin.
He joined the Gulf Coast Carbon Center at the Bureau in 2006, focusing on geologic characterization, structural geology, monitoring design, and pressure evolution for CO2 injections. Tip has been involved with several large-scale field demonstration projects funded through DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory. After early exposure during the FRIO tests east of Houston in 2006, he co-directed the research program for the SECARB demonstration project in Cranfield, Mississippi, and currently leads the research initiative to identify offshore sequestration potential in the Gulf of Mexico with a focus on capacity assessment and seismic monitoring technologies.
Matt Welch
State Director,
Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation
Matt Welch is a seasoned public affairs consultant with nearly three decades of experience navigating complex public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.
In 2008, he founded Horizon Public Affairs (HPA), an Austin-based consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, communications, public relations, government affairs, coalition building, grassroots mobilization, political campaign strategy, legislative advocacy, litigation support, media relations, market research, and social media strategy.
In 2019, Welch launched Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation (CTEI), a statewide nonprofit focused on education and advocacy for clean energy policies. CTEI promotes energy innovation grounded in conservative values—emphasizing common-sense, market-driven solutions that foster fair competition and expand access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. In 2021, he partnered with former Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman to establish the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance (TxGEA). This Texas-led organization advocates for the advancement of geothermal energy by uniting stakeholders from oilfield services, oil and gas operators, utilities, tech startups, and academic institutions.
A native of Euless, Texas, Welch earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas A&M University. He is happiest when on a bike ride in the Texas Hill Country.
Patrice Lahlum
Vice President, Industrial Innovation & Carbon Management,
Great Plains Institute
Patrice Lahlum is the vice president for the Carbon Management program at the Great Plains Institute. The Institute, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, works with diverse stakeholders and communities across the country to transform the energy system to benefit people, the economy, and environment. We strive to combine our unique consensus-building approach, expert knowledge and analysis, and local action to promote solutions that strengthen communities, shore up the nation’s industrial base, and enhance domestic energy independence, all while eliminating carbon emissions. Patrice oversees several initiatives including the Carbon Capture Coalition, Industrial Innovation Initiative, Carbon Action Alliance, and the Regional Carbon Capture Deployment Initiative.
Iain Kaplan
Partner,
The NorthBridge Group
Iain Kaplan is a Partner at The NorthBridge Group, an economic and strategic consulting company based in Concord, MA, serving the electric industry. Iain supports regulated electric utilities, competitive generators, clean energy buyers, and advocacy organizations in matters of carbon emissions accounting, strategic business decisions, environmental policy, and wholesale market design and forecasting.
Iain has spent over fifteen years helping clients achieve strategic goals and navigate regulatory proceedings at the municipal, state, and federal level. This work has included leading an effort to standardize environmental attributes for carbon capture and storage applications at electric generating units, implementing an hourly carbon emissions accounting platform to support utility customer Scope 2 accounting, developing technology-neutral clean energy standards, modeling electric system dispatch and generator additions or retirements under various policy structures, and assessing the ongoing economics of various generation portfolios.
Bryn Baker
Senior Director of US Policy,
Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)
Bryn Baker is CEBA’s senior director of U.S. Policy, leading CEBA’s work to influence policies that expand opportunities and accelerate new approaches enabling large energy buyers to access cost-competitive clean energy through an expanded and modernized grid. Previously, Bryn led WWF’s renewable energy work with businesses that helped lead to CEBA’s creation. Earlier, Bryn worked internationally on clean energy deployment. Bryn serves on the Advisory Council for the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG). She has a master’s degree in environmental policy from the London School of Economics and a bachelor of arts degree in biology from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Danny Rice
President and Chief Executive Officer,
NETpower
Danny Rice has served as Net Power’s Chief Executive Officer since 2023 and brings over 20 years of energy industry experience across various sectors including traditional energy production and transportation, energy technologies and energy transition. Danny also serves as Net Power’s interim Chief Financial Officer. Danny’s career has been profiled by Forbes Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and other news organizations. Danny was raised in Boston, MA and currently resides in Dallas, TX with his wife and their two daughters.
Hannah Schuster
Senior Associate
David Gardiner and Associates
Hannah Schuster is a communications associate with DGA, where she focuses on providing communications and research support to DGA clients issues related to the clean energy transition, grid reliability, and sustainable transportation. Before coming to DGA, she was a local reporter for public radio stations in Virginia and D.C. Her work also appeared on national NPR programs Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Hannah has a B.A. in American Studies from Brandeis University.
Sean O’Neill
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs,
American Cement Association (ACA)
Sean O’Neill leads the American Cement Association’s government affairs strategy, advocating for policies that support sustainable growth and innovation across the US cement and concrete industry. With over two decades of experience in infrastructure policy and legislative affairs, Sean plays a pivotal role in shaping federal initiatives that align with the industry’s decarbonization goals and long-term competitiveness.
Sean has served in key senior government positions, including as Chief of Staff to a US Congressman and as Special Assistant to the US Secretary of Labor. His deep understanding of both public policy and industry needs makes him a vital voice in global discussions on resilient, low-carbon infrastructure.
Susan D. Hovorka
Research Professor,
Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, UT-Austin
Susan Hovorka has led a team working geologic storage of CO2 since 1998, with a focus on field studies and monitoring to document retention and reduce risk. The Gulf Coast Carbon Center is leading efforts to develop onshore and offshore storage capacity in the the US and globaly. She has a long-term commitment to public and educational outreach including designing new training for UIC Class VI regulators.
She has a BA from Earlham College and a PhD in Geology from The University of Texas at Austin.
Kate M. Zaykowski
Senior Vice President,
Strategic Communications, McGuireWoods Consulting
Kate is a senior vice president of strategic communications on the national MWCAdvocacy team with over 12 years of experience in corporate and political communications and public relations. Her expertise is in creating and executing multifaceted communications plans, including paid and earned media, thought leadership development, executive communication, audience analysis, and message development. Her experience includes digesting complicated policies, regulations and/or strategies and communicating those to the targeted audiences in a way that is authentic and persuasive. She has a depth of experience helping companies across industries maximize their ESG efforts by creating strategic content to support her clients’ ESG metrics and goals.
Kate has worked as a consultant and in-house for both state and federal elected officials and publicly traded corporations. She has a deep and experienced background in the energy industry and today works with clients in numerous industries, including healthcare, education, advocacy, and regulatory compliance.
Prior to joining McGuireWoods Consulting, she served as the Director of Public Affairs for Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright and spent the last five years in the energy industry. Kate lives in Austin with her two boys and is a graduate of Texas Tech University and Johns Hopkins University.
Nate Morris
State and Regional Outreach & Education Manager, Industrial Innovation & Carbon Management,
Great Plains Institute
Nate joins GPI after a decade working in education and community engagement. After moving to Tulsa in 2012 with Teach For America, Nate found his passion in serving students as a high school English teacher. After six years working as a teacher, school administrator and district manager, Nate shifted to work in community organizing and engagement with the Met Cares Foundation. There, he and his team worked alongside community members to develop, launch and manage innovative programs to reduce inequities and expand opportunities for all who call Tulsa home.
Nate has also worked as a contributing writer and editor for a Tulsa-based newspaper and as a communications and social media manager for multiple grassroots and electoral campaigns in Oklahoma. In his spare time, you can find him traveling, kayaking, on his Peloton or nerding out over politics.
Nichole Saunders
Senior Director & Senior Attorney, Energy Transition,
Environmental Defense Fund
Nichole Saunders is a Senior Director and Senior Attorney on EDF’s Energy Transition team, where she leads the organization’s carbon management work and advances policy on clean hydrogen and industrial hubs. Nichole brings over a decade of experience in energy and environmental law. She holds a J.D. with highest honors and a Certificate in Sustainable Energy and Resources Law from the University of Tulsa College of Law, as well as M.S. and B.S. degrees in Environmental Biology from Tulane University.
David Monsma
Director of Clean Energy and Subsurface Energy Programs,
Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation
David Monsma directs the clean energy and subsurface energy programs for the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation in Austin. He is responsible for leading the design of clean energy and subsurface energy strategies, managing the programs’ grants portfolio, and collaborating with CGMF’s grantees, partners, and alliances.
From 2006 to 2018, David served as vice president and executive director of the energy and environment program at the Aspen Institute. He also served as a senior moderator for the Aspen Executive Seminar.
An attorney by training, David has extensive experience in environmental law and policy. He was an assistant professor of Environmental Law and Social Responsibility at Loyola University in Maryland and served as director of business and environment at BSR in San Francisco. He co-founded the Environmental Justice Law Clinic at the University of Baltimore School of Law while serving as staff counsel for the Environmental Action Foundation.
During the Clinton Administration, David served as environmental management task force coordinator for the President’s Council on Sustainable Development. He began his legal career working for the Maryland Office of the Attorney General and the ACLU of Maryland before joining the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Toxic Substances and Pollution Prevention in Washington, D.C.
Bridget Callaghan
Senior Engagement Manager, Industrial Innovation & Carbon Management,
Great Plains Institute
Bridget joined the Great Plains Institute in 2022 as the Carbon Action Alliance manager. The Carbon Action Alliance brings together GPI’s federal, state, and regional carbon management efforts and provides education and advocacy about the suite of carbon management technologies that need to be deployed at scale to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 in the United States.
Bridget’s previous work spans the health and environmental policy sectors. Most recently, Bridget led a grassroots civic engagement program and advanced advocacy priorities at a Minnesota healthcare organization. Her prior experience also includes four years in Washington, DC, where she worked as a research assistant at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and grants manager for a conservation foundation. Bridget holds a master’s in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, as well as a BA in US history and a certificate in environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
