Although we are implementing the Smart Grid, there are still fundamental questions that need to be resolved to ensure we are taking the right steps. Do we really understand how US consumers will respond to requests to curtail electricity demand? Have we figured out the communications interoperability? Do we have the correct controls in place throughout the grid? Do we have the right regulatory conditions in place to foster implementation and innovation?

Chairperson:

Dee Dee Pare,
Smart Grid Marketing
Cisco

Ms. Paré works in Network Systems solution marketing at Cisco focusing on Smart Grid. During her 10+ years at Cisco, she has worked on Cisco communications solutions and marketing for routing, switching, network security, physical security, wireless, and VoIP for world-class industries and organizations. Ms. Paré has published papers on IP Protocol, security, and routing, and is based in San Jose, CA.

Speakers:

Rick Geiger,
Solutions Director for Utilities and Smart Grid
Cisco

Mr. Geiger has been with Cisco for 5 years, formerly as Director of Engineering in Cisco's Physical Security Business Unit. Prior to joining Cisco, Mr. Geiger was VP Engineering for GE Security in Physical Security, video surveillance and access control. Rick has in depth experience in the global utility market with more than 10 years as VP Engineering and Chief Technical Officer for Itron. Presently Solutions Director for Utilities and Smart Grid, on Cisco's Business Transformation Team, Rick and the Smart Grid Vertical Team serve the US and Canada Utility markets with Secure, Resilient and Scalable network solutions for smart grid, advanced metering, distribution automation and utility telemetry. Rick is an IEEE Senior Member and Member of the Power and Energy Society.

 

Rob Ranck,
President
HomePlug Powerline Alliance

Since 2002, Rob Ranck has supported the HomePlug Powerline Alliance as its executive director and became president in 2008. In addition to in depth knowledge of technology consortia and the development, certification and marketing of industry standards, he has over 25 years experience within the technology sector in marketing, business development, product engineering and business operations.

 

Raj Vaswani
Chief Technology Officer
Silver Spring Networks

Mr. Vaswani has been with Silver Spring since 2003, and brings more than 10 years of innovation, product development and product management experience in the Internet, software and networking industries to the company. Prior to joining Silver Spring, he was an Entrepreneur in Residence with Foundation Capital. Prior to Foundation Capital, Mr. Vaswani served as Vice President of Engineering at Epinions.com (now shopping.com), a high-traffic consumer-oriented Web site. Previously, he was Senior Scientist and Director of Engineering for the @Home Network (later Excite@Home). Mr. Vaswani holds a MS in Computer Science from the University of Washington and a BS in EECS from the University of California at Berkeley. Raj is an avid recycler and took the lead responsibility for Silver Spring's paperless office initiative.

 

Megan O'Brien
Project Manager, Energy Information Network
Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Ms. O'Brien works in the Energy Information Network group at Pacific Gas and Electric Company, focusing on Smart Grid demand side management applications. She has spent the past 2 years focusing on Home Area Network technology and evaluating its rapidly evolving ecosystem. Ms. O'Brien has also been an active participant in the Standards bodies responsible for shaping the technology's communication protocol and co-authored the ZigBee+HomePlug Smart Energy Profile 2.0 Market Requirements Document.