The NASEO Transmission Working Group convenes State Energy Offices and invited experts to explore the topic of transmission and the role that transmission planning and implementation plays in enabling states to advance their respective energy goals. This working group convenes virtually on a quarterly basis to delve into policy, programmatic, and regulatory needs and challenges, learn from experts, strategize on shared priorities, and share best practices relating to the planning and implementation of transmission.

Staff Contacts

Kirsten Verclas Kirsten Verclas Senior Managing Director

Kirsten Verclas

Senior Managing Director

Kirsten Verclas leads NASEO's electricity program, which informs and educates the states on issues related to generation, transmission, and distribution. She also leads NASEO's work on grid resilience. She serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity’s Electricity Advisory Committee, where she is the Vice Chair of the Smart Grid Subcommittee. Prior to NASEO, Ms. Verclas was an ORISE Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she worked on clean energy, state and local energy policy, cybersecurity issues and emergency response. She also served as a Program Manager in the International Department of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) working on regulatory partnerships in Africa, as well as a Senior Program Manager at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS) at Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Verclas has written extensively on energy and climate as well as security policy in the transatlantic context. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Franklin and Marshall College, a Master of Arts in International Relations from The George Washington University, and a Master of Science in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University.

Catherine Reed Catherine Reed Senior Program Director

Catherine Reed

Senior Program Director

Catherine Reed supports NASEO's Electricity program, which informs and educates the states and territories on issues related to generation, transmission, and distribution. Prior to joining NASEO, she served as Deputy Director of the State Energy Office in the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff.  This was her second tenure with the South Carolina Energy Office, having first worked there between 2007 and 2012, implementing a range of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs through various federal grants, including the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. She also had experience working in the private sector on the design and implementation of commercial and industrial demand side management programs for an investor-owned utility. She has more than 20 years of combined experience in energy programs, resource conservation and management, public policy and planning, and stakeholder engagement.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina.