2026 Spring Student Summit April 10, 2026 San Jacinto Hall, UT Austin Time: 9AM-2:30PM We’re excited to bring you our 2026 Spring Student Summit, Powering the Next Decade! As part of UT Energy Week, the Summit is designed to foster meaningful interaction between students and industry professionals while exploring the growth in demand for U.S. power generation, emerging sources of supply, and the policy landscape shaping the U.S. power system. Schedule 9:00 AM – 9:10 AM Welcome and Introductions 9:10 AM – 9:55 AM Keynote Omead Ashar, Former Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations, Tesla 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM Panel 1 – “Delivering on US Power Needs Over the Coming Decade” Jaime Gualy, COO of vertically integrated U.S. solar and battery storage leader T1 Energy Dr. Derek Haas, UT Associate Professor of Nuclear and Radiation Engineering, consultant to nuclear energy development companies and co-founder of NuWells Energy Mike Wichterich, Chairman of the Board of Expand Energy 10:55 AM – 11:45 AM Panel 2 – “Infrastructure Build-Out as a Foundation for the US and Texas AI Opportunity Therese Kerfoot, EVP of Strategy at Edgecore Digital Infrastructure Michael McKissack, EVP Strategy at WTG Sam Siegel, VP of Business Development at Vistra 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM Networking Break & Lunch 12:15 PM – 1:05 PM Power Project Case Study – “US Battery Storage, Facilitating the US Energy Transition” Travis Cook, Associate, Capital Markets & Project Finance, Jupiter Power 1:10 PM – 2:00 PM Panel 3 – “How Will Public Policy and Grid Underpin Texas’ Bullish Economic Outlook” Morgan Johnson, Commissioner with Public Utility Commission of Texas Katharine McAden, Head of Public Policy and External Affairs, South Region at Google Chad Seely, SVP Regulatory Policy, General Council and Chief Compliance Officer for ERCOT 2:00 PM – 2:10 PM Closing Remarks REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT (don’t forget to click ‘Friday’ at checkout) Speakers Omead Afshar Former VP Manufacturing and Operations, Tesla Omead Afshar is an operations and manufacturing leader who spent 8+ years at Tesla, rising to VP of Manufacturing and Operations after roles in the CEO’s office leading cross-functional initiatives. He previously held leadership posts at Abbott and St. Jude Medical, overseeing technical operations and product engineering. A biomedical engineering graduate of University of California, Irvine, he’s based in Austin and known for aligning strategy, execution, and innovation. Jaime Gualy Chief Operating Officer, T1 Energy As Chief Operating Officer of T1 Energy, Mr. Jaime Gualy has more than 30 years of energy experience in business development, investment banking, portfolio management and power trading. Prior to T1, he was a managing partner at Brittmoore Advisors and before that he was chief commercial officer at Stagecoach Renewables. Mr. Gualy earned a BBA in finance and marketing from the University of Houston and an MBA from Rice University. Dr. Derek Haas Associate Professor - Nuclear Engineering, UT Austin Dr. Derek Haas is Associate Professor and Area Coordinator for Nuclear & Radiation Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Chevron Centennial Fellowship. He researches radiation detection, nonproliferation, and advanced reactors, leading experimental work with UT’s TRIGA reactor and collaborating on molten-salt reactor projects. He advises nuclear firms, co-founded NuWells Energy, and serves on nuclear policy groups, including an appointment by Greg Abbott. Previously, he was a Senior Research Engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a U.S. surrogate inspector for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. He earned all degrees from UT Austin. Mike Wichterich Chairman of the Board, Expand Energy Mr. Wichterich serves as Interim President Chief Executive Officer and Chair of Expand Energy Corporation’s Board of Directors. He has served as Chair of the Corporation’s Board of Directors since 2021 and served as the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer from April to October 2021. Mr. Wichterich is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Three Rivers Operating Company LLC, a private exploration and production company with a focus in the Permian Basin. Prior to founding Three Rivers Operating, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Texas American Resources, New Braunfels Utilities and Mariner Energy (NYSE: ME). Mr. Wichterich began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in its energy auditing practices. He has served as a board member of Sabine Oil and Gas, Grizzly Energy, Bruin E&P Operating, and Extraction Oil and Gas (NASDAQ: XOG). Mr. Wichterich earned a B.B.A. from the University of Texas. Therese Kerfoot EVP Strategy, Edgecore Digital Infrastructure Therese, based in Denver, leads strategy for EdgeCore, overseeing site acquisition, utilities, IT, and operations. She brings 10+ years’ leadership and a record in land acquisition, process improvement, and client support. She joined from CoreSite Realty Corporation, where as VP she led management for 1,200+ clients and $500M+ revenue. A Dean’s Research Fellow at University of Colorado School of Law, she researched cybersecurity and telecom. She holds a B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law. Michael McKissack EVP Strategy, WTG Energy Strategy executive with 15+ years across energy, consulting, and private investment. As EVP of Strategy at WTG Energy, I help lead its evolution from West Texas Gas, overseeing growth strategy, market positioning, and innovation for 30,000+ customers across TX and OK. Previously a Partner at Boston Consulting Group advising on growth and transformation, with earlier roles at CBRE and 2M Companies. I hold an MBA from SMU Cox and a B.A. from UT Austin, and bring a collaborative, forward-looking leadership style focused on disciplined execution and reliable energy solutions. Sam Siegel VP of Business Development, Vistra Sam Siegel is VP of Business Development at Vistra Corp. in Dallas, leading growth across gas, renewables, and next-gen energy. Since 2015 he’s held senior roles in wholesale strategy and trading compliance, focusing on origination, portfolio strategy, and regulation. He also serves as Managing Counsel for Texas Energy Reliability Council. Previously he led governance and derivatives compliance at JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley. He holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin. Travis Cook Manager, Capital Markets & Project Finance, Jupiter Power Travis Cook is Manager of Capital Markets and Project Finance at Jupiter Power, a utility-scale battery energy storage developer and IPP. With over six years in renewable energy and a finance career spanning more than a decade, Travis has structured and closed financing for approximately 2 GWh of battery storage projects across multiple capital structures, including tax equity, construction and term debt, and private placements. He manages project finance transactions from initial structuring through financial close, coordinating lenders, tax equity investors, and internal stakeholders across complex BESS deployments. Travis holds a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. Morgan Johnson Commissioner, Public Utility Commission of Texas Greg Abbott appointed Morgan Johnson to the Public Utility Commission of Texas on Oct. 23, 2025, for a term ending Sept. 1, 2031. She previously served as deputy general counsel in the governor’s office, advising on constitutional, land-use, and water law. She was also senior counsel to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, guiding litigation, policy, and risk strategy, and worked in private practice at McGinnis Lochridge L.L.P.. Johnson earned a BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and a JD from South Texas College of Law, and lives in Austin with her husband and pets. Katharine McAden Head of Public Policy and External Affairs, South, Google Katharine McAden is a public affairs and policy strategist with 20+ years’ experience turning complex regulatory and legislative landscapes into strategic advantage for organizations at the nexus of technology, energy, and government. Based in Austin, she is Head of Public Policy and External Affairs, South at Google, leading government relations across six states and advising on legislative risk, infrastructure, and community impact tied to AI and energy investments. Previously she led communications at Parsley Energy and Texas operations for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. She holds a BS from the University of Texas at Austin and serves in business leadership roles. Chad Seely SVP Regulatory Policy, General Council and Chief Compliance Officer, ERCOT Chad V. Seely is Senior VP, Regulatory Policy; General Counsel; Chief Compliance Officer; and Corporate Secretary of ERCOT (GC since 2016). He directs state/federal policy, litigation, compliance, audit, communications, and the Reliability Monitor under the Public Utility Commission of Texas. With ERCOT since 2005, he previously served as an attorney at the Texas Department of Insurance. Raised in Irving, he earned BA degrees from Texas Tech University (1999) and a JD from South Texas College of Law (2002); lives in Austin.