Skip to content
Search icon

2025 Planning Team

The Houston Energy & Climate Planning Team is 100% volunteer-led and executed. Allies in Energy is a Texas 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization formed to create a sustainable annual week for Houston.  Teams lead the execution of the formal program, help hosts put on successful self-organized events, and engage with a wide range of stakeholders.  We thank the individuals, companies, schools, institutions, media outlets, civil servants, and non-profit organizations that make this happen.

Would you like to volunteer, or have your organization join in?  Learn more here.

 

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Lindsay Roe

Lindsay Roe
Director of Digital Innovation, Core Laboratories and President, Allies in Energy

Elizabeth (Liz) (Tomasi) Franzen

Elizabeth (Liz) Franzen
Managing Director, KPMG and Treasurer, Allies in Energy

James Prince

James Prince
Chief Compliance & Integrity Officer, ADM & Board Secretary, Allies in Energy

Katie Mehnert

Katie Mehnert
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, ALLY Energy & Board Director, Allies in Energy

Juliana Garaizar

Juliana Garaizar
Founding Partner, Energy Tech Nexus & Board Director, Allies in Energy

Monica S. Krishnan

Monica Krishnan
Business Fellow, Breakthrough Energy & Board Director, Allies in Energy

Kent Johnson

Kent Johnson
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, CLS Wind & Board Director, Allies in Energy

 

STEERING TEAM

Ingrid Velasco

Ingrid Velasco
Chair, 2025 Houston Energy and Climate Week

Brandy Brazell Obvintseva - Geothermal ...

Brandy Brazell Obvintseva
Principal, Gallant & Chair Communications

John Rowe

John Rowe
Co-founder, Houston AI and Chair, Innovation & AI 

Peter Durand

Peter Durand
Director, Alphachimp & Chair Arts and Culture

Jana Schey, PMP

Jana Schey
Chair, Community Engagement

Tom Weirich
Head of Marketing & Stakeholder Relations
Chair - Renewable Energy
 

Monica S. Krishnan

Monica Krishnan
Business Fellow, Breakthrough Energy & Chair - Food and Agriculture

 

Fernando C. Hernandez

Fernando Hernandez
Society for Low Carbon Technologies & Chair International

Jason Fischer, MBA
Director of Sustainability
Houston Methodist & Chair Health
 

Aline Pham💡

Senior Accountant, NRG Energy
Chair - Academia K-12 & Colleges
 
VACANT
Chair - Ecosystem Engagement
 

Umair Surani

Sr. Account Executive, McKinstry
Chair - Build Environment
 
Tony Diaz
Author
Chair - Environmental Justice
 
James Rees
Operations & Strategy, Noverram
Chair - Water
 
Raphael MacDonald
Vice President North America, Goal7
Chair - Volunteers
 

Katie Rosario

Katie Rosario
Marketing Manager, Octopus Energy and Chair, Hackathon

 

 

 

OPENING/CLOSING CEREMONIES

Screenshot 2025-06-04 at 3.49.33 PM

Kelly Zuniga
PR Account Manager, Harpswood

Katie Mehnert

Katie Mehnert
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, ALLY Energy & Board Director, Allies in Energy, Houston Energy and Climate Week Advisor 

 

 

HACKATHON

Katie Rosario

Katie Rosario
Marketing Manager, Octopus Energy