President

Pat Tully, Savion Energy

Since 2022, Pat Tully has served as the State Policy Manger for Savion, LLC and a USSEC board member. With over 15 years of public policy experience, he is responsible for state government relations to support the Savion renewable energy project portfolio – including solar, energy storage, and co-located solar and energy storage facilities.

Previously, Tully worked as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Ohio House of Representatives. Before that role, Tully served as a Policy Advisor at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, a Congressional Legislative Aide in Washington, DC, and a Legislative Aide in the Ohio House of Representatives. Tully is a graduate of The Ohio State University and resides in Powell, Ohio.

Shannon Meyer-Johanson currently serves as the Director of Policy & Government Affairs at Sol Systems, where she actively monitors, influences, and advances clean energy policies at the state, regional, and federal levels to help increase solar development across the country. With over a decade of experience, she has worked across various sectors of the solar industry, including S/REC aggregation, commercial- and utility-scale development, and structured finance. At Sol Systems, she drives the formulation and execution of comprehensive legislative and regulatory strategies, cultivates relationships with key industry stakeholders, and directs a high-performing team of analysts and lobbyists. Shannon leverages her extensive expertise and strong commitment to advancing renewable energy initiatives to drive impactful change within the industry.

Sol Systems is a leading national solar energy firm known for its integrity and reliability across its development, infrastructure, and environmental commodity businesses. To date, Sol Systems has developed and/or financed over 2 GW of solar projects valued at more than $2 billion for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, counties, utilities, universities, and schools, providing services to over 50,000 customers across the US.

Shannon holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University, a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Economics & Policy from UC Berkeley, and a certificate in Financing and Deploying Clean Energy from Yale University.

Vice President

Shannon Meyer-Johanson, Sol Systems

Treasurer

Mike Volpe, Open Road Renewables

Mike Volpe is a renewable energy industry expert with over a decade of experience spanning customer origination, project development, and finance. Mike co-founded Open Road Renewables with the goal of developing least-cost renewable energy in Ohio and established itself as one of the early leaders in by successfully developing the first utility-scale solar project in the Buckeye state. Volpe is a founding board member of USSEC and has served since 2020.

Michael Rinebold, Greenex Solar

Mike Rinebold assumed the role of Regulatory Affairs Manager on August 28, 2023 for Geenex, LLC and will guide one of the leading organizations in the nation aimed at advancing greenfield utility-scale solar projects delivering clean, reliable energy to the grid with operations in multiple states including Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Rinebold joins Geenex following more than two-decades of service in the public sector advocating for a variety of organizations and clientele at the local, state and federal levels of government. During the last 4 years Rinebold has represented multiple clients involved in economic development, issue advocacy and political campaign management. Prior to creating his own consulting firm, he guided a statewide, long-term health care association aimed at advancing the well-being of the aging population in the state of Indiana and played a leading role in government affairs and grassroots advocacy efforts on behalf of the highly diverse membership associations. Prior to becoming the President/CEO of LeadingAge Indiana he served in a leadership role with the Indiana State Medical Association as the Director of Government Relations and chief advocate where he represented the interests of the ISMA’s 8000+ physician membership both at the state and federal level.

Jared Wren, Hecate Energy

Jared serves as a Senior Manager for Development and Stakeholder Engagement for Hecate Energy LLC. Jared Joined Hecate Energy in 2014 and has been at the forefront of the firm’s explosive growth over the last decade. Jared has championed the development and execution of multiple utility-scale solar projects totaling more than 600 MW of capacity across 20 states. Prior to focusing on the United States, Jared spent many years focused on global relations and projects, including living, and working in Tanzania. During his tenure focused on international growth, strategic alliances, and partnership building, Jared represented Hecate Energy on a global stage, engaging in trade and business development missions in multiple countries on the continent. Currently managing a portfolio totaling over 1GW, Jared is now also called on to advance the organization’s strategic priorities and champion initiatives that advance and promote renewable energy benefits.

Mr. Wren holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Ohio University, in his beloved hometown of Athens, Ohio. Jared is a founding board member of USSEC Ohio.

Trevor Sprague, Heelstone Renewable Energy

Trevor J. Sprague is Chief Development Officer for Heelstone Renewable Energy. Mr. Sprague’s responsibilities include new market identification and origination strategy. Mr. Sprague joined Heelstone upon graduation of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s M.B.A program, where he concentrated in both Energy and Entrepreneurship/Venture Capital. Prior to attending UNC Kenan Flagler, Mr. Sprague taught high school science in Cleveland, Ohio as a Teach For America corps member. In addition to his M.B.A, Mr. Sprague holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Georgia. He joined USSEC’s Board of Directors in late 2022.

Barb Jacobs, lightsource BP

Barb Jacobs is director of government relations at Lightsource bp and leads state-level legislative and regulatory advocacy for the company. She has almost two decades of public affairs experience. Prior to joining Lightsource bp, Barb covered state legislative and regulatory affairs for the eastern interconnect at Avangrid Renewables, worked for an energy policy think-tank at the University of Minnesota, and as lead committee staff in the Minnesota Senate helped pass landmark solar legislation in 2013. Barb lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her spouse and two young children and has a Masters of Public Affairs with a focus on Science, Technology and Environmental Policy and a minor in energy law from the University of Minnesota.

Luke Somers, Apex Clean Energy

Luke Somers currently serves as the Senior Policy Analyst for Apex Clean Energy, a renewable energy company focused on utility-scale solar, wind, storage, distributed energy resources, and green fuels. He's primarily worked on community solar/DER policy but has recently transitioned to cover state affairs in the PJM region. Before joining Apex in 2022, Luke studied Politics and Philosophy at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he earned his BA. He joined the USSEC's Board of Directors in mid-2024.

Executive Director

Will Hinman, Executive Director, Utility Scale Energy Coalition of Ohio

Will Hinman has extensive experience in Ohio government and politics. He served as Director of the Speaker’s Office for Speaker Bob Cupp from 2020 through 2022. He then founded Forrest Hinman Capitol Consulting, LLC, which he continues to operate. Previously, Hinman worked in Governor Mike DeWine’s administration, where he was responsible for advancing the Governor’s transportation policy as Legislative Liaison at the Ohio Department of Transportation. Before serving the DeWine Administration, Hinman was the top aide to Chairman Cupp, who chaired the Public Utilities Committee in the Ohio House of Representatives. Throughout his career, he has also worked on several campaigns in various capacities, in Washington, DC in the office of Congressman Steve Stivers and at the NFIB, and for State Rep. Marlene Anielski. Will is a graduate of The Ohio State University.

During the last biennial budget process in Ohio, Hinman served as Interim Executive Director of USSEC. Under Hinman’s leadership, USSEC helped secure major victories for the utility-scale solar industry in the budget, including a four-year extension of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program.