NJBIA will host its fifth annual Energy & Environmental Policy Forum on Oct. 28 and 29, with over 50 speakers and panelists who will discuss critical issues shaping New Jersey’s energy and environmental policies.

“Initially, you wonder if energy and environment is going to be too wonky or niche of a topic for a large-scale event,” said NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer Ray Cantor. “But as we’ve seen increasingly every year, energy and environment really have become kitchen-table issues, in terms of affordability, reliability and what’s best for our state.

“To be able to get such a large cluster of the top subject matter experts in the state and in the nation at this forum, and to cover so much ground, has been very gratifying, and it reaffirms the need for such a program as it continues to grow every year.”

The two-day conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Somerset Hotel and Conference Center in Franklin Township and is set to feature gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and Sen. Vin Gopal, serving as campaign surrogate for Mikie Sherrill.

Former governors Chris Christie, who will serve as keynote speaker, and Tom Kean are among eight honorees receiving NJBIA awards during the forum.

The list of speakers and presenters includes:

• Paul Baldauf, assistant commissioner for Air, Energy and Materials Sustainability, DEP
• Zoe Baldwin, vice president, State Programs & NJ Direction, Regional Plan Association
• Caryn Barnes, senior principal and vice president, Langan
• Brian Berzin, Co-founder and CEO, Thea Energy
• Anne Bedarf, director, Global Packaging & Plastics Sustainability, Colgate-Palmolive
• Tony Bianchini, principal consultant, Environmental Resources Management
• Matthew K. Blaine, Esq., shareholder, Davison Eastman Muñoz & Paone, P.A.
• Lilly Blumenthal, public policy specialist, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
• Melanie Bower, Ph.D., regulatory development manager – Circular Products, ExxonMobil
• Timothy C. Burdis, director of State Policy Solutions, PJM Interconnection
• Ray Cantor, deputy chief government affairs officer, NJBIA
• Marc Carver, partner, ERM
• Chris Christie, 55th governor of the State of New Jersey
• Zenon Christodoulou, commissioner, NJ Board of Public Utilities
• Jack Ciattarelli, candidate for governor of the State of New Jersey
• Pete Conway, managing director, Aon Power & Renewables
• Greg Costa, senior director, State Affairs, Consumer Brands Association
• Joseph A. De Flora, director of State & Local Outreach, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers
• Robert DeNight, vice president, Nuclear Engineering, PSEG
• Charlotte Dreizen, director of Sustainability & Environment, Plastics Industry Association
• Caroline Ehrlich, chief-of-staff to Woodbridge Township, executive director of the Woodbridge Township Redevelopment Agency and director of the Division of Sustainability
• Ray Fakhoury, energy policy manager, Amazon Web Services
• Erick A. Ford, president, New Jersey Energy Policy Coalition
• Timothy Fox, managing director, ClearView Energy Partners, LLC
• Steven S. Goldenberg, Esq., shareholder, Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, PC
• Senator Vin Gopal, campaign chair for Mikie Sherrill, Candidate for governor of the State of New Jersey
• Asim Z. Haque, senior vice president, Governmental and Member Services, PJM Interconnection
• David Haworth, partner, Ballard Spahr LLP
• Doug Heinrich, manager, Commercial Sales, WGL
• Alena Hyatt, associate, Parker McCay
• Daniel Kennedy, chief executive officer, NAIOP
• Robert Kopp, professor, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences and co-director, University Office of Climate Action, Rutgers University
• Ralph A. LaRossa, chair, president and chief executive officer, PSEG
• Matt Leggett, partner, K&L Gates LLP
• Jason Lemme, managing director, Hartree Partners
• Brian O. Lipman, Esq., director, Division of Rate Counsel
• Bob Martin, managing director, Christie 55 Solutions LLC
• Valerie Montecalvo, CEO and founder, Bayshore Recycling
• Richard S. Mroz, Esq., senior director-Strategy & Regulatory Affairs, Archer Public Affairs
• Cynthia Niemeyer-Tieskoetter, policy advisor, Domestic Gas Markets, American Petroleum Institute (API)
• Patrick O’Brien, Director, government affairs and communications, Holtec International
• Mary Ellen Peppard, vice president, New Jersey Food Council
• Karen Pinder-McDuffie, supervisor, Public Sector, WGL
• Grace Strom Power, Esq., general counsel and EVP of Government Affairs, Solar Landscape
• Mike Renna, president and CEO, South Jersey Industries (SJI)
• Matthew Schwall, director of Regulatory Affairs, Alpha Generation, LLC
• Kenneth J. Sheehan, Esq., partner, Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis, LLP
• Michele N. Siekerka, Esq., president and CEO, NJBIA
• Scott Thomson, president, Holtec Government and Security International
• John G. Valeri Jr., Practice Group Leader, Environmental Law, CSG Law
• Michael Van Brunt, VP Environmental and Sustainability, Reworld
• Jessica Weinkle, associate professor, Public and International Affairs Dept., University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Neil Yoskin, Of counsel, Cullen and Dykman LLP
• Ted Zangari, member, Sills Cummis & Gross P.C.
• Senator Andrew Zwicker, head of Public Engagement & Workforce Development, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory