Keynote Presenter
Ryan Brumfield
Director of Office of Strategic Initiatives & Program Support, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
Ryan Brumfield is the Director of NCDOT’s Office of Strategic Initiatives and Program Support where he leads strategic planning and statewide initiatives for NCDOT. Previously, Ryan was the Director of the Integrated Mobility Division which manages bicycle, pedestrian and public transportation programs for NCDOT. Prior to joining NCDOT in 2020, Ryan held various roles at the Appalachian Regional Commission and Federal Highway Administration. Ryan has bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a registered professional engineer.
Presenters and Moderators
Emily Belding
Utility and Policy Engagement Associate, IONNA
As Utility and Policy Engagement Associate, Emily Belding leads collaboration with utilities and local authorities having jurisdiction for IONNA. Emily worked previously as the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinator at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and has a Masters in Public Policy and Sustainability Management from the Middlebury Institute in Monterey, California. Emily is from the Triangle area in North Carolina and is excited to see the continued growth of clean technology and energy in the Carolinas.
Olga Bredikhina
Business Intelligence Manager, Alabama Mobility and Power Center, University of Alabama
Olga Bredikhina is a Business Intelligence Manager with the Alabama Mobility and Power Center (AMP) at The University of Alabama, where she leads the Business Intelligence and Policy Research areas. Particularly, Olga leads the development of AMP’s electric vehicle adoption prediction tool EVOLVE, conducts consumer behavior research and policy research about the policies and taxation system needed to support electric mobility. Olga received her BA in Economics from the University of Maryland, MS in Economics from the University of Maine, and is working towards the MS in Operations Management/ Analytics at The University of Alabama.
Cyndel Brunell
Southeast Program Manager, EVHybridNoire
Cyndel Brunell is the Southeast Program Manager at EVHybridNoire, where she leads the execution of e-mobility projects across the Southeast US. She specializes in managing projects, building strategic partnerships, and engaging communities to drive environmental change. Cyndel excels in public outreach, including facilitating focus groups and listening sessions to understand community needs and attitudes around electrification. She is skilled in policy advocacy, program development, and stakeholder relationship management, with a focus on creating impactful, sustainable initiatives. Cyndel is dedicated to promoting the transition to a more sustainable future through education, innovation, and collaboration.
Tom DelViscio
Regional Electrification Manager - Transportation Electrification Grid Readiness (TEGR) Team, Duke Energy
Tom has over 20 years of experience in healthcare and energy, focusing on customer-centered education and consulting. His diverse career has spanned diverse customer market segments and end-use technologies. Recognized for his ability to distill the technical into the digestible, he’s been tapped to speak at a wide variety of conferences, taught at the Community College level, and participated in numerous industry working groups and collaborations. As Regional Electrification Manager at Duke Energy, he prepares the grid for electrified transportation, focusing on large fleet portfolios and public charging networks. His responsibilities include grid planning, regulatory support, portfolio management, and program design.
Julia Dietz
E-Mobility Public Service Faculty, University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Julia Dietz is a Public Service Faculty member at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, where she provides education, training, and technical assistance to inform government decision-making around electric mobility and energy. Prior to joining the Institute, she focused on energy, land conservation, and resilience policy issues as Audubon South Carolina’s Policy Director. She also previously served as the Florida Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Environmental Policy Coordinator, overseeing the environmental, transportation and affordable housing state agencies. Julia holds an MS in Forest Resources and Conservation and BA in Environmental Science from the University of Florida.
Angella Dunston
Coordinator of Public Relations and Engagement, Roanoke Cooperative
Angella Dunston serves as the Public Relations and Community Engagement Coordinator for Roanoke Cooperative. In this role, she plays a vital part in enhancing the cooperative’s public image, fostering community engagement, and building strong relationships with member-owners, elected officials, and other key stakeholders. She also collaborates with leaders and the broader community to promote clean energy initiatives. She is particularly focused on efforts to expand access to electric vehicles and buses in rural areas as well as advocate for economic development in rural and resource limited regions. Before joining Roanoke Electric Cooperative, Ms. Dunston built an extensive career in state government and the non-profit sector.
Trey Gowdy
Research Lead, Duke University Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
Trey supports the Nicholas Institute’s research, project management, and educational programs. This includes work on transportation electrification in the Southeast – including as a co-facilitator of the Southeast Electric Transportation Regional Initiative (SETRI), electric vehicle workforce development research, and open energy data research. Trey holds a M.A. in public administration and a B.A. in political science from the University of North Florida, and was a 2024 Clean Energy Leadership Institute fellow. Trey has worked in state government clean energy and higher education sustainability programs at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and Florida State University Sustainable Campus.
Ben Rogers
Chief Development Officer, Electrada
Ben has been the chief development officer of Electrada since February 2021, a Cincinnati-based fleet electrification and infrastructure company, which is backed by Blackrock, and has key partnerships with vehicle original equipment manufacturers, utilities and fleet management companies. He is the vice chairman of Joules Accelerator, based in Charlotte N.C. Joules is a non-profit, regional clean energy accelerator started in 2013. Ben is also on the board of trustees of The Nature Conservancy, New Jersey chapter and the Duke University Nicholas Institute.
Richard Simmons, PhD
Principal Research Engineer, Georgia Tech Strategic Energy Institute
Richard Simmons, PhD is a Principal Research Engineer at Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) where he directs cross-cutting energy projects with an emphasis on clean electric power, vehicle efficiency and alternative fuels. Simmons co-facilitates the Southeast Electric Transportation Regional Initiative (SETRI). Simmons is also Director of Research and Studies for the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (EPICenter) whose objective is to perform research and outreach in energy policy and innovation with a distinctively regional perspective. He has appointments in Georgia Tech's School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Public Policy. Simmons received his BS from Georgia Tech, and MS and Ph.D. from Purdue, all in Mechanical Engineering.
Neil Padukone
Director of Green Economic Transformation, New York Climate Exchange
Neil Padukone is Director of Green Economic Transformation at the New York Climate Exchange, guiding the Exchange’s strategy to support the adaptation of businesses, workforces, and industrial systems to the needs of climate change. He was previously Executive Director of the NYC Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Council (MaiiC), the City of New York's industry partnership with the manufacturing, transportation, and infrastructure services sectors, housed in the Mayor's Office. There he led private sector outreach and developed policy, workforce, and technology solutions to support business sustainability. The author of “Beyond South Asia,” (Bloomsbury, 2014), Neil is also an adjunct professor at City College of New York, where he teaches a course on sustainable transport.
Toddi Steelman, PhD
Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability, Duke University
Dr. Toddi Steelman is Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability at Duke University. She is the administrative and academic lead for the Duke Climate Commitment—a university wide initiative to unite Duke’s education, research, operations, and public service missions to engage the entire community in the pursuit of climate change solutions. She previously served as Stanback Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment (2018-2023).
An AAAS Fellow, she is best known as a wildland fire expert and has brought her expertise to bear in a variety of venues including the Royal Society (UK), National Academy of Sciences (US) and as an invited keynote speaker in Portugal, Canada, Germany, Australia, and the United States. She a past-President of the International Association of Wildland Fire. Her research agenda has focused on understanding community responses to wildfire, wildland fire communication and how communities and agencies interact for more effective wildfire management on large, interjurisdictionally complex wildfires. The author of four books, Steelman has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, as well as opinion and editorial pieces in Nature, the Globe and Mail, The Hill and the Los Angeles Times.
Felix Tintelnot, PhD
Associate Professor of Economics, Duke University
Felix Tintelnot is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Prior to joining Duke, he was an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, a Visiting Assistant Professor at Stanford University, and a postdoctoral scholar at Princeton University. His research is supported by the National Science Foundation, and he is a research fellow at NBER, CEPR, and CESifo. His work has been widely published in top economics journals and featured in prominent outlets such as The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Stephanie Valdez Streaty
Director, Industry Insights, Cox Automotive
As the Director of Industry Insights for Cox Automotive, Stephanie is responsible for research and analysis specializing in the transition to electric vehicles. Her focus is providing insights to clients and the industry on key trends impacting electrification. Previously, Stephanie was the Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility for Cox Automotive, where she was responsible for building and executing the sustainability strategy across the company. Stephanie is a board member of the TAG Smart Communities & Sustainability board, as well as a graduate of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership program. Stephanie graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and organizational development.
