Emeka Anyanwu, CEO, Lincoln Electric System

Anyanwu became CEO of Lincoln Electric System (LES) – the municipal public utility serving Lincoln, Nebraska and surrounding communities – in January 2024. Prior to LES, he served as Energy Innovation & Resources officer at Seattle City Light, one of the nation’s largest community-owned, not-for-profit utilities. In that role, he was responsible for leading strategic functions that included utility technology (IT/OT), information security, electrification, grid modernization, and current and future power resource strategy. Earlier in his career, Emeka spent 16 years at Kansas City Power & Light (now Evergy) in various roles, starting as a Distribution Engineer and moving into progressive leadership roles in T&D operations.

Emeka has been an active participant and contributor in industry discussions throughout his career. He has spoken at a variety of industry events and engaged with several technical and trade organizations. He has served on industry Boards including the Public Power Council, the Public Generating Pool, and Energy Northwest, as well as non-profit Boards for Genesis School and The Family Conservancy. He has also served on the External Advisory Committee for the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at Iowa State University. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for GridForward and the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. His recent awards include the Smart Electric Power Alliance’s Individual 2021 Power Player of the Year and the Energy Thought Summit’s 2023 Thought Leader of the Year.

Emeka has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University and a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University. He and his wife Brandy have been married since 2015 and have three energetic kids.

stephen bruckner, attorney, fraser stryker pc llo

With over 40 years of experience at Fraser Stryker PC LLO, Stephen (Steve) Bruckner focuses his legal practice on energy, environmental, and natural resources law. He serves as lead counsel for a major Midwestern electric utility. His practice has included complex environmental cleanup, enforcement, and citizen suit litigation. Steve has extensive experience representing natural gas pipeline and distribution companies, including litigating rate cases before commissions, trial courts, and appellate courts.

Beyond litigation, he advises clients on major construction and development projects in the energy sector, such as power plant construction and renewable energy facilities. His practice also includes negotiating and managing purchased power contracts to support the evolving energy landscape.

Steve is a fellow at The American College of Environmental Lawyers and International Society of Barristers. He is rated AV® Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell® and has been recognized by Great Plains Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers®, including being named Best Lawyers® Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Omaha (2014, 2018, 2024) and Litigation – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Omaha (2024, 2026).

Javier Fernandez, President & CEO, OPPD

Javier Fernandez has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of OPPD since 2021. He joined the utility in 2017 as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. 

Fernandez came to OPPD from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), U.S. Department of Energy, in Portland, Oregon. He had been with the federal power marketing organization since 2012, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer.  He previously served as senior vice president of Fixed Income Capital Markets for D.A. Davidson & Company and vice president of Public Finance for Seattle Northwest Securities Corporation.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City, a master’s degree in business administration from Yale University, and a Utility Management Certificate from the University of Idaho.

He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Large Public Power Council, and is a board member for Ameritas, Bellevue University, Children’s Hospital, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and the Aksarben Foundation. Fernandez also previously served as Board Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Omaha Branch. 

JOHN HANSEN, PRESIDENT, NEBRASKA FARMERS UNION

John Hansen has served as the elected President of the Nebraska Farmers Union since 1990. In his 18th two-year elected term, Hansen also serves as Secretary for the NeFU Foundation and the NeFU PAC.

At the national level, Hansen serves on the NFU (National Farmers Union) Executive Committee, Budget and Audit Committee; Vice Chair of the Legislative Committee; and Chairs the Meritorious Service Committee. He also serves on the NFU Service Association Board, the NFU Political Action Committee Board, and the NFU Foundation Board.

He is the longest ever serving president of Nebraska Farmers Union and the NFU Board of Directors.

Hansen currently serves on USDA’s Nebraska State Technical Committee; Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Farm Crisis Council; and on the Board of Directors for the Coalition for a Prosperous America.   

Hansen has served as Chair or Co-Chair of the Wind and Solar Conference since 2007. 

For his service, John has received awards from the Center for Rural Affairs, Nebraska Sierra Club, Nebraska Grange, Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference, U.S. Department of Energy, Nebraskans for Peace, American Corn Growers Association, Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, Nebraska Rural Radio Association’s distinguished “Service to Agriculture” award in 2018, and the “American Energy Champion” award from the Advanced Power Alliance in 2024.

Thomas J. Kent, President & CEO, nppd

THOMAS J. KENT, President & Chief Executive Officer of Nebraska Public Power District. Mr. Kent was appointed President & Chief Executive Officer in May 2020. Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has also completed the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (“INPO”) reactor technology course for utility executives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined the District in May 1990 as an engineer at Cooper Nuclear Station and has served in many positions at the District through his career. He was appointed Vice President & Chief Operating Officer in May 2011. Mr. Kent is a veteran of the United States Navy and is very active in the electric utility industry and his community. He served on the Southwest Power Pool Members Committee and is currently serving as a Board member of the Nebraska Power Association, Nuclear Energy Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, The Energy Authority, American Public Power Association, Large Public Power Council, and the MidAmerica Council Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife, Dacia, live in rural Lancaster County, Nebraska, and they have two adult children.

Nelson falkenburg, director of the siting solutions project, clean tomorrow

As the Director of the Siting Solutions Project, Nelson Falkenburg believes in finding fair and fast ways to build clean energy. A leader in state-level siting and permitting reform, he previously worked as a Senior Associate at Clean Air Task Force (CATF), where he helped shape practical solutions to speed up clean energy deployment. Before that, Nelson served as the Legislative Coordinator at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and as staff to the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee. Nelson’s experience in state government grounds his work in the practical realities and challenges of policy design and delivery—and he knows exactly how decisions made by policymakers ripple out to the people they affect.