Four outstanding members of the hydropower sector were recognized by their peers earlier today during the Women with Hydro Vision luncheon, which took place as part of HydroVision International 2018 in Portland.
Now in its sixth year, the Women with Hydro Vision awards program was designed to honor the most influential women in hydropower for their accomplishments and contributions to the industry.
This year’s honorees were:
Kellie Donnelly, Chief Counsel, U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Donnelly has more than 25 years’ experience in the government, energy and environment sectors. She joined the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the U.S. Senate in 2003. She has a particular focus on electricity, renewable energy and cybersecurity issues. Donnelly has led on hydropower legislation, including the hydropower relicensing reforms contained in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013, and Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2013.
Dr. Helen Locher, Independent Consultant
Dr. Locher has a long history of contribution to advancing hydropower sustainability at a local and global scale. Alongside developing and leading social and environmental programs for Hydro Tasmania, she contributed to development of the International Hydropower Association’s (IHA) Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol and coordinated the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum. She authored IHA’s Sustainable Hydropower Guidelines for Good International Industry Practice (2018) and received IHA’s Mosonyi Award for excellence in hydropower.
Hallie Meushaw, Counsel, Troutman Sanders
Meushaw represents electric utility and other clients in the renewable energy arena. She leads clients through Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hydropower amendment and relicensing proceedings, helping them procure favorable license terms without losing ground. She represented the first utility to use FERC’s Integrated Licensing Process. Meushaw has extensive experience with large and complex hydroelectric projects and helps clients manage every aspect, including natural resources, recreation, dam safety and other regulatory issues.
Sarah A. Verville, Retired Senior Consultant, TRC Companies
Verville recently retired as Senior Consultant to TRC Companies after having worked in hydro licensing for over 30 years. She started her hydropower career as in-house counsel for Central Maine Power, managing all legal issues related to its 30 hydropower projects, most of which underwent some sort of licensing procedure during her tenure. After CMP divested its generation assets, Verville joined Longview Associates, helping to manage relicensing proceedings in New England and the southeast. She returned to law at a firm in Portland, Maine, before spending the past 10 years at TRC Companies.
The recipients were nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of past Women with Hydro Vision inductees.
For a complete list of past winners, or to nominate someone for a future Women with Hydro Vision award, visit here.
