Nora Brownell

Commissioner Brownell was nominated by President George W. Bush to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). She was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 25, 2001, for a term that expired June 30, 2006. After leaving FERC, Ms Brownell started BC Strategies and now serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Comverge, an energy technology company. She also publishes her thoughts about energy, technology and regulatory issues on her energy blog.  

Brownell's tenure at the FERC reflects her longstanding and unwavering commitment to fostering competitive markets to serve the public interest. She championed the development of independent transmission organizations for wholesale power, which now represent the electricity market structure serving two-thirds of the U.S. $10 trillion economy. As a leading advocate of responsive and effective independent board governance at RTOs and corporations, Brownell is a strong proponent of FERC policies that promote investment in national energy infrastructure development.

Making history her story. She co-chaired the first meeting of the EU/US regulators in 2000 to foster a transatlantic energy dialogue. She was also active in the creation of ERRA, an organization of Central Eastern European and Eurasian countries working to establish independent regulatory commissions and cross border discourse. After leaving the FERC, she has continued to participate actively with these organizations in addition to her regular work with the World Energy Forum. She has also presented at a number of International Investment Conferences.

Prior to FERC, Brownell served as a member of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) from 1997 to 2001. During her time at the PUC, Brownell took an active role in the rollout of electric choice in Pennsylvania. In addition to her work in establishing the framework for one of the most successful retail electric markets in the country, Brownell was a leader in the administration of Pennsylvania's Electric Choice Consumer Education Program. Also during Brownell's tenure at the PUC, she was one of the leaders in developing public policy to develop a robust competitive telecommunications market in the Commonwealth. She has actively supported Pennsylvania's pursuit of competition in the local markets for telecommunications, deployment of advanced services, enhancement of services to rural areas, protection of consumers, and advancement of special services. Brownell has helped craft unique solutions to a number of these industry issues.

Philanthropy in philadelphia. Prior to her appointment to the Pennsylvania Commission, she was Executive Director of the Regional Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia, a $200 million arts and economic development initiative. Commissioner Brownell previously served as the Senior Vice President for Meridian Bancorp, Inc.'s Corporate Affairs Unit. Prior to joining Meridian in 1987, Commissioner Brownell was Deputy Executive Assistant to former Pennsylvania Governor Richard Thornburgh.

Commissioner Brownell is the former President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Brownell served on the Boards of Times Publishing Company, Millennium Bank, Foundation of Architecture, Philadelphia Free Library, Need in Deed, and Philadelphia Regional Performing Arts Center.