The Hawai‘i State Senate on April 16 voted to advise and consent on Jennifer Potter to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

Jennifer “Jennie” Potter was nominated by Governor David Ige to replace Lorraine Akiba, whose term expires on June 30, 2018. Potter begins her six-year term on July 1, 2018.

“Based on her history with municipal districts in California, working for the Natural Energy Institute here in Hawai‘i, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the experience she has in regards to demand side, pricing, and researching smart options, I think she’s going to provide the wealth of background and knowledge to the PUC to help move the agenda forward,” said Senator Rosalyn Baker, chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Potter is an assistant specialist with the Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI). Before joining HNEI, Potter was a senior scientific engineering associate in the Electricity Market and Policy group at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab where she was the project lead on the 2025 California Demand Response Potential Study for the California Public Utilities Commission. Potter’s experience includes working with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in various positions, including enterprise performance data manager, principal market analyst, and project manager. She was also an electric analyst for the City of Roseville in California.

Potter earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Economics from Southern Oregon University, and her Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.