Susan is a corporate strategy and public affairs advisor to the clients of the Harris Beach Energy Industry Team. She also delivers consulting services through the Harris Beach consulting subsidiary, HB Solutions LLC. She brings an in-depth background in government, regulatory, public affairs, and corporate management. As a former corporate executive in large corporations, Susan provides an overall communications strategy for clients, tied to their global and regional business objectives. Additionally, she assists client management in formulating and executing strategic goals to engage stakeholders which could positively impact the client’s ability to operate successfully. She also works with management teams to review organizational structure as a means to streamline processes. Susan’s clients include electric generation companies, a large gas delivery company, engineering firms and start-up businesses in the energy industry. Notably, she advised the renewables developer who filed the first ever solar-only Article 10 project at the New York State Public Service Commission.
Susan was previously vice president of U.S. Economic Development and Community Investment at National Grid, where she was responsible for economic development, community investment and stakeholder groups for U.S. business, managing approximately $40 million in special contracts for gas and electric customers. She served as senior executive handling media, customer, community, and industry relations. She began her career at National Grid in 2002 as vice president of Public Affairs, where she was responsible for establishing strategic direction and management of public affairs with overall responsibility for New York state legislative and regulatory arenas with local and federal governmental integration. In 2007, she was named vice president of Energy Solutions Services, where she managed relationships for large industrial and commercial accounts, and forged strategic partnerships between National Grid, customers, and New York state agencies. In this role, Susan represented National Grid’s interests on numerous economic development groups and led a group of business leaders in the successful merger of two such groups; led a team to collaborate with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop the state’s first combined public/private virtual energy efficiency program for hospitals; and oversaw National Grid’s relationship with Global Foundries and Luther Forest, the state’s largest economic development project.
Prior to her National Grid experience, Susan served as executive director of Government Affairs and Regulatory Relations at Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. From 1996-1999, she served as Carrier Corporation’s manager of Government Affairs. Prior to Carrier Corporation, Susan was vice president of Government Relations at the Manufacturer’s Association of Central New York. From 1985-1991, she was director of Government Relations and assistant executive director of the Associated Builders and Contractors Association.