Philip Chen is the Manager of Research and Development at CN Utility Consulting. His primary focus has been working on utility program reviews, transmission R/W projects, and various environmental and ecological projects. He has been instrumental in the development of our Utility Vegetation Management Industry Survey in cooperation with UWSP.

Cole Helfrich has been principal land surveyor with Craig R. Knoche & Associates, P.C. in Geneva, IL, for the last 28 years. Mr. Helfrich first picked up a plumb bob in 1971 for Webster & Associates. From tape-and-transit to GPS, mortgage surveys to shopping centers, he has his seal on well over a billion dollars of commercial, residential and institutional developments and transactions in 22 counties in Illinois. Mr. Helfrich has enjoyed working with countless prominent developers, attorneys and other professionals in the field and the office. His specialties include real estate law; boundaries and boundary law; easements, rights-of-way and other encumbrances and servitudes; statutory and common-law plats; ALTA surveys; topography; building and site layout; construction- and project-management as well as land development consulting. Mr. Helfrich is a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association.

Amanda James serves as a Shareholder and Attorney of the Sullivan & Ward Professional Corporation. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Grinnell College in 2003 and graduated from Drake University Law School in 2008 with a Certificate in Litigation and Conflict Resolution and a Certificate in Constitutional Law. Ms. James has established her expertise in public utility law and regulation through representation of clients in the electric and gas, telecommunications and renewable energy industries in administrative hearings at the Iowa Utilities Board, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and in state and federal courts. She has counseled business clients with complex transactions, consumer issues, government relations and strategic counsel. Ms. James has experience representing various regulated and unregulated entities such as municipal utilities, investor owned utilities, alternative energy producers, independent/merchant power producers, transmission operators and large power customers. Ms. James is a member of the State of Iowa Bar Association and is licensed to practice in the State of Iowa and the Northern and Southern Federal Districts of Iowa. Additionally, she is a 2004-2005 graduate of Leadership Iowa, which promotes professional development, community service and leadership training. Ms. James served as 2014-2015 President of the Energy Bar Association Midwest Chapter. She was born in Creston, Iowa.

Samantha C. Norris is a Member at Brown Winick. Through serving as the General Counsel of the Iowa Utilities Board, in-house counsel for a large investor-owned utility, and as outside counsel for various types of utilities and private developers, she has developed deep expertise on a broad scope of energy and utility matters. Specifically, Ms. Norris has years of experience with rate cases, generation facility siting and permitting, reorganizations, acquisitions and divestitures, service territory modifications and disputes, customer complaints, pipelines, transmission line franchises, tariffs, rulemakings, legislation, power purchase and wholesale power agreements, renewable natural gas projects, real estate and right of way transactions, financings, and federal and regional rate, service, and policy matters, among others. As co-chair of the firm’s Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resources practice group, helping clients navigate the ever-changing energy and utilities landscape is at the heart of her practice. Ms. Norris also regularly advise a wide variety of individuals, governmental entities, non-profits, and businesses on general corporate, litigation, real estate, and contract matters. She draws upon my business and legal experiences at law firms, closely held and publicly traded companies, and the state government to provide succinct and straightforward guidance.

Bob Rafferty is the Principal of the Rafferty Group. He has over 30 years of experience involving government, government relations, and not-for-profit organizations. A former legislator, Mr. Rafferty previously served as Chief of Staff and Director of the Department of Management under Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad and as a consultant for Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack’s administration. He has worked closely with elected and appointed government officials in a variety of roles, including consulting with numerous state, local and international governments on strategic policy initiatives. His long history in solving public policy challenges enables him to find innovative solutions for the important public policy needs and objectives of his clients. The Rafferty Group leverages three key strategic partnerships to deliver the right balance of individualized, focused support while providing the breadth of experience, knowledge and resources for clients’ demanding needs.