Strategic Advisor

• Nov 2022 - Present

President

• Feb 2013 - Oct 2022

Ms. Cooper is founder of Cooper Compliance, a provider of compliance services and developer of Global Audit-Ready SharePoint software, (Governance Risk and Compliance Management software). As a consultant, Ms. Cooper serves as an outsourced compliance administrator for many of Cooper Compliance’s clients. This includes developing compliance programs from the ground up, policy and procedure development, training, audit preparation, audit oversight, compliance mitigation, registration deactivations and engineering studies, as well as representing her client’s positions in the standards development process. As part of this role, she reports the status of the compliance program to executive teams. Ms. Cooper has led many mock audits for companies, delivered utilizing our proprietary Global Audit-Ready SharePoint applications. During migration to Global Audit-Ready, she works closely with the subject matter experts to help them document narratives that describe an entity’s procedures, processes and controls. She has conducted gap analysis, identified areas for improvement, and determined fit of evidence presented. Visit www.coopercompliance.com for video demos of the Global Audit-Ready SharePoint application suite, or contact Cooper Compliance (916.933.3963 / info@coopercompliance.com) to arrange a customized live demo showing how you can utilize the Global Audit-Ready SharePoint applications within your organization to stay ahead of compliance. Show less

T&D Director, GP Strategies

• May 2012 - Apr 2013

Provide transmission and distribution consulting services to entities within the electric utility industry. Focused on outsourced NERC Compliance Management Services. Provide transmission and distribution consulting services to entities within the electric utility industry. Focused on outsourced NERC Compliance Management Services.

Director, NERC Compliance

• Dec 2010 - May 2012

Developed NERC compliance management solutions division as a partner. Developed NERC compliance management solutions division as a partner.

Manager, Regulatory Reporting

• Feb 2009 - Jul 2010

Developed First Winds internal compliance program and all programs, procedures, processes, controls, and training for NERC compliance. The compliance program covers 8 registered entities and 5 registered functions. Successfully managed the preparation of audit materials for a NPCC NERC audit of 3 registered entities that were found compliant by NPCC to all requirements with no recommendations. Prepared and submitted First Wind response to NERC Regulatory SARS processes . Led other generator owners and operators to coordinate comments similar to First Wind through the Generator Forum. Prepared timely and accurate FERC/EIA/DOE/NERC GADS regulatory filings for First Wind Generating Plants. Managed security certificates for OATI and ISO’s. Managed the ISO registration process and reporting for First Wind assets. Assisted in the bidding strategy and managed First Wind ISO Market activities. Manager of regulatory compliance staff. Show less

Operations Engineer, Contracts Engineer, Senior Internal Control Specialist, Senior Internal Auditor

• May 2002 - Feb 2009

Managed project to to determine process objectives, assess risk, and design internal controls, testing plans, and evidence required for new market design bid to bill system. Managed the SAS 70 audit. Participated on team to establish and assess compliance to NERC/WECC requirements. Filed regulatory filings related to generation, operation, and load requirements. Audited and provided consulting services to detect the root cause of inefficient business processes. Projects included change management controls, FERC refund activity, GMC refund activity, liability estimation process, and intertie data processing and reporting. Prepared agreements for participating generators, and interconnected control area operating agreements. Developed forecasts and composed loads and resource assessments that include a forecast of the ISO ability to serve the load given its projections of available transmission, generating capacity, and imports. Presented testimony of the assessments to the ISO Board of Directors, California State Senate Committee, California State Legislature Committee, CPUC, governors advisors, and others. Participated in forums for developing policies regarding loads and resources. Developed, reviewed, and commented on policies through coordinated ISO comments/responses and testimony. Some of the forums included the CEC, CPUC, Renewable Portfolio Standards, and the Joint Agency Energy Action Planning Committee. Trained and coordinated daily work efforts of other loads and resource engineers. Reviewed miscellaneous ISO studies and procedures that relate to forecasting of load and generation availability including evaluation of market participant deviations from their load and generation schedules. Participated in the development of emergency operating procedures. Designed databases to manage internal controls, enterprise risk management analysis, and generating resources within the CA ISO control area. Show less

Energy Manager

• Jul 2001 - Apr 2002

Account /Energy Management and Contract Negotiations - Provided energy management services to 24 Hour Fitness, Eddie Bauer – Spiegel, and the Gap Inc. Established and evaluated supply side and demand side projects including walk through site assessments. Benchmarked facilities and established energy conservation goals. Negotiated electric utility contracts that saved clients over $3 million per year. Analyzed utility bills that were over $300 million per year, and performed rate analysis. Managed team of analyst to support activities. Developed software program used to analyze savings while improving productivity. Managed 5 direct reports. Show less

Product Implementation Manager

• Oct 2000 - Jun 2001

Energy Management and Produce Implementation - Provided facilitation of One-2-Five Energy software program to executive management of large industrial and commercial customers. The software is designed to star rate and consult upper management on strategies required to establishing a best-in-practice energy management program. Energy Management and Produce Implementation - Provided facilitation of One-2-Five Energy software program to executive management of large industrial and commercial customers. The software is designed to star rate and consult upper management on strategies required to establishing a best-in-practice energy management program.

Senior Consultant

• Apr 1997 - Jul 2000

Business development and sales of energy trading and risk management, retail management, market pricing and analysis, generation asset simulation, web based and application program interface products. Responded to RFI’s, prepared proposal, demonstrated products, implemented and developed software products to government agencies and private organizations in the electric service industry. Provided consultation with IT departments. Achieved $3 million in sales revenue generation during the six months of business development. Managed and trained data research analysts as well as responsible for evaluating the acquisition, implementation and maintenance of electric system information for the Electric Market Simulation System (EMSS) regional databases. The databases include the U.S., Canada and Europe and are used internally at Henwood for consulting assignments, and by numerous Henwood clients who license these databases. Lead 4 direct reports to establish Europe’s EMSS database. Performed electric utility planning production modeling for electricity price forecasts, asset evaluation, fuel use forecasts, new power plant evaluation, transmission congestion impact assessments, avoided cost rates, demand forecasts and electric transmission issues. Prepared written documentation and presented results to clients. Performed unbundled rate study for utilities, which include analysis of current class rate structure, competitive rate structure, marginal costs, and budget analysis. Developed model that determines when the collection of the Competitive Transition Charges (CTC’s) authorized pursuant to AB1890 would likely end and what the cost of each of the unbundled rate components would be in the resulting retail rates. Provided written documentation, presentation, and training on use of model. Performed engineering analysis of energy usage and FERC compliance of cogeneration plants and steam hosts. Prepared written documentation for litigation. Show less

Energy Auditor

• May 1996 - Apr 1997

Developed auditing process to measure and verify results of over $17 million of guarantee performance contracts for energy retrofits which included energy efficient lighting, HVAC equipment, automation controls, unbundled natural gas transportation management, utility rate analysis, etc. Client types include hospitals, schools, industrial plants, and government facilities. Developed database and process to manage all data collected from sales, engineering, installation and services Developed auditing process to measure and verify results of over $17 million of guarantee performance contracts for energy retrofits which included energy efficient lighting, HVAC equipment, automation controls, unbundled natural gas transportation management, utility rate analysis, etc. Client types include hospitals, schools, industrial plants, and government facilities. Developed database and process to manage all data collected from sales, engineering, installation and services

Project Engineer

• May 1994 - May 1995

Performed cost, trend and schedule analysis on projects. Supported projects in management of prime contracts exceeding 30 million in annual revenue. Responsible for accuracy of accounting records, collection of data, reviewing and reporting monthly financial status and forecast of major projects to senior management, and development of commercial, international, and government estimates. Developed, implemented, and maintained financial database. Completed comprehensive Bechtel training program for scheduling, estimating, and analyzing cost trends. Show less

Student Engineering Assistant

• Apr 1993 - May 1994

Developed design with assistance to mitigate transient currents and over voltage surges during capacitor bank switching by controlling a switch to close at zero voltage across poles. Designed electrical drawings for the installation of manual transfer switch & receptacle to provide auxiliary station power during distribution substation outages. Assisted engineers in detail verification of wiring design for installation packages of distribution substations to insure accuracy of design. Assisted the electrical engineering design department supervisor to develop annual budget. Developed database to integrate departmental budget, staff resource, and scheduling. Show less