Event Program

From Energy Bills to Housing Costs: Building an Affordable and Resilient DC

April 22, 2026 | Howard Theatre – 620 T Street NW, Washington, DC

The cost of living is rising — utilities, housing, food. But DC is proving that local solutions work. From community solar programs cutting energy bills, to C-PACE financing helping building owners invest in efficiency, to new residential developments bringing jobs and vitality to every ward, DC is leading the way on affordability and resilience. Today’s conversation is about what’s working, why it matters, and how DC’s model can serve as a roadmap for cities across the country.

Program

Event Emcee: Caitlin Lyons, Special Projects Editor, Washington Business Journal

9:00 – 9:15 am – Opening Remarks

Chip Ellis, Owner, Howard Theatre

9:20 – 10:10 am – Panel Discussion: Cutting Energy Bills for DC Families

Moderator: Michelle Moore, CEO, Groundswell Community Power

Panelists: Chris Sewell, Managing Director & Founder, Uprise Solar; Jessica Ennis, Senior Vice President, Invest in Our Future; Nadege Nouviale, Residential DC Solar for All Subscriber

10:15 – 11:00 am – Panel Discussion: Investing in Housing

Moderator: Brandi Colander, CEO, DC Green Bank

Panelists: Matt Pestronk, President, Post Brothers; Mark James, Founder & President, Urban Green; Patrick McAnaney, Development Director, Somerset Development Company

11:00 – 11:15 am – Remarks from Mayor Bowser

Mayor Muriel Bowser

11:20 am – 12:05 pm – Panel Discussion: Creating Jobs & Community Development

Moderator: Chinyere Hubbard, DC Chamber of Commerce

Panelists: Kirtan Mehta, Vice President of Public Affairs, Washington Commanders; Barbara Mullinex, Principal, Perkins Eastman; Marissa McInnis, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Verizon

12:05 – 12:15 pm – Closing Remarks and Adjournment

Ed Hubbard, DC Green Bank Board Chair

Speaker Information

Michelle Moore, CEO, Groundswell Community Power

Michelle Moore is author of “Rural Renaissance,” CEO of Groundswell, and focused on affordability, quality of life, and the kitchen-table impacts of America’s energy sector. An accomplished executive with roots in rural Georgia, Michelle delivers results. With her leadership, Groundswell is building community power to cut electricity bills in half with solar, resilience hubs, and home energy efficiency. As a senior Obama White House official, she cut the government’s energy bill by $11 billion. As a member of the TVA Board of Directors, she supported a historic $1.5 billion investment in energy efficiency to reduce costs. And as a senior executive at the U.S. Green Building Council, she drove the adoption of LEED across more than 3.5 billion square feet of commercial real estate. Michelle serves on the board of the Interdenominational Theological Center. Her work is grounded in her faith and the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Chris Sewell, Managing Director & Founder, Uprise Solar

Chris has worked in solar financing and construction since 2010. He launched Uprise in 2021, where he’s built an all-star team on a mission to change the way electricity is delivered to people. Uprise does this by delivering rooftop solar PV, battery storage, EV charging stations, and other efficient home solutions to residents in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Uprise’s work in building energy improvement gives everyone the opportunity to rise up and be part of the all-electric future. Chris and his husband are fathers to one very energetic kiddo and have been proud to call DC home since 2008.

Jessica Ennis, Senior Vice President, Invest in Our Future

Jessica Ennis is an outcomes‑focused leader and coalition builder dedicated to accelerating clean‑energy deployment and driving ambitious climate action through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions. She serves as Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Invest in Our Future, a philanthropic initiative and strategy hub committed to expanding clean energy deployment and ensuring all communities benefit from the transition. Previously, Jessica served as Director of Public Engagement at the White House Council on Environmental Quality during the Biden-Harris Administration. Prior, she held multiple roles at Earthjustice, including Legislative Director for Climate and Energy. She holds an MBA and dual bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Government & Politics from the University of Maryland.

Nadège Nouviale, Residential DC Solar for All Subscriber

Nadège Nouviale is a bilingual administrative specialist with experience in international and nonprofit settings. She has called Washington, DC home since 1993, is a notary public, and a devoted cat lover. She enjoys turning chaos into order and making things run smoothly—whether it’s coordinating projects, working with partners, or organizing events that support community-focused efforts. She brings a global perspective and cross-cultural communication skills to everything she does, and as a participant in the Solar for All program since March 2023, she’s excited to share her personal experience with access to clean energy.

Brandi Colander, CEO, DC Green Bank

Brandi Colander leads DC Green Bank’s effort to unlock capital for infrastructure across Washington, DC, with a focus on resilience and community impact. Her commitment and dedication to empowering our partners highlights her passion and clear vision for expanding the organization’s impact. Colander oversees the team responsible for the organization’s portfolio, directs strategy and operations, and works to build strong partnerships across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Her career includes executive roles across sectors. Colander had the honor of serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Interior and Deputy General Counsel at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. In these roles, she advised Cabinet leaders on regulatory, policy, and infrastructure matters. In the private sector, she has led corporate functions and advised Fortune 500 company executives. Brandi holds a juris doctorate, a master’s, and a bachelor’s degree. Based in Washington, DC, she is dedicated to ensuring that the nation’s capital delivers opportunity and benefit to every ward of the city.

Patrick McAnaney, Development Director, Washington DC, Somerset Development Company

Patrick McAnaney serves as the Development Director for Washington, DC working on development projects, new pipeline opportunities, and public policy issues in the District. His experience includes financial and economic analysis, project and operations management, and urban planning. Prior to joining Somerset in 2019, Mr. McAnaney worked as an economics researcher for 1776, a local civic tech startup incubator; a project manager for the Downtown Project in Las Vegas; and an Operations Manager for a social enterprise in Brazil focused on solid waste management. He was also a Fulbright scholar in Brazil, researching urban economic development issues. Mr. McAnaney has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Georgetown University, a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Policy Studies from Rice University. He also serves on the DC Housing Production Trust Fund Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for Housing&, a regional affordable housing coalition.

Matt Pestronk, President, Post Brothers

Matthew Pestronk is co-founder of Post Brothers, a real estate investment, development and management company with singular and unique expertise in urban real estate development. Matthew serves as President of the company, engaged in the sponsorship of 40 Class-A multifamily, mixed-use and retail development projects comprised of over 8,000 units that are operating, under development or disposed plus, over 700K sf of office and retail space, with a total capitalized cost in excess of $4 billion. Matthew shares strategic leadership of the company with his brother, Michael, and is engaged in asset management, financing, and project and capital formation. Matthew has worked in real estate capital transactions for his entire 20+-year career and was a real estate financing executive in New York City prior to forming Post Brothers. Matthew is also very active in his community serving as trustee of Washington D.C.’s Federal City Council and a director of Pennsylvania’s Regional Olympic Training Center plus has board service experience for multiple charitable organizations including the Federal City Council of Washington, D.C., the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, Beat the Streets Philadelphia, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is the Immediate past Chair of Jewish Federation Real Estate.

Mark E. James, Founder & President, Urban Green

Mark James is the Founder and President of Urban Green LLC, a developer of next-generation, sustainable affordable housing and renewable energy systems based in Washington, DC. Mark has over 25 years of experience in multi-family and single-family housing development and has completed over $300 million in affordable housing projects throughout the Washington, DC and Mid-Atlantic region. Urban Green emphasizes a more symbiotic relationship between the built environment and the natural environment with particular attention to energy efficiency, human health and equitable access for low- and moderate-income communities. The company is leading the way in the development of net-zero energy and net-zero carbon housing and has recently completed Cycle House Apartments, the DC region’s first certified, net-zero energy, LIHTC project that will provide 18-units of affordable housing for families at or below 60 percent of area median income. Urban Green is currently the lead developer for Tivoly Eco-Village, a new construction, for-sale housing community in North Baltimore where all 101 homes will be net-zero energy certified and connected to a residential microgrid.

Chinyere Hubbard, President & CEO, DC Chamber of Commerce

Chinyere J. Hubbard is the President & CEO of the DC Chamber of Commerce. Her commitment to supporting and advocating for Chamber members reflects her passion and vision for growing the organization. By working with the executive team and board of directors, Hubbard develops programs and services that position the Chamber as a valuable resource and leading advocate for businesses throughout DC. Prior to joining the Chamber, Hubbard served as the Chief Marketing and Strategic Communications Officer for the Greater Washington Partnership, a first-of-its-kind alliance uniting CEOs and C-Suite leaders in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, to collaborate on building a vibrant, economically competitive, and prosperous region. The Partnership focuses on skills and talent, regional mobility and infrastructure, and inclusive economic growth. Previously, she was the Senior Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Community Engagement for Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia.

Marissa McInnis, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Verizon

Marissa McInnis, Verizon’s Senior Director of Global Sustainability and Small Business, merges technology and environmental solutions to tackle community challenges. In the two decades before her time at Verizon, she served as director for adaptation and resilience at both the White House and the Pentagon, leading pivotal resilience and adaptation strategies. Her work has shaped federal climate policies affecting millions and advanced Verizon’s commitment to a sustainable and resilient network.

Kirtan Mehta, Vice President of Public Affairs, Washington Commanders

Kirtan Mehta is the Washington Commanders Vice President of Public Affairs. Partnering with local communities, Mehta works closely with civic, elected, business, and public leaders across the DMV to improve social and economic outcomes for all constituencies. He manages the club’s strategic policy direction to support its players, fans, and surrounding communities. Mehta comes to the Commanders with experience in both the public and private sectors, most recently having served as chief of staff to Sen. John Hickenlooper, guiding the Senator to several successes in his first term as his top political advisor. Prior to his role with Sen. Hickenlooper, Mehta held the position of senior counsel, global public policy for Robinhood Markets, Inc., a popular mobile stock trading platform. Mehta held previous roles with New Jersey Gov. Phil D. Murphy, Sen. Joe Manchin III, and the American Bankers Association. Before his career in public affairs, Mehta practiced law with Winston & Strawn LLP in Chicago and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP in Washington, D.C. Mehta received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2007, after earning his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Northwestern University in 2004.

Barbara Mullinex, Principal, Perkins Eastman

For over 30 years, Barbara has focused her career on people. As a Managing Principal of the Washington, DC studio, she actively supports and strengthens Perkins Eastman’s mission and values through active participation with clients, support organizations, and philanthropic associations. With expertise in organizational strategy, talent development, and outcome-based management, Barbara makes unique contributions to projects across all practice areas from hospitality and residential to large scale mixed-use and workplace. Barbara maintains focus on producing creative and innovative solutions for her clients by building teams that effectively work together to share information, make decisions, and solve problems. An active philanthropist and advocate for smart growth, Barbara currently serves on the board of many leading organizations including the Federal City Council, The Economic Club of Washington, DC, DCBIA, and Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center.