Leadership Team
President
Alison Cumbow
Alison works for Con Edison and is currently the Section Manager of Manhattan’s Field Operations Department, a 24/7 team crucial to the maintenance of the primary electric underground distribution system. Alison previously led Manhattan’s Environmental Operations group, another essential electric team and ensured oversight of the borough’s wastewater treatment facility. She joined Con Edison in 2014 as part of an effort to convert NYC buildings from oil to gas before transitioning to Electric Operations in Brooklyn/Queens for a few years.
Prior to starting at Con Edison, Alison served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Ukraine. Her projects there included implementing environmental initiatives, developing health education curriculum, and building leadership programs for high school students.
Alison completed her undergraduate degrees in journalism and Spanish at the University of Kansas, and she received her MS in Sustainability Management from Columbia University. Alison has been an active member of WICE since 2015, before joining the Board as President in 2019.
Director of Operations
Danielle Ellis
Danielle Ellis joined Consolidated Edison Inc. as a Management Intern in 2013 where she rotated throughout various areas of the Company including Customer Service, Fleet Operations, and Supply Chain. Danielle held the role of Supervisor, gaining leadership and management skills. In 2015, Danielle assumed responsibilities as an Operating Supervisor for Fleet Operations, providing centralized logistical support throughout the company. The support services include, but are not limited to, the transportation of material, equipment and hazardous/non-hazardous waste. Danielle graduated from Farmingdale State University where she majored in Business Management.
Secretary
Amanda De Vito Trinsey
Amanda De Vito Trinsey is a Partner at Couch White, LLP. She represents clients with matters before federal and state regulatory agencies and has experience dealing with a wide range of issues related to electricity, natural gas and steam rates and utility ratemaking. She has advised and assisted clients on energy transactions, renewable power and project development, tariff interpretation, energy contract claims, and utility billing disputes. Amanda also counsels energy service companies participating in the retail marketplace on the following matters: obtaining authorization and/or licensing to sell natural gas and/or electricity from the New York State Public Service Commission; compliance with applicable rules and regulations; disputes arising from contract and/or marketing issues; and guidance on the impacts of relevant regulatory and policy changes.
Amanda represents clients before the before the New York Public Service Commission, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, the New York Independent System Operator, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University, where she graduated cum laude, and her Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School, where she served as Senior Editor of the Albany Law Review.
Membership Director
Amber Sisson
Amber Sisson is the Senior Program Manager of Economic Development at the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the country’s largest state power organization. She has over a decade of experience working to foster business and stakeholder relationships within the energy industry. Ms. Sisson works with business customer across New York State helping them save money, invest in NY and realize their clean energy goals. She is actively involved in promoting energy efficiency and new energy technologies. Additionally, she works closely with the leadership teams at NYPA to understand the organizations policy positions and priorities so she can effectively represent customer interests to various stakeholders.
Before joining NYPA, Ms. Sisson worked for Con Edison as a Manager of Public/Corporate Affairs. Through this role she helped manage Con Edison’s response to Hurricane Sandy, greatly increasing the social presence and customer responsiveness of the company which helped earn Con Edison the 2013 Bulldog Digital/Social PR Award for Excellence in Online Communications.
Ms. Sisson is an active member of NYPA’s Women in Power employee resource group as well as Women in Communications and Energy (WICE) where she helps manage membership and has participated on the conference planning board for more than five years. Ms. Sisson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Journalism from Marist College.
Conference Chair
Renata Ashapatov
Renata Ashapatov is an Engineering Supervisor for Manhattan Regional Engineering at Con Edison, where she provides engineering support to ensure the safe and reliable operation of Manhattan’s electric grid. She completed the Leadership Development Program (2024 cohort) and has held a variety of roles within the company since joining as a co-op in December 2023.
Renata earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from The Cooper Union, where her master’s thesis focused on developing a small-scale concentrated solar-powered biochar reactor. Outside of work, Renata enjoys figure skating and photography.
Web Manager
Flavia Shyti
Flavia Shyti is a System Analyst in the Strategy and Planning Team for Con Edison’s enterprise-level AI implementation group. In this role she leads a team of consultants to bring a variety of AI use cases to life at the company.
Flavia interned at Con Edison’s IT Portfolio Management Office (ITPMO) and then the Data Governance Office (DGO) for three years before joining the Leadership Development Program. In the ITPMO she worked on redesigning Con Edison’s Software Development Life Cycle documents.