Executive Management Team

Excited. Empowered. Energized.

CPower is the nation’s leading Virtual Power Plant (VPP) platform, transforming customer-sited energy assets into powerful tools that strengthen the grid and accelerate the clean energy transition. We’re not just participating in the most innovative space in the energy industry; we’re defining it.

Our vision is clear: empower energy users across North America to thrive in a sustainable, innovative energy economy. We make this possible by connecting customer energy assets to demand response and market programs that value customer flexibility. Through our Customer-Powered Grid®, we are redefining the future of energy by transforming the traditional supply-and-demand model into a dynamic, flexible ecosystem.

Join us as we help thousands of customers play an active role in shaping tomorrow’s grid, today.

Executive Management Team

Mike Smith

Chief Executive Officer

Michael Smith is a visionary and an innovative leader with more than 25 years leadership experience in the energy industry.

Michael joins CPower from ForeFront Power, where he was the CEO of the company’s North American solar and energy storage business, responsible for strategy and all business areas across the U.S. and Mexico. Prior, Michael served as Senior Vice President, Distributed Energy, at Constellation, the retail energy subsidiary of Exelon Corp., where he was responsible for Constellation’s distributed solar, energy efficiency, and energy asset operations businesses across the U.S. He also served as Vice President, Innovation and Strategy Development, for Exelon Generation, and led Constellation Technology Ventures, Exelon’s venture investing organization. Earlier, Michael was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Enron Energy Services and a trial lawyer at Bricker & Eckler, LLP.

Michael has served on electric vehicle technology manufacturer Proterra’s board of directors since July 2014. Prior, he has held board positions for companies including Astrum Solar, Powerhouse Dynamics Inc., SolarBridge Technologies and Stem, Inc.

Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from the University of Miami and a JD from the Duke University School of Law.

Mike Smith

Chief Executive Officer

Tatiana Startseva

Chief Financial Officer

Tatiana Startseva is an experienced accounting and Finance executive with a demonstrated history of working in the renewables and energy industry. She joined CPower in 2015 and has held a variety of roles across the finance function. Prior to CPower, Tatiana worked at Price Waterhouse Coopers, where she spent four years in public accounting. Tatiana holds a MBA from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Towson University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Tatiana Startseva

Chief Financial Officer

Glenn Bogarde

Chief Sales and Marketing Officer

As CPower’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Glenn helps customers unlock the most value from their Distributed Energy Resources. Glenn brings to CPower more than 20 years of sales experience in the enterprise software and energy industries. Prior to joining CPower’s team, Glenn served as Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing at P2 Energy Solutions, Incorporated. He has also broadened his experience at SAP America, where he served as the National Vice President of the Energy & Utility consulting practice responsible for managing the strongest growth business in the North America Field Services. Prior to his tenure with SAP, Glenn held sales and consulting management positions with Oracle, Ventyx and i2 Technologies. Glenn originally joined CPower as the Vice President and General Manager of Sales in the PJM market. Since then he’s come to love the challenges working at CPower presents, as well as the opportunities he has to collaborate with great people doing meaningful work that truly makes a difference. Glenn earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Glenn Bogarde

Chief Sales and Marketing Officer

Tari Neppl

Vice President and Head of Technology

Tari has more than 20 years of IT experience in application delivery, web development, program management and disaster recovery across the consumer electronics, hospitality and retail catalog industries. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMI) and holds a Six Sigma Black Belt, a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College, and a Doctor of Law degree (JD) from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Tari Neppl

Vice President and Head of Technology

Mathew Sachs

Chief Strategy Officer

Over the last 15 years, Mathew has developed a proven track record of building cleantech businesses through investment, partnership, and organic sales growth. He served with National Grid Ventures as Vice President for Distributed Energy, and has led originations for KRoad DG, a private equity platform focused on energy; Yingli Green Energy as Vice President, Corporate Development; Vice President, Sales & Commercial Operations; and Director, Business Development. Mathew graduated With Distinction from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management Master of Business Administration. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY Buffalo with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

Mathew Sachs

Chief Strategy Officer

Kenneth Schisler

Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer

Ken brings nearly three decades of policy leadership on innovation in clean and advanced energy technologies to CPower. Ken leads CPower’s regulatory and government affairs team, having prior served in similar roles at both Vicinity Energy and EnerNOC/Enel.

In addition to work throughout North America’s wholesale and retail electricity markets, Ken has extensive international experience in market development and public policy promoting distributed energy resource policies in South America, Asia, and Europe. Ken served as Chairman of the Maryland Public Service Commission from 2003-2007, and as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1991-2003. Since 2012 he has lectured on retail markets and demand side management at the Florence School of Regulation, Summer School on Regulation of Electric Utilities.

Ken graduated with honor from the University of Maryland School of Law, and earned a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Salisbury University.

Kenneth Schisler

Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer

Shelley Schopp

Chief Operating Officer

Shelley has more than 25 years of energy experience and has led various operational teams for the last 16 years. Her prior experience was on the wholesale and generation/load side of the industry with the last 12 years dedicated to Demand Response. In her current role at CPower, she oversees cross-functional teams including Engineering, Dispatch Desk, Enrollments, Contracts, Settlements and Payments and Human Resources. Prior to CPower, she took on roles of increasing responsibility at Mirant Energy, Orion Power, and Constellation/Exelon. Shelley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Kennesaw State University.

Shelley Schopp

Chief Operating Officer