Speakers: 2025 PCA Fly-In Meeting

Former Director of the Congressional Budget Office, where he provided budgetary and policy analysis to the U.S. Congress
President of the American Action Forum policy institute and founder of the Center for Health and Economy
Director of domestic and economic policy for the John McCain presidential campaign
Provides a candid and lively 360-degree view of the economy

Doug Holtz-Eakin has a distinguished record as an academic, policy adviser, and strategist. Currently he is the President of the American Action Forum. Since 2001, he has served in a variety of important policy positions including as Chief Economist of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. He also served as the 6th Director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office and offers audiences a complete, 360-degree view of the economy.

Dusty Johnson brings an energetic and optimistic style to Washington as South Dakota’s lone voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. An outspoken leader on issues related to border security, countering China, and welfare reform, he serves on the Select Committee on China, Agriculture Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He also chairs the Republican Main Street Caucus, a group of 80 solutions-focused conservatives. Prior to being elected to Congress, he served as chief of staff to the Governor and as vice president of an engineering firm specializing in rural telecommunications. Dusty lives in Mitchell with his wife and three sons.

Congressman Paul Tonko represents New York’s 20th Congressional District, including the communities of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and Saratoga Springs. He represents all of Albany, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties and parts of Rensselaer County.

He is serving his ninth term, after first being sworn into Congress in 2009.

Paul serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the oldest standing committee in the House, created in December of 1795. Tonko is the Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials. In addition to serving on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security, and Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, he is also a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Along with his committee duties, Tonko co-chairs the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, and the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus.

He has previously served on the Natural Resources Committee, the Education and Labor Committee, and the Budget Committee.

The Honorable Mark W. Menezes is President and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Energy Association. Through its membership, USEA represents 150 members across the U.S. energy sector from the largest Fortune 500 companies to small energy consulting firms.

In his role, Mr. Menezes represents the broad interests of the U.S. energy industry and interacts with domestic and international leaders to advance knowledge and seek partnerships to develop and enhance energy infrastructure worldwide.

The Honorable Mark W. Menezes is a nationally recognized energy attorney. As the immediate past Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, former senior executive with two major energy companies, and former Congressional Committee Chief Counsel, he’s a strategic advisor to Wall Street, businesses, and policymakers.

Mark W. Menezes is the founder of Global Sustainable Energy Advisors LLC, a strategic advisory firm to energy, technology and defense organizations. Mr. Menezes is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law School teaching courses on energy law, policy, and climate change.

Dave Kearby was named executive director of TRIP in January 2020. Dave brings experience in the construction industry and surface transportation field, having served with the Associated General Contractors of Washington for more than a decade as well as chair and board member of TRANSAction, one of Washington State’s first regional transportation partnerships. Besides managing the day-to-day operations of TRIP, Dave serves as a spokesperson to the news media.

Dave has a graduate degree in Business Administration from Auburn University, is a graduate of Central Washington University and is a Certified Association Executive.

Billy Pizer is the President and CEO of Resources for the Future (RFF), an independent, nonprofit research institution that improves environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial economic research and policy engagement. He was previously the Susan B. King Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research at the Sanford School of Public Policy, where Dr. Pizer served on the faculty for ten years. From 2008 to 2011, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment and Energy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, overseeing Treasury’s role in the domestic and international environment and energy agenda of the United States. Dr. Pizer was previously a Fellow at RFF, a senior economist for energy and environment on the President's Council of Economic Advisers, and a senior economist at the National Commission on Energy Policy. He has previously served as a member on two committees for the National Academy of Science (on the social cost of greenhouse gases and on deep decarbonization), a lead author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a peer reviewer for the government’s 2023 revision to cost-benefit guidelines, and a member of multiple government advisory committees. He currently serves on the Climate-related Financial Risk Advisory Committee to the Financial Stability Oversight Council. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in economics from Harvard University and a B.S. in physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Confirmed Speakers