EMRF Governance
The Electric Markets Research Foundation will be governed by an independent Board of Directors. The Board will supervise, direct and control the policies and programs of the Institute according to the Bylaws of the Corporation. The President of the Foundation will have day-to-day operating responsibility.
Board of Directors
W. John Moore, Principal, JM Strategic Communications (President)
A veteran Washington journalist, Moore is a principal at JM Strategic Communications, a media relations and public affairs firm that specializes in achieving the policy and business goals of energy and trade association clients.
Prior to establishing his own firm in 2013, Moore was a managing director at Qorvis Communications, Washington’s largest independent PR firm and was senior vice president of The Hawthorn Group, a public policy advocacy firm in Alexandria, VA.
A Washington, D.C, journalist for more than 20 years, Moore spent 15 years as managing editor and staff correspondent at National Journal magazine, a leading public affairs publication. He has also written for the Los Angeles Times, the New York Daily News and appeared numerous times as a commentator on C-SPAN, Fox News and NPR.
Over the last five years, Moore has advised numerous energy industry clients, specializing in issues management and strategic communications
Moore graduated from Amherst College, cum laude with a B.A. as an Independent Scholar and attended the University of Missouri Journalism School.
Dr. Albert L. Danielsen, Executive Director of the Bonbright Center for Public Utilities, University of Georgia
Over the past fifty years, Dr. Danielsen’s work has been devoted to Education and Teaching (1965-1975), Microeconomic Theory (1970-1980), Industrial Organization with special emphasis on OPEC (1975-1985) and Regulatory Economics (1980-2010). He was also the founder and is still Executive Director of the James C. Bonbright Center for Public Utilities in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. The Bonbright Center was established in 1992 to further understanding of regulatory and business issues. Endowments to the center were made to honor Dr. James Cummings Bonbright (1891–1985) and further his work. This mission remains a central focus of the Center.
Dr. Danielsen’s educational accomplishments include a BS degree from Clemson University (Industrial Management, 1960), and a Ph.D. degree from Duke University (Economics, 1966). Except for a period between 1976 and 1978 when on leave with the U.S. Department of Energy and a half year during 1982 in Europe analyzing oil inventory policies of the major European countries, he was a Professor of Economics at the University of Georgia from 1966 until 1996. He was a Senior Consultant with Arthur Andersen’s Global Energy Consulting Group from 1995 until 1999 and continues consulting relationships with a number of law firms and utility companies. He also maintains a consulting relationship with J. A. Wright & Associates in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Danielsen has published books and professional journal articles related to regulation, market structure,
long-term contracting and strategic pricing. His books include Principles of Public Utility Rates, (1988) (co-authored with James C. Bonbright and David R. Kamerschen), Telecommunications in the Post‑Divestiture Era (1986), Current Issues In Public Utility Economics: Essays in Honor of James C. Bonbright (1983), and The
Evolution of OPEC(1982). He consults on matters related to industry structure and performance, regulation,
transaction costs and contracting within and between organizations and issues related to the pricing of natural gas and electric power.
Mark W. Menezes, Partner, Hunton & Williams (Board Chairman)
Mark Menezes is co-head of the Hunton & Williams Regulated Markets and Energy Infrastructure team. He represents and advises corporations, utilities, and trade associations whose businesses are regulated by the FERC, EPA, CFTC, SEC, FCC and other Federal and State regulatory bodies.
Prior to joining Hunton & Williams, Mark served as Chief Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives. In that role,
he acted as chief negotiator and legislative architect for the House Majority in the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and provided agency oversight of FERC, DOE, NRC and EPA. Mark also served as staff counsel (Fellow) to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Subcommittee on Merchant Marine, where he worked on such issues as the Oil Pollution Protection Act of 1990, Jones Act amendments, Farm Bill Reauthorization and matters before the Federal Maritime Commission and NOAA. Before his government service, Mark was Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Public Policy and Governmental Affairs for one of the nation's largest electric utilities.
Mark is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer before numerous associations and civic groups, including legal
education seminars. Topics include the nation's energy and environmental policies, utility restructuring, telecommunications, ethics, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, merger and acquisition practices, and regulatory and legislative processes. He has also been quoted in the New York Times, Law360, Oil and Gas Journal, Politico and interviewed by E&ETV.
George A. Ramonas, President, The Advocacy Group
George Ramonas is the President of The Advocacy Group. Mr. Ramonas has nearly two decades of experience developing sophisticated, legislative strategies for his clients and interfacing with federal agencies on their behalf. He has achieved dramatic results in his efforts to match a client’s capabilities with funding opportunities both within the Congress and among the federal agencies of the Executive Branch, and has developed an effective process to assist clients to examine new opportunities for funding and program growth.
On Capitol Hill, Mr. Ramonas served for seven years as Legislative Director for Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico, a prominent Republican Senator and former Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; the Senate Budget Committee; and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water
Development. In his capacity as Legislative Director, Mr. Ramonas developed the reputation as one of the top experts in the Senate on the budget, authorization and appropriation processes. He was staff during the
energy crisis of the 1980’s and worked on behalf of clients during the establishment of the Department of Energy.
Mr. Ramonas holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Marquette University in Wisconsin, and received his Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University.
Research Advisory Committee
The Board of Directors will appoint a Research Advisory Committee to help in the review of proposed research projects and to make recommendations to the Board.