Mark Harbaugh is the Vice President of Electric Project Management and Construction for National Grid. Mark is passionate about his role in the community and has worked to assure safe and reliable electricity across Upstate NY for more than 30 years. Currently his team is accountable to deliver a construction portfolio of more than $4 billion by the year 2030. A critical component of that portfolio includes significant upgrades to the Upstate NY transmission system in support of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. These updates will increase system resilience for customers and provide critical access to renewable energy resources as well as providing economic benefit to upstate NY. In addition, Mark’s team coordinates and oversees the field resources critical to effective restoration of power for customers affected by major storm events.

Mark, a graduate of LeMoyne College, is a 33-year veteran of the electric industry and currently a member of the Board of Directors for Parks and Trails, NY. His experience spans numerous career fields including Customer Relations, Construction Design and Resource Scheduling, Construction Estimating, Project Management, Process and Performance Improvement, Business Systems Support, and Liaison to the NYS Department of Public Service, all which has been attained during his tenure with National Grid.

Mark and his wife, Charlene, have been married for 33 years and reside in Central New York. They have 4 children, their youngest being 20-year-old twins. While his children were growing up, he coached many of his kids teams in the Central New York area. Now that his youth sports coaching days are over, his favorite activities include golfing, skiing and chasing after the Binghamton University Softball team where his youngest daughter plays left field.

Dr. Martin A. Schmidt ’81, an accomplished administrative leader, researcher, and entrepreneur who has earned more than 30 U.S. patents and founded or co-founded seven startups, was named 19th President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 2022. At RPI, he has overseen initiatives including the installation of the first IBM Quantum System One on a university campus and the development of the Rensselaer Forward strategic plan as the Institute celebrates its bicentennial and looks forward to its third century. 

Prior to joining RPI, Dr. Schmidt served as provost at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was also MIT’s senior academic and budget officer. As provost, he worked closely with MIT’s deans to establish academic priorities, and with other members of the Institute’s senior team to manage financial planning and research support. He also played a central role in the creation of Schwarzman College, the most significant organizational change at MIT in 70 years, and oversaw MIT’s international engagements.

Dr. Schmidt was a member of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science faculty since 1988, and served as director of MIT’s Microsystems Technology Laboratories from 1999 to 2006 and as associate provost from 2008 to 2013. He was the Ray and Maria Stata Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Dr. Schmidt earned his B.S degree in electrical engineering from RPI in 1981. He earned his S.M. in 1983 — largely for research conducted at Lincoln Laboratory — and his Ph.D. in 1988, both in electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) from MIT.

Congressman Paul D. Tonko is an eighth-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York’s 20th Congressional District in the Capital Region, including the cities of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and Saratoga Springs.

He has dedicated his career in public service to bettering the lives of those in his district with meaningful legislation that creates good jobs, strengthens the middle class, and drives economic opportunity.

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 (SEEC), and the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery (ATR) Caucus.

Prior to serving in Congress, he was the president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Before that, he served in the New York State Assembly for 25 years, serving for 15 years as Chairman of the Committee on Energy.

Tonko graduated from Clarkson University with a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering and is a former engineer for the New York State Public Service Commission.