Carrie Zalewski brings nearly two decades of leadership experience in the energy and environmental sectors, combining legal, engineering and policy expertise to solve complex challenges at the intersection of markets, regulation and innovation. Her career spans high-impact roles as a utility regulator, agency head, environmental adjudicator and executive, with a reputation for strategic thinking, collaborative leadership and delivering measurable results.
Currently, Carrie serves as vice president of transmission and electricity markets at American Clean Power Association, where she leads efforts to advance clean energy through fair market access and sound policy design. She is a nationally recognized expert in electricity markets and infrastructure, frequently speaking on behalf of one of the world’s fastest-growing energy sectors.
As the former Chair and agency head of the Illinois Commerce Commission, Carrie led a 200-person regulatory agency through the initial implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, guided the Commission through the COVID-19 pandemic, and maintained market and consumer stability amid extreme volatility in PJM and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). She consistently achieved balanced budgets and transparent, equity-focused regulation.
Carrie’s leadership has earned her bipartisan appointments to increasingly complex and high-visibility roles. She was the founding Chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Chair Council, uniting state commission leaders across the country to address pressing regulatory issues. She served on the board of directors for the Organization of MISO States and the Organization of PJM States.
In addition to her public service, Carrie has extensive board experience in the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors. She has served on the boards of organizations focused on grid modernization, energy efficiency and infrastructure investment, contributing her policy expertise, governance insight and commitment to mission-driven outcomes. Carrie is committed to educating and mentoring future leaders in energy and is currently an adjunct professor at Northwestern Law School, teaching Clean Energy Law.
