Decades of operating experience across tens of GW of generation and energy infrastructure transactions.
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Director
Sean Long
Co-Founder & Chief Redevelopment Officer
Rob Bakondy
Chief Commercial Officer
J. Rick Peña Jr.
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Director
Sean Long
Sean Long is the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer for PowerTransitions®, with over three decades of leadership and transactional experience throughout the energy infrastructure industry value chain.
Over the course of his career, Sean has successfully advanced roughly $30bn of projects across the globe at leading companies including Enron, Endeavor Energy, BioTherm Energy, CAMS, Skadden, and others.
Sean’s valuable expertise spanning electrical engineering, law, and public and private finance as well as his extensive experience founding and growing energy infrastructure companies, equips him with unique insights to identify and execute market opportunities. Sean is an established leader in integrating multiple strategies into single enterprise platforms and leading those new companies into sustainable growth as industry leaders.
He has been a guest lecturer at Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business, the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and Harvard Law School to name a few.
Sean graduated from Columbia University School of Law and has been a member of the New York State Bar since 1994. Between entering the business community and graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point (B.S., Electrical Engineering with specialty in Computer Architecture), Sean served as a Captain in the U.S. Army with expert qualifications in Parachuting and Jungle Warfare.
Co-Founder & Chief Redevelopment Officer
Rob Bakondy
Rob Bakondy is the Co-Founder and Chief Redevelopment Officer of PowerTransitions®, a leading energy company dedicated to creating sustainable and equitable solutions for communities around the world. With 30+ years and $25bn+ of transactional experience in both the energy infrastructure and brownfield redevelopment industries, Rob brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company.
Before founding PowerTransitions®, Rob was Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Redevelopment Capital Partners, a private equity group focused on acquiring and repositioning retired energy assets for higher and better uses. He also served as President of Asset Management for CAMS, an energy service provider with 51GW under management, and as a Senior Director for Enron’s power origination activities in the Western United States.
With over 15 years of executive leadership positions and 12 years of direct project management experience in large energy projects across the globe, Rob has a proven track record of success in the industry. He is the originator of a California Ag Exemptions Program creating CO2 offsets, which allowed energy development activities to move towards completion.
Rob earned B.S. degrees in Bio-Medical Engineering and Microbiology from The University of New Mexico. His diverse background and extensive experience make him a valuable member of the PowerTransitions® team.
Chief Commercial Officer
J. Rick Peña Jr.
J. Rick Peña Jr. recently joined PowerTransitions as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience in corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, commercial strategy, and power markets. Throughout his career, Rick has led complex transactions, strategic growth initiatives, and business integrations across the North American energy sector.
Prior to joining PowerTransitions, Rick served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at Calpine, where he successfully led colocation of data centers, mergers and acquisitions, and ESG reporting. During his tenure, he played a key role in more than $50 billion in executed transactions, helping expand the company’s generation portfolio, retail energy platforms, and strategic infrastructure investments.
Before Calpine, Rick held commercial and corporate development roles with Direct Energy and Duke Energy North America. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Texas A&M University.
As Chief Commercial Officer, Rick is responsible for leading PowerTransitions’ commercial strategy, identifying growth opportunities, and advancing the company’s mission to develop and optimize energy infrastructure solutions.
Head of Mergers & Acquisitions
David Baugh
Head of Development
Michael Bowring
Head of Asset Management & Operations
Jack Breen
Head of External Affairs
Carrie Cullen Hitt
Head of Environmental Affairs
Dan Jacobs
Head of Engineering, Transmission & Interconnection Systems
Dr. Waheed Oyekanmi
General Counsel & Secretary
Justin Thekkekara
Chief of Staff
Brian Yeilding
Head of Mergers & Acquisitions
David Baugh
David Baugh has over 25 years and over $5 billion worth of transactional experience focused on asset acquisition, due diligence, operations and maintenance and contract negotiations with significant value creation.
Prior to PowerTransitions®, David was Senior Vice President of Asset Management for Consolidated Asset Management Services, LLC (CAMS) leading multiple transitions and managing multiple portfolios. David’s most recent experience at CAMS included leading two consecutive transitions and integration of utility-owned generation representing over 10,000 MWs of various technologies across multiple markets. During his tenure at CAMS, Mr. Baugh also managed numerous assets with varying technologies and fuel types. He has led several successful value enhancing projects which in turn created significant returns for the owners.
Prior to joining CAMS, Mr. Baugh was Director of Asset Management at NRG where he was responsible for a fleet of assets in ERCOT. Prior to joining NRG, Mr. Baugh was director of Energy Management at Kelson Energy where he was responsible for the origination, execution, and management and ultimately the successful divestiture of a 1,200 MW combined cycle facility.
Mr. Baugh started his career as an engineer in the field and understands the fundamentals of power plant operations but more importantly appreciates the opportunities that exist to add to the bottom line.
Mr. Baugh holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Head of Development
Michael Bowring
Michael Bowring leads development at Power Transitions, bringing more than two decades of experience originating, acquiring, and structuring utility-scale power projects across the natural gas, renewable, and energy storage sectors. He has built and led development teams responsible for more than 10GW of projects across PJM, ERCOT, SPP, MISO, TVA, and WECC markets.
Over the course of his career, Michael led the development of projects at leading companies including NextEra Energy Resources, ConocoPhillips, Key Capture Energy, Adapture Renewables, and Renewco Power. He has led teams through $4B+ in transactions spanning PPAs, tolling agreements, acquisitions, and equity investments.
Michael’s expertise spans commercial strategy, project origination and execution, and M&A, giving him the proven track record to take projects from greenfield/brownfield concept through construction-ready execution. He has built and led development teams from the ground up, establishing the processes, project pipelines, and market strategies that turned early-stage prospects into operating assets.
Michael holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Head of Asset Management & Operations
Jack Breen
Jack Breen has over 35 years’ experience in asset management and operations at power generation facilities of all types including combined cycle, cogeneration, solar and wind.
Prior to PowerTransitions®, Mr. Breen was Managing Director at CSG Investments Inc. managing CSG’s power portfolio in the US and the UK. The most recent success with CSG was leading the two UK combined cycle assets out of mothballs into successful commercial operations. Prior to joining CSG, Mr. Breen was an Asset Manager at PurEnergy, LLC. where he was responsible for assets in Ohio and Texas. Before joining PurEnergy, Mr. Breen was Vice President of Asset Management at Competitive Power Ventures, Inc. where he was responsible for managing several assets in the CPV portfolio. Prior to CPV, Mr. Breen was Vice President at GE Energy Financial Services providing asset management, risk management, and technical due diligence for power acquisitions.
Mr. Breen started his career in the merchant marine as a licensed engineer and transitioned his career into power stations starting first in operations management, then asset management and eventually performing key roles on ownership teams. Mr. Breen holds a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and an MBA from Suffolk University in Boston.
Head of External Affairs
Carrie Cullen Hitt
Carrie Hitt is the Head of External Affairs for PowerTransitions®. A member of the executive team, Carrie leads PT’s stakeholder, energy policy and communications strategies.
A veteran of the power industry, Carrie has held various leadership roles in which she assisted companies’ market development and asset management. Most recently, Carrie served as Head of External Affairs for Vineyard Offshore, led Grid and Transmission Strategy for Equinor, and was President of the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium. From 2014-2019, Carrie held several positions in solar and battery storage market development at NextEra Energy Resources and served as President of NEER/NEET’s New Hampshire Transmission company. After serving as the President of the Solar Alliance (a national trade group) Carrie lead its merger with the Solar Energy Industries Association and subsequently served as the Senior Vice President of State Affairs until 2014. During a time of significant US energy market transformation in the early 2000s, Carrie held several key positions focused on wholesale and retail electricity market design at Constellation Energy, AES, the Harvard Electricity Policy Group and Green Mountain Energy Resources. Carrie began her career as an analyst for the Joint Energy Committee at the Massachusetts Legislature. She is a graduate of Clark University (BA) and Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (MA).
Head of Environmental Affairs
Dan Jacobs
Dan Jacobs is a strategic senior executive with 25+ years of experience driving revenue growth and profitability by developing and implementing a strategic vision, including value proposition, competitive differentiation, and strategic roadmap across multiple industries, including real estate, engineering/environmental, field services, and private equity.
As the former President & CEO of a Brownfield redevelopment firm that assumed over $50mm in environmental liabilities and repositioned property which resulted in more than $1bn in built assets.
Dan has extensive experience in the assessment and development of environmental liability transfer programs with values in excess of $500mm.
He has a strong M&A background with ability to evaluate deals, identify drivers and risks, and develop financial models and strategic roadmaps.
Dan is a data-driven problem solver who leverages analytics to influence leadership, gain-buy-in, define growth strategies, and develop financial models, budgets, and short/long-term financial plans.
Dan received a BS in Geology from Temple University.
Head of Engineering, Transmission & Interconnection Systems
Dr. Waheed Oyekanmi
Waheed Oyekanmi, Ph.D., PE, is Managing Director of Transmission and Interconnection at PowerTransitions®. He is responsible for leading all aspects of transmission and interconnection strategy across multiple markets within the United States with a primary focus on MISO, SPP, NYISO, CAISO, and ISO-NE for the development of renewable power generation (solar and wind) facilities and BESS systems on and adjacent to brownfield sites.
Waheed is a seasoned power systems expert with over 15 years of experience in the energy sector. As the USA Manager of Transmission & Interconnection at TotalEnergies, he has driven innovative solutions for renewable projects, significantly reducing transmission and interconnection costs. Waheed’s expertise spans several ISOs/RTOs including CAISO, ERCOT, SPP, MISO, and PJM, and he has a proven track record in transmission planning and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining PowerTransitions®, Waheed led interconnection projects and developed policies for Distributed Energy Resources at Duke Energy and DNV GL – Energy Advisory.
Waheed holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee Tech University and is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple states. His technical skills include proficiency in CYME, PSS/E, PowerWorld, and various programming languages.
As an active member of the IEEE, Waheed has published extensively on topics such as transient stability and dynamic security assessment. His strategic vision and problem-solving skills have made him a key advocate for sustainable energy solutions, ensuring the successful integration of renewable energy into the grid.
General Counsel & Secretary
Justin Thekkekara
Justin Thekkekara is General Counsel & Secretary for PowerTransitions®, and is responsible for leading the Company’s legal, regulatory, compliance and risk management operations. Justin also oversees all human resources and IT operations, supports general corporate, strategic and governance activities, and serves as Secretary to the Board of Directors.
Justin has substantial experience representing private and public companies and their investors in a variety of complex transactional and commercial matters, including private equity investments, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and leveraged buyouts, with substantial experience in energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, and utilities. Justin has also advised private and public companies on general strategic, governance, compliance, and corporate matters.
Prior to joining PowerTransitions®, Justin was an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP, focusing on private equity and mergers and acquisitions.
Justin received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2016, and received both his B.S. in Business Administration and B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in Music Performance from Boston University in 2013. Justin has been admitted to the State Bar of Texas since 2016.
Chief of Staff
Brian Yeilding
Brian Yeilding brings over 20 years of energy finance experience to his role as Chief of Staff at PowerTransitions®, where he focuses on corporate strategy and capital markets.
Prior to joining PowerTransitions®, Brian was Chief Financial Officer for Storworks Power, where he helped the company commercialize their thermal energy storage technology. As CFO, he led commercial structuring and analysis for brownfield development opportunities in the power and industrial sectors.
Prior to Storworks, Mr. Yeilding was VP of Asset Management at BrightSource Energy and served on the board of directors for the 392 MW Ivanpah Solar project and led a number of successful value enhancing projects and follow-on transactions to increase asset performance and financial returns. Prior to his asset management role, Brian worked in the Project and Structured Finance group, successfully executing over $3 billion of transactions.
Brian began his career as an investment banking Associate at Jefferies & Company in the Cleantech/Industrials and Equity Private Placements groups.
Mr. Yeilding holds a BSE in Computer Science from Princeton University.
