About the PUCT  

Governor Greg Abbott appointed Peter Lake to serve as Chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas on April 12, 2021 for a term set to expire on September 1, 2023. Before his appointment, he served as Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, the state's primary water planning and financing agency charged with leading the state's efforts to ensure a secure water future for Texans.

Lake has held a variety of financial roles across a number of industries. Previously, he acted as director of research and head of automated trading at Gambit Trading, a member firm of the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In this capacity, he led the firm�s market research initiatives and directed the development of its first automated trading programs. As one of the firm's proprietary market makers he also traded interest rate derivatives, primarily focusing on U.S. Treasury bond futures.

He has also served as director of business development for Lake Ronel Oil Company, where he focused on financial analysis of upstream oil and gas opportunities. In addition, he served as director of special projects for VantageCap Partners. In this position he played a key role in the due diligence, valuation, and transactional aspects of the successful divestment of the firm's primary investment.

Lake graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in public policy with a specialization in economics from the University of Chicago, and he earned a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University�s Graduate School of Business.

Lake was born and raised in Tyler, Texas.

Governor Greg Abbott named Arthur D'Andrea as chair of the Public Utility Commission on March 3, 2021. Chairman D'Andrea was first appointed to the Commission on November 14, 2017, for a term set to expire on September 1, 2023. Before his appointment, Commissioner D'Andrea served as Assistant General Counsel to Governor Abbott. His career has been primarily focused on the law, including his role as Assistant Solicitor General in the Texas Attorney General's office where he served as lead appellate counsel in matters including constitutional challenges to state statutes, public-utilities regulation, antitrust, tax disputes, insurance regulation, regulatory takings, and petitions for writ of habeas corpus. There he argued thirteen cases in the Second and Fifth Circuits, the Texas Supreme Court, and in the intermediate state courts of appeals.

Prior to joining the Attorney General's team, Arthur worked in the Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Practice Group for a private law firm where he represented clients before the United States Supreme Court and in federal and state courts of appeals nationwide in matters including white-collar criminal prosecutions, international-trade disputes, patent infringement, trademark disputes, bankruptcy, international arbitration, and securities litigation.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas, Commissioner D'Andrea worked as a Management Consultant for Price Waterhouse Coopers before earning a Juris Doctor from the University Of Texas School Of Law. He and his wife, Erin, are raising their children in Austin, Texas.

Governor Greg Abbott appointed Shelly Botkin to serve as a commissioner on the Public Utility Commission of Texas on June 11, 2018, for a term set that expires on September 1, 2019. Before her appointment, Commissioner Botkin served as Director of Corporate Communications and Government Relations for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) where she worked to build awareness of the organization's vital role in managing the electric grid for most of Texas.

Prior to joining ERCOT, Shelly worked ten years in the Texas capitol as a senior policy analyst on business, regulatory, and environmental issues for two state senators and for both the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House.

After growing up in Lubbock, Shelly earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis.

Governor Greg Abbott appointed DeAnn T. Walker to serve as chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas on September 20, 2017, for a term set that expires on September 1, 2021. Before her appointment, Chairman Walker served as the Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Abbott on matters related to regulated industries. Her career in the electric industry began at the Commission in 1988 where she served, first, as an Assistant General Counsel and, later, as an Administrative Law Judge until 1997. Before joining the Governor's staff, she served as Associate General Counsel and Director of Regulatory Affairs at CenterPoint Energy.

DeAnn is an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Texas Reliability Entity and a member of the Regional State Committee for the Southwest Power Pool. She also has been appointed by Chairman Pai to serve on the Intergovernmental Advisory Commission of the Federal Communications Commission. She is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, serving on the Electricity Committee, and the Advisory Council of the New Mexico State University Center for Public Utilities.

Chairman Walker received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Southern Methodist University and a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law. She and her husband Ron reside in Austin, Texas.

Commissioner Brandy Marty Marquez's term began on August 22, 2013 when she was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry. In 2015, Governor Greg Abbott reappointed Marquez, and she was confirmed unanimously by the Texas Senate. Her term expires on September 1, 2019.

Before joining the Commission, Marquez was Chief of Staff to Governor Rick Perry during the 83rd Legislative Session. She has held leadership roles in the public affairs arena for two decades, which include serving on the staff of Governor Perry as Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of the Budget, Planning and Policy Division, and Deputy Legislative Director. Marquez was also Policy Director for Perry's successful 2010 gubernatorial primary campaign.

Commissioner Marquez currently sits on the Texas Reliability Entity where she focuses on important issues like cyber security, regional standards, and enforcement issues. She also sits on the Nuclear Waste Storage Coalition which focuses on finding a solution to our nuclear waste storage issues across the country.

Commissioner Marquez graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and received her law degree from St. Mary's University. Marquez lives in Sunset Valley with her husband, Enrique, and their son, Max.

Kenneth W. Anderson, Jr. was appointed by then Governor Rick Perry to fill a vacancy on the Public Utility Commission on September 2, 2008 for a term to expire on September 1, 2011. On September 17, 2011, then Governor Perry reappointed Commissioner Anderson for a six-year term ending August 31, 2017. On May 8, 2013, The Texas Senate voted unanimously to confirm the appointment.

Commissioner Anderson has served as the Texas representative on the Entergy Regional State Committee (ERSC) since its formation in August 2009. He was elected President of the ERSC in August 2010, and was re-elected President of the ERSC in August 2012, to a term that ended in August 2013. In December 2013, his ERSC colleagues elected him to represent them on the Advisory Committee to the Board of Directors of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO), a position he held until December 2016. Since December 2012, Commissioner Anderson has served as the Texas member of the Board of Directors of the Organization of MISO States (OMS), and in January 2015 was elected Treasurer by the OMS board. He was appointed by the then President of National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to the Advisory Council of the Electric Power Research Institute in March of 2012 and he was reappointed on June 25, 2014 to an additional three year term ending August 31, 2017. Commissioner Anderson served as the Commission's representative on the Texas Reliability Entity's Board of Directors from May 2012 until January 2015 and as the President of the Southeastern Association of Utility Commissioners from June 2014 until June 2015.

Commissioner Anderson is an attorney with more than 20 years of experience in private practice in the areas of corporate finance law and regulatory and administrative legal matters. He previously served as Director of Governmental Appointments in the Office of Governor Rick Perry from 2001 to early 2008. Before assuming his position in the Governor's office, he practiced law in Dallas, Texas, with several law firms in the area of corporate and securities law. From 1988 to 1990, he served as Chief Deputy Director of Governmental Appointments in the Office of Governor William P. Clements, Jr.

Commissioner Anderson has been active in civic and governmental affairs. From 1990 until 1994, he served as General Counsel of a major state political party. In 1990, he was appointed by Governor Clements to serve as a member of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards; a position he held until 1995. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the North Central Texas Health Facilities Development Corporation from 1990 to 1997, having been appointed by the Dallas County Commissioners Court. During 1993 and 1994, he served as a member of the Rules Advisory Committee of the Texas Ethics Commission, during the overhaul of its rules and regulations. In May 1999, Governor George W. Bush appointed Mr. Anderson to a six-year term as a member of the Texas State Securities Board, the state agency that regulates the securities and investment advisory industry in this state. He served on the Board until December 2006.

Commissioner Anderson is a member of the Business Law and Administrative and Public Law sections of the State Bar of Texas, and a past member of the Securities Law and Corporation Law committees.

Commissioner Anderson received a bachelor's degree in international affairs from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a law degree from Southern Methodist University. He and his wife live in University Park, Dallas County, Texas.

Donna L. Nelson was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott on September 10, 2015 for a term set to expire September 1, 2021. Chairman Nelson was first appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Public Utility Commission on August 15, 2008 and named chairman on July 26, 2011. Prior to her appointment, Nelson served as a special assistant and advisor to Governor Perry on energy and telecommunication issues. She also assisted the Governor's Competitiveness Council with the preparation of the Texas 2008 State Energy Plan. She previously served as director of the PUC's telecommunications section and as legal advisor to the PUC chairman.

Nelson sits on the Board of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and is a member of the Southwest Power Pool Regional State Committee. She is active with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, where she is a vice-chair of the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment and a member of the Task Force on Environmental Regulation and Generation. Nelson is a member of the Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and the Texas Broadband Task Force. She is also on the Advisory Board of the Annual Baseline Assessment of Choice in Canada and the United States (ABACCUS).

Additionally, Nelson is a former assistant attorney general of Texas, where she specialized in antitrust law. She also worked as a Legislative Assistant to a United States Senator. Nelson is a licensed attorney and a past member of the Texas Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Delays.

Nelson received a bachelor's degree from Black Hills State College and a law degree from Texas Tech University.

In September of 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Rolando Pablos to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, where he is charged with regulating the state's electric and telecommunication utilities.

Until that time, he was senior advisor to the global law firm of SNR Denton, where he provided public policy and strategic business advisory services to domestic and international clients.

Early in his career, Mr. Pablos served as general counsel to Francois-Charles Oberthur, a multinational firm specializing in high-security printing. As chief legal officer, Mr. Pablos administered the legal, legislative and regulatory affairs for Oberthur's U.S. and Latin American operations.

Mr. Pablos has extensive practical experience in economic development and trade promotion. His bicultural and bilingual background has enabled him to work extensively in U.S. and foreign business environments.

In 2009, the ambassador of Spain to the U.S., the Honorable Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo, appointed Mr. Pablos honorary consul to Spain. As honorary consul, Mr. Pablos plays a key role in facilitating two-way trade and investment opportunities between Spain and the U.S. His main emphasis is in ensuring the formation and development of business and diplomatic relationships between the two countries.

Mr. Pablos' substantial public service has afforded him the opportunity to serve in various roles ranging from serving as chairman of the Texas Racing Commission; chairman of The Free Trade Alliance and chairman of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Pablos sits on the board of the Associated Republicans of Texas and the Hispanic Republicans of Texas; two entities devoted to the promotion of conservative values throughout the state of Texas.

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Mary's University, Mr. Pablos earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Hospitality Management degree from the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management. Mr. Pablos earned his Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary's University School of Law.

Mr. Pablos and his wife, Laura San Martin, have four children - Cristina Elizabeth, David Alan, Mia Noelle and Andrea Nicole.

Barry Smitherman is a fourth generation Texan appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the PUCT on April 21, 2004. He was reappointed on September 13, 2007, and promoted to Chairman on November 14, 2007. In March 2008, Barry was appointed to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC) by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. In August 2010, he was reappointed by Secretary Steven Chu. He is presently Chairman of the DOE EAC Transmission sub-committee. In 2009, he received the State Leadership award from the American Wind Energy Association for the PUCT's pioneering renewable energy zone policy for proactive transmission development.

Barry is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Vice Chairman of the Governor's Advisory panel on Federal Environmental Regulation, an ex officio board member of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Vice President of the Regional State Committee (RSC) for the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), he is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Board of Directors and the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment (ERE).

Barry grew up in Highlands, Texas; a working class neighborhood on the east side of Houston. He graduated from Ross Sterling High School in Baytown and continued his education at Texas A&M University receiving a BBA summa cum laude. He received his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law while working at the State Capitol for Senator Lindon Williams. Afterward he received a M.P.A. at Harvard University and was awarded the first Joel Leff Fellowship in Political Economy by the Kennedy School of Government.

For 16 years Barry was a public finance investment banker working with state and local governments throughout the South, Southwest and Midwest to build infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, airports, water and sewer systems, schools, hospitals, and sports facilities. He held leadership positions with First Boston, Lazard Freres, JP Morgan, and Bank One where he was National Head of the Tax Exempt Securities Origination Department. During this time he helped municipalities save hundreds of millions of dollars.

Barry has also been a prosecutor with the Harris County (Houston, Texas) District Attorney's office. In 1990, Barry was a member of the American Center for International Leadership delegation to the former Soviet Union. In 1996, Barry was a delegate to the State Republican convention in San Antonio. Barry is also a former adjunct professor of public administration at the University of St. Thomas in Houston and a former member of the Boards of the Texas Public Finance Authority, and the Harris County Health Facilities Development Corporation.

He and his wife live in Austin with two of their four wonderful children. Their two oldest sons attend Texas A&M University.

Julie Caruthers Parsley was appointed to the PUC as a Commissioner on November 15, 2002 by Governor Rick Perry and reappointed to that position in September 2005. Prior to her appointment, Julie served as Solicitor General of Texas with the Office of the Attorney General where she maintained an appellate practice before state and federal courts representing the State of Texas and its agencies. While at the Solicitor General's Office, she argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Before joining the Attorney General's office, she practiced appellate law with the law firm of Thompson and Knight, L.L.P. A former briefing attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, Julie also served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Texas School of Law.

Julie is the Texas Commission's liaison to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a seven-state power organization that serves the Panhandle and North East Texas. She currently serves as President of the SPP Regional-State Committee, and has also held the offices of Vice President and Secretary of that body. In 2004, Julie was appointed to the Texas Energy Planning Council by Governor Rick Perry, where she co-chaired the Infrastructure Subcommittee of that council. In addition, she served on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners "Broadband over Power Line" task force.

Originally from Baytown, Texas, Julie is a graduate of Texas A&M University, and she received her law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law. She is board certified in civil appellate law.

Julie resides in Austin with her husband, Lee, and their two children, Catherine and William.

Paul Hudson was appointed to the Commission in 2003 by Governor Rick Perry. In 2004, Governor Perry designated him Chairman. After serving almost four years as Chairman, Hudson stepped down in November of 2007 to continued service on the Commission until August 2008.

Chairman Hudson worked diligently to open electric and telecommunications markets while demanding that, ultimately, the benefits of those markets accrue to customers.

Prior to his Public Utility Commission appointment, Hudson served as Director of Policy, Deputy Director of Policy, and Policy Director for Business/Regulatory Issues in the Office of Governor Perry. He also served as Advisor to Commissioner Brett Perlman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and as a member of the Policy Development staff under former PUCT and FERC Chair Pat Wood.

During his career, at various intervals, he has focused on policy issues including telecommunications, energy, economic and workforce development, criminal justice, banking and insurance.

Hudson also served on the boards of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Clean Coal Technology Council.

Early in working life, Hudson was a member of the Austin Fire Department and certified to teach high school economics, government, and history.

Hudson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and received a master's degree from Arizona State University. He lives in Austin, with his wife Shannon, daughter Ella and son Cooper.

Rebecca Klein was appointed on June 27, 2001 by Governor Rick Perry as one of three Commissioners of the Texas Public Utility Commission. On May 17, 2002, Rebecca Klein was appointed Chairman of the Texas Public Utility Commission by Governor Rick Perry.

Prior to her appointment to the Commission, Mrs. Klein served as Policy Director of General Government for Governor George W. Bush. Her areas of emphasis include technology, telecommunications and energy issues. She worked at the Public Utility Commission of Texas between 1997-1999 as a Senior Attorney in the Office of Policy Development. Prior to returning to her home state of Texas, Mrs. Klein worked as a Telecommunications Law Analyst at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., where she resided since 1988.

While in Washington, D.C., Rebecca served as Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Trade & Development Agency from 1992-1993, where she oversaw accounts at numerous multilateral banks. From January 1989 to January 1992, she had the privilege of working at the White House and was appointed Associate Director for National Security in the Office of Presidential Personnel. Prior to her tenure at the White House, Rebecca was selected as one of twelve individuals, nation-wide, to receive a Ford Foundation Fellowship. Under the aegis of the Ford Foundation, Rebecca served as a Legislative Officer in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Legislative Liaison Division.

Rebecca is a Major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. She was awarded the National Defense and Southwest Asia Service Ribbons for her service in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Desert Storm

Rebecca graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Human Biology. She received her Masters in National Security Studies at Georgetown University, and earned her JD at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.

She is married to Dale Klein, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs.

Brett A. Perlman served as Commissioner of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. He was appointed by Governor George W. Bush on January 11, 1999 and his term expired in 2003.

Prior to his appointment to the Texas PUC, Perlman was a management consultant with the Texas office of McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm known for its leadership role in business consulting. At McKinsey, Perlman specialized in strategic planning for Fortune 500 technology companies in identifying new market opportunities and developing corporate strategies.

Prior to his work at McKinsey, Perlman practiced law with the Washington D.C. office of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld and with the Houston office of Jenkens & Gilchrist.

A native of Houston, Perlman graduated Phi Beta Kappa in economics from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He received a law degree from the University of Texas Law School where he was associate editor of the Texas Law Review. He also holds a master's degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he focused on business and policy issues involving information technology, telecommunications industry and the Internet.

In June 2001, Governor Rick Perry appointed Max Yzaguirre to the three-member Public Utility Commission of Texas. Max served as Chairman of the Commission at the pleasure of the Governor. His term ended in 2002.

A native of Brownsville, Texas, Max is past president of Enron de Mexico. Prior to that, Max was a partner at Atlas & Hall in McAllen, Texas, and an attorney at Vinson & Elkins in Houston. Max is a graduate of St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law, where he graduated with honors.

In February 1995, Governor Bush appointed Patrick Henry Wood, III to the three-member Public Utility Commission of Texas to regulate the state’s telecommunications and electric power industries. Wood served as Chairman of the Commission at the pleasure of the Governor. His term ended on August 31, 2001.

A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Wood received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He has worked as an engineer with Arco Indonesia and as an attorney with the Baker & Botts law firm in Washington, DC. Wood also served as legal advisor to a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and as legal counsel to the Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.

Judy W. Walsh was appointed the 18th commissioner of the PUC on July 17, 1995, by Governor George W. Bush and was sworn into office on July 19, 1995. Walsh is a retired tax partner with Deloitte and Touche. Before joining the PUC, she practiced as an independent consultant in strategic planning and estate and financial panning. She was the first woman admitted to partnership with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in 1974, and she served the company as a tax partner in the Los Angeles, Dallas, and San Antonio offices. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Walsh graduated from Rice University summa cum laude with a degree in business administration and economics. She has taught courses in taxation at the University of Southern California and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and has written extensively on diverse tax subjects. She is a native of La Grange, Texas. Walsh was confirmed by the Texas Senate in February 1997.