Public/Private Partnerships During a Crisis
When major events escalate, no single organization can respond alone. Effective coordination between utilities, government agencies, and private-sector partners becomes essential to maintaining operations, restoring service, and supporting communities. Yet these partnerships are often tested in real time, under pressure, with competing priorities, and evolving information.
This panel brings together leaders from utilities, emergency management, and the private sector to examine how these relationships function during a crisis. Panelists will share practical insights on coordination structures, information sharing, resource alignment, and the role of business and industry partners in response and recovery. The discussion will highlight what works, where breakdowns occur, and how organizations can strengthen partnerships before the next event.
Moderated by: Carlos Torres, Resilience Executive Advisor, Chartwell Inc.
Carlos has nearly 40 years of utility leadership experience. As VP of Emergency Preparedness & Business Resiliency at Consolidated Edison Inc., he led crisis responses, including 9/11, 2003 Northeast Blackout, and Superstorm Sandy. He was asked to lead Puerto Rico’s power restoration by their Governor after Hurricanes Irma and Maria and has worked with numerous consulting firms advising utilities, and regulators. He has served as board member and senior advisor to various organizations and currently serves on the boards of Disaster Tech Inc. and the All-Hazards Consortium, helping utilities enhance resilience and crisis response.
Panelists:
- Daniel Stevens, Vice President of Organizational Resilience and Crisis Management, National Grid
Daniel Stevens is Vice President of Organizational Resilience and Crisis Management at National Grid, where he leads enterprise efforts to strengthen resilience across the organization. He oversees strategic governance, business continuity, crisis planning, and training and exercise programs designed to prepare the company to address risks including severe weather, cyber and physical security threats, supply chain disruption, and geopolitical instability. From April 2024 to April 2025, Stevens also served as Group Head of Training, leading a global organization responsible for workforce development, safety training, and partnerships with industry and academia.
- Daniel Isom, Vice President Safety, Security, and Crisis Management, Ameren
Daniel Isom II is the Vice President of Safety, Security, and Crisis Management at Ameren. He is the retired Chief of Police for the Metropolitan Police Department-City of St. Louis appointed St. Louis’ 33rd Chief of Police on October 6, 2008. He joined the St. Louis Police Department on August 29, 1988. He has worked in patrol, investigation, training, internal affairs, and management positions during his career. He was promoted through the ranks to Major before being selected Chief of Police. He served as the Missouri Director of Public Safety, and a member of the Ferguson Commission and the Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis. He has received a Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, all from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He also holds a Master’s in Public Administration from St. Louis University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, FBI National Executive Institute, and the Police Executive Forum Senior Management Institute. Eisenhower Fellowships selected him as an U.S.A. Eisenhower Fellow in 2013 to study police education and training in Europe. Dr. Isom was also a Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics in 2016.
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