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Cheryl A. LaFleur

Chairman of the Board of Directors, ISO New England; Adjunct Senior Research Scholar, Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy

2021 U.S. C3E Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Cheryl A. LaFleur is a nationally recognized energy leader. She currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ISO New England, the organization that plans and operates the power system and administers wholesale electricity markets for New England.  She is also an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar and Advisory Board Member at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy, focusing primarily on the adaptation of the electric and natural gas sectors to the challenges of climate change.

Previously, LaFleur was one of the longest-serving commissioners on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), nominated by President Obama in 2010 and serving until 2019. She chaired the Commission from 2013-1015 and during 2017. During a decade of change in the nation's energy industry, power supply, and political leadership, she helped FERC respond to challenges and opportunities across the electric, natural gas, and oil sectors. She has been recognized with several awards for energy policy and leadership, including the Carnot Prize for leadership in energy policy, the Vanguard Award for leadership on energy markets, and a Bipartisan Congressional Award for leadership in addressing emerging hazards to the grid. She serves on the advisory boards of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Princeton Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Before joining FERC, LaFleur was a leader in the electric and natural gas industry for more than 20 years, including as Executive Vice President and Acting CEO of National Grid USA. She began her career as an attorney at Ropes and Gray in Boston. She has a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an A.B. from Princeton University.

+ Learn More About Cheryl A. LaFleur's Clean Energy Journey

Cheryl A. LaFleur: Clean Energy Leader, Mentor, and Role Model

Cheryl A. LaFleur recalls the pivotal support of her mentors and role models as she ascended the ranks of leadership in American energy—inspiring her commitment to nurture the next generation of women leaders.

LaFleur, one of the longest-serving commissioners on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), began her career in law at a time when partners—and business leaders in energy and other fields-- were overwhelmingly male. The lack of advancement prospects at her law firm led her to seek a position as an attorney at a local power company, where she quickly learned she loved working on energy issues. A mentor there encouraged her to aspire to higher positions in the still male-dominated energy industry. She also benefited from having female role models and actively promoted other women as she rose to become a senior executive at National Grid USA and Commissioner and Chairman at FERC. She has sought to develop the next generation of energy leaders in all her roles before, during, and since her time at FERC.

“Our energy future is all about solving difficult challenges, and that means having people who are up to the challenge,” notes LaFleur. “Grid and climate solutions will require ideas and other contributions from people of different genders, backgrounds, regions, and experiences. It’s vital that we cast a wide net and prepare the next generation to continue building a secure, reliable, and sustainable grid for the future. Mentors and role models matter—so I try to develop friendships with people at all stages of their careers and meet with young people seeking advice.”

LaFleur’s broad experience has provided her useful insights into varied facets of the energy industry and electric grid. Her acquired knowledge spans energy security and reliability, electric and gas rate regulation and markets, safety, energy efficiency, renewables integration, organizational leadership, and more. LaFleur draws on these insights in helping others match their skills and interests to the areas of need. As LaFleur explains it, leadership includes helping people find roles that maximize their potential, and helping them understand their contribution to the success of the organization as a whole.

The desire to work with future leaders was a big part of LaFleur’s decision to accept a fellowship at Columbia University, where she has the opportunity to work directly with students deciding on career paths. As energy and climate change increasingly impact our present and future, LaFleur hopes to share her experiences and encourage students to explore the many pathways in which they can make a difference.

“People in my generation must help build and prepare the next generation. Ultimately, we're all in our jobs for only so long, so our legacy is the people we help develop and empower for the future.”