Contact: Regina Davis, rdavis@naruc.org

WASHINGTON (October 1, 2020) — The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Brandon Presley has announced the appointment of three commissioners to the Board of Directors. Commissioners Maida Coleman (Missouri), Lillian Mateo-Santos (Puerto Rico) and Crystal Rhoades (Nebraska) will fill vacancies of state regulators whose terms have expired.

Mateo-Santos, who serves as the second vice president of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, joined the Puerto Rico Energy Board in 2018. Before joining PREB, she focused her professional private practice on energy, environmental, land use and permitting matters, including administrative law litigation. She will occupy the seat left by Rhode Island Commissioner Margaret Curran.

"I thank President Presley, a true Puerto Rico friend, for the trust placed in me by this appointment to the NARUC Board of Directors,” said Mateo-Santos. “It will be an honor to work alongside the distinguished group of colleagues that make up the Board of Directors to continue to advance NARUC's mission of serving the public interest."

Coleman joined the Missouri PSC in 2015 and chaired NARUC’s Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest and serves on a number of NARUC committees and related interest groups. She is distinguished as the first African-American woman in Missouri state history to serve as Senate Minority Leader. She served previously on the board as part of her committee chair role and now fills the vacancy left by John “Butch” Howard of South Carolina. 

“I want to thank President Presley for the opportunity to continue to serve on the NARUC Board of Directors," said Coleman. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to focus on the critical challenges that face our Association and state commissions and to ensure that that our policies and practices address the needs of all utility stakeholders.” 

Rhoades was elected to the PSC in 2014 and represents NARUC on the Federal Communications Commission’s North American Numbering Council, where she has been a leading national advocate on Lifeline reform and accountability in government spending. In 2019, she was appointed as co-vice chair of NARUC’s Committee on Telecommunications.

"I'm honored and excited to have the opportunity to work with the NARUC board to preserve and enhance the critical infrastructure and work on the deployment of ubiquitous high-quality, affordable broadband across the country," said Rhoades, who replaces G. O’Neal Hamilton of South Carolina.

These appointments reflect a range of interests and skills needed to advance the mission of the Association. “State utility commissioners are facing incredible challenges. I am so pleased to appoint and retain board members with the depth and range of experiences as Commissioners Mateo-Santos, Coleman and Rhoades,” said Presley. “I also want to thank Commissioners Curran, Howard and Hamilton for their exemplary commitment and contributions to the Association.”  

The board consists of 20 members, plus the NARUC president, the first and second vice presidents, each past-president (who is still an active NARUC member) and the chairs of all standing committees. Board appointments are made by the NARUC president and serve four-year terms. As the supervisory body, the board oversees the Association's general and financial functions and approves resolutions that serve as the Association's policy.

 

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About NARUC

NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.