PJM Board of Managers
The 10 members of the PJM Board of Managers are responsible for maintaining PJM's independence and, by exercising their prudent business judgment, ensuring that PJM fulfills its business obligations and legal and regulatory requirements.
The Board also is responsible for ensuring that PJM maintains the reliability of the power grid and operates a robust, competitive and non-discriminatory electric power market, preventing any market participants from having undue influence over the operation of PJM.
To establish PJM's neutrality, Board members must adhere to a strict Code of Conduct PDF.
The members of the PJM Board may have no personal affiliation or ongoing professional relationship with, or any financial stake in, any PJM market participant.
In addition, all communication received by the PJM Board is handled in accordance with the rules relating to “ex parte” communications as outlined in the Code of Conduct. Written communication to members of the PJM Board is reviewed by an appointed staff liaison to the Board to ensure prompt disclosure of any “ex parte” communication in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
Bylaws of the PJM Board of Managers PDF
Master Charter and Committee Charters of the PJM Board of Managers PDF
Brief profiles of the 10 members of the PJM Board and their contact information follow:
Manu Asthana
President & CEO – PJM Interconnection
Contact Manu Asthana
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Manu Asthana oversees the largest power grid in North America and one of the largest electricity markets in the world. Asthana joined PJM in January 2020. Under his leadership, he has implemented significant risk management reforms and established a clear path for defining the grid operator’s role in the energy transition to a cleaner, more efficient grid while maintaining reliable electric service. Asthana has extensive leadership experience, including 21 years across the electricity industry, including power generation operations, optimization and dispatch, competitive retail electricity, electricity and natural gas trading, and risk management.
Asthana earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar and a Joseph Wharton Scholar.
Terry Blackwell
Chair | Human Resources Committee
Member | Board Governance Committee, Reliability & Security Committee
Contact Terry Blackwell
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Terry Blackwell has 36 years of experience in power system planning and operation. Most recently, he held the position of senior vice president of Power Delivery at Santee Cooper, where he had overall responsibility for Santee Cooper's transmission system, including compliance with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Reliability Standards. Blackwell also served as chair of the SERC Board and served on other SERC Board committees.
He has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and is a licensed professional engineer in South Carolina.
Paula Conboy
Chair | Regulatory Committee
Member | Competitive Markets Committee, Governance Committee
Contact Paula Conboy
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Paula Conboy is an energy economist with more than 25 years of experience as an executive, consultant and regulator in Canada, Australia and Singapore. She currently sits on the boards of directors at the Energy Market Authority of Singapore and Zen Energy Pty Ltd. She recently served as chair of the Australian Energy Regulator and board member of the Australian Energy Security Board, established to help steer the transformation of the Australian energy sector.
Conboy holds undergraduate and master's degrees in agricultural economics from the University of Guelph, Ontario (Canada) and the GAICD designation from the Australian Institute of Corporate Directors.
Jeanine Johnson
Member | Finance Committee, Reliability & Security Committee, Risk & Audit Committee, Human Resources Committee
Contact Jeanine Johnson
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Jeanine Johnson brings over two decades of experience designing products and managing cybersecurity at NETGEAR, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and others through McKinsey & Co. Johnson's hands-on technology and strategy leadership led to being short-listed as "Entrepreneur of the Year" at Silicon Valley's Women in IT Awards for co-founding SunToWater.com, which is commercializing a device that uses patented technology to create drinking water from outdoor air. She previously won first prize for the concept at Singularity University's Impact Challenge to solve California's water shortages.
Johnson earned two Bachelor of Science degrees, in computer science and engineering, from the University of Missouri, and an MBA from Cornell University.
Margaret Loebl
Chair | Risk & Audit Committee
Member | Competitive Markets Committee, Regulatory Committee
Contact Margaret Loebl
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Margaret Loebl most recently served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. She has over 30 years of professional experience holding executive employment with Fortune 500 companies in the areas of finance, accounting and risk management. With six years of CFO experience in complex global environments, Loebl has worked closely with the boards of AgroFresh, Quaker Chemical Corporation and TechTeam Global on acquisitions, strategy, controls infrastructure and risk management while they confronted transformational events within the companies or disruptions in the economic markets, such as the 2008 financial crisis and increasing shareholder activism.
Previously, Loebl held officer positions in finance with Archer Daniels Midland Company, Nike, Inc. and General Motors Corporation.
Loebl holds a Bachelor of Arts in German from Wellesley College and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
David E. Mills
Chair | Competitive Markets Committee
Member | Human Resources Committee, Risk & Audit Committee
Contact David E. Mills
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
David E. Mills is an energy consultant with a demonstrated track record of strategic leadership in the power and natural gas industries. He is the former senior vice president of policy and energy supply with Puget Sound Energy, where he also served as chief strategy officer. Mills previously worked for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Mills is a veteran of the United States Navy, serving as a helicopter aircrewman and rescue swimmer from 1975 to 1979.
Mills holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from Portland State University and is certified by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).
O.H. Dean Oskvig
Chair | Reliability & Security Committee
Member | Board Governance Committee, Regulatory Committee
Contact O.H. Dean Oskvig
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
O.H. Dean Oskvig has more than 40 years of experience within the energy industry and served as president and chief executive officer of Black & Veatch Energy from 2006 to 2015, having been with the organization since 1975. From 1972 to 1975, he served as a base civil engineering officer in the United States Air Force.
Oskvig earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Iowa and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Utah. He is certified by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).
Charles F. Robinson
Chair | Board Governance Committee
Member | Competitive Markets Committee, Finance Committee
Contact Charles F. Robinson
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Charles F. Robinson serves as the vice president of legal affairs and general counsel for the Regents of the University of California, where he is the chief legal officer. He previously served for seven years as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for the California ISO. Prior to that, Robinson was assistant general counsel and director of litigation for Packard Bell NEC, division counsel for Raychem Corporation, and was a partner at the Heller Herman White and McAuliffe law firm.
He graduated with his Juris Doctor from Yale University and earned his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University.
Mark Takahashi
Chair | PJM Board of Managers
Contact Mark Takahashi
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Mark Takahashi serves as chair of the PJM Board of Managers. He previously served as chief financial officer of Ascendant Group Limited, parent company of Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited. Prior to that, he was group director and chief financial officer of CLP Holdings Limited, one of two vertically integrated electric utility companies in Hong Kong, from 2008 to 2014, having been with the organization since 2003.
Takahashi earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Vickie A. VanZandt
Member | Reliability & Security Committee, Risk & Audit Committee, Human Resources Committee
Contact Vickie A. VanZandt
PJM Interconnection
PO Box 1525
Southeastern, PA 19399-1525
Vickie A. VanZandt is an energy consultant and president of VanZandt Electric Transmission Consulting, Inc. Previously, she served as senior vice president and chief engineer of transmission services of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) where she was responsible for the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, marketing and management of the high-voltage transmission system covering four states in the Pacific Northwest. VanZandt previously served on the ISO New England Board of Directors.
VanZandt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, is a registered professional engineer and life member of the IEEE, and has been inducted into the National Academy of Engineering. She is certified by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).