Executive Team

Pablo Vegas holds a life-long passion for learning, innovation, and growth. He has developed these passions over a 29-year career spanning the boardroom and the C-suite across the energy industry, financial services, and banking industry, as well as in management consulting and professional services.

Mr. Vegas is currently the President and CEO of ERCOT. In this role, he plays a critical part in ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of the Texas electric grid, enabling the energy transition and expansion that is supporting the fastest growing economy in the United States.

Prior to ERCOT, Mr. Vegas was Executive Vice President of NiSource, and Group President of NiSource Utilities, where he oversaw NiSource’s electric and gas business segments and championed outstanding service to NiSource customers. He served as a versatile executive at NiSource for six years, holding numerous roles, including Chief Operating Officer, President of Columbia Gas Group, and Chief Customer Officer.

Prior to joining NiSource, Mr. Vegas held a variety of senior executive positions with American Electric Power (AEP), including President and Chief Operating Officer of AEP Ohio, President and Chief Operating Officer of AEP Texas, and Vice President and Chief Information Officer of AEP.

Before his career in the energy industry, Mr. Vegas served in senior leadership positions with IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Andersen Consulting.

Mr. Vegas serves as an independent director on the board of Northwest Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq: NWBI). He also serves on the Global Advisory Board for the Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Latino Corporate Directors Association and a member of the Austin Area Research Organization. He was appointed to the Texas Energy Reliability Council by Governor Abbott in 2022.

Mr. Vegas attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan with a BS degree in mechanical engineering.

Jayapal Parakkuth is the Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at ERCOT. In this role, he oversees the Grid Transformation function at ERCOT as well as IT DevOps groups, including Development and IT Operations of the Grid and Market Management systems, Settlement and Credit, Retail, etc. Mr. Parakkuth also oversees Cyber Security, Physical Security, Facilities, IT Infrastructure, IT Architecture, IT Quality Assurance, and Project Management.

Mr. Parakkuth has over 25 years of experience in successfully visualizing, designing, and implementing software solutions to various aspects of power system grid control. Prior to joining ERCOT, he served as Principal Key Expert for Grid Control at Siemens Digital Grid, specializing in delivering high-risk, complex projects working with both the product and delivery organization at Siemens. During his time at Siemens, he served as the Lead Architect for delivering mission-critical solutions to ISO/RTOs, like PJM and CAISO. He also previously served as the Vice President for Grid Control at Omnetric Group, which was formed as a joint venture between Siemens and Accenture to drive IT/OT convergence in the power industry.

Mr. Parakkuth has a master’s degree in power systems and power electronics from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and an MBA in information systems and finance from the University of Minnesota. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, Bombay.

Mr. Parakkuth is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

As Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Woody Rickerson oversees Grid Operations, Commercial Operations, and Planning and Weatherization.

Mr. Rickerson brings a considerable amount of electric industry experience to his position, including more than 23 years at ERCOT in various roles.  A licensed professional engineer, Mr. Rickerson has worked for utilities in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. He has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University and a master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado.

Richard L. Scheel is Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Risk Officer at ERCOT and responsible for the company’s financial management, risk, and strategy functions, including accounting and control, financial planning and analysis, treasury, enterprise risk, strategy, and supply chain. He is also responsible for enterprise architecture, project portfolio management, and quality management. Mr. Scheel has more than 20 years of finance experience. He joined ERCOT in 2020 as Controller and assumed his current role in October 2024.

Prior to joining ERCOT, Mr. Scheel served in senior finance leadership positions with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, the City of Austin, and Dell. His work in finance spans financial services, oil and gas, hi-tech, and government.

Mr. Scheel is a licensed CPA in Texas, earned a BBA from the University of Houston, an MS in Accounting Information Systems from UT Dallas, attended Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, and served as a committeeman for the AICPA’s GPAC.

Chad V. Seely is Senior Vice President, Regulatory Policy, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary for ERCOT and has been serving as General Counsel since January 1, 2016.

Mr. Seely oversees state and federal policy and manages the overall litigation strategy of ERCOT. In addition, Mr. Seely is responsible for the leadership of the Compliance, Information Governance, Public Affairs, Corporate Communications, and Client Services departments. The Chief Audit Executive who manages the Internal Audit department administratively reports to Mr. Seely. Mr. Seely also oversees the ERCOT Reliability Monitor function which assesses ERCOT and ERCOT Market Participant compliance with Texas electric reliability laws under the direction of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Mr. Seely has been with ERCOT since May 2005. 

Prior to joining ERCOT, Mr. Seely was an attorney at the Texas Department of Insurance, working on enforcement matters against insurance agents and companies before the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) and the Commissioner of Insurance.

Mr. Seely grew up in Irving, Texas, and received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and French from Texas Tech University in 1999. He graduated from South Texas College of Law in 2002 and earned awards in South Texas’ esteemed advocacy program.

He has lived in Austin since 2002 and is happily married with two daughters.

Drew Bonser serves as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at ERCOT, where he leads the development and execution of robust cybersecurity strategies to protect the integrity and reliability of the Texas electric grid. With over two decades of experience in cybersecurity and information technology, Mr. Bonser is responsible for safeguarding ERCOT’s critical infrastructure through comprehensive risk management programs that address cyber, physical, and operational threats.

Mr. Bonser’s extensive experience includes aligning cybersecurity initiatives with ERCOT’s operational priorities, strengthening partnerships with state and federal agencies, and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. His leadership is pivotal in managing the organization’s proactive response to evolving cyber threats, fostering a security-first culture, and maintaining ERCOT’s role as a leader in energy sector cybersecurity.

Prior to joining ERCOT, Mr. Bonser gained invaluable experience with NERC’s Electricity-ISAC and served as Information Security Manager for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). His cybersecurity career began with over a decade of active service in the United States Army, where he developed expertise in cyber defense, leadership, risk management, and strategic planning.

Mr. Bonser is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior University.

Keith Collins is the Vice President of Commercial Operations at ERCOT. In this role, he oversees Market Operations, Settlement and Retail Operations, and Market Design and Development.

Prior to joining ERCOT in June 2024, Mr. Collins served as the Vice President of Market Monitoring at Southwest Power Pool, where he focused on improving market design, providing recommendations to increase market efficiency, and identifying market behavior issues. He was also Manager of Monitoring and Reporting for the California ISO Department of Market Monitoring, served as a Branch Chief for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of Enforcement performing electric market analysis, and worked with New York ISO on its transition from the New York Power Pool to an Independent System Operator.

Mr. Collins graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in economics and government studies. Subsequently, he received a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University. Mr. Collins also attended the Advanced Management Program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management.

Brandon Gleason is Vice President of Legal and Compliance and serves as Assistant Corporate Secretary for ERCOT. Mr. Gleason joined ERCOT in 2017 and is responsible for leading ERCOT’s Legal and Compliance departments.

Mr. Gleason has more than 20 years of legal experience. Prior to joining ERCOT, he worked in private practice, counseling individual and business clients regarding myriad legal issues and handling a wide variety of trial and appellate matters, including matters on behalf of ERCOT.

Mr. Gleason received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in 1999 before graduating from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 2002, where he served as Managing Editor of the Pepperdine Law Review and was elected to the Order of Barristers. Following law school, Mr. Gleason clerked for the Honorable Howell Cobb in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Kristi Hobbs is ERCOT’s Vice President of System Planning and Weatherization.

In her role, Mrs. Hobbs oversees transmission planning as well as resource and large load interconnection activities.  Mrs. Hobbs is responsible for guiding new, in-depth generation and transmission inspections and coordinating enforcement actions with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. She also leads advancements in generation and transmission planning to help meet long-term forecasting needs and ensures that the latest grid and technology changes are incorporated into models used by ERCOT for analysis.

Mrs. Hobbs brings a vast electric industry experience to her position, including more than 21 years at ERCOT in various roles as well as over two years at the Public Utility Commission of Texas.  She graduated from Texas A&M University in 1998 with a BS in agribusiness and earned an MSc in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University in 2000.

Gilbert Hughes joined ERCOT as Vice President of Public Affairs in July 2024 with more than four decades of experience in the electric utility industry with a focus on Texas public policy.

Mr. Hughes leads the organization’s external communications, government affairs, and customer support. Prior to joining ERCOT, he served as Vice President of External Affairs at American Electric Power (AEP) Texas. During his tenure with AEP, Hughes also served as Director of Regulatory Services, Governmental Affairs Manager, Key Account Manager, Area Business Manager, Commercial Program Advisor, and Principal Regulatory Consultant.

Mr. Hughes holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Laredo State University. 

Adam Martinez is ERCOT’s Vice President of Enterprise Risk and Strategy.

In his role, Mr. Martinez is responsible for ERCOT’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program and has accountability for enterprise strategy and quality management methodologies, as well. He directs and ensures that ERCOT’s strategic objectives are achieved, while also assessing strategic and operational risks to achieving those objectives. Mr. Martinez also oversees Enterprise Architecture, ERCOT’s Project Portfolio, and processes in support of continuous improvement advancements at ERCOT.

Mr. Martinez is a native Texan with roots in Taylor. He has multiple years of strategic planning and electric industry experience, including more than 20 years at ERCOT in various leadership roles. Prior to ERCOT, he worked for Dell Computers as well as the State of Texas. He is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Data Processing & Analysis, and he earned an MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.

Mara Spak is Vice President of Human Resources at ERCOT. In her role, Ms. Spak oversees all people functions at ERCOT and develops and oversees strategic human resource planning to provide the company with the best talent while also positioning ERCOT as a premier employer.

Ms. Spak has more than 15 years of extensive experience in human resources at diverse corporate entities. She joined ERCOT in 2015 as Director of Total Rewards and Systems and was responsible for the company’s compensation, benefits, human resources systems, and corporate payroll. In 2019, Ms. Spak was promoted to Senior Director of Human Resources at ERCOT and was responsible for all Human Resource functions and programs. Prior to joining ERCOT, she worked in hi-tech and healthcare industries.

Ms. Spak graduated from Southwestern University with a BA in psychology.

Venkat Tirupati is the Vice President of DevOps and Grid Transformation.

In his role, Mr. Tirupati serves the teams responsible for business technology development and operations and partners with system operations, system planning, commercial operations, cybersecurity, compliance, treasury, human resources, and legal groups to implement the tools and technology needed to meet their mission. He also oversees the technology innovation capabilities to effectively manage the complexities of rapidly transforming electric power grid by guiding staff, systems, and solutions and is responsible for collaboration with external stakeholders such as vendors, academic institutions, research and development institutes, and electric power industry consortiums. He joined ERCOT in 2020 as the Director for Grid and Market Solutions.

Prior to joining ERCOT, Mr. Tirupati was the Director of Line of Business at Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) serving teams responsible for supporting wholesale power and water business units with their business technology needs. He also held Manager of Market Systems and Supervisor of EMS and Advanced Applications roles at LCRA, supporting control room personnel with business technology. Prior to LCRA, Mr. Tirupati worked as a Senior Reliability Engineer in the Reliability Risk Management Group at North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). He started his career at Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution division, where he worked in various power systems applications engineering roles supporting global power utilities with grid automation technology.  

Mr. Tirupati has served on various committees of NERC and has chaired the NERC EMSWG and ERCOT TWG. Mr. Tirupati has a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a focus on power systems from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, and a Master of Business Administration with a focus on data analytics and sustainability from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Mr. Tirupati earned his Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from University of Mumbai, India. He is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Texas.

Dan Woodfin is ERCOT’s Vice President of System Operations. In this role, Mr. Woodfin leads Real-Time Operations, Operations Planning, Forecasting and Ancillary Services, Outage Coordination, and other engineering activities that support the reliable operation of the power system and promote efficient power markets.

Mr. Woodfin has over 30 years of experience in the electric power industry, including leadership positions in both system planning and system operations for ERCOT.  Prior to joining ERCOT in 2003, he led various generation and transmission planning activities at Central and Southwest Services, Reliant Energy, and West Texas Utilities. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the North American Transmission Forum and has served on various committees of NERC. He earned both a BS in electrical engineering and an MBA from Texas A&M University.