Joanne M. Brown
Rock Hill,SC
Summary
Results-driven project management and controls leader with 20+ years of experience in utility and energy industries, specializing in regulatory compliance, cost management, risk assessment, and benefits realization for large-scale capital projects. Proven track record in developing and implementing project management and controls frameworks, leading cross-functional teams, and delivering regulatory reporting and support. Recognized for translating complex project and portfolio data into clear insights that support leadership decision-making, regulatory compliance, and disciplined capital execution. PMP certified, with advanced expertise in data analytics, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Jurisdictional and Regulatory Management Manager
Duke Energy Corporation
01.2017 - Current
- Lead regulatory-facing project management and controls activities for large distribution capital portfolios supporting North Carolina and South Carolina rate cases that led to the approval of accelerated recovery of over $3 billion.
- Prepared and managed rate case discovery ensuring consistency with prior submissions and ensuring responses were complete and accurate, in support of successful outcomes.
- Conducted quality reviews of scope, cost estimates, and schedules for all distribution capital projects prior to gating and through change control ensuring alignment with established governance and regulatory compliance.
- Grid Improvement Reporting & Benefits Realization Program Manager
- Designed and implemented reporting programs for distribution grid improvement programs, self-optimization grid technologies, and advanced metering infrastructure programs to evidence both execution and benefits realization to support state regulatory commitments.
- Developed key performance indicators and Power BI dashboards to demonstrate operational cost savings and track unit/cost metrics.
- Provided detailed benefit and business cost analyses to executive leadership to inform investment, budget planning, and performance decisions.
- Lead cross-functional collaboration among investment planning, project execution, regulatory, and distribution teams to identify and address process and system gaps, maximizing program benefits.
Senior Project Management and Regulatory Consultant
KCM Consulting, LLC
01.2012 - 01.2016
- Developed new filing strategy and plan to defend capital builds for two cost recovery proceedings spanning four years and representing over $5 billion of transmission assets. These efforts resulted in successfully defending over 99.9% of capital expenditures, which were approved for rate base recovery.
- Managed cross-functional teams that included project managers, project control, data analytics, document control, finance, information systems, and regulatory to prepare cost recovery filings.
- Investigated, audited and assessed the following as they related to scope, schedule and cost: all regulatory proceedings from investment plan, AACE estimates, procurement strategies, project execution, risk assessment, contingency management, project change process, controls, variance analysis, and critical decision management.
- Developed and subsequently managed detailed change and procurement analyses to identify key cost-drivers, project execution issues and risk mitigations in support of the filings.
- Prepared detailed project reports that were submitted in the cost recovery proceedings to evidence prudency in the capital projects from conception through execution in defense of major cost and schedule variances. See attached list of major capital transmission projects for which I prepared the analytics and prudency reports.
- Prepared testimony in support of project delivery model, controls, estimating, market escalation, risk, and assessment of variance.
- Project Management Process & Controls Improvements
- Developed project change process improvements that required consistency among projects, assessment criteria, approval hierarchy, and that demonstrated cost and schedule control.
- Developed risk assessment and management process improvements to more responsibly support contingency management.
- Created functional group estimating templates for inclusion in AACE estimates, to standardize and improve the tracking of costs and variances.
- Proposed document management process improvements to preserve critical documents for evidence in regulatory proceedings.
- Oversaw compliance with these new processes for major projects in flight.
- Assisted with implementation of Sage Timberline software to prepare AACE estimates for electric transmission line and substation projects.
- Assisted with the development of a uniform work breakdown structure and cost code application.
- Contributed to the development of a benchmark database to assess project estimating and execution.
Regulatory Specialist
Comporium Communications
01.1997 - 01.2005
- Analyzed the impacts the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Act) on three local exchange companies and their cable affiliates.
- Prepared policy testimony in collaboration with other mid-sized telecommunications companies during the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proceedings interpreting the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
- Managed cross-functional teams including operations, engineering, safety, accounting, marketing, communications, and information services to implement regulatory projects prescribed by the FCC pursuant to the Act including digital subscriber line, number portability, customer data protections and the federal discount programs.
Regulatory Specialist
Plains Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative
01.1993 - 01.1996
- Prepared wholesale cost study and testimony as a professional witness in state rate case proceedings.
- Assisted in the development of the rate designs for 11 retail electric cooperatives.
- Responsible for state compliance filings and reporting.
Education
Masters of Arts - Regulatory Economics
New Mexico State University
Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance and Economics
New Mexico State University
Skills
- Project Management, Controls & Governance, Regulatory Compliance & Reporting, Cost Estimation & Budget Management, Risk Assessment & Mitigation, Benefits Realization & Performance Metrics, Cross-Functional Team Leadership, Process Improvement & Change Management, Testimony & Regulatory Filings, Data Analytics (MS Office Suite, MS Project, Primavera, SQL), Advanced Reporting & Dashboard Development (Power BI)
Certification
- PMP certified by Project Management Institute
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, Project, PowerPoint, Power BI, Access, Outlook, Visio
- Proficient with Monte Carlo simulation for risk assessment with Oracle Crystal Ball application
- Proficient with SharePoint
- Experience with SQL
- Experience with Sage Timberline estimating software
Timeline
Jurisdictional and Regulatory Management Manager
Duke Energy Corporation
01.2017 - Current
Senior Project Management and Regulatory Consultant
KCM Consulting, LLC
01.2012 - 01.2016
Regulatory Specialist
Comporium Communications
01.1997 - 01.2005
Regulatory Specialist
Plains Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative
01.1993 - 01.1996
Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance and Economics
New Mexico State University
Masters of Arts - Regulatory Economics
New Mexico State University