Energy Security Game Changers

2nd Annual · American Energy Leadership Summit

Exploring the people, policies, technologies, and capital shaping the future of American energy security.

When

Monday, September 28, 2026

Where

Planet Word Museum · Washington, D.C.

The Summit

The people shaping American energy. In one room.

Senior administration officials, members of Congress, energy executives, investors, and innovators are coming together in Washington for a candid working summit on what comes next.

From the labs to Wall Street to Main Street, we’ll focus on the game changers that can unlock faster deployment and deliver more abundant, affordable, reliable, and secure American energy.

Featured Speakers

The people moving energy forward.

On the Agenda

People. Policy. Technology. Capital.

Permitting
Critical Minerals
Workforce
Innovation
AI + Tech
Speed to Power
Nuclear
Transmission
Grid Reliability
Natural Gas
Geothermal

Agenda

Monday, September 28, 2026

10:00 AM

Doors Open: Coffee and Networking

10:30 AM

Welcome Remarks

Drew Bond, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of the Board

10:35 – 11:05 AM

Will the Senate Get Permitting Done: Lessons from EPRA

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)
Moderator: Nick Loris, President, C3 Solutions

11:05 – 11:45 AM

Accelerating Innovation from Lab to Market to Mainstreet

Conner Prochaska, Director of ARPA-E
Ed Knight, Executive Vice Chair of Nasdaq and Chairman of the Nasdaq Texas Advisory Board
Moderator: Adam Goodman, Host, 13th & Park Podcast

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Lunch

12:15 – 1:00 PM

Luncheon Keynotes: Energy Gamechangers in the Americas

Kaes Van't Hof, CEO, Diamondback Energy
Randy Bell, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, JERA Americas, Inc.
Moderator: Becky Klein, Principal, Klein Energy, LLC
Introduction by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Newsmax Commentator and Investor, Zero Global Waste

1:00 – 1:45 PM

Dessert and Coffee Bar Networking Break

1:45 – 2:00 PM

Policy Gamechanger Pitch 1

Rethinking the Power Grid System for the Next Century

Introduction: David Kemp, Research Fellow, C3 Solutions
Michael Bruce, Partner, Venture Investing, Emerson Collective

2:00 – 2:30 PM

Transmission Policy for an Affordable, Reliable Grid

Katie Jereza, Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity at the Department of Energy
Moderator: Devin Hartman, Lighthouse Energy Institute (LEI)

2:30 – 2:45 PM

Policy Gamechanger Pitch 2

Building Transmission for a More Affordable, Reliable Grid

Introduction: Devin Hartman, Lighthouse Energy Institute (LEI)
Jeff Dennis, Electricity Customer Alliance

2:45 – 3:15 PM

Speed to Power: How Corporate Buyers Can Accelerate Innovation and Protect Ratepayers

Nathan Iyer, Energy Lead, Google
Dustin Carmack, Director, Public Policy, Meta
Charles Hernick, Energy and Environment Policy Lead, Amazon
Moderator: Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner

3:15 – 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 – 4:00 PM

The Next Mining Frontier: Subsea Mining

Laura Grimm, Deputy Undersecretary, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Moderator: Whitney Landress, Carbon X

4:00 – 4:25 PM

Securing American Supply Chains

Wyatt Smith, CEO and Founder, UpSmith
John Maslin, CEO, Vulcan Elements
Moderator: Frank Maisano, Bracewell

4:30 – 5:00 PM

What’s Next for Permitting Reform?

Chairman Bruce Westerman, House Natural Resources Committee (R-AR)
Moderator: Nick Loris, President, C3 Solutions

5:00 PM

Reception

Washington, D.C

Planet Word Museum

925 13th Street NW
Entrance on K Street NW
Washington, DC 20005

A distinctive room for a consequential conversation—inside the historic Franklin School in the heart of downtown Washington.

Partnerships

Put your organization in the room.

Connect with the policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and innovators shaping America’s energy future.

Maggie Delahoyde · maggie@c3solutions.org

Sponsorship Menu

2nd Annual American Energy Leadership Summit

Tier 1

Platinum

Exclusive luncheon or reception sponsorship
Premium reserved seating for 10 guests
Welcome remarks or introduce a featured speaker
Two seats at the private VIP dinner
VIP hospitality & greenroom access for three
Premier logo placement on materials & signage
Social media recognition
Priority consideration for future C3 programming

$25,000

2 Available

Tier 2

Gold

Premium reserved seating for five guests
One seat at the private VIP dinner
VIP hospitality & greenroom access for two
Prominent logo placement on materials & signage
Social media recognition
Preferred consideration for future C3 programming

$15,000

5 Available

Tier 3

Silver

Premium reserved seating for three guests
VIP hospitality access for one
Logo placement on event materials & signage
Social media recognition
Consideration for future C3 programming

$10,000

Unlimited

Monday, September 28, 2026 · Washington, D.C.

Put your organization in the room.

Reserve your seat for the 2nd Annual American Energy Leadership Summit.

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Working Agenda

Monday, September 28, 2026

● Draft — subject to change

Session titles, speakers, and times below are still being finalized. Names marked (invited) have not yet confirmed their participation.

10:00 – 10:05 AM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Nick Loris, President, C3 Solutions

10:05 – 10:45 AM

Energy Dominance & Permitting — Fireside Chat

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) (invited) & Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) (invited)
Moderator: Adam Goodman, 13th & Park Podcast (invited)

10:45 – 11:00 AM

Gamechanger Pitch

Rethinking the Power Grid for the Next Century

Michael Bruce, Partner, Venture Investing, Emerson Collective

11:05 – 11:55 AM

Accelerating Innovation: Lab to Market to Main Street

Conner Prochaska, Director, ARPA-E (invited) · Ed Knight, Executive Vice Chair, Nasdaq (invited) · Jesse Pichel, Roth Capital Partners (invited)
Moderator: Drew Bond, Founder & Executive Chair, C3 Solutions

12:00 – 12:30 PM

Lunch

12:30 – 1:30 PM

Luncheon Keynotes — Energy Gamechangers in the Americas

Doug Burgum, Secretary, Dept. of the Interior (invited) · Kaes Van’t Hof, CEO, Diamondback Energy
Moderators: Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator & Becky Klein, Klein Energy, LLC

1:15 – 2:00 PM

Dessert Networking Break

2:00 – 2:15 PM

Gamechanger Pitch

Is the Future of the Grid Consumer-Regulated?

Travis Fisher, Director of Energy & Environment Policy, Cato Institute (invited)

2:15 – 2:45 PM

Transmission Policy for an Affordable, Reliable Grid

Katie Jelezer, Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity, DOE (invited)
Moderator: Travis Fisher, Cato Institute or Devin Hartman, R Street Institute

2:45 – 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 – 3:30 PM

Critical Mineral Gamechangers — Subsurface & Subsea

Kate MacGregor, Deputy Secretary, Dept. of the Interior · Laura Grimm, Undersecretary, NOAA (invited)
Moderator: David Kemp, C3 Solutions

3:30 – 3:45 PM

Gamechanger Pitch

Policy & Technology — TBD

3:45 – 4:15 PM

AI for Energy Security, Affordability & Jobs

Kevin Kong, CEO & Founder, Everstar · Wyatt Smith, CEO & Founder, UpSmith (invited)

4:15 – 5:00 PM

Reception

The people shaping American energy. In one room.

The people moving energy forward.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman

Joe Manchin

Laura Grimm

Conner Prochaska

Katie Jereza

Ed Knight

Kaes Van't Hof

Adam Goodman

Michael Bruce

Becky Klein

Rick Santorum

Wyatt Smith

Whitney Landress

Callie Patteson

Devin Hartman

Jeff Dennis

John Maslin

Daniel Romito

Nathan Iyer

Charles Hernick

Dustin Carmack

Frank Maisano

Randy Bell

Drew Bond

Nick Loris

People. Policy. Technology. Capital.

Monday, September 28, 2026

Planet Word Museum

Thank you to our sponsors

Put your organization in the room.

2nd Annual American Energy Leadership Summit

Put your organization in the room.

Monday, September 28, 2026