As energy demand increases and power constraints become a growing challenge, industry leaders are looking for new ways to keep growth on track.
Don’t miss the Powering Growth Panel at Energy Workforce & Technology Council’s 2026 Annual Meeting, where industry leaders will explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of energy demand.
Joining the panel are energy leaders, innovators, and seasoned executives from Colonial Pipeline, EQT, Williams and Daniel Energy Partners.
Meet Our Expert Panelists:
Afshean Talasaz, Former Senior Vice President, Strategic Projects & Innovation and Chief Technology & Data Officer, Colonial Pipeline
In his most recent role as Senior Vice President, Strategic Projects & Innovation and Chief Technology & Data Officer at Colonial Pipeline, the largest refined products pipeline in the US, Afshean led information technology, operations technology, cybersecurity, data, AI, physical security, innovation, and large-scale enterprise initiatives. During his tenure at Colonial, he also led Operations Support, which included Power & Optimization.
Prior to Colonial Pipeline, Afshean led Digital Innovation & Enterprise Architecture at Magellan Midstream Partners, including digital, enterprise architecture, innovation, data, cloud, and AI functions. Earlier in his career, he held both leadership and technical roles at Vital Energy and Chesapeake Energy, spanning corporate and strategic planning, analytics, and AI & data science programs.
Sarah Fenton, EVP Upstream, EQT
Sarah Fenton, P.E., is Executive Vice President – Upstream at EQT Corporation, where she leads drilling, completions, production operations, and all subsurface science and engineering for the company’s 7.5 Bcf/d Appalachian Basin platform and $2 billion program. With more than 20 years of experience spanning upstream and midstream operations, she has held leadership and technical roles at EQT, Rice Energy, Sundance Energy, Newfield Exploration, and EnCana, building a track record of top-quartile operational performance, disciplined capital allocation, and value creation across major U.S. basins. A registered Professional Engineer in Texas and Colorado, Sarah holds an Executive MBA from the University of Oklahoma, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Colorado State University, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University. She is a frequent industry speaker and capital markets participant, recognized for advancing operational excellence, technical rigor, and innovation across the energy value chain.
Naveen Pandrangi, Vice President and Chief Transformation and Information Officer, Williams
Naveen Pandrangi is Vice President and Chief Transformation and Information Officer at Williams, where he leads enterprise transformation and information technology initiatives aligned to strategic business priorities.
He brings over 20 years of experience, having held leadership roles at Valero, ConocoPhillips, and Phillips 66, with expertise spanning energy operations, retail, mergers and acquisitions, and technology research. Naveen is recognized for integrating business strategy and technology to drive sustainable value and organizational change.
Blake McLean, Managing Director, Daniel Energy Partners
Blake is an energy industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in capital markets, finance, strategy, communications, and executive leadership. He spent 16 years at Simmons & Company, leaving in 2016 as a Director in the Institutional Sales group. He then held various senior leadership roles at EQT Corp, including Director of Finance and SVP of Strategy, Communications, and Investor Relations. He went on to roles as the CEO of Ambyint, an energy technology company, and CFO of Wyre, a wireline services provider. Blake holds a Finance degree from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Be a part of the conversation and register now for the 2026 EWTC Annual Meeting.
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