Energy Conference Speakers' Biographies
 Carlos CurbeloFormer Member of United States Congress serving the 26th District of Florida Carlos Curbelo was born in Miami, Florida in 1980, to political refugees who fled tyranny and oppression Cuba. He was educated in the public school system and then at Belen Jesuit. From there he became a student at the University of Miami where he obtained a Bachelor’s in Business Administration while majoring in Political Science. He later returned to UM for a Masters in Public Administration. In 2002, after earning his first college degree, Carlos founded a media and public relations firm which he managed successfully for over 10 years doing work for a wide array of local and international companies as well as political campaigns and policy initiatives. In 2009, Carlos took leave from the firm to become State Director for U.S. Senator George LeMieux and an advisor on Latin-American policy. He served in this role until late 2010, when he was elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board, overseeing the fourth largest school district in the country. Carlos was part of a board that reduced taxes and administrative expenses, increased teacher pay, and expanded school choice while winning national accolades for improved student performance. In 2014, Carlos was elected to represent his community in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Education and Workforce Committee, the Small Business Committee, and the powerful Committee on Ways and Means where he co-authored the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 – comprehensive tax reform legislation that delivered historic tax relief, drove investment to challenged communities, and made American businesses more competitive. While in Congress Curbelo also led on climate policy, immigration reform, and gun safety. He co-founded and co-chaired the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, served in a leadership role in the Problem Solvers Caucus, and led the Brazil Caucus to strengthen the bilateral relationship with Latin-America’s leading economy. In 2017, Curbelo was honored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation with the New Frontier Award for his work promoting bipartisan cooperation on environmental policy. In 2018 he filed the landmark Market Choice Act, ambitious legislation that would invest nearly a trillion dollars in American infrastructure while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by pricing carbon. Also in 2018, he led a discharge petition initiative that forced the U.S. House to debate and consider comprehensive immigration reform legislation – including a path to citizenship for Dreamers – for the first time in a decade. He was ranked the fourth most bipartisan Member of the House where he represented South Florida until returning to the private sector in 2019. |
 Danielle DiMartino BoothCEO & Chief Strategist for Quill Intelligence LLC Danielle DiMartino Booth is CEO & Chief Strategist for Quill Intelligence LLC, a research and analytics firm celebrating its one-year anniversary of launching The Daily Feather and the four-year anniversary of the Weekly Quill. DiMartino Booth set out to launch a #ResearchRevolution, redefining how markets intelligence is conceived and delivered with the goal of not only guiding portfolio managers, but promoting financial literacy. To build QI, she brought together a core team of investing veterans to analyze the trends and provide critical analysis on what is driving the markets – both in the United States and globally. Since inception, commentary and data from DiMartino Booth’s The Daily Feather have appeared in other financial sources such as Bloomberg, CNBC, Fox Business, Institutional
Investor, Yahoo Finance, The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Seeking Alpha, TD Ameritrade, TheStreet.com,
and more. DiMartino Booth began her career in New York at Credit Suisse and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette where she worked in the fixed income, public equity, and private equity markets. DiMartino Booth earned her BBA as a College of Business Scholar at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She holds an MBA in Finance and International Business from the University of Texas at Austin and an MS in Journalism from Columbia University. |
 Alex FlintExecutive Director, Alliance for Market Solutions (AMS) Alex Flint is the executive director of the Alliance for Market Solutions (AMS), an organization of conservative leaders addressing two of America’s most pressing challenges: the need to reduce carbon pollution and grow the economy. Recognized as one of Washington’s top lobbyists, he led the Nuclear Energy Institute’s advocacy program as the senior vice president of governmental affairs for a decade before joining AMS in May 2017. Mr. Flint previously served as staff director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, during which he led the creation of the bipartisan Energy Policy Act of 2005—the first significant energy legislation in 13 years—and approximately 100 public land- and water-related laws. He received a bachelor’s degree in international politics from George Washington University and lives in McLean, Va., with his wife and four children. |
 Patricia HealySenior Vice President of Research and Portfolio Manager, Cumberland Advisors Patricia M. Healy joined the firm in the summer of 2016 as a Senior Vice President of Research and Portfolio Manager. Ms. Healy was most recently Senior Director for Bayern LB where she oversaw the Public Finance portfolio as well as the firm’s Tender Option Bond liquidity program. Previously, Ms. Healy served as a credit analyst at TD Securities as well as Offitbank. She also has experience at the credit rating agencies of Fitch and Standard & Poor’s. Ms. Healy holds a B.S. in Finance from the State University of New York at New Paltz. In addition, she is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. |
 David KotokCIO of Cumberland Advisors David R. Kotok cofounded Cumberland Advisors in 1973 and has been its Chief Investment Officer since inception. He holds a B.S. in economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in organizational dynamics from The School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Kotok’s articles and financial market commentaries have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and other publications. He is a frequent contributor to Bloomberg TV and Bloomberg Radio, Fox Business, and other media. Mr. Kotok has served as Program Chairman and currently serves as a Director of the Global Interdependence Center (GIC), www.interdependence.org, whose mission is to encourage the expansion of global dialogue and free trade in order to improve cooperation and understanding among nation states, with the goal of reducing international conflicts and improving worldwide living standards. Mr. Kotok chaired its Central Banking Series and organized a five-continent dialogue held in Cape Town, Chile, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Milan, Paris, Philadelphia, Prague, Rome, Santiago, Shanghai, Singapore, Tallinn, and Zambia (Livingstone). He has received the Global Citizen Award from GIC for his efforts. Mr. Kotok is a member of the National Business Economics Issues Council (NBEIC), the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) and served on the Research Advisory Board of BCA Research. Mr. Kotok has served as a Commissioner of the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) and on the Treasury Transition Teams for New Jersey Governors Kean and Whitman. He has also served as a board member of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and as Chairman of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. He has authored or co-authored four books, including the second editions of From Bear to Bull with ETFs and Adventures in Muniland. David has also written the monograph pamphlet, “Thucydides” detailing information asymmetries & their implications for investors and world affairs. |
 James LucierManaging Director, Capital Alpha James Lucier is a managing director at Capital Alpha, where he leads the energy, environmental, & tax practices. Lucier provides predictive, insightful analysis of trends in Washington energy and climate policy for an array of clients including asset managers, private equity investors, commodity traders, and investment bankers. His fields of expertise are domestic U.S. energy production, alternative energy, energy infrastructure and electric power, especially as they are impacted by regulation, litigation, and the U.S. political cycle. Before co-founding Capital Alpha Partners in 2007, Lucier was a senior vice president at Prudential Equity Group, where for nine years he was a member of Prudential’s well-known Washington strategy group (repeatedly ranked #1 by Institutional Investor Magazine) and of equity research teams covering oil & gas, power & utilities, and industrials. |
 Matthew McAleerManaging Director and Portfolio Manager, Cumberland Advisors Matthew McAleer serves as a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager for Cumberland’s domestic and international strategies. With a focus on quantitative research, Mr. McAleer uses detailed trend and relative strength analysis to manage portfolio construction and identify investment opportunities across multiple asset classes. Mr. McAleer has over 20 years of investment management experience and previously led the tactical asset allocation strategies at Hudson Canyon Investment Counselors and Classic Asset Management. The strategy was recognized as a “Top Gun” performer by PSN Informa in 2013. Mr. McAleer holds a BS degree in marketing/economics from Rider University, where he also competed for the wrestling team. Mr. McAleer is an Investment Advisor Representative with Cumberland Advisors. |
 James MurchiePresident, CEO and Co-Portfolio Manager, EIP James Murchie co-founded EIP in 2003 with Linda Longville and Eva Pao. He is the President, CEO and Co-Portfolio Manager of EIP’s Funds and products which seek to focus on high-payout energy infrastructure securities such as Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), MLP affiliates, Utilities, Yield Corporations (YieldCos) and Energy Infrastructure Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). From late 2004 to mid-2006, while the EIP investment team was affiliated with Pequot Capital Management, Mr. Murchie served as a Managing Director. In July 2006, EIP re-established its independence. In 1998, he founded Lawhill Capital where he managed a long/short equity fund that invested in energy and cyclical equities and commodities until 2003. From 1995 to 1997, he was a Managing Director at Tiger Management where his primary responsibility was investments in energy, commodities and related equities. From 1990-1995, Mr. Murchie was a Principal at Sanford C. Bernstein where he was a top-ranked energy analyst and sat on the Research Department’s Recommendation Review Committee. Before joining Bernstein, he spent 8 years at British Petroleum in 7 operating and staff positions of increasing responsibility. He has served on the board of Clark Refining and Marketing Company and as President and Treasurer of the Oil Analysts Group of New York. Mr. Murchie received a B.A. from Rice University in 1979 and an M.A. in Energy Planning from Harvard University in 1982. |
 Samuel E. RinesChief Economist, Avalon Advisors Samuel E. Rines is Chief Economist at Avalon Advisors. Prior to joining Avalon, Samuel was an Economist and Analyst at Chilton Capital Management. His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The National Interest, on CNBC and has been covered by Bloomberg and Reuters along with other media outlets. He was a Student Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research where he received the Roy Anderson Faulke Award. While working on his degree, Samuel spent two trimesters at Oxford University studying Development Economics. During his time at Oxford, he joined the Regent’s Park College Crew Team. Samuel is a member of The Houston Economics Club and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. |
 Judith SchwartzbaumSenior Partner of the Schwartzbaum Urfer Group, Morgan Stanley Judy has worked with families since 1985 to help them prepare for the important things in their lives – college for children and grandchildren, planning for and funding their retirement years, and for all of the unexpected things that happen in life. She calls it being prepared for the worst. As the senior partner of The Schwartzbaum Urfer Group at Morgan Stanley which includes Financial Advisor Tom Urfer, Portfolio Associate Annette Celentano and Certified Financial Planner Lisa Simms, Judy’s goal is to provide highly personalized, comprehensive strategies including planning, asset management and client education. She continues her education as a member of the Association of Professional Investment Consultants (APIC) and as a member of Portfolio Manager Institute. (PMI) and is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary. The team focuses on all aspects of wealth management because their clients have a lot more to manage than just their money. A graduate of Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a Bachelor of Arts and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Master of Arts, Judy’s family had vacationed in Sarasota since she was a teenager. Relocating to Sarasota in 1984 was an easy decision and transition. She was married to a retired physician, Dr. Leonard Schwartzbaum, who passed away in 2018. Judy’s family includes daughters Anne and Amy, son Daniel and grandchildren Katherine and Julia. The newest addition to the Schwartzbaum household is Bella, a beautiful black Labrador retriever rescue who was trained to be Len’s service assistance dog. Judy has traveled extensively, Judy’s commitment to her family and to your family is the most important part of the Group’s mission statement. |
 Jim SlutzDirector of Study Operations for the National Petroleum Council (NPC) Jim Slutz is the Director of Study Operations for the National Petroleum Council (NPC), an independent federal advisory committee to the United States, reporting to the Secretary of Energy. Prior to NPC, Jim led a global consulting practice with projects in North America, Asia, and Europe. Previously, Mr. Slutz served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy at the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and before that as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Oil and Natural Gas at DOE. Prior to joining DOE, Jim served as the Indiana Oil and Gas Director, regulating the State’s upstream oil and gas industry and natural gas storage wells. He is a former Vice-Chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. Mr. Slutz holds an MBA degree from The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business, and a B.S. degree from The Ohio State University, School of Natural Resources. Jim serves as chair of the Committee on Earth Resources and is a member of the Board of Earth Sciences and Resources of the National Academies of Sciences. In addition, he serves as an advisor to the National Bureau of Asia Research and is a Board Member of the local chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), currently serving as program chair for the Inaugural 2020 SPE/AAPG/SEG Washington DC Technology and Sustainability Symposium. Jim has published papers in collaboration with the American Enterprise Institute, The East West Center, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the National Bureau of Asia Research. |
 Casey WelchDirector of the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus Casey Welch serves as the Assistant Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus. As a member of the University of South Florida System Office of Government Relations he serves as the official liaison between USF Sarasota-Manatee and government entities. Under External Affairs he oversees Community Engagement and Corporate Partnership activities for USF Sarasota Manatee. Also, he is the Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership at USF Sarasota-Manatee (IPPL). The Institute engages strong academic resources at USF as well as local, national and global experts to guide a dynamic exchange of ideas about important policy and leadership issues. IPPL hosts lecture series, policy forums, seminars and workshops to stimulate meaningful, civil discussion and promote public discourse in our community. As the leader of IPPL he serves on the Government Issues Council of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the Career Edge Regional Workforce Council, the Government Affairs Committee of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and Chair of the Legislative Committee for the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. Before joining USF Sarasota Manatee in 2011, he served as Deputy Legislative Director for the office of Congressman Adam Putnam who represented the 12th District; which included portions of the Tampa Bay area and central Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Prior to his position in Washington, D.C. he worked in the Florida House of Representatives and the office of Florida Governor Jeb Bush. He also represented two of Florida’s largest agricultural trade associations at the U.S. Congress and various federal agencies. He is a graduate of the Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History. He is a Sarasota native who is a past president of the Florida 4-H Foundation and a member of the Mote Marine Laboratory Advisory Council. |