An executive with the New England Conference of Public Utilities has been tapped to serve on the Vermont Public Service Board.
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin announced on Dec. 29 that he will appoint Sarah Hofmann to serve on the board as a replacement for retiring board member John Burke, who has served in the position since being appointed by former Gov. Howard Dean in 2000. Hofmann, who is currently executive director of the New England Conference of Public Utilities, is a former deputy commissioner and public advocate at the Vermont Department of Public Service. Her term with the Vermont Public Service Board, which oversees the financial management and rates of Vermont's public utilities, begins in March.
"Sarah brings an excellent combination of accessibility, warmth and deep policy expertise to the Board," said Gov. Shumlin in a statement. "Her institutional knowledge, innate fairness and good sense of public engagement will serve the Board very well."
Hofmann worked for 17 years at the Vermont Department of Public Service including nine as special counsel. She was named executive director of the New England Conference of Public Utilities in September 2012.
"I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to help shape our regulatory landscape for the coming years," said Hofmann in a statement. "The utility world is changing and I want to help ensure that our choices are reasonable, affordable and sustainable."
