Public Power Manager Certificate Program

Program Description

With ever-increasing pressures and challenges on utilities from heightened customer expectations, changing regulations, technology advances, and a changing workforce, those who lead and manage public power utilities must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to create an effective and sustainable organization with engaged, skilled and committed employees.

The Public Power Manager Certificate Program is designed for a new generation of leaders as well as existing supervisors and managers. Participation in this highly interactive program—developed specifically for public power—will help leaders provide organizational direction as they navigate a changing and complex industry environment.

To earn a Public Power Manager certificate, participants must complete the three required courses, then within a year of completing the program curriculum, complete a post-course project that applies principles from the six key leadership dimensions learned in class.

Program Brochure

The next program will take place at the 2022 Fall Education Institute, click here to learn more and register.

Download a copy of PDF brochure: 2022 Public Power Manager Program Brochure.

Recommended for

This program is designed for mid-level public power managers and supervisors interested in improving their management, communication, leadership capability. New senior managers, and those with experience, who wish to refresh or enhance their knowledge and skills by participating in a highly interactive program will also benefit.

Program Requirements

To earn this certificate, participants must complete all requirements within one year of finishing the required curriculum:

1. Complete the required courses

Virtual: Strategic Challenges and Trends for Public Power
Sept. 27 (Noon – 4 p.m. ET)
Virtual: Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Cost of Service Studies: What Managers Need to Know
Sept. 29 (Noon – 3:30 p.m. ET)
In-person: Strategic Leadership for Public Power
Oct. 4-7 in San Antonio (as part of the Fall Education Institute)
- Focused on six key leadership areas: awareness, character, community, empowerment, service and sustainability

2. Submit a post-course project

Address an important utility issue, problem, change or opportunity, applying principles from the six key leadership dimensions learned in class.
- Participants may choose to complete one of the following project types: (1) a project that addresses a real issue, problem, change, or opportunity at their utility, (2) a leadership research paper, or (3) a personal leadership reflection and statement.
- Participants will receive project guidelines that describe what is expected

About the Instructors

Betsy Aylin, Ph.D., is an executive and consultant with Collaborative Learning/Collaboration Unlimited in Austin, Texas. Betsy has broad expertise in leadership development, organization effectiveness and workforce planning. She has worked in an array of industries, including nearly 20 years with public utilities. Betsy has served as adjunct faculty for graduate level programs in the College of Business Administration at the University of Texas-Austin and in the Masters in Leadership and Ethics program at St. Edwards University in Austin.

M. Thomas Black, P.E., is an accomplished executive manager, engineer, educator and consultant with Collaborative Learning/Collaboration Unlimited. Tom has extensive executive level experience in leading electric and gas utility systems. His experience covers over 37 years and includes both municipal (Colorado Springs and City of Fountain) and investor owned (Progress Energy) utilities. He has served on the Boards of RMEL and the Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

Dawn Lund, is the vice president of Utility Financial Solutions and has 25 years of experience in financial analysis for utility systems. She provides financial assessment, cost of service studies and financial plans for utilities throughout the country, Canada, Guam and the Caribbean and teaches a variety of financial planning courses for the American Public Power Association.

R. John Miner, P.E., is an executive manager, educator and consultant with more than 45 years of experience in the electric utility industry. He is president of Collaborative Learning, Inc./Collaboration Unlimited of Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and has been an APPA instructor for more than 30 years and an instructor for the University of Wisconsin for 20 years. Before forming his own company, he worked for the Austin, Texas, Electric Utility Department, Rochester Public Utilities in Minnesota, and as an assistant professor at the University of Houston.

Enrollment Fees*

The fees noted below are the early registration rate. Fees increase by $150 if registration is received after Sept. 12 (for the Fall Institute offering).

Members: $2,800
Nonmembers: $5,600

*The enrollment fees include everything you need to participate in and graduate from the certificate program (registration for the 3 courses: virtual and in-person; program enrollment fee; materials; post-course project grading; and graduation plaque).

How Can I Participate?

Attend an Education Institute

The Public Power Manager Certificate Program classes are held once a year, in conjunction with one of our seasonal education institutes (spring or fall), and they provide a great opportunity to network with industry peers from across the nation.