The Utility Analytics Institute (UAI), an EndeavorB2B brand and a utility-led community advancing utility transformation through analytics, today announced the recipients of the 2026 UAI Excellence Awards during the final General Session of UA Week 2026 in Glendale, Arizona.

The annual awards celebrate individuals, teams, and organizations whose leadership, expertise, innovation, thought leadership, and contributions to the UAI community are helping move utility analytics forward. This year's ceremony brought nominees, finalists, award recipients, and peers together in one celebration of the people behind the progress.

"The strongest analytics communities are built by people who are willing to contribute, share what they know, challenge what is possible, and help others move forward," said Leslie Cook, Director, Membership, Engagement & Training at UAI. "Our 2026 honorees represent that spirit in so many different ways. They are delivering meaningful results inside their organizations while also strengthening the broader utility analytics community. Celebrating them together at UA Week is one of the best reminders of what this community can accomplish when people learn from one another and recognize the work happening around them."

2026 UAI Excellence Award Winners

• Best Utility Analytics Professional: Luis Selvera - Machine Learning Engineer 3, CPS Energy
• Best Utility Analytics Leader: Hilario Urquieta - Interim Senior Director, Data & Digital Experience, CPS Energy
• Best Innovative Utility Analytics Team: Southern Company - Power Delivery Data Analytics (PDDA)
• Most Engaged Individual Member: Sam Ortega - Senior Engineer, Salt River Project
• Most Engaged Utility Member Organization: Austin Energy
• Most Engaged Solution Provider Member Organization: Itron
• Analytics Ambassador: Carol Bogacz - Principal Consultant, 1898 & Co.

Top 25 Thought Leaders in Utility Analytics

UAI also unveiled the 2026 Top 25 Thought Leaders in Utility Analytics, recognizing professionals whose ideas, leadership, expertise, and willingness to share are helping shape the evolution of analytics across the utility industry. View the full list of 2026 honorees on the UAI Excellence Awards page.

Recognizing the 2026 Award Judges

The winners in UAI's three competitive Excellence Award categories were selected through a multi-phase peer-review process that included evaluation and finalist interviews. UAI thanks the nine utility professionals and industry experts who contributed their time, perspective, and expertise to the 2026 judging process.

Best Utility Analytics Professional Judges

• Eric Verner - Data Scientist, Southern Company
• Claudia Hernandez - Scrum Master & Change Management Lead, Con Edison
• Pablo Bustamante - Data Science and Business Intelligence Analyst, El Paso Electric

Best Utility Analytics Leader Judges

• Sean Douglass - Manager of Automation and Agentic Platform Solutions, Entergy
• Hannah Ball - Data Governance Manager, Tacoma Public Utilities
• Sreenivas Badri - Director, Grid and Market Solutions, ERCOT

Best Innovative Utility Analytics Team Judges

• Gary Rector - Senior Data Scientist, Salt River Project
• Kathryn Walter - Sr Operations Research Analyst, Avista
• Eugene Hamrick - Director, Enterprise Analytics & Innovation, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative/BrillIT

"These award recipients show us what progress in utility analytics looks like in practice: strong leadership, thoughtful innovation, measurable impact, and a willingness to bring others along," said Gina Weber, Managing Director of UAI. "What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that it comes from a community of peers who understand both the complexity of the work and the opportunity in front of our industry. We are proud to celebrate the 2026 winners and grateful to every nominee, finalist, judge, and member who continues to move this community forward."

About the UAI Excellence Awards

The UAI Excellence Awards celebrate individuals, teams, and organizations advancing analytics innovation across the utility industry. Eligibility to participate in the awards program is one of the benefits included with UAI Utility Membership. Award categories recognize utility analytics professionals, analytics leaders, innovative utility analytics teams, thought leaders and ambassadors, and outstanding community engagement. Learn more at utilityanalytics.com/awards/.