Page 39 - OPC_FlipBook

FIFTH PEOPLE’S COUNSEL
Sandra Mattavous-Frye (2011-present)
Currently, OPC is headed by Sandra Mattavous-Frye. Her three-decade- long career at OPC began with an internship prior to graduating from Antioch School of Law in 1983 and culminated with her appointment as the People’s Counsel in 2011.
She has held five leadership positions in her career and is guided by the CARE model (consumer empowerment, affordability, reliability, and energy efficiency and sustainability). One thing she has been consistent on throughout her career is her advocacy for ratepayers, regardless of the critical issue at hand — like utility regulatory transitions, deregulation, and emerging competition. She has championed smart grid development, energy efficiency, conservation management, and consumer rights.
Mattavous-Frye has received numerous awards and accolades in recognition of her outstanding achievements and commitment to improving the utility landscape for everyday consumers. These awards include the 2021 Robert F. Manifold Lifetime Service Award from the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, the highest honor awarded for dedication to public service; the Advocate of the Year Award from Antioch School of Law; and the State Regulatory Practitioner Award from the Energy Bar Association. Under her leadership, OPC has played a crucial role in a number of initiatives, including the formation of the DCSEU, DC Power Line Undergrounding initiative, the Washington Gas Light Accelerated Pipeline Replacement Project, and the DC Infrastructure Academy, which was included in the Pepco/Exelon merger settlement. Her dedication to ratepayers has ensured that these programs will provide measurable benefits to the residents of D.C.
Sandra Mattavous-Frye has stewarded OPC well. The progress she has initiated was only possible because of the cornerstones that the four previous People’s Counsels laid. OPC’s entire history is a story of dedicated service and tireless advocacy, and Mattavous-Frye’s vision has always been to ensure that the voiceless have a voice and that the powerful are held accountable
Mattavous-Frye’s proudest achievement is a series of “first-ever initiatives and unprecedented consumer victories”: the 2012 Climate Change Symposium at the University of the District of Columbia Law School; the 2013 establishment of a city-wide energy efficiency DIY training for consumers that involved simple conservation demonstrations; the negotiation of a $100,000 settlement with Starion, a third-party supplier (TPS) accused of using abusive sales tactics; formulation of a 2017 senior study and focus group to identify issues directly affecting senior citizens; establishment of conservation demonstrations for community groups; and the commissioning of a 2020 Energy Affordability Study and a 2022 Water Affordability Study. D.C. and other national organizations have used OPC’s data, which indicates the quality of data that OPC collects. In 2023, Mattavous-Frye also convened the first city-wide Youth Climate Change Summit. OPC will continue down the path that the People’s Counsels set it on, and Mattavous-Frye’s commitment will shape the Office as it strives to meet the ever-evolving needs of utility consumers in the District of Columbia.
38
OPC’s Journey to Protect Utility Consumers