An expert on electric infrastructure siting and permitting, Jessica Luternauer helps clients address technical challenges, navigate political and regulatory landscapes, and shape the public dialogue around complex energy projects and initiatives through strategic communications and outreach programs. She brings a strong track record of success moving the needle on a broad range of projects, including greenfield transmission lines and substations, wind and solar developments, and policy issues that affect gas and electric utility clients. In her role at Bodewell Group (formerly Southwest Strategies Group), Jessica manages the company’s diverse portfolio of energy projects and leads the Central Valley office.
Since joining the firm in 2007, Jessica has helped secure regulatory and land use approvals for numerous clients. This includes serving as project manager on Enel Green Power North America’s (EGPNA) Jewel Valley Project, mobilizing supporters to advocate for meteorological testing equipment at the Jewel Valley site, ultimately winning approval. In addition, Jessica played an instrumental role in outreach during permitting and construction of the Sunrise Powerlink, a controversial transmission line that required approval from the California Public Utilities Commission, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.
More recently, Jessica led outreach efforts to educate key stakeholders about Sempra Renewables’ Great Valley Solar project and assisted Chevron with research, planning and collateral development for the company’s Coalinga Oil Field. She has experience working with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on numerous programs, including electric infrastructure projects, customer communications related to vegetation management and gas and electric transmission and distribution work, internal communications, and change management initiatives. Currently, Jessica manages Spent Fuel Solutions, a national coalition formed to advocate for the legislative and administrative changes needed to secure federally licensed offsite storage and disposal for spent nuclear fuel.
Prior to joining the agency, Jessica held positions in marketing and public relations. She currently serves on the board of Utility Communicators International and is a frequent speaker at energy industry conferences. Her work has won numerous local awards for public affairs, community relations, issues management and event planning, as well as three prestigious Silver Anvil Awards from the Public Relations Society of America, two MarCom Platinum Awards and two Hermes Platinum Awards. In 2016, she was recognized as one of the Central Valley’s top 40 under 40 by Business Street Online.
Jessica graduated Phi Beta Kappa with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BA in English and earned her MA in literature from the University of California, San Diego, where she taught writing and humanities at Revelle College.