Washington:
US President Joe Biden has announced his intention to appoint Native Americans Manu Asthana and Madhu Beriwal to his National Infrastructure Advisory Council.
The president’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) advises the White House on reducing physical and cyber risks and improving the security and resilience of the country’s critical infrastructure sectors.
The 26 individuals announced to the NIAC on Wednesday are leading senior executives with extensive experience in a wide variety of industries, including banking and finance, transportation, energy, water, dams, defense, communications, information technology, healthcare, food and agriculture, government facilities, emergency services and higher education.
As CEO and President of PJM, Asthana oversees the largest electrical grid in North America and one of the largest electricity markets in the world.
“Under his leadership, PJM has set a clear path for defining the grid operator’s role in transitioning to a cleaner, more efficient grid while maintaining a reliable electricity supply,” the White House said.
Asthana has extensive energy industry leadership experience in power generation, optimization and shipping, competitive retailing in electricity, electricity and natural gas, and risk management. He serves on the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council and serves on the Texas Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees, the White House added.
He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. Asthana received a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar and a Joseph Wharton Scholar ,” it said.
Madhu Beriwal founded Innovative Emergency Management, Inc. in 1985. (IEM) on and remains the CEO and President. IEM is the largest female-led homeland security and emergency management company in the United States.
“Under Beriwal’s leadership, IEM has led some of the largest mitigation and resilience efforts in the United States, making a stronger comeback after disasters, including disaster recovery programs, and faster delivering federal funds to survivors and communities. than any other program of the same type and scope,” the White House said.
“For more than 37 years, Beriwal has been committed to using technology to improve preparedness, response and build the resilience of communities and their critical infrastructure. She was included in the International Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management in 2012. Hall of Fame.” it said.
She has a master’s degree in urban planning and a bachelor’s degree in geography and economics.