Christina Cress to Speak at 2026 Appalachian Clean Energy Regulatory and Policy CLE Workshop

Energy and Utilities attorney Christina Cress will speak at the 2026 Appalachian Clean Energy Regulatory and Policy CLE Workshop on October 16.

Hosted by the Appalachian Energy Center at Appalachian State University, the workshop gives attorneys, policy professionals, and energy advocates an annual update on the regulatory and legislative developments shaping clean energy in North Carolina.

Christina, who leads Ward and Smith’s Energy and Utilities practice group, brings a firsthand perspective to the conversation. Before joining Ward and Smith, she served as a staff attorney at the North Carolina Utilities Commission, where she helped implement legislatively created energy programs and gained direct experience with the regulatory processes that continue to shape the state’s energy landscape. She is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Utilities Law and was recognized by Chambers USA as “Up and Coming” in Energy and Natural Resources in 2025.

Her practice today centers on regulatory compliance and complex utility matters, including electric and natural gas rate cases and resource planning dockets. That combination of regulatory insight and courtroom experience gives her a practical lens on the issues the workshop covers, from utility rate applications to emerging legal questions around energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

The workshop offers North Carolina CLE credit and draws attorneys and energy professionals from across the region each year. Register now.