Executive Team

Melanie Frye

President and Chief Executive Officer

Melanie Frye, President and CEO of WECC, drives the organization's mission to mitigate risks to the reliability and security of the Western Interconnection’s Bulk Power System. She excels in engaging with members, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies, ensuring WECC's positive relationship with NERC and the ERO Enterprise.

Melanie is a transformational leader, crafting WECC’s Invented Future framework and fostering a dynamic internal culture aligned with WECC’s core mission. Her previous roles at WECC include Vice President of Reliability Planning and Performance Analysis, where she led technical and analytical functions, and Vice President of Shared Services, overseeing Human Resources, Finance, IT, Project Management, and Administrative Services. Joining WECC in 2007 as Director of Human Resources, Melanie has continually advanced within the organization.

Before WECC, Melanie was a Senior HR Consultant at PacifiCorp, advising leadership of multiple power generation facilities and supporting over 2,500 employees.

Melanie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Weber State University and a Utility Executive Course Certificate from the University of Idaho.
 

Jeff Droubay
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Jeff Droubay, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at WECC, joined the organization in 2022. Jeff leads WECC's legal team and the Assistant Corporate Secretary, providing comprehensive legal guidance and supporting the Board of Directors on governance documents, bylaws, policies, procedures, and executive matters.

As a member of the executive team, Jeff drives strategy, collaboration, and engagement across WECC. Before WECC, he was the Senior Vice President for Legal and Business Affairs at Dyno Nobel Americas, where he oversaw legal, compliance, and environmental functions, and served as vice-chair of the board of governors for the Institute of Makers of Explosives. Jeff’s prior experience includes over a decade as an attorney at Parsons, Behle, and Latimer.

Jeff holds an undergraduate degree in English and a Juris Doctor from Brigham Young University, where he was Senior Editor of Law Review and graduated with honors.
 

Jillian Lessner

Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Jillian Lessner, Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at WECC, oversees Finance and Accounting, IT, HR, Meetings, Administrative Services, and the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS).

Jillian’s journey at WECC began as Controller from 2008 to 2010, before returning in 2012 as Director of Finance and Accounting. Prior to rejoining WECC, she served as Corporate Technical Accounting Manager at Stanley Black and Decker. With over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial management, Jillian has held key positions at Duke Energy Trading and Marketing and Forrester Research, Inc.

Jillian holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Vermont and an MBA from the University of Utah.
 

Steven Noess

Vice President, Reliability and Security Oversight

Steven Noess, Vice President of Reliability and Security Oversight at WECC, joined the organization in April 2022. Steve leads the implementation of WECC’s risk-informed Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP) and manages the Oversight department’s diverse teams, including Entity Monitoring, Oversight Planning and Registration, and Enforcement and Mitigation.

As a member of WECC’s executive team, Steve drives strategy, collaboration, transformation, and engagement across the organization. Before WECC, Steve was Director of Regulatory Programs at NERC, where he led the alignment and oversight of CMEP activities.

Steve’s career includes serving as an attorney for the Minnesota Legislature and as an active-duty officer in the U.S. Army. He holds a Bachelor of Science in International Politics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School.
 

Kris Raper

Vice President, Strategic Engagement and External Affairs

Kris Raper, Vice President of Strategic Engagement & External Affairs at WECC, leads the coordination and oversight of engagement with strategic partners and stakeholders. Kris works regionally and nationally to drive efforts, facilitate conversations, and educate on critical reliability and security matters for the Western Interconnection.

Before joining WECC, Kris served as a commissioner for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission for seven years, where she adjudicated regulatory matters related to investor owned utilities and participated in numerous regional energy market collaborations. In 2021, she chaired the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB) and represented the West on the FERC and NARUC Joint Task Force on Electric Transmission.

Previously, Kris was a deputy attorney general representing the Idaho Commission. She holds a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Boise State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law.
 

Branden Sudduth

Vice President of Reliability Planning and Performance Analysis

Branden Sudduth, Vice President of Reliability Planning and Performance Analysis at WECC, leads the organization’s technical and analytical functions, overseeing Reliability Modeling and Assessments, Standards Development, Performance Analysis, Event Analysis, and Situation Awareness.

As Director of Reliability Risk Management, Branden led the strategic direction for WECC's Performance Analysis and Event Analysis/Situation Awareness departments. He actively supported industry stakeholders through the Operating and Market Interface Committees, ensuring alignment and collaboration. Additionally, with a strong foundation in engineering and management roles within WECC's Reliability Planning department, Branden brings deep expertise in bulk power system modeling and analysis, driving impactful results for the organization.

Branden holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Brigham Young University, a master’s in electrical engineering from the University of Idaho, and an MBA from Weber State University.