Expertise for Utility-Scale Compliance, Sustainability, and Resilience

Stephanie Hudgins serves as Vice President of Power and Energy at SWCA Environmental Consultants, bringing more than 24 years of experience in environmental consulting and permitting. She leads business development and strategic growth across SWCA’s Transmission, Generation, Oil & Gas, and Mining markets, supporting clients nationwide in delivering large-scale infrastructure projects. Stephanie plays a key role in shaping corporate strategy, optimizing cross-discipline collaboration, and driving integrated solutions that align with client goals and regulatory requirements.

Known for her relationship-driven approach, Stephanie works closely with clients, industry partners, and internal teams to identify growth opportunities and deliver value throughout the project lifecycle. Her technical background spans NEPA compliance, FERC licensing, Section 404 permitting, protected species consultations, and biological field studies. She has successfully managed multidisciplinary teams and complex permitting efforts across a wide range of industries, including renewables, natural gas transmission, water resources, and private development.

Stephanie is a trusted partner to corporate and utility clients navigating evolving regulatory landscapes. Her focus on execution, responsiveness, and collaboration ensures that clients receive thoughtful, strategic support from planning through construction.

Kayla Shockley serves as SWCA’s Power and Energy Business Line Director, steering nationwide energy strategy and driving business growth across renewable energy—including wind and solar—transmission, oil and gas, and mining market sectors. With over 16 years of environmental consulting and permitting experience, she has managed complex, multidisciplinary projects across all phases of development, including wind and solar energy projects. She excels at developing innovative solutions that support client objectives while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Andrew has 25+ years leading water-focused projects and providing services including program and policy development, asset management, comprehensive watershed management, hazard mitigation and flood risk management, and development master planning.

Erica has 20+ years of experience leading program and project teams in water quality, water resources planning, and water policy. She ensures that SWCA delivers high quality work products across the water resources service area.

Eric brings a diverse background with many years of experience in electric utilities, commercial transmission, and renewables development. His transmission and generation experience includes transmission line and utility-scale solar and wind development, acquisitions, and utility partnerships from New England to Alaska.

Reid Persing has successfully permitted over 2,000 miles of extra-high-voltage transmission lines on behalf of clients in the United States. As Program Management Vice President, Reid supports teams working on behalf of NextEra to ensure they understand expectations related to integration into NextEra’s Environmental, Development, and E&C teams; supports proactive critical thinking outside the environmental scope of work; and helps teams connect with resources and insights to meet development cadence and other client requirements. His technical expertise includes leading teams pursuing major capital development projects through the development of permitting strategies, routing and siting studies, and strategy execution; preparation of federal and state right-of-way (ROW) applications; National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document preparation; regulatory coordination; and planning and execution of technical studies.

Scott has extensive experience permitting energy projects across the U.S. and managing and completing EAs and EISs in compliance with NEPA. He specializes in managing large multi-disciplinary teams for siting, analysis, permitting, and construction of large projects.