AUSTIN The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) voted unanimously at its open meeting Thursday to name Connie Corona Executive Director of the agency. Corona has served as Interim Executive Director since February 1, 2024. Corona also announced the promotion of Barksdale English to Deputy Executive Director.
“Connie has done an outstanding job as Interim Executive Director and shown she is more than capable of leading this agency into the future,” PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson said. “The past four months have been exceptionally busy for the PUCT with development and implementation of the Texas Energy Fund, progress on determining a reliability standard, and other important projects. She has led staff through this work with confidence and a clear vision. Connie is well respected across the industry, knows our staff better than anyone, and is unquestionably the right person for the job.”
Corona has worked at the PUCT for 12 years. She first joined in 1997 as a policy analyst focused on the 1999 Texas Electric Choice Act, which introduced retail competition to the Texas electricity market. She rose to the role of Director of Electric Policy Analysis before joining NRG’s regulatory affairs department in 2003. She returned to the PUCT in 2017 and has served as Director of the Competitive Markets Division, Chief Program Officer, Deputy Executive Director, and most recently, Interim Executive Director.
“I want to thank the Commissioners for trusting me to lead our incredible staff at such an important time in the PUCT’s history,” Corona said. “As Texas continues to grow, our work to ensure Texans have reliable and affordable utility service only becomes more essential. Every member of the PUCT is dedicated to this mission, and I’m very proud to be the leader of this team.”
During her time at the PUCT, Corona has overseen the Market Analysis, Consumer Protection, Infrastructure, Legal, Utility Outreach, Compliance & Enforcement, Rules and Projects, and Rate Regulation divisions of the PUCT, as well as the Texas Energy Fund.
Corona graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She and her husband, Bob, have raised three children in the Austin area. Corona also serves as Chair of the Executive Board for the State Agency Council to the Governor’s Commission for Women.
At Thursday’s open meeting, Corona also announced the promotion of Barksdale English to Deputy Executive Director. He most recently served as Chief Program Officer. Both Corona (2022) and English (2023) are graduates of the Governor’s Executive Development Program at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
English began his work with the Commission in 2018, serving as Chief of Staff to a former commissioner and then as Director of the Division of Compliance and Enforcement. Prior to joining the PUCT, English worked at Austin Energy as a regulatory and market policy analyst for six years and concurrently served as Interim Chief of Staff to the utility’s general manager from 2017-2018.
English has graduate degrees from the LBJ School of Public Affairs (Master of Public Affairs) and Trinity College at the University of Dublin, Ireland (Master of Philosophy). He earned his undergraduate degree from Vassar College in New York. A native Texan, Barksdale lives in Austin with his wife, two children, and two dogs.
