Aurora Ortega-Geis, PCC

Aurora Ortega-Geis has over twenty five years in the financial services industry, nine years corporate governance experience in the energy and utilities sector and seven years in executive coaching and workforce development. During her time in the secondary market with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, she invested housing capital in the primary market through financial institutions and public sector entities in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Texas. She also directed a $2.5 billion investment plan with housing agencies and mortgage bankers that led to an increase in homeownership as well as adding new and revitalized housing stock in San Antonio’s underserved community.

Aurora served as the Chairman of the Board for CPS Energy, the nation’s largest municipally owned power and gas utility of $11 billion, serving the City of San Antonio, Texas. She worked with International Economists, National and Local Policy Leaders, board members, the city, and private sector partners to pioneer and embrace a vision that served as a catalyst creating the United States first New Energy Economy, 

A 20-year sustainable and clean energy vision.

The vision grew from a $50 million investment in 2001 to more than $1 Billion, emphasizing energy efficiency and conservation. Carbon Free Energy (CFE) was positioned as core to the 20-year strategic base load power mix, and the vision continues to develop a digital energy infrastructure including smart grid, smart meters and battery storage (R&D). Further, the vision’s economic impact has led to a $1.4 billion investment in San Antonio’s economy, attracting carbon free energy partners such as OCI Solar, to develop 400 MWac of clean, renewable energy to serve about 70,000 homes in San Antonio, Texas. It is the first and remains the largest utility-scale solar energy power project in Texas.

Further, Aurora also served on the Compensation and HR committee of the CPS Energy board, including as committee Chair, to develop the CEO and Enterprise performance metrics, Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) and Pay for Performance executive compensation design, along with the CEO / C-Suite Succession planning for business model transformation to strengthen the Board Approved strategic intent and direction of CPS Energy’s sustainable and carbon free energy vision.

Aurora now serves as the National Strategic Partner and Head Coach for New Apprenticeship a Department of Labor Sponsor to deliver an experience-based learning system that equips the next generation of diverse tech talent within the context of meaningful work through Digital and Tech Apprenticeships. She collaborates with national and local public sector workforce partners to bring innovation and transformation to the workforce industry, bridging the gap between what schools don’t teach and what employers demand in skills today, by adopting the tech apprenticeship movement with movements such as apprenticeship accelerators. Aurora is also an executive, leadership and mentor coach.

Ms. Geis received her Bachelor of Science degree in business from LeTourneau University and a certificate from MIT Sloan Executive Education on Understanding and Solving Business Problems, in Systems Thinking. Aurora holds her Professional Coaching Certification (PCC) from ICF, a global coaching accreditation association of professional coaches.