People
Executive Director
Amy Bandyk
Amy Bandyk serves as the Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Michigan. She joined CUB of MI at its inception in 2018 and is passionate about energy affordability and supporting the transition to clean, renewable energy for her family and fellow Michigan residents.
Bandyk was born and raised in Michigan and moved to Washington, D.C. shortly after graduating from Michigan State University with high honors and a B.A. in communication. There, she joined a strategic communications firm where she worked for government, non-profit, trade association and corporate clients on many different issues affecting consumers. She then went to work for a telecommunications trade association as the Director of Advocacy Communications. She earned her M.A. in communication from Johns Hopkins University in 2013. She then became the executive director of an animal rescue non-profit organization where she had previously volunteered, served on the Board of Directors and adopted her beloved dogs.
Bandyk and her husband moved back home to Michigan and welcomed their first child in 2017. She was a consultant to a consumer group advocating for residential utility ratepayers in the Upper Peninsula until CUB of MI was formed and launched. She and her family live in Royal Oak. She enjoys exploring local parks and restaurants, getting out on the lakes in the summer, traveling to new places and visiting with old friends.
Board of Directors
President
Keith Cooley
Keith Cooley is a management consultant intent on linking America’s recovery to a “Green Collar” Agenda… one that develops cutting-edge technology to combat issues of environmental crises, then training underserved communities as the next generation of technologists in support of these sectors.
His present work for MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research looks at the impact of deep decarbonization on the motor vehicle industry, African American workers, and associated low-income communities as the country migrates from its present fossil fuel-intensive ecosystem.
Equally comfortable working with clients across the political spectrum, Keith served as a cabinet member to (then) Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, advised French Presidential candidate François Hollande on future energy trends and hosted Vice President Biden’s 2008 Michigan clean energy award announcement. He was also chosen in 2006 by the Bush (43) Administration to visit U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East.
His climate policy work on the damaging health effects of burning coal and corn ethanol’s link to harmful algal blooms, led Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to include him on the State’s Advisory Council for Environmental Justice.
Keith is a member of the Engineering Society of Detroit’s College of Fellows; was named a Tau Beta Pi Eminent Engineer and received the Apollo Alliance “Right Stuff” Award for work that “exemplifies the organization’s clean energy, good jobs mission”.
He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Physics and a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan. While there, he was a gymnast; the first African-American to compete in that sport at the school and was a member of its 1966 Big Ten Championship team.
Keith served as CUB’s Vice President from 2018 – 2021.
On a personal note, Keith is married, lives in Detroit, Mich. and has four children and eight grandchildren. He enjoys reading, running, biking, and Tai Chi.
General Counsel & Treasurer
John Liskey
John R. Liskey is the co-founder, treasurer and general counsel of Citizens Utility Board of Michigan. Previously he founded the Citizens Against Rate Excess nonprofit Michigan corporation founded in 2009 to fight utility rate increases in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Prior to that Mr. Liskey served as an Assistant Attorney General in the utility law section of Michigan’s Attorney General’s office where he was recognized for his multi-state consumer advocacy work before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Liskey also has many years of experience in the private sector specializing in cable telecommunications management, law and government affairs serving as a President of a leading-edge Lansing, Michigan based wireless ISP company and as a Vice President of Government Relations for AT&T Broadband. During this period of time Liskey received recognition for pioneering the first-in-the-country launch of commercial high-speed cable modem service in East Lansing, Michigan in 1994.
Mr. Liskey has been active in community affairs and was a Red Cross volunteer during Hurricane Katrina and Rita in 2005. He graduated from James Madison College at Michigan State University in 1972 and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1980. Mr. Liskey is active in community theatre and is an avid supporter of Michigan State University sports.
Vice President
Kelly Jo Kitchen
Kelly Jo Kitchen is a passionate advocate for people. She is a board member and past president of the Global Institute of Lansing, a nonprofit whose mission is to assist aged out of high school refugees acquire a high school diploma. Kelly is a retired teacher with over 32 years’ experience. She began her educational career in speech pathology and taught math and science the last 20 years of her tenure. Kelly has volunteered in her communities; coaching, managing community gardens, working in festivals, assisting environmental nonprofits and tutoring.
Kelly Jo Kitchen earned a bachelor’s degree in audiology and speech sciences and a master’s degree in speech pathology with a minor in physical science from Michigan State University. Ms. Kitchen earned her Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School and is a licensed attorney in the State of Michigan.
Kelly has been a volunteer attorney for Michigan Immigrant Rights Center and Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates gathering information from detained undocumented persons and assisting with asylum paperwork for Afghan refugees.
Kelly was president of Citizens Against Rate Excess from 2009 – 2016. Kelly then became the Assistant to the Board of the Utility Consumer Participation Board from 2016 – 2021. She has attended Michigan State University Institute of Public Utilities Regulatory Program and enjoys learning about and advocating for advanced energy technologies.
Kelly currently resides in Northern Michigan and volunteers on a regular basis for the Little Traverse Conservancy, the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council as well as Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity.
Kelly joined the CUB Board in 2023.
Director
Charlotte Jameson
Charlotte Jameson is the Energy Policy and Legislative Affairs Director for the Michigan Environmental Council. She has extensive experience in politics, environmental policy and issue advocacy. Charlotte received her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Chicago and her master’s degree from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Charlotte got her start in politics working for Planned Parenthood Action Fund in Washington, DC and then later in a research and policy role with Obama for America during the 2012 presidential campaign. Prior to joining Michigan Environmental Council, Charlotte was the Government Affairs Director for Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Charlotte grew up in Durham, North Carolina and she still occasionally pines for warm weather and southern food. She currently resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her two dogs.
Previous Board Members
Robert Nelson
Robert Nelson served as CUB’s first President from 2018 – 2021 and director from 2021 to 2024.Mr. Nelson served as a Commissioner on the Michigan Public Service Commission from 1999 to 2005.
Jenn Hill
Jenn Hill previously served as CUB’s Secretary and Vice President.
Jenn serves as a Michigan State Representative for the 109th House District (last updated May 2024).
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