Cogan Semler
San Diego International Airport
Cogan Semler is the Energy and Water Manager for the San Diego International Airport in San Diego, CA and oversees airport utilities, campus energy and water systems, and related initiatives. He has experience leading and supporting the airport in chilled water plant optimization, HVAC system operation, solar power, battery energy storage, electrical sub-metering, CUP decarbonization, setting energy performance targets for new facilities, energy commissioning with analytics and more.
Originally from Virginia, he graduated from James Madison University in 2002 with a degree in Integrated Science and Technology with a concentration in Energy. Upon graduation he joined the U.S. Navy as a Submarine Officer and completed a 3-year tour on the USS Boise out of Norfolk, VA. He later transitioned to the Navy’s Civil Engineers Corps where he gained experience in project and facilities management. Following his naval career, Cogan landed in Dallas, TX and worked as a facilities manager at Southern Methodist University from 2014-17, specializing in central utility plant, HVAC, and building automation system operations and maintenance. He moved to San Diego in 2017 to work for the airport, where he currently resides.
Cogan has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA and holds an active professional engineer license (mechanical/thermal) in the state of Washington. He is a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Energy Auditor through the Association of Energy Engineers.
Owen Kerslake
San Diego International Airport
Owen Kerslake is an Associate Environmental Specialist at San Diego International Airport, where he works closely with airport tenants and staff on topics such as vehicle decarbonization, energy resilience, waste diversion, and stormwater management. By taking a collaborative approach to these issues, Owen helps to achieve SAN’s sustainability goals in a manner that is fiscally responsible and prevents operational disruptions.
Scott Morrissey
Denver International Airport
Scott Morrissey is the Senior Vice President for Sustainability at Denver International Airport, which was the 3rd busiest airport in the U.S. in 2024 with more than 82 million passengers. He is responsible for developing systems that support DEN’s goal to be one of the most sustainable airports in the world through strategic leadership of the Environmental, Energy, and Noise teams.
He previously served as the Operations and Programs Director for the State of Colorado’s Energy Office, as Deputy Director of Greenprint Denver, a comprehensive environmental sustainability initiative housed in the Mayor’s Office, and as a financial management analyst in Denver’s Finance Department. Scott earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Renee Azerbegi, PE, CEM, LEED AP, WELL AP
National Decarbonization and Sustainability Leader
Mead & Hunt
Renée Azerbegi inspires clients to create high-performing buildings with her passion for sustainability and technical leadership. She consults on net-zero energy and carbon, decarbonization, electrification, and sustainability planning. Renée has managed 20+ LEED Platinum and 20 net-zero energy projects. She is a speaker and author on airport energy efficiency and air quality management. Renée has degrees in environmental science and in building systems engineering from the University of California Berkeley and the University of Colorado Boulder, respectively.
