Arizona Corporation Commission to welcome two new commissioners

The election is over and two new members are joining the Arizona Corporation Commission. Rachel Walden and Rene Lopez, both Republicans, have been elected to the Arizona Corporation Commission along with Lea Marquez Peterson, who was reelected to serve on the five-person panel. 

The five commissioners are elected to the commission to oversee executive, legislative, and judicial matters on behalf of Arizonans regarding water, electricity, telephone, and natural gas resources, as well as the regulation of securities, pipeline, and railroad safety.

Lea Marquez Peterson 

Peterson, a longtime entrepreneur in Arizona, is a dedicated supporter of the state’s small business community and economic development. She was named the 2022 Hispanic Business Woman of the Year by the United States Hispanic Chamber.

She was first appointed to the commission in 2019 by Gov. Doug Ducey and was then elected in 2020. 

Peterson serves on the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) board and as vice chair of the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB). She is also co-vice chair of NARUC’s Water Committee, co-chairs its Nuclear Power Subcommittee, and sits on the Advisory Council for the Center for Public Utilities at New Mexico State University, underscoring her commitment to energy and utility regulation.

Rene Lopez 

Rene Lopez is a former Chandler City Councilman and a former cryptologic officer on U.S. Navy submarines. After returning to the East Valley in 2007, he became active in the Republican Party, advancing to legislative district chairman and second vice chair of the Executive Guidance Committee. Following his time on the Chandler Parks and Recreation Committee, he was elected to the City Council in 2014, re-elected in 2018, and has served as vice mayor of Chandler.

In 2017, Lopez co-founded CeCe’s Hope Center, a Chandler-based nonprofit supporting young women rescued from sex trafficking, where he serves as chairman.

Rachel Walden

Walden serves on the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board, the largest school district in the state. In this role, she has prioritized academic achievement, parental rights, fiscal responsibility, and transparency. Most recently, she managed institutional accounts at Vanguard. She has also worked as a teaching assistant and research assistant at Arizona State University.

What to expect

“The Arizona Corporation Commission has done an excellent job in finding the balance between ensuring utilities can continue to invest in safe, reliable energy infrastructure, while also keeping costs affordable for consumers,” Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden said. “I anticipate that our new commissioners will continue to seek that same balance and maintain Arizona’s commitment to offering consumers a broad energy portfolio that includes natural gas and renewables. The state’s competitive rates, modern infrastructure, and fuel choice have contributed to Arizona’s job growth. That won’t change.”