Jim Steffes joins AGA as Chief Operating Officer
The American Gas Association today announced that James (“Jim”) Steffes will join the organization as Chief Operating Officer (COO). In this role, Steffes will help drive operational excellence across AGA, strengthening cross-functional execution and advancing strategic priorities that support AGA’s members and the communities they serve. Steffes will partner closely with AGA’s President and CEO, leadership team and staff to ensure strong alignment, effective delivery of key initiatives and continued organizational effectiveness.
“We are delighted to welcome Jim to AGA as our new Chief Operating Officer,” said Karen Harbert, AGA President and CEO. “Jim is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the energy landscape and a track record of delivering results through operational discipline, stakeholder engagement and strategic execution. His experience leading growth and transformation across the energy sector will be invaluable as we continue to advance our mission and support our members’ critical work every day.”
Steffes is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in energy markets, operations leadership, public affairs and business transformation. Most recently, he served as a senior executive at Washington Gas Light. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at Direct Energy, served as President of Green Mountain Energy, and was a senior leader at NRG Energy. He began his energy career in public policy and regulatory affairs, bringing a long-standing perspective on the intersection of markets, customers and government decision-making.
“I’m honored to join AGA at such an important time for the natural gas industry and for the energy markets,” said Steffes. “I’m excited to work with this talented team to strengthen execution, support our members and help advance practical solutions that deliver for customers—today and in the future.”
Steffes holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Steffes will begin in this role on March 9, 2026.