GridCARE appoints Christina Hayes Head of Government Affairs and Manavi Baveja Head of People. October 28, 2026 Christina Hayes and Manavi Baveja GridCARE, an energy technology company focused on accelerating electricity access for artificial intelligence infrastructure and other large power users, has appointed Christina Hayes as Head of Government Affairs and Manavi Baveja as Head of People, strengthening its leadership team as the company expands operations across the United States. The appointments follow GridCARE's first year of operations, during which the company qualified 5 gigawatts (GW) of Power Acceleration projects nationwide. GridCARE is expanding its partnerships with electric utilities, data center operators, hyperscale technology companies and other large electricity consumers seeking faster access to grid capacity. Hayes will oversee federal and state policy engagement, while Baveja will lead talent management, organizational development and workforce strategy. The appointments come as growing electricity demand from AI data centers and other energy-intensive industries creates challenges for utilities managing grid connections, infrastructure development and system reliability. GridCARE develops technology intended to identify and utilize available capacity within existing electricity networks, helping large power users obtain connections without waiting for all the infrastructure associated with conventional grid expansion. "We are solving one of the most urgent constraints on economic growth: solving the Time-to-Energize Crisis by bringing new power demand online faster in a responsible way that maintains reliability and affordability," said Amit Narayan, CEO and co-founder of GridCARE. "Christina and Manavi will help us build the policy foundation and organizational structure to deliver solutions the world needs." Hayes brings more than 20 years of experience in electricity regulation, transmission policy, utility operations and government affairs. She most recently served as executive director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, an organization focused on advancing electricity transmission infrastructure and related policy initiatives. Previously, Hayes was vice president of federal regulatory affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy, where she worked on regulatory matters affecting the energy sector. Earlier in her career, she held multiple positions at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), including serving as an advisor to former FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff. She also served as an administrative law judge at the Public Utility Commission of Oregon. Her experience across regulatory agencies, utilities and energy policy organizations will support GridCARE's efforts to engage with government officials and industry stakeholders. As Head of Government Affairs, Hayes will work with federal and state policymakers, utility regulators and electricity providers to advance approaches intended to accelerate grid connections while maintaining reliability and protecting ratepayers. Her responsibilities will include supporting policy discussions concerning large-load interconnection, grid capacity utilization and the relationship between electricity infrastructure development and economic growth. "Throughout my career, I've focused on making the grid more reliable, affordable and accessible. GridCARE shares those values. It helps new customers get power faster and reduce costs for all customers," Hayes said. "It's a crucial moment for the country and I am thrilled to be onboard." Baveja joins GridCARE with experience developing organizational structures, leadership programs and talent strategies for rapidly growing technology companies. At Uber, she held global leadership roles in organizational development and ultimately served as head of organizational effectiveness in the United States. During her tenure, she helped develop leadership and management systems as the organization experienced threefold growth. Baveja subsequently served as head of talent and culture at Chainlink Labs, expanding her experience in workforce development and organizational leadership. At GridCARE, she will oversee the company's people strategy, including recruitment, talent development, organizational design, company culture and leadership development. Her appointment is intended to support GridCARE's internal growth as it expands customer relationships and project activity across the energy and technology sectors. "As GridCARE grows across the AI energy landscape, deepening utility partnerships, and offering a path to community benefits for regulators, I'm here to support the team that is the heartbeat powering these technological advances," Baveja said. The two appointments address different aspects of GridCARE's expansion strategy. Hayes will focus on the regulatory and policy environment surrounding electricity infrastructure and large-load interconnection, while Baveja will help develop the organizational capabilities required to support a growing business. GridCARE's technology platform, GridCARE Energize, combines advanced power-system modeling, physics-based artificial intelligence and flexible operating arrangements to identify opportunities for connecting large electricity consumers to existing grid capacity. The company describes its approach as Power Acceleration, emphasizing the use of available electricity network capacity to reduce the time required to energize new facilities. Traditional grid interconnection processes can require substantial infrastructure investment and extended development schedules, particularly for large projects with significant electricity requirements. GridCARE aims to address these challenges by identifying capacity that may be available under specific operating conditions and developing arrangements that allow new loads to connect while maintaining grid reliability. Its technology is designed to help utilities evaluate how existing infrastructure can accommodate additional demand. The company says this approach can reduce the need for some new infrastructure, potentially lowering costs and avoiding emissions associated with additional construction or generation requirements. Actual outcomes depend on grid conditions, operating arrangements and the requirements of individual projects. GridCARE's strategy is particularly focused on AI infrastructure, where electricity availability has become an important factor in data center development. The expansion of AI computing facilities is creating demand for substantial amounts of electricity, often on timelines shorter than those required to develop conventional transmission and distribution infrastructure. GridCARE is seeking to bridge that gap by helping utilities and large electricity consumers identify opportunities to accelerate power availability. The company reported qualifying 5 GW of Power Acceleration projects during its first year of operations, reflecting the scale of opportunities it has identified across the United States. GridCARE also states that its platform has enabled more than $10 billion in economic value by advancing energization schedules. The company did not provide a detailed breakdown of that calculation in its announcement. Founded at Stanford University's Doerr School and backed by investors focused on artificial intelligence and energy, GridCARE operates at the intersection of power systems, AI technology and electricity infrastructure. Its business model centers on helping utilities accommodate growing electricity demand while addressing reliability and affordability considerations. The addition of Hayes and Baveja strengthens the company's policy and organizational leadership as it expands its work with utilities, hyperscalers, data centers and other large power users. With 5 GW of qualified projects reported in its first year, GridCARE is positioning its Power Acceleration technology as an alternative approach to addressing electricity connection delays. The leadership appointments support the company's next phase of growth as it seeks to expand adoption of its technology and help large electricity consumers access existing grid capacity more quickly.

GridCARE has hired two senior leaders as it scales its Power Acceleration service, which helps large power users connect to the grid faster. Christina Hayes joins as head of government affairs, and Manavi Baveja as head of people. In its first year, the Redwood City, California, company qualified 5 gigawatts (GW) of Power Acceleration projects across the US. It works with utilities, data centres, hyperscalers, and other large power users. Hayes, a former adviser at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, will lead federal and state policy work. Baveja, formerly of Uber and Chainlink Labs, will lead talent, culture, and organisational design. GridCARE says its platform has enabled more than $10 billion in economic value by moving energisation schedules forward by years.