Elham Akhavan is a senior member of the Grid Edge team, responsible for microgrid and distribution automation research in North America. Prior to Wood Mackenzie, Elham was a member of the Technical Staff at s2e Technologies Developments Inc. in Ontario, Canada, where she led an e- mobility and green transportation project. She also had a key role in an extensive feasibility study and the design of a smart community microgrid located in London, Ontario. Elham holds a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Her dissertation focused on demand-side management through the smart operation of aggregated EV charging and vehicle-to-grid participation.