Meet the Team

Jonathan A. Hand
Jonathan A. HandExecutive Director

For more than 20 years, Jon Hand has been involved in government relations on both the federal and state level. Jon has a proven record of moving municipal power utility legislation forward ensuring member utilities provide low-cost and reliable electricity.

In 2009, Jon joined Electric Cities of Alabama (ECA) as the Executive Director. He came to ECA with a background in government relations, having worked for Congressman Jo Bonner, a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, where he focused on Energy, Defense and Transportation Appropriations. Today Jon represents 36 electric utilities at the Alabama State Capitol and has been instrumental in moving legislation important to the public power industry.

Through ECA, Jon also serves as Executive Director of the Alabama Public Utilities Alliance, an organization for municipally owned natural gas and water utilities and natural gas districts throughout Alabama.

In addition to these activities, Jon is a founding member of the Energy Institute of Alabama (EIA) whose mission is to promote reliable, affordable, and clean energy to help grow the economy, create high-paying jobs and build public support for Alabama’s energy industry.

Regionally, Jon serves as the Chairman of the Southeastern Federal Power Consumers Legislative Committee where he works with electric cooperatives and municipal power companies that represent more than six million consumers of public power throughout the Southeast. The Southeastern Federal Power Consumers legislative focus is to raise awareness and understanding of the benefits of hydroelectricity and to protect it as a natural resource.

Nationally, Jon serves as a member of the Advisory Committee of the American Public Power Association and works with community-owned utilities that power more than 49 million people nationwide.

Donna Key
Donna KeyDirector of Communications and Events

Donna Key joined Electric Cities of Alabama (ECA) in 2017 as the Director of Communications and Events. Having worked in association management for more than two decades, Donna has a diverse knowledge of meeting and event planning, public relations, marketing, and member relations.

Donna serves ECA member cities through the planning of conferences and events, as well as handling association communications through ECA’s website, newsletter, and yearly directory. Donna is also the point of contact for ECA’s Associate Membership Program designed to integrate interested companies into the public power family through advertising and exhibit opportunities.

Prior to joining ECA, Donna worked as the Director of Events and Education for the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA) for 17 years. While at ACCA, Donna led an administrative team in coordinating all aspects of conferences, conventions, and education training for county officials and employees throughout the state. In addition, she provided leadership and direction for ACCA’s five affiliate groups, which taught her the importance of member relations.

Donna has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in Journalism from Troy University.

Insight & Influence

Electric Cities of Alabama members receive many benefits, including disaster assistance and mutual aid, governmental affairs, invitation only training programs and more.