Kimberly M. Barrow

Kimberly M. Barrow was nominated to serve as Public Utility Commissioner by Gov. Josh Shapiro on April 14, 2023, and subsequently confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on August 30, 2023. Her term will expire on April 1, 2028. She was elected Vice Chair by her fellow commissioners on August 31, 2023. Vice Chair Barrow has been involved in the utility regulation industry for more than two decades.  

Vice Chair Barrow has been appointed to serve as a member of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission. Additionally she is a member of the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC) Committee on Electricity, along with the Pennsylvania Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, as well as the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority.

Prior to her appointment as Commissioner, Barrow has served as Chief of Staff for Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille since 2013. As part of her service in the Chairman’s Office, she provided advice regarding the legal and policy implications of electric, gas, water and transportation matters pending before the Commission; evaluated the impact of state and federal legislation on ratepayers, utility operations, and Commission functions; and communicated with consumers, utility executives and government officials regarding the Commission’s role and initiatives.

From 2008 to 2013, Barrow served as Chief of Staff in the Office of Commissioner Wayne E. Gardner, where she provided legal advice regarding utility regulation, reviewed draft public utility legislation, and authored statements of policy for the Commissioner.  

Starting as a staff attorney at the Commission in 2001, she spent several years practicing administrative regulatory law. In this role, Barrow prepared reports, final orders and statutory interpretations; drafted recommendations to the Commission consistent with statutory law and applicable precedents; and investigated appeals of Administrative Law Judge decisions to advise the Commission regarding resolution. She served as legal counsel to the Pennsylvania Telecommunications Relay Service Board, made up of people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and/or have speech and language disorders.

Prior to her career at the Commission, Barrow spent time working as a Law Clerk for the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board in Harrisburg.

Vice Chair Barrow is an alumna of the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish. She received her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.