Maria Bocanegra

President – Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas

Maria Bocanegra was named president — Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas in January 2025.

In this role, Bocanegra has primary responsibility for managing the daily operations, strategy and administrative activities of the two Illinois utilities, which together provide safe, reliable natural gas service to more than 1 million customers in the city of Chicago and 54 communities in its northern suburbs.

Before her role at WEC Energy Group, Bocanegra was chief legal and government relations officer at the Port of Cleveland. Previously, she served as a commissioner with the Illinois Commerce Commission, regulating investor-owned electric, natural gas and water utilities in complex and technical matters, earning recognition in the transportation electrification and water space, and serving as chair of the EV Working Group and chair for the standing Committee on Water. Previous public service includes work as an administrative law judge at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission and as the public member of the Labor Advisory Board for the Illinois Department of Labor. Before entering public service, she practiced law focused on workers’ compensation, wage and hour, and personal injury claims.

Bocanegra holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Quincy University and a Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law.

Bocanegra has been recognized by Fortnightly’s Under 40, Negocios Now’s 40 Under 40, Negocios Now’s Who’s Who In Hispanic Chicago, Negocios Now’s Rising Star, and Latino Leaders Magazine. Her work has been featured in Utility Dive, T&D World, Bloomberg Law, and American Association of Port Authorities, and she has spoken before the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and others.

Bocanegra previously served on the boards of the University of Missouri’s Financial Research Institute Advisory Council, New Mexico State University’s Public Utilities Advisory Council, National EV Charging Initiative’s Advisory Council, World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Advisory Council as co-chair, Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Ohio, Council of the Great Lakes Region, and Cleveland Water Alliance.