Full Circle: Why I Joined the Team I Trusted for 15 Years

Some of you may already know me. I'm Lisa Romani, FERC Compliance Success Manager at Systrends. What you may not know is that before I joined Systrends, I spent 15 years on the other side of the table as a Systrends customer.

My path into FERC compliance wasn't exactly a straight line. With a background in political science and administrative law, I started my career at a large electric utility before moving into legal and regulatory work. Eventually, that path led me to PJM Interconnection, where I began what would become a 15-year career managing FERC filings.

I spent nine years as a Senior FERC Paralegal at PJM, followed by six years at Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, first as a Senior FERC Paralegal and later as a FERC Regulatory Analyst. Over those years, I worked extensively with eTariff, MBR, EQR, eForms 714 filings, and other FERC reporting requirements.

Filing Season Never Really Ends

People sometimes assume FERC compliance work has a season. In my experience, it never really let up. EQR required quarterly filings. MBR brought monthly updates, quarterly changes in status, and triennial filing deadlines. eTariff was a constant stream of agreement and rate schedule filings, tariff revisions driven by business needs, compliance filings, deficiency responses, and settlement agreement filings, on top of annual filings and reports that fell outside eTariff entirely.

A typical filing meant drafting the transmittal letter and filing package for attorney review, working with the business side on their review, preparing everything in the software, generating the XML, submitting to FERC, and then tracking the docket in case it was set for hearing or settlement judge procedures, which often meant coordinating discovery responses too.

The pressure points were real. The sheer volume of work, the constant churn of deadlines, an energy industry that never stops changing, and the fact that this is niche work, means FERC compliance can be an incredibly demanding responsibility.

The most time-consuming part, hands down, was internal review and last-minute changes. Every attorney or business reviewer wants one more look, and every last-minute edit is a chance for something to go wrong right when you have the least time to catch it.

I still remember one filing in particular, a very large one, with documents finalized at the last possible minute. I had less than 15 minutes to upload the final documents, generate the XML, and submit to FERC. I made it with less than a minute to spare. That kind of moment sticks with you.

A Familiar Name Made All the Difference

Through all of this, Systrends was already part of my world. I used eTariff for 9 years at PJM and 6 more at Tri-State. I used eMBR for 4 years at Tri-State, and eForms for another 5. When I moved into my role at Tri-State, I was the one who recommended Systrends for eTariff, then for eForms, then for MBR, because I already knew, firsthand from my time at PJM, how good the software and the support behind it were.

I wasn't just a customer. I was a believer, someone who went out of my way at conferences, in networking with other paralegals and attorneys, and through an RTO/ISO user group, to talk about why Systrends worked.

So when I reconnected with the Systrends team at their User Conference this past March, it felt like catching up with people I had known and trusted for years. When an opportunity to join the team came along, it felt like a natural next step in my career.

After 15 years navigating FERC deadlines, complex filings, and regulatory challenges, I saw an opportunity to put that experience to work helping other compliance professionals. It felt less like starting something new and more like coming full circle with a company I already knew and trusted.

What I Do Now

One of the things I appreciate most about Systrends is the depth of firsthand FERC compliance experience on our team. We understand the challenges our customers face because many of us have been in their shoes. 

Today, as a FERC Compliance Success Manager at Systrends, I get to use that experience to help other compliance professionals navigate the same challenges I faced for years.

Whether I'm helping a customer resolve a validation error, walking someone through a complicated filing scenario, providing training, or preparing filings on behalf of a customer, I understand what's at stake.

I've been the person watching the clock before a filing deadline. I've dealt with last-minute changes, unexpected validation errors, and the pressure of getting everything submitted accurately and on time.

That experience shapes how I support our customers. I don't just understand how the software works. I understand the work they're trying to accomplish and why it matters.

The most rewarding part of my job is making that experience less stressful and more efficient for the people going through it, and teaching them something new about the software or about FERC filings that genuinely helps.

One Thing I'd Tell You

After 15 years working in FERC compliance, one thing I've learned is that the right technology and the right people behind it can make an enormous difference.

FERC filings will always involve deadlines, complex requirements, and unexpected challenges. But the software you use and the support you receive shouldn't add to that stress. They should help you manage it.

That's what I valued most about Systrends as a customer. I knew I had reliable tools and a knowledgeable team I could count on when it mattered.

I spent 15 years trusting Systrends from the customer side. Today, I have the opportunity to bring that same experience, understanding, and commitment to the people we serve.

And for me, that's what makes coming full circle so rewarding.

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Systrends software transforms the way energy companies manage and report regulatory data by streamlining processes, connecting data and teams, and ensuring consistency and ease. Learn more about our solutions at Systrends.com.