Carrie J. Hightman

Biography

 Ms. Carrie J. Hightman has been the Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President of NiSource GP LLC, General Partner of Nisource Energy Partners L.P since December 10, 2007. Ms. Hightman has been Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President of NiSource Inc. since December 10, 2007. Ms. Hightman serves as President of Illinois Bell Telephone Company, Inc. She served as the President of SBC Illinois of AT&T Inc. Ms. Hightman served as President of At&t Illinois (formerly, SBC) of AT&T Teleholdings, Inc. and was responsible for all regulatory, legislative, governmental and external affairs activities, as well as community and industry relations, throughout Illinois. Prior to joining AT&T, she practiced telecommunications and energy law for more than 17 years. She was a partner in the Chicago law firm of Schiff Hardin, where she led its Energy, Telecommunications and Public Utilities practice group. Ms. Hightman began her career in the public sector in 1983, served as Staff Counsel at the Florida Public Service Commission. In 1986, she served as associate counsel at the Florida Office of Public Counsel, handing a variety of public utility cases on behalf of consumers. In February 2007, Ms. Hightman served as Chairwoman of the 15-member Illinois Board of Higher Education by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. She also serves on the boards of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Urban League, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation and the Chicago Bar Foundation. She serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Metropolitan Planning Council. She served as a Director at Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. Ms. Hightman serves as Vice Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee of the Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law Section of the American Bar Association and was Chair of the Public Utility Law Section of the Chicago Bar Association. Ms. Hightman was a member of the Illinois Commerce Commission's Millennium Review Committee assembled pursuant to an executive order from the Governor and was Chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission Task Force on Rules, Practices and Procedures. Ms. Hightman earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois and her juris doctor from Florida State University.

Research Interest

  Electrical & Electronic