EmpowHER: Why Community Matters for Women in Energy

“Being in clean energy has its ups and downs,” they say. “Ha!” I say.

Today, when the clean energy industry concurrently faces such headwinds and continues to display such promise, and in the context of a dynamic policy landscape, unprecedented demand growth, and increasing political debate – “ups and downs” seems like a dramatic understatement.

And yet, at this point in my career, I know this is just another twist in the journey to a cleaner, more reliable, affordable energy future. Markets adapt. Some periods bring massive advancements, and some, retraction. On a personal level, what gets me through this period of disruption is community. As a woman of color who joined this industry in the late 1990s, I deeply appreciate the growth of this community, not just for reasons of camaraderie and familiarity, but also for the advancement of our industry through diversity of thought.

There were very few women I could connect with in my earliest career, and so I relied on a small community of fierce contemporaries to advise, console and laugh at the relentless intensity of this industry. Being a woman of color, I really looked for a community of ANYONE in those days. Just someone with whom to laugh, brainstorm, and innovate. As the market grew, and as more diverse voices joined the industry, I have treasured my contemporaries; admired from afar and sometimes close-up (if I’m lucky enough) forerunners like Sue Tierney, Lisa Jackson, Rose McKinney James, Suedeen Kelly, and Nora Mead Browne; and thoroughly delighted in the “newer” women entrants to the clean energy industry – whether transplants from the oil and gas industry, straight out of school, or new entrants from entirely different industries.

That’s why I’m excited to join the EmpowHER event this summer. To acknowledge not just the growth of our industry, but the growth of our community. Whenever I’m stuck on a particular issue, or if I’m feeling like the inherent volatility of our market is too much to bear, I am supported by those who can identify with my worries and understand the balance I try to make in my personal and professional life.

I hope to see you at EmpowHER in August, to expand your community, learn and teach others, and just laugh about the changeability and progress of our industry. It’s important to keep a long-view perspective, to stay motivated in moving our industry toward a cleaner, more reliable, affordable grid. Even as we’re learning to build our own professional skills, it’s important to never, ever forget the power of connection and community.

Two sessions I know I won’t miss on Thursday cover Deal Flow and Project Financing – one at 9:15am focused on the basics of finance, and one at 1:00pm with a deeper dive on project specifics. As long as I’ve been in this business, there have always been new and innovative ways to finance clean energy, and I enjoy keeping myself up to date on the latest trends. I hope to see you in the audience there. It’s going to be a blast.