WRISE Leadership Forum

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2021 Forum

The WRISE Leadership forum is excited to offer our content in a virtual format, but we understand that time zones will have a greater impact on our attendees this year because we won't all be in one place. We have structured the program in a way that we hope allows everyone to attend as much content as possible. We recognize that everyone may not be able to dedicate two full days to attendance, so we will be recording all sessions, and if you are not able to attend live they will be available to view post-event.

Take a look at our FAQ page for additional information on the event and virtual platform.

PST (West Coast)	EST (East Coast)	Monday, February 15, 2021
1-1:30pm	4-4:30pm	Welcome Remarks & Announcements Kristen Graf | Executive Director, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE)
1:30-2:30pm	4:30-5:30pm	2021 Policy and the New Administration Moderator: Melanie Santiago-Mosier | Managing Director, Access & Equity Program, Vote Solar Audrey Lee, Ph.D. | Co-Chair, Clean Energy for Biden Nicole Sitaraman | Vice President of Strategic Engagement, Sustainable Capital Advisors
2:30-3pm	5:30-6pm	Speed Networking
3-5pm	6-8pm	Optional 1:1 Professional Development Sign-up
5-5:30pm	8-8:30pm	Networking Social Cocktail Mixology with Serena Chen
5:30-6:30pm	8:30-9:30pm	Brave Space - Women of Color ▾ The WRISE Leadership Forum Planning Team wanted to create and make available a specific space and time set aside at the LF so women from specific groups (Women of Color, Caregivers, LGBTQIA) could connect with each other directly and have time for honest conversations with each other about their own experiences. Our hope is to create a safe space for these conversations to happen and for the members of these communities to feel supported. We know that can be challenging and everyone has different definitions of what feels safe, so we also want to acknowledge and encourage the need to continue learning from each other and challenging ourselves to engage in the teaching and growing outside of these spaces as well, so to that end we are adopting terminology we've seen used elsewhere and that resonated for us - calling them Brave Spaces.
PST (West Coast)	EST (East Coast)	Tuesday, February 16, 2021
		Morning Small Group Networking
		6-6:45am PST 9-9:45am EST Hike/Walk with Lindsey Martindale ▾ We've all been stuck inside for way too long! Whether you're in an urban jungle or on a mountain trail, let's get out and move together in the fresh air! We can meet new people, talk like friends, listen to music or podcasts, or just have company on our socially distanced virtual walk. This session will take place on Zoom so you can tune in straight from your phone!	6:30-7:30am PST 9:30-10:30am EST Power Yoga with Kat Kelly ▾ This class will focus on waking you up, an invigorating, challenging, and flowing form of yoga. A 45-minute flow based on the style of Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga. Using our breath, alignment, and inquisitive minds we will sweat, be challenged, and realize our power. Please bring a mat, water bottle, clothes you can move in, and a towel if needed. If you have a yoga block or a bolster feel free to use those as well. See you on your mat!	7-8:30am PST 10-11:30am EST General Feel Good Session with E'Lon Cohen Hall ▾ This year hasn't been the easiest, but we want to take a moment to focus on the good! Join us for a small group session talking about the good things in your life. This session will take place on Zoom.
6-8:30am	9-11:30am	Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
8:30-9:30am	11:30am-12:30pm	Authentic Leadership: Moving Beyond "Executive Presence" in the C-Suite to Build Great Teams Moderator: Meghan Nutting | Executive Vice President, Policy and Communications, Sunnova Sherina Edwards | Chief Executive Officer, INTREN Rose McKinney-James | Managing Principal, McKinney-James & Associates	Creating and Sustaining Thriving Employee Networks ▾ Formal employee networks can be both a source of professional and personal support for their members and a key part of an organization's diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. This session will take you through the steps necessary to create and sustain a thriving employee network in your organization. Lauren Haller | Director & Legal Counsel, Operations, Pattern Energy Group Anne Weisberg | Women's Initiative Director, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP	Preventing Burnout with Empathetic Leadership ▾ Burnout and fatigue are equally concerning for employees working remotely and those in a physical workplace. The pandemic and other events this past year have turned everything upside down and caused us to learn on the fly, test out new approaches, and course correct as we've realized that what may have been helpful at the start of the pandemic lockdown could quickly become harmful, turning activities meant for well-being into workload. Addressing these issues for your employees and supporting colleagues requires empathy. In this session you will hear from leaders who use empathetic leadership to step outside of one's own needs, assess and remove bias, actively listen, and then take action. Kamaj Bailey | Senior Organization Development Consultant, Con Edison Carousel Gore | Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, California Energy Commission	Sustainable, Resilient, Equitable Neighborhoods Laurian Farrell | Regional Director, North America, Resilient Cities Network Milka Rodriguez | City Research Scientist, NYC Mayor's Office of Sustainability Nithya Sowrirajan | Director, Global Solutions and Go-to-market, Google Maps for Environmental and Social Impact
9:30-9:45am	12:30-12:45pm	Break
9:45-10:45am	12:45-1:45pm	Large Group Networking
10:45-11am	1:45-2pm	Break
11am-12pm	2-3pm	Keynote Commissioner Allison Clements | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
12-1pm	3-4pm	RE 101 Project Development Jennifer Goodwillie | Senior Director of Onshore Development, Orsted Tatiana Stein | Project Development Manager, Orsted	Zoom Culture: Leading Remote Teams with Empathy and Success ▾ Almost a year into widespread remote work, what are best practices to facilitating teamwork, culture, camaraderie and effectiveness in this new world order? Hear from leaders who have navigated these efforts with empathy and success on what works and what does not. Moderator: Chris Hill | Acting Director for the Our Wild America Campaign, Sierra Club Erin Lynch | President, Beecher Carlson Energy Practice Anne Hoskins | Chief Policy Officer, Sunrun	Leveraging Our Power and Voices to Create Change ▾ There's no doubt that women are influential. It's been nearly 100 years since women won the right to vote in the United States, but there is still a need to leverage opportunities for women to speak out and speak up. This session explores the experiences of leaders to use their voice; maximize being heard; and enable other women to use their voice to help create change in industry, government, and other spaces. Commissioner Karen Douglas | California Energy Commission Ashanti Washington | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)	RE Finance and ESGs Susan Nickey | Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer, Hannon Armstrong Pooja Goyal | Partner and Co-Head, Infrastructure Group; Co-Head, Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund (CGI); and Head, Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Carlyle Yoomin Hong | Managing Director and Head of North America Renewables Investment Banking, Goldman Sachs & Co.
1-2pm	4-5pm		Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
2-5pm	5-8pm	Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
		Afternoon Small Group Networking
		2-3pm PST 5-6pm EST Yoga and Meditation with Kat Kelly and Holly Wade ▾ This class will focus on winding you down, a grounding and restorative flow. A yin/restorative yoga based class, we will move through a series of twists, backbends, and forward folds. Ending with a meditation to close out a day of discovery. The meditation will be led by Holly Wade a licensed social worker and breathwork coach. We will be using folded blankets and/or bolsters as aids in many of these poses. Please bring a mat, bolster or pillow, 1-2 blankets, water bottle, clothes you can move in, and a towel if needed. See you on your mat!	2-2:45pm PST 5-5:45pm EST Hike/Walk with Lindsey Martindale ▾ We've all been stuck inside for way too long! Whether you're in an urban jungle or on a mountain trail, let's get out and move together in the fresh air! We can meet new people, talk like friends, listen to music or podcasts, or just have company on our socially distanced virtual walk. This session will take place on Zoom so you can tune in straight from your phone!	3:30-5pm PST/6:30-8pm EST General Feel Good Session with E'Lon Cohen Hall ▾ This year hasn't been the easiest, but we want to take a moment to focus on the good! Join us for a small group session talking about the good things in your life. This session will take place on Zoom.
5-5:30pm	8-8:30pm	Networking Social Social Virtual Dance Party With DJ Ome Lopez
5:30-6:30pm	8:30-9:30pm	Brave Space - Caregivers ▾ The WRISE Leadership Forum Planning Team wanted to create and make available a specific space and time set aside at the LF so women from specific groups (Women of Color, Caregivers, LGBTQIA) could connect with each other directly and have time for honest conversations with each other about their own experiences. Our hope is to create a safe space for these conversations to happen and for the members of these communities to feel supported. We know that can be challenging and everyone has different definitions of what feels safe, so we also want to acknowledge and encourage the need to continue learning from each other and challenging ourselves to engage in the teaching and growing outside of these spaces as well, so to that end we are adopting terminology we've seen used elsewhere and that resonated for us - calling them Brave Spaces.
PST (West Coast)	EST (East Coast)	Wednesday, February 17, 2021
		Morning Small Group Networking
		6-7am PST 9-10am EST Executive Networking with Marianne Collins and Shawn Comboy ▾ Please join this open space for Executive Women to network with one another alongside professional development coaches Marianne Collins and Shawn Comboy.	7-8am PST 10-11am EST Ask Questions About Zoom Best Practices with Lauren Glickman	7:30-8:30am PST/10:30-11:30am EST Town Hall with Kristen Graf ▾ Please join WRISE Executive Director, Kristen Graf in an open Town Hall session about WRISE's present and future.
6-8:30am	9-11:30am	Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
8:30-9:30am	11:30am-12:30pm	Intersectionality 201 - What You Need to Lead ▾ As a leader, you have the privilege of crafting a culture where people feel included and like they belong. How can you ensure that this culture allows people to bring their entire selves to work? Intersectionality is the foundation of an effective diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. In this session, we will identify ways to create psychologically safe cultures that are inclusive of intersectional identities; examine the emotional tax experienced by intersectional employees; and explore your own intersectional identity. Demetria Miles-McDonald | Founder and CEO, Decide Diversity	Green Jobs Workforce and Equity Kerene Tayloe | Director of Federal Legislative Affairs, WE ACT for Environmental Justice Donele Wilkins | CEO, Green Door Initiative Dr. Beverly Wright | Founder, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice	Power Pivots: Transitioning Into a New Career ▾ Deciding to take a new direction in your career can be challenging. Sometimes the switch is inspired by external changes, such as looking to move into renewable energy from oil and gas. Sometimes it's internal, such as a desire to learn something new. In this session we will discuss how to apply your transferable skills , from your general life experience to work experience, to help you grow and meet your goals. Moderator: Sarah Pendergast | Origination Manager, 8minute Solar Energy Suparna Kadam | Sr. Director of Business Development, Pivot Energy Mary Palmer | Environmental Program Coordinator, Austin Energy Marie Thompson | Senior Venture Associate, Powerhouse Ventures
9:30-9:45am	12:30-12:45pm	Break
9:45-10:45am	12:45-1:45pm	Large Group Networking
10:45-11am	1:45-2pm	Break
11am-12pm	2-3pm	Keynote Nwamaka Agbo | Founder & Principal, Nwamaka Agbo Consulting; CEO, Kataly Foundation; Managing Director, Restorative Economies Fund
12-1pm	3-4pm	From Entrepreneur to Corporate Leader: How to Be Organizationally Savvy and Maintain and Grow Your Influence in an Evolving Industry ▾ This intriguing seminar is based on research on successful individuals in large organizations. It found that high performing individuals have clear characteristics which distinguish them from their less influential counterparts. Those who succeed in competitive environments demonstrate a savvy approach to influence. They make a greater impact without work ing too hard. You will gain an expert's perspective on how organizations really function. We will discuss how high impact corporate professionals gain acceptance of their ideas by colleagues and influe nce leaders within their organization. We will examine the following techniques, which are critical to consistent success: - Presenting new ideas or different points of view - Developing a base of support - Reducing risk in large organizations This seminar is based on the book, Political Savvy, by Joel DeLuca, a former Wharton business school professor. It has been delivered world-wide, at both top business schools and major corporations. Target Audience: Ambitious professionals who must influence in a broad way in large organizations and who wants to make a greater impact Delivery: Two-hour program includes a poll on organizational savvy practices, summary of research and key tools, case studies, and examples. Participants will practice the techniques in small groups. Kathryn Mayer | Principal, Owner, Executive Coach, KC Mayer Consulting, Inc.	Confident Communications: Articulating Your Point-of-View and Delivering with Presence ▾ Your voice, opinion, and point-of-view will influence your communities, teams...and our collective industry. In this workshop, you'll learn a framework for quickly creating a clear message, and immediately put it into practice with your own content. You'll then practice the skills behind memorable delivery, ultimately ensuring your message gets people to listen, pay attention, and be motivated to action. Jessica Thrasher | Vice President - Products and Services, SNP Communications	A Guide to Working Parenthood E'Lon Cohen Hall | Senior Manager, Operations and Programs, WRISE Daisy Dowling | CEO, Workparent	How To Be An Ally ▾ This session will outline the characteristics and importance of allyship in the workplace. Each speakers will discuss their personal experiences as well as provide advice to individuals who wish to serve as allies to women and minorities in their organizations. The session will also offer opportunities for attendees to reflect on their own experience, provide feedback regarding the importance of allyship in the workplace, and interact with the speakers through Q&A. Nakhia Crossley | Central Region Director and Counsel, SEIA TJ Tricia Jackson | Attorney, Husch Blackwell
1-2pm	4-5pm			Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
2-5pm	5-8pm	Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
		Afternoon Small Group Networking
		2-3pm PST 5-6pm EST Elevator Pitches and Networking Best Practices with Kacie Peters ▾ First impressions are important, especially when networking. The art of efficiently introducing yourself is called the "Elevator Pitch." Use this workshop to learn the basics and practice your pitch with peers. Meet new people and confidently talk about yourself in the process!	3-4pm PST 6-7pm EST Executive Networking with Lisa Carpenter and Alice Mar Rocher ▾ Please join this open space for Executive Women to network with one another alongside professional development coaches Lisa Carpenter and Alice Mar Rocher.	4-5pm PST/7-8pm EST Town Hall with Kristen Graf ▾ Please join WRISE Executive Director, Kristen Graf in an open Town Hall session about WRISE's present and future.
5-5:30pm	8-8:30pm	Networking Social Game Night
5:30-6:30pm	8:30-9:30pm	Brave Space - LGBTQIA ▾ The WRISE Leadership Forum Planning Team wanted to create and make available a specific space and time set aside at the LF so women from specific groups (Women of Color, Caregivers, LGBTQIA) could connect with each other directly and have time for honest conversations with each other about their own experiences. Our hope is to create a safe space for these conversations to happen and for the members of these communities to feel supported. We know that can be challenging and everyone has different definitions of what feels safe, so we also want to acknowledge and encourage the need to continue learning from each other and challenging ourselves to engage in the teaching and growing outside of these spaces as well, so to that end we are adopting terminology we've seen used elsewhere and that resonated for us - calling them Brave Spaces.
PST (West Coast)	EST (East Coast)	Thursday, February 18, 2021
		Morning Small Group Networking
		6:30-7:30am PST/9:30-10:30am EST Kids Activities: Book Reading, Coloring and Crafts with Kristen Graf ▾ Having a virtual event gives us the opportunity to have activities for everyone, including the kids! Please join us for a read aloud of the Book "The Tantrum That Saved The World" by Negan Herbert and Michael E. Mann. Following that we will offer a space to color together. If coloring isn't your thing bring any crafts you'd like to do that you have at home! Coloring Sheet 1, Coloring Sheet 2, Coloring Sheet 3 Coloring Sheet 4.		7:30-8:30am PST/10:30-11:30am EST Poem Reading and Discussion with E'Lon Cohen Hall ▾ Everyone was blown away by the force that is Amanda Gorman - so why not listen to and discuss one of her incredible poems! Join us for this for an inspirational discussion. "Earthrise" by Amanda Gorman.
6-8:30am	9-11:30am	Optional 1:1 Professional Development (sign-up required)
8:30-9:30am	11:30am-12:30pm	The Bearer of Bad News: Communicating and Accepting Unwelcome Updates ▾ Does the thought of having to deliver bad news or an unwelcome update at work cause you stress? Have you ever received an unwelcome professional update and felt at a loss for how to respond? This session will discuss approaches to effectively delivering and receiving messages that may be unwelcome and putting a positive focus on moving forward. We will aim to spend our hour on the areas most relevant to session participants. Questions and sharing are strongly encouraged! Marissa Leigh Alcala | Co-Partner-in-Charge (Washington, DC), Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP	Speaking about Speaking: Being a Powerful Spokesperson in the Renewables Industry ▾ Does public speaking make you feel nervous? Learn tips for developing your speaking and moderating skill set. Communicating clearly, confidently, and authentically is important for a wide range of situations, including being on stage, presenting on webinars, and even speaking up in day-to-day meetings. KC Baker | Founder and CEO, Woman Speak	Community Engagement in Renewable Energy Development Larissa Johnson, MPA | Residential Energy Program Manager, Energy, Climate, & Compliance Division, Department of Environmental Protection Cheryl Lim | Analyst, Karp Strategies Alissa Jean Shafer | Research and Communications Associate, Energy and Policy Institute; Managing Owner and Director, Copper Stamp Strategy
9:30-9:45am	12:30-12:45pm	Break
9:45-10:45am	12:45-1:45pm	Large Group Networking
10:45-11am	1:45-2pm	Break
11am-12pm	2-3pm	Keynote Moderator: Stephanie Eyocko | Department of Energy Solar Fellow, Maryland Public Service Commission Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson | Founder of Urban Ocean Lab & Co-Founder of The All We Can Save Project
12-1pm	3-4pm	Closing Remarks & Letter Writing Activity Kristen Graf | Executive Director, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE)

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