REGISTER Sponsors Speakers Program Event Details About

WRISE Leadership Forum

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2022 Forum Program

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) Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022
8-11am 11am-2pm
1-1:15pm 4-4:15pm
Kristen Graf | Executive Director, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE)
1:20-2pm 4:20-5pm
Colette Pichon Battle | Executive Director, Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy
2-3pm 5-6pm
3-5pm 6-8pm
5-6pm 8-9pm To join in tea making activities please have on hand:
rose hips, dandelion leaf, and mint (a teaspoon each)
or
cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric (just 1/2 tsp each).
Also, a mug, two cups of hot water and some type of tea strainer and a sweetener if desired.
PST (West Coast) EST (East Coast) Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022
7-9 am 10am-12pm
In this honest and open chat, Carrie shares she ended up spending 5+ years of her life tackling taboo-ty topics and developing a deep knowledge of Gut, Butt, and Sexual health and how it all connects to our daily habits and sustainability.
6-9am 9am-12pm
8-9am 11am-12pm

Join our sponsors in their booth for a 15 minute "Meet the Leaders" session.

GE Renewable Energy
Danielle Merfeld, GE Renewable Energy Chief Technology Officer
Speaking on GE Renewable Energy and the Energy Transition
11:00 am - 11:15 am EST

Pine Gate Renewables
Ben Catt, CEO
11:15 am - 11:30 am EST

9-10am 12-1pm Join this session to learn more about solar policy, financing, education, equitable access, public private partnerships and community solar.
Moderator: Elizabeth Kaiga | Managing Director, Global Strategic Accounts, Renewables, DNV
Dana Clare Redden | Founder & CEO, Solar Stewards
Krystal Persuad | Founder, Grouphug Solar
Jenny Heeter | Senior Energy Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Alissa Jean Schafer | Managing Owner and Director, Copper Stamp Strategy
Jen Bristol | Senior Director of Communications, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
Laura Schelhas | Research Scientist and Group Manager, Hybrid and Nanoscale Materials Chemistry, NREL
Stephanie Eyocko | Electricity Industry & Market Analyst
Moderator: Karo-D'Vera Johnson | Account Manager, Carolina Solar Services
Camille Berry | Principal, Camille Berry Consulting
Paula Orezi | Author, Speaker & Coach
Join this session to hear from 5 pioneering women who have impacted the energy landscape with their innovation and leadership.
Moderator: Julie Blunden | Board Member, New Energy Nexus Catalyst and Ventures; and Co-Founder, Green Mountain Energy Company
Dawn Weisz | CEO, MCE
Sherina Edwards | President and Chief Executive Officer, INTREN, LLC
Olgica Bakajin | CEO & Co-Founder, Porifera Inc.
Alexandra Rasch | Founder and CEO, Caban Systems
10-11am 1-2pm
11am-12pm 2-3pm
Jessica J Williams, PhD. | CEO, Golden Peaches LLC
12-1pm 3-4pm

This workshop shines a light on how exhausting leadership can be in times of uncertainty – and provides tools that will help you tap into your inner energy to thrive and grow in challenging times. In the session, we will workshop busts traditional myths about resilience – helping female leaders build a solid foundation of personal and professional resilience. Participants will learn:

  1. How the legacy of invisible patriarchal programming can lead to unconscious habits that that could be holding you back from find your true resilient core.
  2. How to source new energy on demand and stop living in survival mode.
  3. How to master Deep Resilience through a series of embodied, mindfulness practices that leave you feeling nourished and empowered.
  4. LeeAnn Mallorie | CEO, Guts & Grace Leadership
Moderator: Brionté McCorkle | Executive Director, Georgia Conservation Voters
Erin Duncan | Vice President, Congressional Affairs, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
Bree Raum | Head of Federal Affairs, American Clean Power Association (ACP)
What's next in decarbonization tech? Learn the latest info about carbon capture, battery energy, offshore wind, and green hydrogen.
Moderator: Parul Dhall | Director of Low Carbon Technologies, NOV
Laila El-Ashmawy | Project Manager – Offshore Wind, NYSERDA
Marija Milenkovic | Director of Strategic Initiatives, NOV
Sandra Chavez | Director of Partnerships, Powerhouse
1-2pm 4-5pm

During the Leadership Forum, we want to provide a space for members of systemically excluded groups to connect with each other directly and have time for honest conversations about their own experiences.
These sessions will be facilitated and are primarily intended for attendees that identify as members of these groups only.
We also know there are individuals that don’t identify with these groups, but care deeply about eradicating the systems and structures that have created the need for spaces like this and want to be a part of the solution. With that in mind we will also have breakout rooms in each of these spaces specifically for those that don’t directly identify with the main breakouts – when the women of color are in their breakouts there will also be a breakout room for white people, straight people, etc.
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.

2-5pm 5-8pm
2-5pm 5-8pm
5-6pm 8-9pm This event will allow us to participate as team players in a group activity focusing on community building. We will have multiple groups divided by different art mediums, with a group lead guiding us as we share a safe space for creativity, inspiration, and connection. Each of us will have an hour to draw, paint and design a small piece as part of a collaborative art effort. The recommendation is to be intuitive, colorful, and nonjudgmental. The idea is to allow yourself to play with colors, shapes, and materials and, most importantly, to have fun with your peers. You can pick which breakout session you would like to join, and together we will piece a larger collage project.

Things to bring to the session:

Art supplies:
Crayons, paints, coloring markers, oil pastels, chalk, watercolors, color pencils, and magazines to cut out.

Recycled Materials:
Newspapers; Amazon boxes & envelopes, flyers, letters, old notebooks, and cards or paper.

We invite you, family members, and pets.
LET'S CREATE THE FUTURE TOGETHER!
PST (West Coast) EST (East Coast) Thursday, February 24th, 2022
6-9am 9am-12pm
6-9am 9am-12pm
8-9am 11am-12pm

Join our sponsors in their booth for a 15 minute "Meet the Leaders" session.

IOWN
Hans-Christian Schulze, CEO & Shilpa Shah, Senior Director, Solar and Storage Development
11:30 am -11:45 am EST

8-9am 11am-12pm

During the Leadership Forum, we want to provide a space for members of systemically excluded groups to connect with each other directly and have time for honest conversations about their own experiences.
These sessions will be facilitated and are primarily intended for attendees that identify as members of these groups only.
We also know there are individuals that don’t identify with these groups, but care deeply about eradicating the systems and structures that have created the need for spaces like this and want to be a part of the solution. With that in mind we will also have breakout rooms in each of these spaces specifically for those that don’t directly identify with the main breakouts – when the women of color are in their breakouts there will also be a breakout room for white people, straight people, etc.
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.

9-10am 12pm-1pm “Personal branding” - it’s a phrase we hear all the time, but what does it truly mean? Moreover, how does one craft a personal brand that truly encapsulates the intersectionality of their identities? Balancing the act of creating space to honor your whole authentic self, while ensuring that space is concise enough to be marketable is no easy feat. In this session, learn from 3 women at the top of their game who have found the formula to navigating and challenging the world of professionalism - all while bringing their genuine selves and all their identities to the table.
Moderator: Gabrielle Lynn | Programs & Communications Manager, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE)
Demetria Miles McDonald | Founder and CEO, Decide Diversity
Dr. Carol Parker Walsh | CEO and Chief Career & Brand Strategist, Carol Parker Walsh Consulting, LLC
Ariane Hunter | Speaker, Coach, Author & Founder of My Mentors Circle
Moderator: Nakhia Crossley | Senior Manager of Public Policy, Sunrun
Laura Zapata | CEO & Co-Founder, Clearloop Corporation
Kristal Hansley | Founder & CEO, WeSolar, Inc.
Rose McKinney-James | Managing Principal, Energy Works LLC, McKinney-James & Associates and Advocacy BL/ACK
Looking for an intro or refresher on the basics of transmission? Join us to learn how transmission works and the policies that affect it.
Moderator: Ann McCabe | U.S. Program Director and Principal, The Regulatory Assistance Project
Jessica Bascom | Electrical Engineer, DNV
Tasha McCarter | Vice President, Solar Engineering, RWE Renewables
Dr. Ann-Louise T. Lockhart | President/Owner, Pediatric Psychologist, Parent Coach, A New Day Pediatric Psychology
10-11am 1-2pm
11am-12pm 2-3pm
Antoinette Klatzky | VP of Programs and Partnerships, Eileen Fisher Foundation
12-1pm 3-4pm "The Waters We Swim In" is a guided, inquiry-based exploration of how white male cultural biases and white fragility function to hinder our efforts to create sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. Together we will learn best practices for how we as white women can become more effective change agents and diversity partners in the workplace and beyond.
Rinah Rachel Galper | Sole Proprietor, Joyoushout
Join us to learn about market trends, development, and corporate renewable energy procurement in Asia.
Moderator: Rachael Terada | Director, Technical Projects, Center for Resource Solutions
Valerie Choy | Regional Sales Manager and Cleantech Client Manager (Southeast and East Asia), Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability
Kae Takase | Associate Director, CDP Worldwide-Japan
Moderator: Thu Nguyen | Asset Manager, Renewable Investment, The D. E. Shaw Group
Elizabeth Mayo | Vice President, Operations, Brookfield Renewable
Sarah Skinner | Director, Project Management Wind - AES Clean Energy, The AES Corporation
Kate Collardson | Senior Manager, Residential Operations, Omnidian
Moderator: Julianne Zimmerman | Managing Director, Reinventure Capital
Elizabeth Perez | President & Founder, GC Green Inc.
Stephanie Green | Executive Division, California Public Utilities Commission
Danielle Harris | Managing Director of Engagement & Innovation, Elemental Excelerator
1-2pm 4-5pm

During the Leadership Forum, we want to provide a space for members of systemically excluded groups to connect with each other directly and have time for honest conversations about their own experiences.
These sessions will be facilitated and are primarily intended for attendees that identify as members of these groups only.
We also know there are individuals that don’t identify with these groups, but care deeply about eradicating the systems and structures that have created the need for spaces like this and want to be a part of the solution. With that in mind we will also have breakout rooms in each of these spaces specifically for those that don’t directly identify with the main breakouts – when the women of color are in their breakouts there will also be a breakout room for white people, straight people, etc.
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.

2-5pm 5-8pm
2-5pm 5-8pm
5-6pm 8-9pm
PST (West Coast) EST (East Coast) Friday, February 25th, 2022
6-9am 9am-12pm
7-9am 10-12pm
9-10am 12-1pm
Moderator: Lauren Haller | Senior Director & Senior Counsel, Operations, Pattern Energy Group
Stefanie Auld | Vice President, People and Recruiting, 8minute Solar Energy
Mariella de Jong | Asset Manager, Pattern Energy Group
Teran Smith | Vice President, SunChase Power LLC
Executive leaders will share corporate strategy stories about vulnerability and integrating values with confidence into business direction.
Moderator: Constance Thompson | Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, ACORE
Cathy Zoi | CEO, EVgo
Jillian Evanko | CEO, Chart Industries
Paula Glover | President, Alliance to Save Energy
Neha Palmer | CEO, TeraWatt Infrastructure
Join us to hear a conversation about self-determination, consultation and removing barriers to promote investment in Indigenous communities.
Moderator: Angie Hacker | CEO & Principal Consultant, Prosper Sustainably
Crystal Cavalier-Keck | Co-founder, 7 Directions of Service
Sarah Augustine | Executive Director, Dispute Resolution Center of Yakima and Kittitas Counties
Commissioner Darcie Houck | California Public Utilities Commission
9:45-10:45am 12:45-1:45pm
11am-12pm 2-3pm
Vanessa Roanhorse | CEO, Roanhorse Consulting LLC
12-1pm 3-4pm

View our 2021 program here >>