2023 WISE Awards

Smart Energy Decisions (SED) is proud to announce the winners of its second annual WISE (Women in Smart Energy) Awards. The winners will be celebrated on March 16, 2023, at a dinner at the Net Zero Forum, March 15-17 at La Cantera Resort & Spa, San Antonio, Texas.

“We’re thrilled by the impressive accomplishments of this year’s WISE Award nominees and winners,” said Debra Chanil, Editorial and Research Director. “They truly validate our mission in creating and presenting these awards, which is to bring attention and acclaim to women who are making great—and sometimes underrecognized—strides in pushing forward the energy transition.”

Open to women in commercial, industrial, institutional (higher-ed and healthcare), and government organizations, the 2023 WISE Awards sought leaders across seven categories: Project, Industry Veteran, Rising Star, Innovation, Leadership, Mentorship, and Advocacy.

The 2023 WISE Award winners are:

1. Project, which recognizes women who led or significantly contributed to a project for her organization or the wider smart energy industry:

• Project – Commercial/Buildings: Karen Cusmano, Senior Vice President, Head of Sustainability and ESG (Veris Residential)
• Project – Manufacturing: Kimm Jarden, Global Energy Manager (The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company)
• Project – Institutions: Jennifer Malaniuk, Director of Energy & Sustainability (Richardson Independent School District)
• Project – Government: Annie Secrest, Energy & Water Coordinator (County of San Luis Obispo)
• Project – Commercial/Retail: Rachel Swanson, Lead Program Manager – Solar (Target Corporation)

2. Industry Veterans, which recognizes women with more than 10 years of experience who continue to make a positive impact on the smart energy industry:

• Tria Case, University Executive Director, Office of Sustainability and Energy Conservation (City University of New York)
• Jennifer Daloisio, CEO (Massachusetts Clean Energy Center)
• Abigail Johnson, Executive Director (Virginia PACE Authority)

3. Rising Star, which recognizes a woman with less than 10 years of experience in the smart energy industry who is already making a positive impact:

• Sophia Gluck, ESG & Sustainability Program Manager (Okta, Inc.)
• Elizabeth King, Performance and Operations Engineer (Georgetown University)
• Katie Peterson, V2X Programs Manager (General Motors)

4. Innovation, which recognizes a woman who has developed a new or substantially improved a product, service, or strategy for her organization or the wider smart energy industry:

• Alise Porto, VP of Sustainability (Switch)

5. Leadership, which recognizes women with demonstrated leadership excellence (either within her own organization or the wider smart energy industry):

• Leadership – Commercial: Kim Strickland, Global Head of Execution, Energy & Sustainability (Prologis)
• Leadership – Manufacturing: Rebecca Tody, Manager – Energy Procurement and Reliability (General Motors)
• Leadership – Institution: Ibi Yolas, Vice President, Campus Planning and Facilities (Pace University)

6. Mentorship, which recognizes a woman with a demonstrated commitment to mentoring rising women or men in the smart energy industry:

• Kulsoom Khan, Energy Efficiency Manager (Congebec, Inc.)

7. Advocacy, which recognizes a man for helping to empower women in their organization and/or in the wider smart energy industry:

• Doug Yunaska, Director Global Energy & Sustainability Center of Excellence (Merck & Co., Inc.)

The 2023 WISE Awards were judged by previous WISE Award winners and industry leaders, including Creshona Armwood (GSA Region 4), Amy Bond (T-Mobile), Jordan Calverley (McDonald’s Corporation), Susan Corry (University of Maryland), Emma Cox (MSL Group), Senka Donches (Magna International), Denis George (Energy Advisor); Peter Kelly-Detwiler, (Smart Energy Decisions), Cindy Quan (Goldman Sachs), Rowena Striff (Lockheed Martin Aeronautics), Rachel Schiftan (Cushman & Wakefield).

Smart Energy Decisions looks forward to welcoming the WISE Award winners to the Net Zero Forum and WISE Dinner.