SED’s WISE Award Winners Announced

Smart Energy Decisions (SED) is proud to announce the winners of its inaugural WISE (Women in Smart Energy) Awards. The winners will be celebrated on March 16 at the closing dinner of the 2022 Innovation Summit at The Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa in Houston, Texas.

“The awards were developed through a series of conversations among the SED staff, Advisory Board, and event attendees,” said Debra Chanil, Research and Content Director, Smart Energy Decisions. “In our coverage of the industry, and at our events, we see the great work being done by women in energy and sustainability at all types of organizations – but we knew there were more out there who were not known to us or to the industry at large. These women deserve more attention for themselves and as inspiration to other women who want to establish careers in this field.”

Nominations for these awards were open for a limited time during the month of January. Women at commercial, industrial, institutional (higher ed, healthcare), and government organizations were eligible. Nominations were based on specific projects or initiatives in energy and sustainability; unique or significant accomplishments helping to drive the energy transition; and impact or influence in energy and sustainability outside of the nominee’s role, either inside her company or in the broader industry.

“We were gratified by the number of nominations received and the variety and quality of accomplishments they reflected,” said Chanil. A total of 76 nominations were received, with 42 women chosen as winners of the 2022 WISE Awards. 

The 2022 WISE Awards are presented in two categories, Industry Leaders (10 years or more of industry experience) and Rising Stars (less than 10 years industry experience).

Industry Leaders:

• Creshona Armwood, Chief, Energy and Sustainability Branch, U.S. General Services Administration, Public Building Service, Region 4
• Amy Bond, Energy and Sustainability Program Manager, T-Mobile
• Kayla Brown-Cestero, Energy Projects Manager, Lighting Technologies Design & Consultation, Caesars Entertainment
• Susan Corry, Director, Engineering & Energy, University of Maryland College Park
• Emma Gillespie Cox, Global Renewable Energy Lead, MSL Global
• Laurel Creech, Assistant Director, Metro Nashville Government, Division of Sustainability
• Mary Curtiss, Director of Sustainability for HP Personal Systems Services, HP
• Senka Donches, Manager of Energy Efficiencies the Americas, Magna International
• Monica Ferrer, Director, Energy and Sustainability, Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc.
• Tracy Fialli, Senior Manager, Energy & Water, Raytheon Technologies
• Hanna Grene, Director, Power and Utilities Americas, Microsoft
• Dawn James, Director, Global IoT Industry Strategy – Energy & Sustainability, Microsoft
• Rebecca Karason, Environmental Strategy & Sustainability Director, Huntington National Bank
• Ann Kloose, Division Manager of Sustainability, City of Fresno Public Works Department
• Catherine Kummer, Sustainability, Resiliency and Government Affairs Officer, Charlotte Area Transit System, City of Charlotte, NC
• Holly Lahd, Energy Manager, Meta
• Shetal Lettvin, Director, Energy Management, Walgreens Boots Alliance
• Liz Lucente, Lead Program Manager – Energy & Sustainability, Target Corporation
• Renee Morin, Chief Sustainability Officer, eBay
• Chelsea Mozen, Senior Director of Impact and Sustainability, Etsy
• Kourtney Nelson, Director, Renewable Energy, Microsoft
• Cindy Quan, Vice President; Decarbonization Team, Investment Banking, Goldman Sachs
• Joanna Raleigh, Sourcing Manager Energy/Utilities, MilliporeSigma
• Meghan Riesterer, Assistant Vice President Campus Energy & Sustainability, Oberlin College
• Shay Reed, Energy Buyer, Costco Wholesale
• Jennifer Ruch, Director of Sustainability, Equinix
• Claudia Schaeffer, Global Climate & Latin America Energy Commercial Director, Dow Inc.
• Rowena Banzon Striff, Energy Manager, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
• Lisa Zwack, Head of Sustainability, The Kroger Company
  

Rising Stars:

• Amma Asantewaa Agyei Boakye, Lead Sustainability Analyst, Rheem Manufacturing Company
• Kate Buczek, Energy Analyst, Cook County Bureau of Asset Management
• Jordan Calverley, U.S. Sustainability Manager, McDonald’s Corporation
• Sarah Edwards, Sustainability Program Manager, Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability
• Kathryn Holland, Energy Project Manager Supply-Side Focused, Medxcel
• Chelsea Lamar, Sustainability Manager, Reyes Holdings
• Angie Morales, Senior Specialist, Energy and Sustainability CoE, Merck
• Alise Porto, VP of Sustainability and Strategic Initiatives, Switch
• Rachel Schiftan, Associate Director, Energy and Sustainability Services, Cushman & Wakefield
• Morgan Tien, Energy Business Climate Manager, Dow, Inc.
• Lindsay Tyson, Director of Sustainability, Arrow Electronics
• Monica Walker, Green Electron Accelerator, General Motors, LLC
• Jennifer Yates, Senior Director, Wireless Accounting and Energy Cost Management, Charter Communications
  
  

Smart Energy Decisions looks forward to welcoming the WISE Award winners to the Innovation Summit and WISE Dinner. For more information on these events, click here.