Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Utilities  -  September 22, 2023

DEI Impact Award Winners Honored At NZF in Phoenix

Smart Energy Decisions (SED) honored the recipients of its inaugural DEI Impact Awards at the Net Zero Forum Fall on Sept. 20, at the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. Recipients received awards for their efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in clean energy.

Janice Rogers, Corporate Vice President of Human Resources and ESG at Diversified Communications, SED’s parent company, co-presented the awards.

“As a leader in the global expositions and conference industry, we recognize the need to drive discussions and actively advance the principles of racial equity, social justice, and inclusion,” Rogers said. “The best compliment we can hear about our DEI program is when an employee tells us that our DEI mission is part of our culture and evidenced in our words and actions, not just words on a website or an exercise to check the boxes. This award is a perfect example of that.”

DEI Impact Award Winners were selected by a panel of judges representing energy customer peers and industry experts. Nominations for the awards were accepted for projects and industry influencers from commercial, industrial, institutional, and government organizations across seven categories.

NRG is the exclusive sponsor of the DEI Impact Awards.

“NRG is excited to have this opportunity to recognize peers who are equally dedicated to making DE&I a core focus of their organization,” said Jennifer Brunelle, Vice President of Talent Acquisition, Development and Diversity at NRG. “It is our shared responsibility to continue working toward diversity, equity, and inclusion in our everyday lives and workplace, and we congratulate the DEI Impact Award winners who are leading by example and setting the stage for a more inclusive and harmonious workforce.”

2023 DEI Impact Award Winners   

• Project/Initiative:
  • Boston Medical Center (BMC) Brockton Behavioral Health Center
  • Energy & Global Infrastructure, Google
  • UAB Sustainability, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Mentorship: Marianella Franklin, Chief Sustainability Officer, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• Team:
  • Sustainability Department, New York City Housing Authority
  • Office of Public Housing Programs, Energy Branch, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Catalyst for Change:
  • Sarah Porter-Liddell, Dean of Equity and Inclusion, Bard College at Simon’s Rock
  • Emily Schapira, President and CEO, Philadelphia Energy Authority
• Pay It Forward: Susanna Webber, Senior Vice President, Global Supplier Management Group and Global Workplace Enterprise Services and Chief Procurement Officer, Merck
• Partnership:
  • Danielle Decatur, Director of Environmental Justice, Microsoft
  • Waltasia Mansano, Manager, Clean Energy Jobs Program, PSE&G
• One to Watch:
  • Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, The City College of New York

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