Creating a More Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

Eliminating Barriers and Creating Opportunities to Enter Energy and STEM Careers through Innovative State-Academic Partnerships
May 13-14, 2021 - Webinar

Webinar Recordings

May 13, 2021

  • Event Welcome: Ron Butler, CEO, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Community Development Action Coalition and
    David Terry, Executive Director, National Association of State Energy Officials
  • Congressional Opening Remarks: The Honorable John Sarbanes, Member, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Foundation-Setting: Key Findings in Energy Sector Workforce Diversity: Sarah Lehmann, Project Manager, BW Research Partnership

May 13, 2021

  • States Panel: Advancing Just Transition, Workforce Diversity, and Economic Recovery at the Regional, State, and Local Levels: Dr. Robert Powell, Associate Professor, North Carolina A&T; Tamika Jacques, Ed. D., Director of Workforce Development, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center;  Robert Jackson, Director, Energy Office, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; Noemí Gallardo, Public Advisor, California Energy Commission

May 13, 2021

  • Federal Panel: DOE's Workforce Development Priorities in the Context of Climate Change and Economic Recovery: Michael Furze, Assistant Director, Energy Division, Washington State Department of Commerce; Ann (Sweeney) Augustyn, Acting Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity; Jennifer Kropke, Director of Energy Jobs, U.S. Department of Energy

May 14, 2021

  • Opening Remarks
  • Employer and Labor Perspectives: Strategies for Workforce Representation and Inclusion: Chad Kruse, Manager, Office of Energy, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; Candace Bridges, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Employer Brand Leader, Schneider Electric;  Willy Solorzano, Trustee, BYD-SMART Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee, Local Union 105

May 14, 2021

  • Congressional Outlook for Environmental Justice, Equity, and Diversity: Ivory Toldson, President and CEO, Quality Education for Minorities Network; Former Executive Director, White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Dr. John Christie, Chief of Staff, Office of Congresswoman Alma S. Adams

May 14, 2021

  • Solar CARES Project Case Study Presentation and Breakout Discussions: Economic Opportunity and Job Creation: Partnership Models Centering Minority-Serving Institutions: Starlette Hodge, State Energy Program Manager, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality; Henry Golatt, Chief of Strategy and Partnership, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Community Development Action Coalition; Dr. Greg Monty, Director, Center for Energy Research and Technology, North Carolina A&T State University
  • Roundtable Discussion: Collaborations to Facilitate Entry to the Energy Sector Workforce and STEM Fields: Dr. Janice Sneed, Associate Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Southern University at Shreveport; Adele Ferranti, Program Manager, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; Dr. Deidra R. Hodges, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso
  • Roundtable Discussion: State-Academic-Federal Partnerships for Diversity and Equity in Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Technology-Based Economic Development: Sumesh Arora, Ph.D., Director, Energy and Natural Resources Division, Mississippi Development Authority; Dr. J. Chris Ford, Mission-to-Market Manager, Applied Research Center, Florida International University; Dr. Vanessa Chan, Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions, U.S. Department of Energy