At the 2023 Annual Members Meeting and Fall Fete, NEWIEE will demonstrate our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by announcing the recipients of our inaugural NEWIEE DEI Founders’ Award. The NEWIEE DEI Founders’ Award honors the founders of our organization, a group of women who came together in 2008 to exchange ideas and experiences with others in energy and environmental professions. The DEI Founders’ Award recognizes the spirit of the NEWIEE founders — uplifting underrepresented voices and creating a space for like-minded individuals to come together.

The award for individual achievement will be presented to Donna Daniels, Chief People & Diversity Officer, Ceres. In addition to her long history of mentorship and volunteerism, Donna has paved the way for DEI in energy & environment by centering people and integrating equitable measures and accountability structures into already existing HR systems or crafting entirely new systems from the ground up as needed. By understanding that equity and diversity are a part of how we must imagine and shape our collective futures, Donna has led the charge and transitioned her leadership in the energy space to supporting DEI and climate justice initiatives in the ESG (environment, social, governance) space. She has a long history of mentorship and volunteerism to further of women of color throughout her career and continues to ensure diverse perspectives and ideas are valued and celebrated.

The award for organizational achievements will be presented to All In Energy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to accelerate an inclusive clean energy economy by bringing energy efficiency and renewable energy to underserved communities while increasing job opportunities for diverse talent in the clean energy industry. All In Energy serves communities that are diverse and have large environmental justice populations. Their programs support inclusive marketing campaigns conducted by partner municipalities and community-based organizations that reach underserved groups in their communities, specifically renters and landlords, non-English speakers, and low to moderate income households. In addition, they work directly with energy efficiency and renewable energy companies to encourage more equitable service delivery to these populations.

We are proud to provide a platform to recognize the incredible DEI work done in the energy and environmental space in New England.

Also, at the 2023 Annual Members Meeting and Fall Fete, we will unveil our updated NEWIEE logo to NEW+IEE. The addition of the plus sign is an important recognition that while NEWIEE is a historically women’s organization, we are proud to cultivate a community that is gender diverse and welcomes people of all gender identities. The addition of a plus sign to our logo represents our inclusivity and commitment to facilitating a richly diverse and representative organization and workforce. We look forward to continuing our efforts and focus on DEI in 2024 and beyond!

Deanna Sassorossi (she/her)
Electric Power Research Institute

Cindy Gage (she/her)
C+C

Also of Interest

• Join NEWIEE
• NEWIEE Event Calendar
• NEWIEE Jobs Board