National Grid – NEWIEE Supporter for all 10 Years!
Sponsor Spotlight
We are excited to kick off our new member spotlight with a conversation with National Grid members who have been active in NEWIEE since its inception. Thank you to Kate Hearns, Amy Vavak, Cassie Osterhoudt, Courtney Eichhorst, Tabitha Vigliotti and Jeannette Mills for being interviewed!
National Grid Interview,
Given by NEWIEE Board Member Mary Usovicz
When you think of NEWIEE, what words come to mind?
Connecting, Empowering, Invigorating, Engaging and Supportive. These words embody the main reasons why we joined NEWIEE. It is another great opportunity for us to be able to meet and network with other women in the energy and environment fields through NEWIEE.
In a region that has so many professional groups to choose from, why did you decide to join NEWIEE?
Being part of an organization with a focus in New England is very important to us. National Grid serves nearly 3 million customers in the New England region. We not only want to help communities make good energy choices and meet their energy needs, but we are committed to improving the lives of the people in those communities in other ways.
One of NEWIEE’s greatest strengths is that is reaches out specifically to women in New England to give them opportunities that they might not otherwise be exposed to. They help bolster New England women as a community and we believe that’s a worthwhile endeavor.
In a business world where women still struggle for a seat at the table, how does NEWIEE allow you to feel heard and respected?
At National Grid, we are building a culture where everyone’s voice is valued and included. We have employee resource groups like Women in Networks and Women in Non-Traditional Roles that are very supportive; so for us NEWIEE is a valuable outside resource.
We realize that not everyone has internal organizational group opportunities where they work and so NEWIEE may be the only place where they feel heard. Having a supportive environment helps to encourage and build confidence for women in the workforce. NEWIEE affords women the opportunity to share ideas candidly with other women at any stage in their careers without fear of judgment.
How do you think NEWIEE bridges the gap between the energy and environmental sectors?
The lines between energy and environment are becoming increasingly blurred. Climate change has made all of us aware of the need to move toward a cleaner energy world, and we are on a path of converging these two sectors into one.
What do you see as the value for National Grid in supporting NEWIEE?
Respect for all people and the value of diversity is something you’ll see demonstrated every day at National Grid. This is shown in the number of diverse teams we have. We’ve blown open the doors of the “non-traditional” roles. A good example of this is the number of women we now have in our operations and engineering areas compared to 5, 10, or 20 years ago.
We recognize that we still have a long way to go. NEWIEE is a resource for us, where women can find mentorship, network, share resources and most importantly share experiences with one another in a welcoming environment.
How do you see NEWIEE evolving over the next year and beyond?
NEWIEE should continue to be a resource for the exchange of knowledge and information for members. We need to continue breaking down barriers to meet and exceed the energy and environmental needs of today and tomorrow. We hope NEWIEE will continue to serve as a driving force in building a brighter future for all and National Grid is happy to be a part of that.
If you are a NEWIEE member/sponsor and are interested being spotlighted in the NEWIEE newsletter, please fill out one of these short questionnaires.
© 2024 New England Women in Energy and the Environment (NEWIEE). NEWIEE is a non-profit, tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
