Last week was an exciting and inspiring time for Advanced Energy United as our team and member companies, including NRG, GoodLeap, Utilidata, Monarch Strategic Ventures, LS Power, DNV Energy Services, Sunrun, Pattern Energy, and CTC Global, proudly engaged at two important national convenings: the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Energy Summit in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

These events—both powerful in their own right—underscore the essential role that diverse voices and communities play in our nation’s energy transition. At United, we believe that inclusive engagement is not just the right thing to do—it’s smart business. It fosters innovation, strengthens our economy, and helps us build a resilient energy future that works for and is accessible for all Americans. By actively participating in these convenings, we gain deeper insight into the challenges and opportunities facing underrepresented groups in the energy economy—so we can ensure that our industry reflects the full diversity of our country.

Unleashing the Potential of Advanced Energy at AABE’s National Conference

Pictured (from left to right): United's Janeen Said (Managing Director, Talent), Lizzy Stears (Principal) , Heather O'Neill (CEO and President), Ashley Davis (Member Engagement Principal), Kim Jemaine (Managing Director), Alex Breslin (Sales Account Executive), and Rahiem Swann (Vice President, Sales and Business Development) pose at AABE 48th National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

With more than 1600 energy professionals, the AABE National Conference brings together energy thought leaders who are diverse in ethnicity, gender, and expertise. 

During the three-day, jam-packed event, United Senior Principal Lizzy Stears joined a group of exceptional women panelists on stage for “Nexus Industry: Transportation and Energy – Powering the Future of Mobility” – a conversation on affordable energy access and the EV transition. The panel, moderated by Stephanie Chesnick of EY, explored the challenges of ensuring affordable energy access, particularly for low-income and marginalized communities. Lizzy, Vakesia Graves of Duke Energy Corporation, and Shonté Davidson of Better Together Brain Trust, discussed innovative solutions and programs aimed at reducing energy costs, expanding renewable access, and the role of utilities in supporting vulnerable populations.

United CEO and President Heather O'Neill shared her perspective of rising to the C-suite as a woman in energy with other industry executives in the “The Women in Power: Conversation with Women in Leadership Disrupting the Energy Sector” panel, In this engaging conversation moderated by Gwen Mizell of Ameren, Heather and other woman leaders across the energy sector, including Melody Birmingham of NiSource Inc., Natalie Edwards of National Grid, and Carla Walker-Miller of Walker-Miller Energy, shared their insights and strategies for success in a sector undergoing momentous change and innovation. 

Our team came away from AABE inspired and energized, with meaningful new connections and ideas for how United can continue the momentum needed to build towards an equitable energy transition. 

Bridging the Energy Divide at the USHCC Energy Summit 

Pictured (from left to right): United's Julieta Romero (Member Engagement Associate), Leah Rubin Shen (Managing Director), Michael Barrio (Senior Principal), Kate Johnson (Managing Director, Member Engagement), and Matthew Boms (Executive Director, Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance) attended the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Energy Summit in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

The mission of the USHCC Energy Summit is to bring stakeholders from across the energy sector together to share knowledge of relevant energy issues and ensure the role of small and Hispanic business enterprises within the industry.  

From grid modernization and supply chain innovation to advanced technologies and the recent outage in Spain, the conversations at this year’s summit reflected the urgency and opportunity shaping today’s energy landscape. During the “Energy Affordability & Security” breakout session panel, United Managing Director Leah Rubin Shen brought home the message that advanced energy technologies are solutions to the energy affordability challenge alongside critical decisionmakers like Antonio Villaraigosa, former California State Speaker and Los Angeles Mayor, and Julio Fuentes, National Hispanic Energy Council Chairman. Similarly, during the “Powering the Future: How Texas is Leading with Distributed Energy Resources” session, Matthew Boms, Executive Director of United’s state affiliate Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, and Michael Barrio, United’s policy lead in New Mexico and Arizona, engaged Hispanic business leaders in a conversation about the benefits that distributed energy resources (DERs) are bringing to Texas.  

Across all of the summit’s dynamic stage sessions and breakout panels, a shared theme emerged: resilience, equity, and smart investment are essential to building and powering a stronger, accessible, and cleaner energy economy. The summit left us inspired by the meaningful dialogue and the impactful partnerships taking shape. 

Looking Ahead 

We’re deeply grateful for the opportunity to partner with the AABE and USHCC business communities to strengthen the advanced energy economy. Intentional partnerships with these communities help our industry expand market opportunities, foster inclusion and innovation, and drive us towards more solutions for an equitable energy transition.  

We look forward to continuing the work alongside our members and partners to build a more inclusive, resilient, and clean energy economy.