The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA’s Women in Energy initiative, in collaboration with the Columbia Policy Institute, invites you to join us for Exploring Energy Careers: Insights and Connections —an evening of conversation and networking that highlights the breadth of opportunities across the energy sector.

The program will open with a panel of speakers whose careers span law, policy, research, engineering, and finance, offering insight into the many ways professionals are shaping the industry’s future. After the panel, attendees will take part in small group discussions to ask questions, hear personal career journeys, and gather practical advice on navigating the field. Whether you are a student, early-career professional, or exploring a career transition, this event will provide valuable connections and perspectives. Join us to learn, engage, and discover the diverse pathways that drive today’s energy landscape.

For more information about the event, please contact energypolicyevents@columbia.edu.

When Nimita Uberoi transitioned from the public to the private sector, she quickly realized that her network and skill set didn’t transfer as seamlessly as she had hoped. “You have to build an entirely new network,” she said. “That’s why this fellowship was so particularly helpful. New people, new skill set, and new industry.”

Nimita is one of 21 early-career professionals selected for the Women in Energy Fellowship, a program led by the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Directed by Jessica Weis, Program Director of CGEP’s Women in Energy initiative, the fellowship is designed for women with three to eight years of experience in the energy sector. It provides participants with a variety of energy topics, professional skills, and a strong peer network—three pillars essential to advancing in a rapidly evolving industry.

Nimita Uberoi (right), Co-Founder of Giraffe Financial, speaks to the group of fellows.

CGEP launched the program in response to a persistent challenge: while women make up about a third of entry-level energy positions, they account for just 19 percent of executives. Many leave the field before reaching senior leadership roles, creating a loss of talent and perspective at a time when the sector is undergoing profound transformation.

The fellowship is a direct investment in closing that gap. Over several months, participants take part in in-person sessions at CGEP’s New York City offices, featuring deep dives on timely energy topics such as sustainable finance, offshore wind, nuclear energy, and energy equity. They also engage in skill-building workshops on public speaking, negotiation, conflict resolution, and, in a recent session on August 6, 2025, confidence-building.

The confidence session began with reflections on how fellows had approached challenges differently since the last meeting. Ava Ibanez-Amador, Associate Attorney at Earthjustice, shared:

I’ve learned a lot about areas outside my own field. And each time we present, I notice the hesitation fading. This kind of cohort builds you up to do it without thinking twice.

Ava Ibanez-Amador

The session then welcomed guest speaker Dr. Luisa Palacios, Interim Director of Research and Managing Director of Energy Transition Finance at CGEP. With a career spanning leadership in energy companies, finance, and policy—including serving as the first chairwoman of Citgo Petroleum Corporation—Palacios brought decades of insight.

“It became very clear to me that I had to learn and relearn every time I changed jobs,” she told the group. “I thought: I might not be the best person right now, but I will become the person to figure this out.”

Dr. Luisa Palacios, Interim Director of Research and Managing Director of Energy Transition Finance at CGEP

For Carly Ayukawa, Senior Program Manager at Solar One, this perspective was grounding:

We’re so used to US stability, but hearing about volatility abroad put things into perspective. It makes me more confident seeing the longevity that speakers have had in their careers.

Carly Ayukawa presents.

Cheryl Ma, Project Manager for Clean Energy Origination at Walmart, found Palacios’ points on resilience especially relevant:

Policies change, companies change—sometimes overnight. Her message was that it’s your responsibility to work toward the resilience of your organization. That’s something I can take back to my professional life.

Cheryl Ma

For CGEP, the fellowship is an extension of its mission to not only produce evidence-based research but also to shape the future of who leads in energy. The program’s impact is already measurable. In its pilot year, fellows reported a 49% increase in knowledge of energy equity, a 28% increase in professional networks, and a 17% increase in confidence about public speaking. Six months after completing the pilot, 67% reported that they had been promoted or changed jobs—a testament to the fellowship’s tangible career impact. Eighty-five percent said they would recommend the fellowship to a colleague.

By bringing together women from across sectors—utilities, clean energy startups, law, public agencies, and multinational corporations—CGEP is creating a cross-disciplinary community that will remain connected long after the program ends.

As Palacios reminded the group, “The learning process never stops.”

With the skills, knowledge, and networks built at CGEP, these fellows are not just preparing for the next step in their careers: they are shaping the future of the energy sector itself.

Find more information on the Women in Energy Fellowship here.

The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program and Columbia University’s Women & Sustainability are jointly hosting a panel discussion on power sector and grid modernization. Expert speakers will provide insights into how renewable and decentralized energy penetration, EV integration, cybersecurity, and climate change are affecting grid resiliency, security, reliability, and affordability. They will also discuss new technologies and innovations that will shape the grid of tomorrow.  Our panel of experts will include: Anna Shpitsberg, Director, Global Power at IHS Markit Lori Lybolt, Director, Utility of the Future,Consolidated Edison (CBS ’06) Melissa Lott, Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy Scott Fisher, Vice President of Market Development, Greenlots & Adjunct Professor in Columbia’s Sustainability Management Program (moderator)  — Guests unable to attend in person can register to view a livestream of the event by accessing the registration link above, and access the livestream at www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/liverstream. This event is open to press. Media should register for this event by accessing the registration link above. Media inquiries or requests for interviews should be directed to Artealia Gilliard (ag4144@sipa.columbia.edu) or Genna Morton (gam2164@sipa.columbia.edu). Please note: RSVP to this event does not guarantee entry. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached for both the public and press. Flash photography and video recording are prohibited. For more information contact: energypolicy@columbia.edu.

Location: Consolidated Edison Company of New York 4 Irving Place New York, NY 10003 Please join the Women in Energy program for a company overview and lunch with Con Edison’s Customer Energy Solutions (CES) department. CES is comprised of innovative departments tackling New York State’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative through innovative pilots, energy efficiency and demand management and customer-sided technologies and solutions. They will host students for an introduction to CES’ role at Con Edison followed by a panel of Con Edison employees who went to graduate school at Columbia University. They will discuss their job history, career paths and perspectives on what it means to be a female leader in the energy industry. Students will then get a chance to ask questions over lunch.  Student will meet the following experts: Margarett Jolly, Director, Demonstration Pilots Vicki Kuo, Director, Energy Efficiency and Demand Management  Lori Lybolt, Director, Utility of the Future (CBS) Catherine Griffin, Project Manager, REV Demonstration Pilots (CBS) Felise Man, Senior Specialist, Strategy and Planning – Energy Efficiency and Demand Management (SIPA) Colleen Metelitsa, Manager, Evaluation – Energy Efficiency and Demand Management (SIPA) Beatrice Troiano, Specialist, Distribution Planning (SUMA)  IMPORTANT: This event is geared towards current female graduate students. For security reasons, names of participants have to be sent to Con Edison 2 days before the meeting. All visitors must arrive by 11:20am and must present a valid form of identification when they arrive. Space is limited to only 15 participants therefore please register only if you can commit to attending the company overview. Those who register and either cancel within 3 days of the meeting or do not show up will no longer be prioritized for future events. Lunch will be provided.  If you have any questions, please contact: jem2245@sipa.columbia.edu

LOCATION: The New School 66 West 12th Street, room 510 New York, NY Please join The New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy and SIPA’s Center on Global Energy Policy for a Women in Energy dinner and roundtable discussion with Catherine Griffin, Project Manager for Con Edison’s REV Demonstration Team. Ms. Griffin will discuss her academic and job histories, career paths, and perspectives on what it means to be a female leader in the energy industry. Biography Catherine is a Project Manager on the REV Demonstration Team at Con Edison. Her focus is on developing new business models that inform the Company’s long term strategy for mitigating peak day natural gas demand and increasing customer access to renewable thermal solutions. Catherine previously worked at EnerNOC procuring power and natural gas resources for large customers as well as performing market and tariff analyses. Prior to her time at EnerNOC, Catherine worked at DNV GL focusing on retail energy markets and energy efficiency. Catherine has a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Union College and an MBA from Columbia University.  This event is open to current female students.  Space is limited therefore please register only if you can commit to attending the roundtable. Dinner will be provided.  If you have any questions, please contact: jem2245@sipa.columbia.edu

Please join the Center on Global Energy Policy for a Women in Energy dinner and roundtable discussion with Kate Burson, Northeast U.S. Market Development Lead, Tesla. Ms. Burson will discuss her job history, career paths, and perspectives on what it means to be a female leader in the energy industry.   This event is only open to current female grad students. Since space is limited, RSVPs will be accepted on a first-come basis until capacity is reached. Please only RSVP if you can commit to attending. Dinner will be provided. *** Biography Kate Burson has devoted her career to working at the intersection of business, policy and law – as a catalyst to expand and encourage sustainable development. Recognizing that energy storage is an essential element in the global transition to clean energy, Burson joined Tesla in 2016 to help develop the market and business for their energy storage products, the Powerwall and the Powerpack.  Prior to joining Tesla, Burson co-led energy policy for New York state.  Working with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Chairman of Energy and Finance Richard Kauffman, Burson developed and deployed a new strategy for an electric grid power by clean energy. This initiative grew into the State’s Reforming the Energy Vision, REV, which Burson co-developed and managed.  Between the years 2013 and 2015, Burson served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Energy & Finance for New York State, and was responsible for overseeing the state utility regulatory agency, two public power companies, and the state’s energy research and development institution. Under Burson’s direction, New York became a leader in clean energy: restructuring New York State Energy Research and Development authority (NYSERDA), creating a $5 billion clean energy fund, and establishing the nation’s largest public financial institution dedicated to clean energy finance. Previously, Burson served as an Assistant Attorney General for New York state, where she prosecuted securities fraud.  She has also held positions at the World Wildlife Fund, the World Trade Organization, and the National Women’s Law Center. Burson attended Vanderbilt University where she graduated magna cum laude and was awarded All-American and Academic All-American honors for her achievements as a Division I tennis player.  She received her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Please join the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program for a tour of The ConEd Murray Hill Substation. Learn what a substation is: An auxiliary power station where electrical current is converted, and voltage is stepped up or down. You will get to see an actual area substation ? stepping down voltage from 138 to 13kV as well as breakers and transformers. The tour will be led by Lisa Primeggia, General Manager, Manhattan Electric Construction, Con Edison. This is an industrial facility so please follow all safety procedures. Wear natural fiber clothing such as cotton. Please wear jeans, long sleeve shirts and sturdy shoes (preferably work boots if you have). We are meeting at 9:30am at the address listed above: 14 West 31st Street . This substation is located in midtown so plan your commute time accordingly. This event is open only to current female students. Since space is limited, RSVPs will be accepted on a first-come basis until capacity is reached. Please RSVP only if you can commit to attending the site visit. If you have any questions, please contact: jem2245@sipa.columbia.edu.

Please join the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program for a public panel discussion on the world of energy consulting. Whether you are a student looking to get into the field or an energy professional, come out to hear from experts in the field on the diverse range of energy consulting clients and projects, ranging from sustainability consulting for local governments to political risk consulting for corporations.? The panel will include the following consultants: Anita Demkiv, CEO, ADIN Energy Kim Dragoo, Principal, ICF Hilary Novik, Associate – Global Energy and Natural Resources, Eurasia Group Sigal Shemesh,Computational Analyst, BuroHappold Engineering Registration is required. This event is open to press. Please direct media inquiries to Jamie Shellenberger-Bessmann. It will also be livestreamed at: energypolicy.columbia.edu/watch? A podcast of this event (in addition to other past Center events) will be available ~12 days after the date of the event through iTunes or via our website.

Please join the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program for a panel discussion on energy insecurity. Energy insecurity is a conceptual framework that describes the interplay between the physical conditions of housing, household energy expenditures and energy-related coping strategies among low incomes groups in the United States. Defined as an inability to adequately meet basic household energy needs, this panel will outline the key dimensions of energy insecurity-economic, physical and behavioral- and related adverse environmental, health and social consequences. Implications for policy and advocacy will also be discussed.   Distinguished experts joining the panel will include:  Dr. Diana Hernandez, Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health Dana Bourland, Vice President – Environment, JPB Foundation Dana Harmon, Executive Director, Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute  Registration is required. This event is open to press. Please direct media inquiries to Jamie Shellenberger-Bessmann (jas2453@sipa.columbia.edu) It will be livestreamed at energypolicy.columbia.edu/watch. A podcast of this event (in addition to other past Center events) will be available ~12 days after the date of the event through iTunes or via our website.

Please join NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, Energy Policy International Club (EPIC), and the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Women in Energy program for a public panel focused on energy start-ups. We have experts working in companies that focus on energy efficiency, clean energy finance, and technology joining us to share their experience entering these fields, offer advice on the types of skills companies are looking for, providing insights on how the industry is evolving as well as the current state of women in the energy start-up sector.   The panel will include the following experts: Ali Adler, Director of Partnerships, Sealed Claire Johnson, ‎President, CBJ Energy; Founder, SunEdison Mouchka Heller, Trade Commissioner, Canadian Technology Accelerator, Infrastructure and Energy  Angela Ferrante, Chief Marketing Officer, SparkFund (moderator) LOCATION: New York University  Woolworth Building 15 Barclay Street, room: 430 New York, NY 10007 Registration is required. This event is open to press. It will also be livestreamed at: energypolicy.columbia.edu/watch  A podcast of this event (in addition to other past Center events) will be available ~12 days after the date of the event through iTunes or via our website.