Year after year, one session at Itron Inspire stands out as a powerful testament to leadership, resilience and innovation: Women Who Inspire. This panel continuously captivates our conference attendees, providing a platform for visionary women leaders in the energy, water and utility sectors to share their stories and strategies for success. The session was moderated by Stephanie Kolodziej, vice president of transmission, distribution and renewables at Clarion Events (DISTRIBUTECH), and featured insights from industry leaders Cheryl Mele, vice president of customer and employee services at El Paso Electric; Brandy Bolden, chief customer officer at Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD); and Evelyn Cortez-Davis, chief of staff, water at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).  

This year, we’re excited to bring you a special two-part blog series recapping the highlights from our Women Who Inspire session.  With such rich insights and impactful advice, one blog simply isn’t enough! In the first blog of the series, we’re diving into career journeys, personal aspirations and lessons learned that have shaped these leaders into the women they are today.  

Stephanie: Let’s start at the beginning. Reflecting on your early days in the industry, what were your biggest hopes and fears, and how did they shape who you are today?  

Cheryl: My first time working for a utility was at Austin Energy. I had just relocated from upstate New York and was supervising a team responsible for the testing within our power plants. I was nervous walking into a male-dominated team on my first day, but I had a strong feeling that I was where I was meant to be.   

Evelyn: I was a civil engineering major in school and started my very first job at LADWP 32 years ago. Soon after starting, I realized I was not going to get any sort of pass because I was new. I learned I would not be able to walk into any situation without being as prepared as I can be. I carry this with me today because I know I often will be the only woman of color in the room. Being prepared is how I arm myself so there isn’t any distraction from the work that needs to be done.  

Brandy: I started in SMUD’s commercial services area as a process analyst and was thrown into the deep end right away—it was sink or swim and figure it out. I learned how to be relentless with my questions and fearless in my approach to getting to know the work, the business and the people. This really shaped the professional brand I was able to create for myself over the years. I’ve now been at SMUD for 21 years and am in a position where I can influence SMUD’s workforce and the community we serve.  

Stephanie: I’d love to hear about the influential mentors who have impacted who you are today and how you got started.  

Evelyn: One of the first people I met going into my first work assignment is still one of my best friends today. Over the years, she has been my sounding board. I also had a supervisor who refused to let me limit myself. He taught me that the answer will always be no until you allow yourself to ask the question. I also want to highlight my mom for always leading by example with her strength.  

Brandy: I love mentorship. I love being a mentor, being mentored, etc., but often times women are over mentored and under sponsored. We need to change the narrative. We need more women sponsored. Sponsorship is making sure you are speaking a person’s name in a room they aren’t in. It means you are creating space and opportunities, opening the door to the room and supporting them once they get there.   

Cheryl: As we go through our careers, we find people who hold the door open for us, take an interest in us and help us grow. When I look back, the person who was the most influential in my career told me he trusted me to be plant manager. 15 years later, he told me he stuck his neck out for me because the women executives at the time didn’t think I could do the job. The fact that he trusted me sticks with me to this day.  

Stay tuned for the second blog of our Women Who Inspire series, where we’ll explore how these leaders are driving meaningful change in supporting women and attracting the next generation into the industry.