Public Power
Since April 2014, Sue Kelly has been president and CEO of the American Public Power Association – the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities that power 2,000 towns and cities nationwide. Earlier, she was the senior vice president, policy analysis and general counsel. Under Kelly’s leadership, the association has advocated on wholesale electric market issues, worked to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and resources for utilities and raised the profile of public power in Washington, D.C.
Recently, I had the good fortune to be named the Woman of the Year by the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment, also known as WCEE. On March 7, WCEE held its annual gala, honoring me and the 2017 Champion, Dr. Robert Marlay, Director of the Office of Climate Change Policy and Technology at the Department of Energy.
If you are a woman professional in D.C. working in the energy and environmental areas, you likely know about WCEE. As its website states, it is a “non-partisan, policy-neutral organization that focuses on women, energy and the environment.” As many as 900 women professionals are members – as well as men.
The organization has been around since the 1980s, and is a great way to meet others working in these fields and learn about recent developments. WCEE holds many luncheon programs, happy hours, and educational events.
The gala started with a reception, which was a mob scene. It was amazing how many people I knew there – it was like my entire professional life was passing before me! Everyone from my own Association board members to former law partners and clients and innumerable work colleagues from NRECA, EEI and other industry associations and organizations were at the gala.