Electric Ladies Podcast

"We realized early on with our digital transformation that really what we're trying to do is digitize processes and …we really want to transform. But the people that own these business processes are stakeholders, they're in sales, they're in operations, they're in HR, finance, supply chain, so we needed them before we could get started on digitally architecting a solution. So… we take a senior leader from a function and ops or a business unit and ask them to be the business process leader…. and we match you to an IT leader who's also quite senior. So these are VP SVP roles and they're the power couple. So we ask the domain leader on the stakeholder or business side, you define the what and the why, so what is it that you need and why? That's the value part of it….They're a partnership.""
Elizabeth Hackenson on Electric Ladies Podcast
How do you manage business systems in the middle of an industrial-technology revolution when those very systems are transforming too? They also use massive amounts of energy, water and are made from things like critical minerals, steel, aluminum wires, computer chips, et cetera that are all complicated by climate and energy crises.
Listen to Elizabeth Hackenson, Chief Information Officer of Schneider Electric explain how this massive global technology leader transforms itself while helping clients do the same in this fascinating discussion with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson. 
You'll hear about:
How what a Chief Information Officer's portfolio really is and how they manage it 24/7 across the globe
How they are leveraging and managing AI, as well as data centers.
How their "power couples" have become a valuable structure for ground up systems transformation with the end user in mind.
How they reduce their carbon footprint while helping clients do the same and maintain excellence.
Plus, insightful career advice, such as…
"First you have to find a company that is interesting to you and what you want to do. And then to me, it's always about focus on delivering what you've been asked to and what you can do. And then opportunity, in my view, opens up. Now sometimes it's at the company you're at and other times it's not. And that's okay…When you're at that 15-year mark, you should have by then figured out what you like, what your interests are and where you want to go next. And you've got to take control of your destiny. And again, I think getting to a company that you believe in, you have the same values, can give you that pathway to whatever it is you're looking for is where to start and then deliver."
Elizabeth Hackenson on Electric Ladies Podcast
Read Joan's Forbes article about this new report here and more of her articles here too.
You'll also like:
Microgrids Keep the Lights On - Jana Gerber, President of Microgrids, Schneider Electric
Making Infrastructure Resilient - Genevieve Avice-Huet, EVP of Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric (formerly Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer)
Critical Minerals 101 - with Abby Wulf, Critical Minerals expert and former head of Critical Minerals in the U.S. Dept. of Energy
Business Leaders Bridging the Climate Gap - Top executives from The Earth Day Women's Summit
The State of Energy Today Might Surprise You - Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy on their 2026 Energy Factbook
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"Try as best as you can not to be fear-driven. I think we are so driven by fear that we're never going to be enough, that we aren't going to contribute enough….(Y)ou actually are enough just as you are, right? Take this day, do what you can. Impact the people around you.…Become partners in your career with unlikely people, people who don't think like you, people who aren't doing the same career as you. You'll get a lot more joy out of, I think, your career because of the cross-pollination."
Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett on Electric Ladies Podcast
This Earth Day, we want to share inspiring career advice for women in mid-career who want to make a difference, which I ask every guest for on Electric Ladies Podcast. No matter what's going on in the economy, you have agency. You can control what you think about, focus on and your emotions. Listen to these amazing women from five different industries who were interviewed on Electric Ladies Podcast recently.
Let them inspire you and tell us what resonates with you. Post it to us @joanmichelson on social media.
You'll hear from:
·       Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D., Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy, professor at Texas Tech University and one of the world's foremost climate scientists.
·       Dominique Browning, Founder/CEO of Mom's Clean Air Force, on how to pressure elected officials on climate and clean energy issues.
·       Maria Korsnick, CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, on the new nuclear energy industry and innovations bringing clean, reliable power to many
·       Maura Hodge, head of U.S. Sustainability Practice at global consulting firm KPMG, on why companies believe sustainability creates long-term value.
·       Dr. Katherine Gergen-Barnett and Dr. Anna Goldman, of Boston Medical Center, on how healthcare systems can protect the planet while providing top medical care to people.
Subscribe to our newsletter - and Join the waitlist for our new Membership Group here. Read Joan's Forbes articles here.
Elevate your career with expert coaching and ESG advisory with Electric Ladies Podcast. Unlock new opportunities, gain confidence, and achieve your career goals with the right guidance.
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"You see corporate procurement of clean energy, predominantly renewable energy, but there's fleet investments, there are efficiency improvements in buildings and on campuses underway….but it was a little different than what we'd seen in recent years. It wasn't just solar and wind. There was an interest in 24/7 reliable clean energy in particular by the tech industries, which won't surprise you, but things like nuclear, geothermal, other integrated technologies like solar and storage…So that's kind of an interesting set of dynamics because it's really diversifying the players in the corporate for procurement space" Lisa Jacobson on Electric Ladies Podcast
With the war Trump started in Iran causing gas prices to soar, we wanted to understand where the energy sector really is today, despite economic and geopolitical pressures. Luckily, the new 2026 Energy Factbook just came out with the answers.
Listen to Lisa Jacobson, President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) talk about the findings in the new energy report they did with Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) again in this fascinating discussion with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson. 
You'll hear about:
How AI is affecting energy markets and sources -- beyond just data centers.
How the energy supply chain is at risk, not just the energy sources themselves.
How reliable the grid is today and what's being done to strengthen it, including increasing transmission, efficiency, and resiliency in the face of $800 billion in climate events last year.
Why she said AI is "inertia breaking" in a good way, forcing breakthroughs that are long overdue.
Plus, insightful career advice, such as…
"Reach out, reach out, reach out…We're an expanding sector and so much new innovation, new technology, new focus on us…it's a good time to be in the energy sector …So I think a lot of it's still relationships and putting yourself out there. I think that is key. And certainly I would say to anybody who's listening, don't hesitate to reach out to me.… (and) Be generous with your time." Lisa Jacobson on Electric Ladies Podcast
Read Joan's Forbes article about this new report here and more of her articles here too.
You'll also like:
Nuclear Energy is Growing Fast - with Maria Korsnick, CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute
The Politics of Progress on Climate and Energy - with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus and Air Force veteran
Energy Efficiency Saves Money - with Paula Glover, CEO of the Alliance to Save Energy
Critical Minerals 101 - with Abby Wulf, Critical Minerals expert and former head of Critical Minerals in the U.S. Dept. of Energy
Why Geothermal is the Next Big Thing - with Marit Brommer, Ph.D., head of the International Geothermal Association
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers..
Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review!
Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

"If there are people who are willing to talk to you about it, the first thing you got to do is listen….I grew up in a very rural area and it's very conservative also. And when I go home, I don't talk about climate change. I do talk about what's going on with hunting season. 'Oh, there's no deer this year. Why do you think that is? Tell me about the rain'….It is again about that pivoting and you have to understand what's important to the people you're talking to… I might say, 'I just upgraded my mom's generator. It's great because with all the outages we're having out here, now she can get electricity and I know your husband's been sick, that could be something that could be really beneficial for you.' I do not mention climate change…I am putting out ideas that are going to save somebody's life, I'm responding to the situation of the people that I'm speaking with."
Allison Agsten on Electric Ladies Podcast
How do we keep people safe and sound in the face of ferocious weather, wildfires and floods, especially when they wince at the words "climate change"? Make it real for their world. How?
Listen to Allison Agsten, Director of the Center for Climate Journalism and Communications at the University of Southern California in this fascinating conversation with Electric Ladies Podcast host Joan Michelson. She also curates art at the intersection of art and climate at the Wrigley Marine Science Center.
 
You'll hear about:
How to keep people safe with adaptation strategies without talking about climate change.
How art and climate intersect and how it helps people stay safe.
How to combat disinformation and misinformation…and so much more
Plus, career advice, such as:
"When I talk to women who are at some point in their careers and they're thinking of joining our sustainability communicator cohort, they always say to me, I just don't know if my skills are translatable. Yeah, they are. I can help you think about the language…It's scary because I've done it myself. I've made a number of career pivots, but to me, even scarier is not taking that chance and having the opportunity to feel really good about the work you do every day….I sleep well at night because I know that I used the skills that I have to do the thing that I think is most important." Allison Agsten on Electric Ladies Podcast
Subscribe to our newsletter here -- and Read Joan's Forbes articles here.
You'll also like:
How to Talk About Climate in a Polarized Culture - with Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D., Climate Scientist, Professor at Texas Tech University and Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy
Seek First to Understand - with Jennifer Hough, Advisor, TEDx Speaker, Author
How Do We Talk About Climate? - with Jill Tidman, Executive Director of The Redford Center, nonprofit producing environmental documentaries and media
What's a Tech Humanist? - with Kate O'Neill, Speaker, Tech Humanist, Author
The Politics of Climate & Energy – with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, Co-Chair, Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus
How Climate Modelling Affects Everything – Maria Caffrey, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, UK's National Physical Laboratory
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.
Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review!
Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

"What I knew about Carbon Credits having watched them for many years is that they're not always what they seem...So, Calyx Global was founded in 2021 to help companies navigate the space, to really understand….(i)t's a promise that somebody has reduced methane in that landfill or planted some trees thousands of miles away. So that's what Calyx Global is, we're a Carbon Credit Ratings Agency. But really what we're doing is, for every one of these assets, helping buyers understand what's underneath that, what the quality of that asset is.  Donna Lee on Electric Ladies Podcast
 You've probably heard the words "carbon credits" banted about. But what are they exactly and how do they work?  
Listen to Donna Lee, CEO & Cofounder of Calyx Global (and former climate policy negotiator at the UN and U.S. State Dept.) in this fascinating conversation with Electric Ladies Podcast host Joan Michelson.
You'll hear about:
●        What carbon credits are, how they're measured and verified, because they are not all equal.
●        Where policies and regulations provide stability (or uncertainty)
●        Why companies buy and trade carbon credits – the business case.
●        Plus, career advice, such as:
"One is, follow your passion always. If you are passionate about making a difference, find a job where you make a difference. Don't settle for less and you will succeed more if you feel really strongly and you love what you're doing…The other thing, just being sort of a woman in late career and only maybe in some ways only finding my footing now as a co-founder is, don't underestimate your abilities….What's more important, competence or confidence? It is both in equal measure. Women always underestimate their abilities, right? Men always overestimate and women always underestimate. And so women double down on competence…You can be authentic and confident and don't undersell yourself… Lean in on the things that come naturally to you." Donna Lee on Electric Ladies Podcast
Subscribe to our newsletter and Join the waitlist for our new Membership Group here and read Joan's Forbes articles here.
You'll also like:
·      Carbon Accounting 101: with Alyssa Zucker, Senior Industry Principal in Carbon at Workiva – aka The Carbon Lady
·       Carbon Credits 101: with Lucy Hargreaves at Patch (now at Build Canada)
·       How to Get To Carbon Zero, with Melissa Lott, Ph.D. at Columbia University Center for Global Energy Policy featured in the "Chasing Carbon Zero" documentary.
·       A Biography of Carbon: with documentary filmmaker, writer and producer, Danielle Ortega of the Australian Film Commission on her extraordinary film "Carbon: An Unauthorized Biography
·       Using Captured Carbon To Make Energy: with Bjork Kristjansdottir, of Carbon Recycling International
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.
Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review!
Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson