Wanda Reder, Chair of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE*) Smart Grid Taskforce and Vice President of Power Systems Services, S&C Electric Company in Chicago, will present Lighting the Way to a Smarter Grid as the keynote of the 7th Annual Energy & Construction Best Practices Summit. She is nationally renowned for her smart grid and workforce experience and vision. Reder was recently appointed as the Chairperson of the Smart Grid Sub-Committee of the Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s DOE Electricity Advisory Committee.
Reder will be joined by 200 industry, labor, education, workforce and economic development leaders who will attend to learn, network and share best practices in the energy and construction industries. This year’s summit, Energizing America’s Workforce for Tomorrow, is scheduled for June 21 in Elma, Wash. It will feature an exciting lineup of speakers and panelists. Topics include The Challenges of Educating America’s Workforce, How Consumers will Drive the Workforce, Build it Smart! and Defining the Customer Service Representative in the Utility Industry.
The summit is an annual event sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy, a Centralia College partnership, and the Construction Center of Excellence at Renton Community College. The signature crab feed and scholarship auction, which begins at 6 pm June 21, will continue the tradition of raising funds for Washington state community and technical college students enrolled in energy and construction programs.
Summit organizers have added two additional days this year: an Educators Institute, slated for June 20, and a Smart Grid Manufacturing Roundtable, planned for June 22.
The Pre Summit Educators Institute, June 20, will provide a full day of workshops, activities and resources for educators, trainers and industry partners. Curriculum experts will be on-hand to develop and enhance profile curriculum. The day is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and coordinated by Edmonds Community College.
The Post Summit Smart Grid Manufacturing Roundtable, June 22, will offer a short day with regional industry experts. Guests will learn the best practices of accelerating commercialization of new technologies.
All summit events are free. Registration is required to attend. The events will be held at the Regional Education and Training Center, Satsop campus in Elma, Wash. For more information and to register for the event, please visit https://www.cleanenergyexcellence.org/summit
Wanda Reder is Vice President of Power Systems Services at S&C Electric Company as well as the Global Architect for S&C’s global service operations. She has over 27 years of expertise in the electric utility industry and is the 2008-2009 President of the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES). Wanda has served on the IEEE PES Governing Board since 2002 and is also the chairperson of IEEE Smart Grid. She is a member of the Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s DOE Electricity Advisory Committee, recently appointed as Chairperson of the Smart Grid Sub-Committee. Wanda also provides leadership for the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative which provides scholarships and internships to undergraduate power engineers. She regularly participates in events in order to share her vision and experiences.
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*IEEE is the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity.