Join us with Browning the Green Space on February 17 for this virtual event!

People of color own more than 17% of US businesses but are awarded less than 5% of total contract dollars from Fortune 100 companies. Corporations and government agencies increasingly embrace supplier diversity, but diverse businesses still receive an appalling lack of contracts. How can we increase supplier diversity within clean energy to close the racial wealth gap and shape the larger economy?

Please join Browning the Green Space to discuss contractor support, supplier diversity, and energy efficiency for communities of color in Massachusetts and beyond. Through panel discussions with leaders from utility suppliers and energy service contractors, we will explore how to build and strengthen a diverse contractor pipeline and ensure a fair distribution of contracts for both established and nascent clean energy solutions. Browning the Green Space will also introduce their new Contractor Accelerator program and welcome our Wells Fargo NREL Innovation Incubator (IN2) award partners to the community.

Agenda

5pm-5:12pm: Arrival, welcome and introductions: Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space

• Maya Nitzberg, Senior Director of Community, Greentown Labs
• Kerry Bowie, Founder, President, and Executive Director, Browning the Green Space
• Bill McAvoy, Executive Director, Supplier Diversity Office, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

5:12pm-5:32pm: PANEL 1: Demand Side: Overview and Opportunities for Contracting in the Clean Energy Space

• Moderator: Nicole Obi, President and CEO, BECMA, Vendor Advisory Council, and BGS Board Member
• Melanie Coen, Lead Analyst, National Grid
• Shonté Davidson, Senior Specialist, Supplier Diversity, Eversource
• Ruth Georges, Supervisor, Equity, Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Development, Eversource

5:32pm-5:37pm: Questions for Panel 1

5:37pm-5:57pm: PANEL 2: Supply Side: Contractor Training and Support Programs.  

• Moderator: Kerry Bowie, Co-founder, President, & Executive Director, Browning the Green Space
• Daryl Wright, Chief Strategy Officer, Emerald Cities Collaborative, Contractor Academy, BGS Contracts Committee, Co-Lead
• JC Burton, Founder and CEO, Maven Construction, Founder SURGE Contractor Incubator BGS Contracts Committee, Co-Lead
• Abel Vargas, President, Valley Home Insulation

5:57pm-6:02pm: Questions for Panel 2

6:02pm-6:10pm: Closing remarks

• Amanda Downey, VP, Business Performance and Planning, New England at National Grid
• Kerry Bowie, Co-founder, President, & Executive Director, Browning the Green Space, 

6:10pm-6:30pm: Networking

Register Now

Questions? Reach out to Greentown Labs’ Senior Manager of Events, Jill Kirkpatrick (jill@greentownlabs.com)