Mindy Prefling recognizes the opportunity to raise awareness and the stakes of DE&I in the renewable energy sector. As senior manager of client services at Spencer Ogden, she owns her voice and message and engages other subject matter experts through a company-sponsored podcast.

Prefling observed the lack of female leadership in the renewables industry early in her career. Like many women, it frustrated her, but instead of throwing in the proverbial towel, she recalls, “I noticed that there weren’t any female leaders in the room, so I started to advocate for myself and women in the business.”

Prefling focused on figuring out why there was a dearth of women in leadership — and what could be done about it. Motivated by leadership at Spencer Ogden and her involvement in a national networking group called WRISE (Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy), she pressed on. Prefling hosted round tables, local happy hours and networking events attached to conferences to further the discussion.

Prompted by her CEO, Prefling started a podcast in 2021. In “The SOapbox Series,” Prefling interviews industry leaders and subject matter experts, discussing issues impacting the sustainability of the industry, including the role of diversity. Now in its third season, the podcast has received 5,200 downloads and 18,000 listeners as of February 2023.

"You get momentum when you bring people together to sit and talk and get to know each other. You begin to build crowdfunding, but on the thought leadership side."

Prefling’s biggest takeaway from the experience suggests a positive future for DE&I. “People genuinely care about this topic. Men, women, everyone. People of color, white people, white men,” she says. “This is something that’s really important — and it’s not just important because it’s a hot-button issue. People see the value in it, and that’s why they’re promoting it.”

Regarding DE&I efforts, Prefling is unflappably optimistic and sees opportunities to “beat the drum” in the industry. She recommends educating people, modeling good behavior and talking about diversity with client organizations. She aims to empower other female leaders and inspire others in the organization to get more involved in the podcast and broader DE&I efforts. In particular, she thinks, “Where you get momentum is when you bring people together to actually sit and talk and get to know each other. You begin to build crowdfunding but on the thought leadership side.”

2023 DE&I Influencers List