ENERGIZE Retreat

ENERGIZE Retreat Agenda

Thanks to our Headline Sponsor: Avertra

 

April 21, 2026
 

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM | Welcome Dinner & Awards
Join us for a relaxed, sit-down dinner celebrating Charleston’s renowned local cuisine. Over an evening of connection and conversation, we’ll also honor the Women Who SPARK Award winners who could not attend the September 2025 SPARK Annual Meeting. This special gathering blends good food, great company, and meaningful recognition as we open the retreat in a spirit of community and humanity.
 
April 22, 2026

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM | Powerfully Human in Motion: Charleston Walking & Running Tours
Start your day with connection and movement during our “Powerfully Human in Motion” experience. Choose between a guided walk or run through historic downtown Charleston—designed to energize your body, clear your mind, and spark meaningful conversation with fellow attendees before the day’s sessions begin.

• Walking Tour (~2.5 miles): Marion Square • King Street • Historic Churches • City Market • Meeting Street return

• Running Tour (~4 miles): King Street • Waterfront Park • Rainbow Row • The Battery & White Point Garden • Meeting Street return

 
Both groups return to the hotel by 8:00 AM, ready to recharge with breakfast and networking.
 
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Continental Breakfast & Networking
 
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Welcome, Safety Moment, Customer Moment & Powerfully Human Introductions

We’ll kick off ENERGIZE with inspiration and intention—grounding the day in safety, empathy, and the human stories that unite us. Join us as we set the tone for a retreat focused on connection, purpose, and the power of being Powerfully Human.
 
Welcome & Introductions:

• Vanessa Edmonds, U2030

• Chris Hilborn, U2030

Retreat Facilitator:

• Bill Williams, B4 Group

 
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM | Panel: Misconceptions About Female CEOs: What Your Leaders Wish You Understood
Hear an honest dialogue about the assumptions, expectations, and invisible pressures women CEOs often navigate—and how these misconceptions impact decision-making, communication, and leadership presence. Designed to help all attendees deepen their emotional intelligence, better understand their leaders, and build more empathetic, human-centered relationships across the organization.
 
Moderator: TBD
Panelists: TBD
 
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM | Break

 

11:00 AM – 11:45 AM | Ask Us Anything: Roundtable Rotations

Back by popular demand, this interactive session invites attendees to rotate among small-group roundtables, each hosted by a utility leader. Enjoy open, candid dialogue—ask questions, share experiences, and gain real-world insights in an informal, conversational setting.

 

Roundtable Facilitators: TBD

  
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | LXD Activity: Crisis in 90 Seconds – Micro-Fire Drills
Before we dive into the JanisseBot experiment after lunch, this interactive Learning Experience Design (LXD) session will sharpen participants’ situational awareness and decision-making instincts.
 

In this dynamic exercise, the facilitator will present three rapid-fire crisis flashcards. Each table will have just 90 seconds to determine:

1. What’s the first question we ask?

2. What’s at stake?

3. What information are we missing?

 

After each round, the group will explore how an AI system might analyze the same scenario—and how its priorities may differ from human judgment.

This session prepares attendees to enter the JanisseBot experience attuned to blind spots, critical thinking patterns, and the realistic boundaries of AI in crisis response.
 
Facilitator: Matt Chester, U2030
 
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | Lunch & Charitable Giving Project
Charitable Project Facilitator: Isaac Edmonds, U2030
 
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM | Panel: Meet the JanisseBot – Phase 2 of the ChimaBot Experiment
Following the groundbreaking debut of ChimaBot at SPARK 2025, this next phase introduces JanisseBot—an AI-powered digital twin of LADWP CEO Janisse Quiñones. In conversation with Avertra CEO Bashir Bseirani, this live demo explores real-world applications, ethical questions, and the potential of AI in crisis decision-making, leadership modeling, and resilience planning.
 
Moderator: Bashir Bseirani, CEO, Avertra

Speakers:

• Janisse Quiñones, CEO & Chief Engineer, LADWP

• JanisseBot, AI Digital Twin, Created by Avertra

• Kendall Helm, Chief Strategy & Sustainability, LADWP

• Zoraya Oliver-Griffin, Chief Officer - Climate Resiliency, Emergency Management & ‘28 Olympics Program Mgmt. Office, LADWP​

  
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM | LXD Session
U2030 is bringing you another powerful LXD session! Known for creativity and excellence in Learning Experience Design, U2030 weaves LXD moments throughout the ENERGIZE agenda to inspire self-discovery and meaningful growth through movement-based, hands-on experiences. More details coming soon.

Facilitator: TBD
 
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM | Break

 

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Panel: Don’t Take Anything Personally — Reclaiming Your Energy and Emotional Freedom

We often assume others are judging us, stereotyping us, or thinking about us far more than they actually are. But most of what people say or do is shaped by their beliefs, fears, experiences, and emotions—not by our worth or intentions.
 
In this session, panelists will explore Agreement #2 from The Four Agreements, the best-selling book by Don Miguel Ruiz: Don’t Take Anything Personally. Together, they’ll unpack why we tend to internalize others’ reactions, how this habit drains our energy, and what it looks like to interpret interactions through a clearer, more grounded lens. 

 

Participants will learn practical tools to:

• Recognize when they’re personalizing someone else’s behavior

• Decide what is worth reacting to (and what isn’t)

• Respond with more confidence, emotional calm, and intention

• Build healthier boundaries and reduce unnecessary stress

 

This freeing will help attendees reshape their inner dialogue, release assumptions, and reclaim the mental space needed to lead and live with greater clarity, compassion, and freedom.
 
Moderator: TBD
Panelists: TBD

 

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM | LXD Session

 

3:45 PM – 4:45 PM | Panel Session: Generational Perspectives – Customer Panel
Today’s utilities serve five generations of customers—each with distinct expectations, values, motivations, and communication styles. In this lively, first-of-its-kind conversation, representatives from every generation will share how they think about bills, technology, trust, and the utility experience. The moderator will find commonalities and differences among generations.
 
This session will help leaders strengthen emotional intelligence, deepen generational awareness, and build the internal capabilities needed to better connect with—and serve—every customer they support.
 
Moderator: TBD
Panelists:

• Traditionalist (1925–1945): TBD

• Baby Boomer (1946–1964): Kevin Wainman

• Gen X (1965–1980): Steve Dietz

• Millennial (1981–1996): Emily Fairchild, SEO &  Content Marketing Manager

• Gen Z (1997–2012): Hayley Dautrich, Marketing Specialist

 
 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM | Getting Things Done: Leveraging Retreat Learnings & Closing
Close the retreat by reflecting on your key insights and commitments. Write your personal pledge on a “Commitment Postcard” and add your promise to our Powerfully Human Commitment Wall. Leave with renewed focus and a clear action you’ll take back to your organization.
 
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Closing Dinner: Recognition & Gratitude Toasts
We’ll end the retreat with a memorable evening at a special Charleston venue (to be announced). Enjoy a final dinner of connection, celebration, and reflection as we recognize the spirit of the ENERGIZE community. During the open-mic gratitude round, guests are invited to offer a toast to someone they met, learned from, or were inspired by—creating a heartfelt close to two unforgettable days of Powerfully Human leadership.