Nashville, TN – The 2024 Women Who SPARK Awards honored the extraordinary achievements of women in the utility industry at a prestigious gala held at Sambuca in The Gulch District on September 17, 2024. Emceed by InvoiceCloud’s Paul Applegate, the awards’ sponsor, with special appearances by past winners Jody Allison, VP of Transformation for Liberty Utilities, and Janisse Quinones, CEO and Chief Engineer for LADWP, the evening celebrated leaders who are shaping the future of utilities through innovation, transformation, and mentorship.
Now in its third year, the Women Who SPARK Awards aims to elevate valuable contributions and diverse perspectives while fostering industry leadership. A distinguished panel of judges reviewed over 100 nominations, and winners were selected based on rigorous scoring criteria across six categories. The 2024 winners represent the bold leadership and forward-thinking necessary to tackle the challenges facing utilities today.
2024 Women Who SPARK Award Winners
Team Award
Innovation & Transformation Team, Arizona Public Service (APS)
Kerri Carnes, Director of Customer to Grid Solutions
Sarah Noll, VPP Innovation and Strategic Initiatives
Elizabeth (Izzy) Lawrence, Program Development and Implementation
Erika Larsen, C2GS Operations
Individual Awards
Customer Innovations
Brittany Ross, Manager of Financial Services, Central States Water Resources
Sharon Whaley, Director of Customer Service, San Jose Water
Julie Nemitz, Customer Services Manager, Sacramento Suburban Water District
Kim Rikalo, Manager of Customer Experience Delivery, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Carlyn Altheide, Director of Enterprise Sales, InvoiceCloud
Operations Innovations
Andrea Blomquist, Utility Billing Operations Manager, City of Roseville, CA
Diversity & Inclusion
Christy Dray, Manager of Substation Maintenance, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Kim Getgen, CEO and Founder, InnovationForce
Taryn Mitchell, Senior Manager of Customer Care, Baltimore Gas and Electric
Silo Buster of the Year
Allegra Hodges, Ph.D., Head of Strategic Innovation, Portland General Electric
Cheryl Davis, Director of Managed Accounts, Georgia Power Company
Lifetime Achievement
Doneen Hobbs, VP of Financial Services and Systems, Liberty Utilities
Retha Hunsicker, SVP of Customer Experience Design and Solutions, Duke Energy
These winners are driving meaningful change in the industry and setting new standards of excellence. Their work has profoundly impacted their teams, communities, and the utility landscape. Over the coming weeks, U2030 will feature in-depth articles on each winner, celebrating their accomplishments and leadership.
Special Announcement: RADIATE Leadership Program
Jody Allison made an exciting announcement at the event: the launch of the RADIATE Retreat and RADIATE Leadership Program, an evolution of the Women Who SPARK Awards. From January to October 2025, U2030 designed the program to empower emerging female utility leaders, pairing them with Women Who SPARK Award alums for mentorship and leadership development.
Additional information about the RADIATE Leadership Program and Retreat is available on the U2030 website at www.u2030.org.
Media Contact:
Marlene Rosenberry
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