I Am District Energy


Through candid profiles, career journeys, and reflections from across the district energy ecosystem, I AM District Energy explores what motivates people to do this work, the challenges they’ve faced, and the moments that made it meaningful. These human-interest stories highlight the diversity of paths into district energy, the value of collaboration and mentorship, and the shared sense of purpose driving decarbonization, resilience, and innovation. At its core, this blog is about community—connecting people through stories that remind us the industry’s greatest asset isn’t technology alone, but the people who power it.

And we want to hear from you too! Share this blog on social media and tell us your story and of your experience working in district energy, with the hashtag #IAMDistrictEnergy. 

Latest Post

Stepping Forward: How the District Energy Women’s Initiative Shaped Joan Kowal’s Tenure as Board Chair

Joan Kowal’s journey to become IDEA Board Chair was profoundly shaped by the women of IDEA who provided critical support, broadened her view of representation, and helped redefine what effective leadership means to her. She has served on the board of IDEA since 2014 and was  board chair from June 2024 to June 2025. In the role as Past Chair, she now leads the Nominations Committee to help identify candidates for consideration for IDEA board membership and is bringing the themes that influenced her time on the board into that role.

 Finding a Community She Didn’t Know She Needed 

When she first joined IDEA, Joan already had extensive experience in the energy field including working at and with both regulated and non-regulated utilities in engineering, operations and business development and in leadership roles in managing campus utilities, resilience planning and sustainability at both Emory University and the University of Maryland, to her current position as client manager in Energy and Power at Jacobs, a large global, engineering and advisory organization. 
 
Initially, she sought out IDEA to help connect with peers across the industry, not specifically a women’s group, but the District Energy Women’s Initiative (DEWI) revealed a community she hadn’t realized she needed. It was through DEWI that she discovered a dynamic, empowering community celebrating women’s achievements while fostering meaningful connections. 
 
“DEWI was a type of professional connection I didn’t know I was looking for,” she reflected. “It wasn’t about comparison, but about forging relationships rooted in mutual support and a clear focus on our development as professionals.” 
 
DEWI meetings give women from campuses, cities, utilities, and consulting firms a place to talk openly, share experiences, and uplift each other. Joan connected with people she might not have met otherwise, even after attending IDEA conferences for years. IDEA’s two annual conferences are fast-paced and often have over 1,000 people in attendance, sometimes making it challenging to connect with people on an individual basis. DEWI, like some of IDEA’s other peer networking affinity groups, opens the door for members to engage beyond the whirlwind of the larger conference setting and learn from others' experiences.
 
“Everyone can speak comfortably,” she said of the group. “It’s just a different kind of support.”

 

The Power of Representation

Even after joining IDEA’s Board in 2014, Joan didn’t fully realize how much her presence mattered to others until she became IDEA Board Chair.
 
IDEA had not had a woman as board chair for about ten years. Many women, especially the younger women in the organization, had never seen someone like them in that position. When Joan spoke as chair, women across the membership responded in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
 
“I received so much positive feedback from women who told me it was inspiring to see someone like them on stage,” she said. 
This was also a personal realization for Joan. She reflected on how seeing a woman in a senior leadership role at a previous company had affected her earlier in her career journey, and she recognized the quiet, but powerful, effect of visibility. 
 
“You might not acknowledge it verbally,” she said, “but when you see another woman in a leadership role, it provides some comfort. It shows that the opportunities are real.”
 
The Women’s Initiative also supports IDEA’s broader goals of speaker diversity, leadership development, and making sure new voices help shape the industry’s direction. Conferences are not just technical gatherings; they are opportunities for emerging leaders to gain confidence, share insights, and be recognized.
 
As the IDEA community evolves, Joan believes the Women’s Initiative is crucial in maintaining a supportive, visible, and connected culture.

A Full-Circle Moment: Honoring Patti Wilson

The timing of her tenure as board chair made the experience even more meaningful. During her tenure, IDEA launched the Patti Wilson Leadership Program, named to honor the legacy of a previous board chair who passed away in 2024, but not before she left her mark on the organization. The program is intended to  support early-career women in district energy and helps them access IDEA’s educational and networking opportunities.
 
Joan was excited to meet many of the first cohort of the Patti Wilson Leadership Program at IDEA’s CampusEnergy2025 conference, calling them “amazing people - so talented and enthusiastic.”
 
Patti embodied the spirit of camaraderie and peer support that runs throughout both IDEA and DEWI and that has guided Joan’s time as a member and leader within the organization. Seeing the next generation step forward reinforced her belief in the importance of creating visible pathways for women across the IDEA community, carrying on Patti’s legacy. 

Building the Future: More Women’s Leadership at IDEA

From Joan’s perspective, the Women’s Initiative helps to drive IDEA’s progress, serving as a core foundation for the association’s future. Increasing women’s representation on the IDEA Board is also important to Joan in leading the nomination committee, reinforcing her belief that meaningful change begins with visible, inclusive leadership.
 
“When the board members’ photos go up, I would be pleased to see one out of every three faces be a woman, or someone from another underrepresented group,” she said. 
    
Today, she wants members, especially women, minorities, and emerging professionals to know they can step forward and express interest in participating or being considered for board candidacy in IDEA. Interest can begin with a simple conversation with a current board member. From there, IDEA staff can help people get more involved, facilitating opportunities such as moderating sessions, speaking at conferences, or taking on roles that make them more visible to the community.
 
“It doesn’t have to be a one-time window,” she added. “Even if there aren’t openings this year, letting us know you’re interested helps us think of you for future opportunities.” 

Expanding What’s Possible

The Women’s Initiative also supports IDEA’s broader goals of greater industry diversity, leadership development, and making sure new voices help to shape the future of the district energy industry and the association. Since its inception in 1909, IDEA has helped to connect, inform and advance the interests of its members, fostering a community of colleagues to navigate through shifting policies and emerging technologies.    
 
IDEA conferences are not just technical gatherings; they are also opportunities for emerging leaders to gain confidence, share insights, and be recognized.  
 
“People won’t know if you’re interested in leadership unless you tell someone,” she said. “And sometimes you won’t know if you’re interested until you’ve had that conversation.” 
 
As the IDEA community continues to evolve and widens globally, Joan believes the Women’s Initiative is vital to maintaining a supportive, visible, and connected culture. Her message to all IDEA members is simple: step forward.

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