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White House Women’s History Month: Climate Entrepreneurs Virtual Roundtable. Charlie Gainey, Economics Intern, Bates College.




The White House recently hosted the Women’s History Month: Climate Entrepreneurs Virtual Roundtable, highlighting the work of female founders focusing on climate change. The roundtable featured Stephanie Speirs, co-founder and CEO of Solstice, Dawn Lippert, founder and CEO of Elemental Excelerator, and Kameale Terry, co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!

A key part of the discussion was the importance of partnering with climate advocates and communities. The speakers shared their strategies for ensuring their companies are not only working towards sustainable solutions but also considering the needs of those they serve.

Kameale Terry discussed the importance of policy and public infrastructure. She emphasized that many people rely on public infrastructure for EV implementation, as current EV setups can be expensive. Terry's company, ChargerHelp!, partners with workforce development programs and institutions like Georgia Technical College to train their workforce for the EV industry.

Stephanie Speirs of Solstice, a community solar subsidiary, shared her company's partnership with eight Illinois municipalities for the Solar for All program, a government funded program designed to provide greater solar access to income-eligible communities. Speirs emphasized that trust is earned and not entitled, and that working with communities on solutions rather than trying to develop them on your own is a key component. Solstice also partners with nonprofits such as El Valor in Chicago, which aims to improve nutrition, health, and education for disabled members and their families. Solstice helps El Valor save $14,000 on their electricity bill, and in turn, they sign up their beneficiaries for clean solar.

Dawn Lippert from Elemental Excelerator discussed the importance of equity in and out. The nonprofit, started by Lippert, invests in climate tech projects that also increase community equity. Lippert explained that it is crucial to have diverse leadership and employment within the company to ensure representation. Elemental Excelerator has worked with companies to define their impact on the community and ensure they are serving those who are impacted by their work. Currently, 66% of Elemental companies (150+) have partnered with community projects.

In summary, the representatives from Solstice, Elemental Excelerator, and ChargerHelp! emphasized the importance of partnering with climate advocates and communities to ensure that their companies are serving those who need it most. By working with local communities, training the workforce, and ensuring equitable representation, these companies are making significant strides towards sustainability and social responsibility
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