CEWD Marks 20 Years of Industry Stewardship with New Board Leadership Focused on Energy Workforce Transformation
Melanie Berman of NiSource will chair CEWD’s board as the organization celebrates its hallmark anniversary year
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) today announced new board leadership that takes the helm during the organization’s 20th year of service to the industry, a milestone that underscores both the progress made and the urgency of the systems-change work still needed to build the energy workforce of the future.
Melanie Berman, chief human resources officer and executive vice president of administration at NiSource, a leading natural gas and electric utility company, will serve as chair of CEWD’s board of directors. In this role, Berman brings the perspective of a company actively investing in workforce development and talent pipeline strategies to meet the evolving needs of the energy sector, helping guide CEWD’s next chapter as it works across the energy ecosystem to strengthen talent pipelines, modernize pathways into energy careers and advance practical workforce solutions.
“CEWD has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to build on our two decades of industry collaboration to meet the energy sector’s present and future workforce needs,” Berman said. “At NiSource, we see firsthand the importance of building a strong, skilled workforce to support the safe, reliable and sustainable delivery of energy to our customers and communities. This is a pivotal moment for our industry, and I look forward to working with CEWD’s members and stakeholders to expand access, strengthen training and education opportunities, and help ensure the talent needed to power America’s energy future is in place.”
Berman succeeds Mark Lindgren, who is departing the chair role after helping advance CEWD’s mission during a period of significant industry transformation.
“We are grateful to Mark Lindgren for his leadership and deep commitment to CEWD through his tenure on and leadership of the board, and we are thrilled to welcome Melanie Berman as board chair in this moment of urgency for industry mobilization around talent needs,” said Missy Henriksen, executive director of CEWD. “This transition comes at a time when the industry cannot afford incremental progress. CEWD’s role must continue to focus on macro strategy development and execution enabled by uniting employers, educators, labor, communities, and partner organizations to create durable workforce solutions. Responding to this need has never been more important.”
Joining Berman on the board are several new directors whose experience across the energy sector will help inform CEWD’s work, including:
- Vice Chair: Sloane Drake, Southern Company
- Director: Katheryn Collins, Entergy
- Director: Jeff Esplin, Quanta
- Director: Morgan Hopkins, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
- Director: Kristine Telford, Edison Electric Institute (EEI)
CEWD recently released a three-year strategic plan that outlines priorities for workforce planning, recruitment, development, and retention across the energy sector. Under the guidance of the board, CEWD will continue using this roadmap to help members meet immediate talent needs while advancing the long-term systems changes required to strengthen the workforce pipeline.
As the only national, cross-sector energy workforce intermediary, CEWD convenes the industry’s most influential voices to identify critical needs and drive practical solutions. In addition to supporting 140 energy companies, CEWD serves as the workforce development arm for the Association of Energy Services Professionals, American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, American Public Gas Association, American Public Power Association, Clean Power Institute, Edison Electric Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, Hydropower Foundation, INGAA Foundation, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Nuclear Energy Institute.
To learn more about the organization and its leadership, visit www.cewd.org.
About The Center for Energy Workforce Development
The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) is a non-profit consortium of energy employers, their associations, labor partners, and others committed to the development of a skilled energy workforce.