The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is hosting its Women's Empowerment East Coast Summit on April 6 in Washington, D.C. Started last year, SEIA's Women's Empowerment Series aims to educate, connect, and provide thought leadership for and from women in the solar industry. 

According to the National Solar Jobs Census 2016, the percentage of women working in the U.S. solar industry is rapidly increasing. Last year, the solar industry created one out of every 50 new jobs in the U.S. and remains committed to the growth of a diverse workforce.

Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA's president and CEO, has made the industry's diversity one of her top priorities. She will moderate the feature panel and be joined by leading women in solar energy today, including: 

• Andrea Luecke, President & Executive Director, The Solar Foundation 
• Laura Stern, Co-founder and President, Nautilus Solar Energy 
• Jodi White, Chief Financial Officer, BayWa r.e. Solar Systems

The Summit will also be an opportunity to network and hear from key industry leaders diving into topics, such as:

• Women Running for Office & Careers in Public Service 
• Diversity and the Bottom Line 
• Making Solar a Story 

In 2016, SEIA hosted its inaugural Women's Empowerment Conference in D.C. to great industry response. Following that popular event, SEIA held two more Women's Empowerment conferences and founded the SEIA Women's Empowerment (WE) Committee among the organization's membership. 

Today, the WE Committee is made up of more than 60 industry leaders working together on the following initiatives:

• Recruit, retain, and promote women within the solar industry 
• Increase diversity and amplify women's voices in industry public forums & events 
• Partner with and support the work of organizations that strive for diversity within the solar industry

The WE Committee is committed to education, to the advancement of careers for women in the solar industry, to mentoring future solar leaders, and to establishing opportunities for women. 

To see the full agenda and register, go to https://events.bizzabo.com/WEEast2017

Solar Energy Industries Association | www.seia.org