As we approach the end of 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve shared as a WISE community and to look ahead with excitement to our goals for 2026. This year has been particularly special as we celebrated WISE’s 10th anniversary, marking a decade of growth and leadership in fostering inclusivity within New York City’s sustainability community. Since our inception in 2015, we’ve created a welcoming platform for both emerging and seasoned professionals to connect and honor the achievements of women leaders in energy and sustainability.
Throughout this year of celebration and reflection, WISE hosted a range of events that brought our community together, including the 2025 Winter Soirée in February, the Sustainable Career Showcase in April, Cheers to WISE: 10 Years of Impact & Luminary Support in July, the Lessons from Women in the Field Climate Week Panel in September, and, most recently, the Networking Lunch in November. In total, these programs welcomed over 500 participants across all five events, creating spaces for learning, thoughtful dialogue, and celebration.
Dedicated to highlighting WISE’s decade of impact, the Cheers to WISE event spotlighted some of our wisest moments over the years, including key milestones in the series’ growth and showcasing photos of memorable events. WISE Luminary speakers Talia Kula, Dale Bryk, Atalia Howe, and Bomee Jung were honored for their long-term dedication to the WISE initiative and shared inspirational words, emphasizing the importance and need for a strong, passionate, and motivated community. Following the program, attendees connected with industry peers over small bites and drinks.
Bomee Jung from Cadence OneFive speaking at the Cheers to WISE event
Speakers from the Lessons from Women in the Field Climate Week Panel
The 2025 Networking Lunch was another particularly vibrant example of the connections WISE fosters, bringing together more than 50 attendees at the Exchange to share experiences, exchange advice, and connect over a meal. Walking through the space, it was truly energizing to see conversations unfolding among people from different backgrounds and career paths, all united by a shared commitment to sustainability and climate action.
Sara Margaret Giessler from Con Edison Giving Opening Remarks at the 2025 Networking Lunch
In March, in honor of Women’s History Month and WISE’s tenth anniversary, we launched a weekly #FlashbackFriday campaign spotlighting each of the first four WISE events that took place during Women’s History Month back in 2015. This trip down memory lane created space to reflect on the series’ growth over the past decade and acknowledge the remarkable women leaders who helped shape WISE into what it is today.
Our community also continued to grow beyond in-person events. In 2025, the WISE LinkedIn group grew from roughly 1,400 members to over 1,700 members, a 21% increase, helping us stay connected and engaged throughout the year. This was one of our goals for 2025, and we hope to carry that momentum into the new year!
None of this would have been possible without the generous support of our 2025 WISE sponsors: Con Edison, EN-POWER Group, Environ Energy, New York Power Authority, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Sive Paget Riesel, and Vornado. Their partnership brought our programming to life and supported our efforts to expand conversations on sustainability and energy efficiency. We are incredibly grateful for their support, as well as for every attendee, speaker, and community member who contributed to WISE this year.
Looking ahead to 2026, we are deeply proud of how far we have come and thrilled to continue building, welcoming new voices, strengthening connections, and growing this community together. We hope you will join us for the 2026 BE-Ex & WISE Winter Soirée, our first major event in the new year, where we will come together to kick off another year of advancing women’s leadership in sustainability and energy!
Written by Amanda Biscoe, Associate, Education & Engagement