NOVI – In the March 18 episode of MITech TV, we spoke with Purvi Patel, vice president of regulatory affairs for ITC Holdings. In light of Women’s History Month, Patel discussed her experience in the male-centric energy industry and what she is doing to support other women seeking careers in energy, both through her work at ITC and in other professional endeavors.
Purvi Patel
Patel’s career in energy began soon after graduating college, working for Enron and Teco Energy. Later in her career, she moved to Michigan and found a job at ITC, where she has been for nearly 20 years.
Working in what has historically been a male-centric industry, Patel often felt that she was the only woman in meetings. As the years went by, she said, she noticed more and more women in those same meetings. Patel made it a point to get to know these women and create lasting relationships with them.
ITC recently started a Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) to provide a sense of community and connection among the women at ITC and promote career advancement. This initiative also extends its support externally. The Women’s ERG partnered with Digital Divas, a program that gives high school and middle school girls an opportunity to explore future careers in STEM. It is important, Patel said, to expose students to career options within STEM and show that they can have fun in these fields, too.
Patel is involved in supporting women in energy outside of her work at ITC. She serves as a board member for Advancing Women in Energy, an organization created to recruit, promote and develop women in energy-related careers. She also serves on the board of directors for Common Ground, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youths, adults and families in crisis through a trauma-informed, recovery-oriented perspective. In addition, she participates in the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI) Diverse and Emerging Leaders program.
As the energy industry undergoes an exciting change, Patel said, it is important to empower women to help shape that transformation. As a leader in the industry, she looks to show young professionals that there are women working as engineers and in the C-suites of large energy companies.
For more information on ITC’s commitment to inclusion and diversity in the workplace, please visit https://www.itc-holdings.com/community-impact/inclusion-diversity/
