AESP: A Place Where Your Voice Matters

Energy Sciences has been a member of the Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) for several years. Our team has benefited from AESP through its conferences, trainings, newsletters, and educational grants. Recently, one of our Energy Analysts, Eric Sienkowski, published an article in the Q1 issue of Energy Intel about empowering employees and strengthening communities. Additionally, in 2024, Elie Touma, Sr. Director of Strategic Growth, received the Leadership Energy Award at AESP’s annual conference. We value the conversations that AESP starts and the collaboration they energize. We spoke with Jennifer Szaro, President and CEO of AESP, to hear about AESP from her point of view and about their work

AESP Background

ES: In your words, what role does AESP fulfill and what unique contribution to the energy industry does it make?

JS: AESP is a connector and a catalyst. We weave together people from across the energy ecosystem—utilities, implementers, regulators, tech providers, researchers, and community advocates—and empower them with the tools, networks, and industry knowledge to take action in ways that are both thoughtful and impactful. What makes us unique is our ability to turn innovative ideas and research into practical solutions and facilitate deep connections within our ever-growing community of clean energy professionals. We especially pride ourselves on ensuring that the energy community avoids myopic or siloed approaches to tackling today’s biggest energy challenges for the people and organizations they serve. We are the weavers, and our community members are the threads. Together, we are all stronger and more impactful to the communities we serve.

ES: What principles or values does the organization stand for?

JS: We stand for collaboration, curiosity, responsibility, and impact. We believe energy solutions should be designed with communities, not just for them. That means creating space for real conversations, building trust, and taking care to understand who’s affected by what we do. We approach this work with a people-first mindset—making sure what we build actually works for the people who use it.

ES: Who is the organization reaching?

JS: We reach professionals from every corner of the energy world—from utilities and startups to public agencies and mission-driven organizations. We work with everyone from early-career professionals to executive leaders. And we’re constantly working to open the door wider, welcoming new perspectives, fresh ideas, and voices that haven’t always had a seat at the table.

The Approach

ES: Based on articles and conference content, we can tell that AESP is bringing different things to the conversations. What effect are you seeing that makes?

JS: We hear all the time that “AESP feels different.” That’s intentional. We bring a human touch to conversations that can otherwise get pretty technical. As a result, we’re seeing more collaboration across sectors, more practical innovation, and programs that feel more connected to real-world needs. When people feel like they can be themselves and contribute honestly, better solutions come out of it.

ES: AESP has a specific voice. It is personal, tangible, and relatable. Where does that come from?

JS: It comes from our core belief that energy is deeply personal. It’s not just kilowatts and infrastructure; it touches every part of our daily lives. From how we cook dinner to how we stay safe during a storm, energy plays a role and impacts our choices. That’s why we refuse to treat this work as cold or purely technical. Our voice reflects that. Every word we write, every story we tell, is grounded in that understanding. We bring care, humanity, and real-world perspective into everything we do—because at the end of the day, this work is about people, not just programs.

ES: What growth are you seeing right now?

JS: We’re seeing growth in all the right places- reach, relationships, and relevance. Partnerships are becoming more strategic, stretching across industries, geographies, and business models. But what’s most exciting is the shift toward integrated solutions. We’re seeing less of the one-track, efficiency-only mindset and more of an “energy efficiency plus” (EE+) approach, where demand flexibility, electrification, distributed energy resources, asset management, and customer experience are all part of the same conversation.

There’s also a deeper investment in people. Organizations are thinking not just about technical training, but about how to build teams with communication skills and leadership capacity to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape. There’s real momentum around shaping a workforce that’s not only capable, but conscientious and future-ready.

Initiatives That Are Coming Up

ES: One message our team has taken away from AESP is that we need to collaborate to meet the country’s energy needs. What does that collaboration look like to you? Who is that collaboration between?

JS: Collaboration today means more than just sharing data or co-hosting a panel—it’s about building real, working relationships between utilities, contractors, tech providers, policymakers, and the communities they serve. It means intentionally putting humans and their energy needs at the center of our processes with intention and shared responsibility toward improving outcomes. We’re seeing a necessary shift away from the old “build it and they will come” mindset. Instead, the most effective organizations are starting with the customer—understanding their lived experience, needs, and priorities—and designing solutions around them. That shift is reshaping how we collaborate and is ultimately leading to a deeper, more lasting impact.

ES: What measure/new technology/energy-saving approaches are you most excited about?

JS: I’m excited about demand flexibility—and how it’s finally coming into its own due to smarter customer engagement, pricing innovation, and long-term system planning. It’s not just about managing peak load anymore; it’s about giving people (both customers and utilities) more control, more value, and a better overall energy experience.

But I’m equally energized by the momentum around workforce development and local capacity building. When done thoughtfully, these efforts go beyond filling jobs; they create lasting, meaningful careers and local economic growth. Getting the right tools into the right hands is critical—but so is making sure those hands are supported, trained, and empowered to lead the energy transition on the ground.

ES: Is there anything that we have not asked you that you would like to share?

JS: Just this: AESP is a place where your voice matters—whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned leader, whether you’re sharing a big win or something that didn’t go as planned. This is a community where honest conversations lead to real progress. We learn just as much from what didn’t work as we do from what did, and we make space for those lessons. Bring your ideas, your questions, and your lived experiences to the AESP community. If you’re here, you’re part of the future we’re building—together.