Women in Energy

March is National Women’s History Month. The New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperatives would like to recognize and honor the women who have blazed a trail and are making history in the utility industry. These women are leaders in our cooperative world and are navigating the road to success in the Land of Enchantment.

Most of the electric cooperative roles across the nation have traditionally been filled by men. In the past couple of decades, women have broken traditional barriers to successfully achieve leadership and other specialized positions within electric cooperatives.

In New Mexico, women make up about 23% of our cooperative workforce. We are privileged to have a woman leading our rural electric cooperative association and two women leading local electric cooperatives.

Charise  Swanson is the first woman in the 80-year history of NMREC to  be come chief executive officer. Charise joined NMREC at the end of 2022,  bringing more than 18 years of experience in the utilities industry and more than 30 years of leadership experience in multiple capacities.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to work with such dedicated leaders and employees across this great state,” Charise says. “It is also wonderful to see so many women in leadership roles who work so hard to advance our communities and our co-ops, while ensuring we keep the lights on.”

Charise knows leadership inside and out and has served most recently as a mentor for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Women In Power program. The program includes one-on-one and peer mentorship, along with leadership conversations that address key topics women face as they progress in their careers. Charise recently mentored Kassi Mortensen, the new chief executive officer of Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative in Arizona and one of our associate members.

“I am amazed at the talents and skills of up-and-coming leaders like Kassi,” Charise says. “I am grateful to have opportunities like these to share knowledge and lend support where I can. What I love the most, is I get to learn , too.”

Alena Brandenberger, CEO of Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, started her cooperative career in 1996 as an accountant in the co-op’s Mountainair office. In 1999, Alena was promoted to accountant/office manager, and three years later became the chief financial officer.

“I served as CFO for Central New Mexico for 20 years, and during this time I worked extra hard to learn about every aspect of our electric cooperative,” Alena 
says. “The hard work and dedication paid off as I was officially awarded the CEO position for CNMEC in March of 2021.”

Denise Barrera is the first female general manager in the 83-year history of Sierra Electric Cooperative in Elephant Butte. Denise has more than 45 years of experience in the utility industry.

“I enjoy the challenges we face on a daily basis in our industry,” Denise says. “The largest project in my career 
at Sierra Electric Cooperative is forming the partnership with Ethos Broadband to bring fast, reliable internet to our cooperative service territory and members. This was also the most gratifying project , as I witnessed how this technology improved the lives of our members.”

Cooperatives are expanding their searches for prospective senior staff, which has led to a noticeable uptick in the hiring of female—and particularly young female—CEOs and general managers. In 2022, NRECA reported there were about 90 women currently listed as electric cooperative CEOs. We are thrilled to have two in our state.

Electric cooperatives offer a wide assortment of careers in the following areas: administrative, accounting, finance, communications, data management, dispatch, engineering, energy management, facilities maintenance, fleet mechanic, human resources, heavy equipment operator, marketing, government affairs, GIS technician, legal, lineworker, member service, meter technician, information technology, records information, staking engineer, substation technician, supply chain management, safety and training coordinator and more.

We are seeing more of these roles being taken on by women. Across New Mexico, we have 15 electric cooperatives and two generation and transmission cooperatives as members of New Mexico’s Rural Electric Cooperatives, all of which have women in leadership roles and nontraditional roles, such as information technology, regulatory and operations.

As you begin each day in March by turning on your lights in the morning, take a moment to think about the women in the electric industry across New Mexico who brighten each day by delivering your electricity. On behalf of the NMREC, thank you for your service.