Combining knowledge and passion

Last week, we kicked off a blog series spotlighting women at Itron in celebration of International Women's Day and Women’s History Month. These strong, talented women are working every day to drive customer success and advance Itron’s vision of creating a more resourceful world. If you missed it, check out our conversation with Manuela Benz, portfolio account manager for heat and allocation. This week, we caught up with Ana Carlson, senior manager of global commercial contracts, located in North Carolina. Check out our conversation.

What is your role at Itron and what was your pathway to that position?

I lead the Global Commercial Contracting team, supporting sales and Go To Market activities through contract bid responses, negotiation, administration and maintenance in a cradle-to-grave approach. I started at Itron in the legal department as one of the commercial attorneys but with a history of transactional and corporate legal work in my career and an emphasis on the business side of transactions and contracting, when this role opened, even though I’d only been at Itron for a few months, I leapt at the opportunity to use both my legal and commercial knowledge and passions and was honored to be selected to lead this newly created team.

What made you pursue a career in the tech/energy/utility field and what is the path you followed?

After having spent many years in the military aerospace sector, I found myself wanting to move into an industry that emphasized making the world a more peaceful and better place. Itron’s commitment to making the world greener, safer, and more efficient resonated with me, and while I had no prior experience in our industry, I had a passion for our values and a desire to learn something new; being able to do that in a global company was even better.

What has been your experience as a woman in a male-dominated field?

As a woman who has worked in the legal profession which itself is male-dominated, and then in an industry that is also male-dominated, I have been fortunate to have peers and managers who have made that situation easy and have supported my growth and respected my advice and work. Outside of Itron, there can still be the tough conversations where I have had to make my point twice as well, and twice as supported. However, this industry is changing. I am seeing more women in both the legal departments we work with and in the orgs here at Itron, specifically in sales. The strong, collaborative skills of women are more and more relevant in a changing and global company with many different voices from our customers, competitors, and internal stakeholders.

How have things changed – or not – since you began your career?

For myself as a manager, I see more and more women candidates applying for roles who have a myriad of tech experiences in their careers. This gives me a lot of hope. I am still early enough in my career that I am a child of the early internet generation where tech, IT, software was nearly all male-centered and women were mostly in passive support roles. Now, I see women leading and participating in the “thick of the action” and doing so with the respect of their peers.

What should we do to help more women get a seat at the management table?

Internal growth opportunities. A focus on mentorships and cross-functional experiences allows women who may be newcomers to the industry the opportunities to learn the complexities and nuances not only of our industry but also of Itron’s own processes and priorities. A robust recruitment and internship program would help bring young women into the tech industry sooner and give them the skills needed as they enter Itron to succeed and advance.

What advice would you offer aspiring women interested in tech?

Take your seat at the table. Don’t ask if you may join. Be proud of your knowledge and your skills and make sure people know it! And also, be ready to be humble when you realize there is something you need to know more about and don’t be afraid to seek out those experts and ask them: you better grow when you learn the things you didn’t know you didn’t know. Learn everything and make your learning diverse. Attach yourself to those who have both knowledge and the ability to teach it. Remember as you enter the industry that you deserve to be here; you’ve earned a place here. And finally, if you find no one will give you a space at the table, pull up your own chair and make one.