Celebrating Women’s History Month: Jennifer Treash
At Avangrid, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace matters to us. During Women’s History Month, we honor women’s contributions to history, culture, and society. Throughout this month, we’re spotlighting some of the women on our team who make Avangrid and the world a better place. Meet Jenn Treash, Sr. Director, Portfolio Controls & Services.
Tell us about your life before Avangrid. What’s your career journey been like? Your education?
I started out my career in Human Resources—it was a good fit because I really like people! When my twins were born I made a decision to leave the workforce and stay home until they reached school age. Because I LOVE power tools and home projects, I renovated and flipped houses while the kids were sleeping 😉. When I was ready to re-enter the workforce I took a contracting job in a project management office and that’s where I discovered that I love project management. As far as education, I consider myself a life-long learner so my educational journey is still in process. I hold a Masters in Management, several certifications (PMP, CMP, CSPO, CSM) and I’ve had the privilege of attending executive leadership programs at Yale and Headspring/IE Business School.
Now, your life at Avangrid: What are your main responsibilities in your role, and what is your favorite part of the work you do?
My focus as a leader is to inspire the Portfolio Controls & Services teams to ensure operational excellence in our work, continuous improvement in our processes, and to provide exceptional customer service to the teams we support. The favorite part of my job is collaborating with teams across different parts of our business to achieve big goals.
What are your passions, hobbies, favorite pastimes?
My favorite thing to do outside of work (besides spending time with my family) is mentoring high-school age girls through my church. Faith has inspired my life-purpose: to love, respect and serve others. In turn, I want to inspire the next generation of women to embrace faith and help them grow into strong servant-leaders.
Who is a woman who inspires you? Why?
I dearly loved my mother-in-law, Gloria Treash, who passed away last year. She had a quiet strength and the unique ability to make other people feel cared for and important. Her funeral was packed with people whose lives she had touched. She inspires me to put people first!
What advice would you give to a young woman looking to follow in your footsteps?
Strive for excellence in everything you do and remember that you can’t do EVERYTHING (if you’re a woman and you’re reading this you know what I mean!).
