WRISE Celebrates Hadia Sheerazi as 2025 Recipient of the Kacie Peters Impact Award
WRISE congratulates Hadia Sheerazi on this esteemed recognition, celebrating her achievements and her invaluable contributions to the industry.
Brooklyn, NY —Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) is proud to announce that Hadia Sheerazi, a visionary change maker, and Chapter Leader of WRISE New York, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Kacie Peters Impact Award.
The Kacie Peters Impact Award honors individuals whose work exemplifies purpose, empathy, and the courage to drive meaningful change from the ground up. Hadia Sheerazi embodies these values through a career defined by both achievement and impact.
The award was presented at the WRISE 2025 Leadership Forum, where over 800 industry leaders and advocates gathered to celebrate individuals who are leading with curiosity, compassion, and conviction.
Born and raised in Pakistan, Sheerazi experienced energy insecurity firsthand, shaping her understanding of energy as more than a commodity — but as a foundation for dignity, opportunity, and safety. This early perspective continues to inform her work addressing energy inequities at home and abroad.
With dual master’s degrees in Sustainability Management and Conflict Resolution from Columbia University, Sheerazi has led efforts to de-risk the siting and permitting of billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure projects, helping developers and communities collaborate more effectively.
Her work — supported by the Mission Possible Partnership, the Bezos Earth Fund, and Breakthrough Energy, among others — has advanced decarbonization across hard-to-abate sectors including steel, cement, aluminum, ammonia, and shipping, embedding accessibility, transparency, accountability, and equity throughout.
Sheerazi’s accomplishments include developing digital stakeholder-mapping tools now used globally to improve engagement and ensure that clean energy projects deliver long-term, shared benefits. Previously, at Columbia University’s Climate School she played a pivotal role in expanding the Carbon Management Research Initiative, leading a university-wide effort that secured a $10 million grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to advance carbon-to-value research.
Her leadership and bridge-building approach have taken her to the U.S. Department of Energy, the White House Climate Task Force, the UN General Assembly, and major international environmental and climate summits. Her influence has been recognized globally, with honors including being named to “50 Rising Stars in ESG,” in the Financial Times, Reuters Events’ Trailblazing Women 2025, and Yahoo! Finance’s HERoes Top 100 Future Leaders.
In addition to her global work, Sheerazi is an active member and leader within the WRISE New York Chapter, strengthening the organization’s mission of empowering women across the renewable energy industry.
The Kacie Peters Impact Award, named in honor of Kacie Peters, celebrates individuals who have excelled in fostering inclusivity, making lasting contributions, and building community in the renewable energy field. The award is supported by members of Pivot Energy, the Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA), the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), WRISE, and other industry professionals — underscoring a shared commitment to advancing equity and belonging throughout the sector.
To learn more about the Kacie Peters Impact Award, please visit the Kacie Peters Impact Award page.
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About Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy:
Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), formerly Women of Wind Energy (WoWE), was founded in 2005 to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and equitable energy future by igniting the collective power of the community. WRISE has local chapters across the US and Canada; national programming that includes the annual luncheon, Leadership Forum, fellowships, the Speakers Bureau, and webinar series; and a growing grassroots network of more than 25,000 participants. The organization is supported through hundreds of volunteer hours and the generous contributions of individuals and corporate partners. For more information about WRISE, visit www.wrisenergy.org.
Press contact: info@wrisenergy.org