ECOWOMEN WAS BUILT ON THE BELIEF THAT WHEN WOMEN RISE, THE PLANET BENEFITS AND AS SUCH THEIR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER WOMEN TO BECOME LEADERS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY.
EcoWomen Rising
For over 20 years, EcoWomen has been a force for good — cultivating community, advancing careers, and empowering women across energy and environmental fields.
What began in Washington, D.C. as a grassroots space for connection and leadership has blossomed into a growing nonprofit with national vision and deep purpose.
EcoWomen was built on the belief that when women rise, the planet benefits. Their mission is to inspire and empower women to become leaders in the environmental community. And in this current moment of America’s energy transition and climate urgency, that belief has never mattered more.
This year, under the leadership of President Tara Brown-Selders, and with a three-year grant from the Park Foundation, EcoWomen is embarking on an exciting new chapter. The organization is backed by a small yet dynamic and diverse national Board of Directors — each bringing unique expertise and a deep commitment to climate justice and women’s leadership.
Women Powering Change
EcoWomen’s long-standing DC chapter remains a cornerstone of the organization. For more than two decades, this chapter has anchored EcoWomen’s work through educational programs, outdoor adventures, webinars, and networking events that reflect the values of community, sustainability, and connection.
The DC chapter continues to thrive, serving as a vital link to the community and a model for future expansion. Looking ahead, EcoWomen is launching a nationwide membership program in the fall to connect and support women across sectors and geographies. There will be opportunities to volunteer, provide programming input, create partnerships, attend virtual and in-person events, and help shape the future of EcoWomen through available board positions for seasoned professionals as well as open junior board roles for early-career women.
In addition, EcoWomen is proud to serve as a Community Partner at the 2025 WRISE Leadership Forum. EcoWomen’s mission complements WRISE (Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy) by building a strong, intersectional foundation for women in energy and environmental fields. Together, these two organizations are strengthening the pipeline and support systems for women across the power sector.
EcoWomen has always punched above its weight, but the organization cannot grow alone. If you believe in a cleaner, more equitable future powered by women’s leadership, get involved to help make the next 20 years at EcoWomen even more powerful than the last.
ECOWOMEN’S WORK THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, OUTDOOR ADVENTURES, WEBINARS, AND NETWORKING EVENTS REFLECTS THE VALUES OF COMMUNITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND CONNECTION.
Here’s a brief introduction to the current EcoWomen Board of Directors:
Tara Brown-Selders, MBA, serves as President of EcoWomen. Tara specializes in commercial real estate and title insurance solutions tailored for solar, battery storage and data center developments benefiting corporations, infrastructure projects and local community initiatives supporting America’s energy transition in her role as VP, Business Development at Kensington Vanguard.
Rebecca Justus, MA, serves as Vice President of EcoWomen. Rebecca provides ethical leadership and inclusion coaching for global organizations and individuals to develop and implement strategies that will successfully bridge human rights and environmental justice in her role as founder of both Justus Advising & Coaching as well as Reproductive Autonomy.
Noelle Paige, MPA, serves as Treasurer of EcoWomen. Noelle spearheads the development of community solar and utility scale renewable energy projects, bringing strategic leadership in project deployment and operations while focusing on local community engagement, project financing plus operations and maintenance optimization in her role as Vice President of Project Development at Aspen Power.
Victoria “Vix” Xiong-Gnandt, MFA, serves as a Board Member of EcoWomen. Vix drives executive leadership, strategic initiatives and organizational development while embedding sustainability values into human resource practices and workplace culture in her role as a member of StartupExperts and offers a unique way to use humor and honesty to navigate life as a co-founder of Smartass Support Cards.
Theresa Martinez, MBA, serves as a Board Member of EcoWomen. Theresa helps life science organizations and corporations achieve market success through operational excellence, strong commercialization strategies, leadership and executive coaching and identifying solutions for solving complex business challenges in her role as Strategic Consultant and Leadership Coach at TM Consulting.
To learn more or show your support by donating, visit EcoWomen at ecowomen.org
This article was originally published in the September 2025 issue of the Women in Power Systems magazine, which you can access here.
