Arizona native Ashlee Acosta has always been good at math. Growing up with an accountant father, Ashlee spent her childhood surrounded by numbers. But despite seeing a lack of women represented in STEM fields, she knew from a young age that she wanted to be an engineer.
In 2014 she made good on that early dream, receiving a degree in biosystems engineering from Auburn University. Ashlee began her Georgia Power career after a brief stint working as an environmental engineer in Montgomery, Alabama when an opportunity presented itself to work under Michelle Fuqua, an early mentor, as a distribution engineer.
Today, Ashlee serves as a construction engineer where she is a crucial piece of the construction of power infrastructure in the state of Georgia.
She was kind enough to answer a few questions about her experience at Georgia Power and the importance of honoring the women whose example creates opportunities for all.
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What would you say to a woman just starting her career?
“Work hard, and don’t give up. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s worth it. Do your research, pick something you’re passionate about, and it will all work out.”
What advice would you give your younger self?
“Definitely never give up on your dreams, because it’s all worth it in the end. All the hard work and perseverance throughout your college career is going to pay off. Just stick with whatever you put your mind to, and you can accomplish anything.”
Why is it important to take time to celebrate the achievements of women?
“Throughout history, so many women have fought for us to get to this point. Whether it’s voting rights, equal pay, or being able to get the same job as men in our workforce. We’re to a point now that we have a voice and are being heard, so I think it’s important to highlight what we’ve done - whether it be for our families, our communities, our country, or our companies.”
What women have had the greatest impact on your journey?
“My mother has had the biggest impact. I saw her work very very hard during her life, and she instilled hard work and determination in me - never to give up. Any time I face a challenge, I think of her and all the qualities she instilled in me - to persevere and that I can do anything I set my mind to. My mother immigrated here as a child from Mexico when she was six, and coming from how she was raised to where she raised me - she always told me that the sky’s the limit.”
Stephanie Hill-Sheppard joined Georgia Power as a Collections Specialists in May 2000 after beginning her career working for the IRS and Atlanta’s Grady Health Systems. A native of Atlanta, Stephanie began her life in northwest Atlanta and later moved off Cascade Road near what has become the Atlanta Beltline’s southwest trail. After Stephanie’s father, who worked as an elevator technician, was diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of his prolonged on-the-job exposure to harmful chemicals, she realized the paramount importance of workplace safety.
After working in customer service for a little over a year, Stephanie was given the opportunity to become the Administrative Assistant in Transmission Line Design in Forest Park. Eventually, she accepted a position at Klondike Training Center as the Administrative Assistant in PD Safety and Training. There, she cemented her passion for safety - and in 2015, while still working as a safety and training administrative assistant, Stephanie enrolled in Columbia Southern University where she earned a bachelor degree in occupational safety and Health. In 2016, Stephanie became a Safety Specialist, which is the position she holds today
Stephanie is an integral part of Georgia Power’s commitment to safety and we’re thrilled to be able to share a brief Q&A about her experience at Georgia Power and the importance of creating space to honor women’s achievements both in the workplace and beyond.
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What would you say to a woman just starting her career?
“I would suggest looking for a strong mentor. Someone who will stand up for you, stand beside you, and to correct you when you need to be corrected. Always look for that individual that’s going to be truthful for you, give you resources and go above and beyond advising you through your career path.”
What would you tell your younger self?
“I would say, well done! You have continued to be happy, resourceful, and fulfilled in your career. Even after 22 years, I absolutely love coming to work every day and I always do it with a smile.”
Why is it important to take time to celebrate the achievements of women?
“Because we all have something to bring to the table. When we get to that table, it’s so important for us to share those benchmarks, best practices and failures these are the experiences that make us resilient and relevant.”
If you could have lunch with any woman in history or from your personal journey, who would it be and why?
“It would definitely be my Granny and Mother. Those two ladies have inspired me, they’ve encouraged me to continue to move forward and achieve all my dreams and aspirations. They’ve stood beside me filling in the gaps, especially while being a mom, a wife, as well as a student. I would not be who I am without the two of them!”
Join us and celebrate the women who have made an impact in your life!
#PoweredByWomen
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“My sister is an amazing and brave woman I want to shoutout because she has always followed her dreams and made small sacrifices to reach even bigger goals.”
– Kim Ballou
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“My mom is my role model. She always goes above and beyond to make sure we know we can achieve our dreams.”
– Tess Newton
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“My best friend is an amazing working mom. It’s incredible to watch her be at boss at work and a mom at home – and still find time to support all her friends.”
– Brandi Peterson
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“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my grandmother. She always pushes me to be the best version of myself.”
– Tess Newton
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“I want to give a shout out to my mentor for taking the courage to leave her career field of 20 years in marketing to become a nurse – just because she wanted to help others.”
– Brandi Peterson
Dr. Aby Parsons, Diversity, Equity + Inclusion manager (DE+I), has been with Georgia Power for almost three years and has over 15 years of experience in education, leadership development and social justice in the U.S. and England.
Prior to joining Georgia Power, Aby spent five years as the founding Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Agender (LGBTQIA) Resource Center at Georgia Tech. She obtained her Ph. D. from Emory University in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies and is always excited about Women’s History Month.
“The thing I love most about my job is that there is so much variety in what I do. I could be talking to our crew leaders in Macon, facilitating a DE+I training for employees in our Corporate Office or strategizing with leaders about how to make their team more equitable and inclusive.”
Aby answered a few questions about her experience with the company and the importance of celebrating Women’s History Month through the DE+I lens.
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What would you say to a woman just starting her career?
“There is a lot of bad advice that people give women when they’re starting out in their career. Women, at times, are told to change or hide part of themselves or act more like a man all with the goal of getting ahead in their careers. I'd tell women that they don't need to pretend to be someone else to get ahead because that's never going to be fulfilling. Instead, look for a workplace that welcomes and values you just as you are.”
What advice would you give your younger self?
“When I started in my career, I felt that being successful meant chasing accolades, titles or recognition but I’ve come to realize that these are not always the right priority. I would advise my younger self to focus on the parts of my life that bring me joy where I can make both a connection and a difference. I’m fortunate that I get to do this at Georgia Power.”
Why is it important to take time to celebrate the achievements of women?
“Throughout history women’s accomplishments have been downplayed or erased. When these barriers exist, we place limit on what women can do now and how they can tell their stories. It’s important that we recognize the incredible things that women accomplish in areas of our business, our communities and the world as a whole.”
If you could have lunch with any woman in history or from your personal journey, who would it be and why?
“I’ve always been really inspired by women who break through gender barriers to do incredible things. American ultra-light hiking pioneer, Emma Gatewood, was the first woman to solo-hike the Appalachian Trail. Emma did this at the age of 67 after raising 11 children, working on a farm and leaving an abusive marriage. She inspires me because I want to hike the Appalachian Trail one day. She was the first woman to do it and broke incredible barriers doing so.”
Fran Forehand, senior vice president of Power Delivery, is a 30-year employee of the Southern Company system with an expertise in Power Delivery field operations. Starting her career in the co-op program at Alabama Power Company (APC), Fran officially joined APC as an Electrical Engineer following her college graduation.
From the co-op program to her current role, she has thoroughly enjoyed a very rewarding career in field operations and engineering.
“My day to day typically begins and ends with my team. I am focused, every day, on how I can help them be successful. We focus on our health and wellbeing as a team, as a company and as individuals. Whether we’re working on long-term planning or tackling the day’s most pressing issue, we lead with safety and health first.”
“We’re also focused on making smart investments into our people and our energy infrastructure now, so we’re ready for the changing energy landscape. In fact, the Power Delivery team is always strategizing and determining how we move forward with building the grid of the future while balancing our operational goals. Thinking about the future, we have a lot of planning and construction ahead of us as Georgia Power continues to transition its coal fleet. We know how important it is the grid remains resilient as we transition our fleet from coal to other renewable opportunities. I am committed to making sure the team has a voice – every day – in how we will do not only this, but how we continue to serve our customers with excellence.”
Fran answered a few questions about her experience with the company and the importance of honoring the women who lead by example and create opportunities for all.
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What would you say to a woman just starting her career?
“I would say to anyone who is just starting their career to ask questions. Ask questions because you will always learn something new from each person that you encounter. Always know that you can learn something from everybody you meet, and utilize those opportunities to build lasting relationships that will help sustain you throughout your career.”
What advice would you give your younger self?
“Try to learn something new each and every day, and never take anything personally. It’s essential to accept feedback as a gift from others and then continue to excel, move forward and utilize that feedback in always trying to improve.”
Why is it important to take time to celebrate the achievements of women?
“We are seeing more and more women achieve success on our craft labor, engineering and leadership teams. It is important that we take the time to celebrate their achievements because it allows us to be able to see ourselves in the positions that we desire to have. When a woman can see herself in those positions, it gives something to strive for and achieve. Whenever you have a goal that is visible you can understand and see yourself in that role. Then you can easily move forward putting the appropriate steps in place to achieve your personal and career goals.”
If you could have lunch with any woman in history or from your personal journey, who would it be and why?
“It would be my mom. Coming from a strong family background, my mom was absolutely my rock and still is. I would give anything if I could go back and have lunch with her just to follow up and catch up and see how things are going up there. I’d also want to make sure that she’s proud of me and that she can say 'Well done, Fran.' ”
Join us and celebrate the women who have made an impact in your life!
#PoweredByWomen
-
“My sister is an amazing and brave woman I want to shoutout because she has always followed her dreams and made small sacrifices to reach even bigger goals.”
– Kim Ballou
-
“My mom is my role model. She always goes above and beyond to make sure we know we can achieve our dreams.”
– Tess Newton
-
“My best friend is an amazing working mom. It’s incredible to watch her be at boss at work and a mom at home – and still find time to support all her friends.”
– Brandi Peterson
-
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my grandmother. She always pushes me to be the best version of myself.”
– Tess Newton
-
“I want to give a shout out to my mentor for taking the courage to leave her career field of 20 years in marketing to become a nurse – just because she wanted to help others.”
– Brandi Peterson
“My sister is an amazing and brave woman I want to shoutout because she has always followed her dreams and made small sacrifices to reach even bigger goals. I know she will be amazing in Mexico!”
“My sister is my best friend. She is always there for me and loves me unconditionally. I can’t imagine my life without her in it.”
“My great aunt has always wanted to be a fashion designer so today I wanted to give her a big kudos for designing and making her first line of custom church hats.”
“I want to give a shoutout to my grandmother for supporting my journey to vegetarianism by always making sure I eat at family dinners. So thoughtful of her.”
“I want to give a shout out to my mentor for taking the courage to leave her career field of 20 years in marketing to become a nurse – just because she wanted to help others.”
“I want to give my aunt a shoutout. She has worked so hard to climb to the top of the ladder at her law first. She is inspirational.”
