Influential Woman · Sustainability

Iyana Burton

Regional Energy Buyer, SE Advisory Services

Louisville, KY

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Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Communication Degree University of Louisville Degree Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Sustainability

Her Story

About Iyana

I've been working in the sustainability field for about 5 years now. My journey started when I initially thought I was going to be a writer or some type of communication professional. However, a few months before graduation, I discovered a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies program with a concentration in sustainability. During that program, I had a range of classes including anthropology, sustainability in social societies, and stream sampling. I ultimately thought I was going to end up at a non-profit, but through some connections with my internship director, I found a role at Schneider Electric in their sustainability consulting leadership program. In that role, I did a little bit of everything - marketing, ESG benchmarking, and client-facing work on the client management team. The role then took a pivot into procurement, where I learned a lot about sourcing and energy management. I was recently laid off, and now I'm looking at my next opportunity in something community engagement related or project management.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Iyana

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would attribute my success to networking and maintaining the relationships that I have built through networking. It's really about getting to the core of people and learning what their interests are to see if there's any way I can connect them with someone in the community that they can connect with. Building and maintaining those meaningful relationships has been key to my professional journey.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've ever received was just to raise your hand and to always remain curious. This advice has guided me throughout my career and helped me take advantage of opportunities as they've come my way.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would tell people that they should just leverage the strengths that they possess and to always find a way to apply those strengths to any role that you come across. Any position can be used just as a learning experience. It's about figuring out how you can contribute to that in a meaningful way, while remaining true to yourself.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I would say the biggest challenge right now is just maintaining a job and having security under the current administration. A lot of climate professionals and sustainability professionals are experiencing layoffs. So I would just say job certainty in an uncertain geopolitical climate is the major challenge facing our field.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I would say empathy and the desire to deeply know the people that are in your life and who you work with are most important to me. I try to make meaningful connections with everyone I encounter. Sympathy, relationship building, genuine care and concern for those around you, and kindness are the values that guide both my work and personal life.

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