Her Story
About Jenna
Jenna Ulrich is an Energy Operations Engineer at the Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute (PSFEI), where she focuses on energy risk management, facility energy optimization, and sustainability-driven operational improvements for government and nonprofit clients. She works remotely from Connecticut and leverages a strong technical background in energy systems, data analysis, and environmental sustainability to help organizations reduce costs and improve efficiency. Her role centers on ensuring energy suppliers meet contractual obligations while identifying opportunities for improved performance and taxpayer savings.
Jenna earned her academic foundation at Penn State University, completing a B.S. in BioRenewable Systems with minors in Environmental Resource Management and Environmental Inquiry, followed by a Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems. She also holds a graduate certificate in Sustainability Management and Policy. Her early career included environmental consulting with Liberty Environmental, Inc., where she supported site assessments, regulatory compliance, and environmental reporting, as well as work as a solar sales consultant, where she designed customized renewable energy systems for residential and commercial clients.
Throughout her career, Jenna has developed a strong focus on renewable energy systems, energy auditing, and sustainability strategy. At PSFEI, she has contributed to energy procurement analysis, utility bill auditing, and large-scale efficiency initiatives, including a project that identified billing discrepancies and recovered significant taxpayer savings. In parallel, she is the co-founder and co-author of Climatific, a climate science education initiative and newsletter dedicated to making climate and energy concepts more accessible and non-politicized. Her work reflects a consistent commitment to advancing sustainability, improving energy systems, and communicating science-based environmental knowledge.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jenna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to curiosity, adaptability, persistence, and a genuine passion for sustainability and environmental problem-solving. I believe that staying open to learning opportunities and continuously evolving professionally has helped guide my career path into renewable energy and climate science work.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
While I have not focused on a single piece of formal career advice from mentors, I’ve found that collaboration has been especially influential in my journey. Working closely with my sister has played an important role in shaping Climatific and expanding my involvement in climate science communication and sustainability-focused initiatives.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering the sustainability and energy industries to remain curious, adaptable, and open to exploring the many different paths within environmental and renewable energy fields. I believe there are growing and evolving opportunities for women to make a meaningful impact through sustainability, energy strategy, and climate science work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I believe one of the biggest challenges in climate science and sustainability work is balancing the delivery of accurate, non-political information with financial sustainability and business growth. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunities for innovation, renewable energy development, climate education, and supporting organizations in making smarter, long-term sustainability decisions.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value sustainability, integrity, education, collaboration, environmental responsibility, and transparency in both my work and personal life. I believe in sharing factual, science-based information while helping organizations and communities make more informed energy and environmental decisions.
My personal interests and passions are closely aligned with my professional focus. I am passionate about climate science education, renewable energy, sustainability initiatives, and environmental advocacy. I also enjoy collaborative work with my sister through Climatific and value projects that help make climate and energy information more accessible and understandable to the public.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.