Episode 144: Patti Poppe: Trailblazer in a Male Dominated Industry
In this episode, Rachel Morford, President of the Society of Women Engineers, speaks with Patti Poppe, CEO of PG&E. Poppe has blazed a trail in two male dominated fields: energy and automotive. She discusses her roles in those sectors as well as how her training as an engineer has prepared her to be a CEO. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered how clean energy and electric cars work hand-in-hand, be sure to listen!
Patti Poppe
CEO
PG&E Corporation
Patricia K. Poppe is the Chief Executive Officer of San Francisco-based PG&E Corporation.
Poppe joined PG&E in January 2021 after five years as President and CEO of CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy, where she focused on connecting the utility more closely with its customers and adapting lean operating system principles throughout the business. In her decade-long career with the Michigan company, she also served as Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations, Engineering and Transmission; Vice President of Customer Experience, Rates and Regulation; and Vice President of Customer Operations.
Previously, Poppe served as a Power Plant Director at DTE Energy. Prior to joining DTE Energy, Poppe held a variety of plant management positions in the automotive industry.
Poppe serves on the executive committees for the Edison Electric Institute and the American Gas Association. She is also a member of the Whirlpool Corporation Board of Directors.
Poppe earned a master’s degree in management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University.
Check out more SWE podcasts:
- Exploring the Perspective of Global Members Living and Working in the US
- How R&D Supports Inclusivity, Growth, and Opportunity for Women Engineers
- Un Cafecito With a Woman in STEM: Melanie Weber
- Combining Engineering and Research at the Air Force Research Laboratory
- Susan Uthayakumar on Challenging the Status Quo to Forge Your Own Career Path
- APAHM 2021 – SASE CEO Khánh Vu on Allyship for the AAPI Community
- Smita Tharoor on Addressing Unconscious Bias in Our Professional and Personal Lives
