Alumna Kelsey Perry Selected to Receive NEWIEE Rising Star Award for Work in Wind Power
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Kelsey Perry MS ’20, an alumna of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Master of Science in Sustainability Science (MS3) program, was recently selected to receive the 2025 New England Women in Energy and the Environment (NEWIEE) Rising Star Award.
NEWIEE—a nonprofit organization working to advance the “energy and environmental fields by fueling career exploration, entry, and advancement”—launched the Rising Star Award in 2016 to “honor a woman with less than ten years of industry experience who has demonstrated a commitment to, and positive impact on, her field; both professionally and in her personal endeavors.”
“Receiving the NEWIEE Rising Star Award is both a personal and professional milestone that fills me with immense gratitude (and was an amazing surprise),” expressed Perry. “It reaffirms my commitment to making a lasting, meaningful impact in the energy and environmental sectors in New England.”
NEWIEE is honoring Perry for her leadership in the offshore wind industry in Massachusetts. She currently serves as the External Affairs Manager for SouthCoast Wind (formerly Mayflower Wind, and part of Ocean Winds). Kelsey has been an important industry supporter of UMass’s Clean Energy Extension Offshore Wind Professional Certificate program, offering to guest-speak on various occasions.
Perry’s work in offshore wind has been driven by the urgency of the climate emergency. “Through my graduate studies at UMass Amherst, I really allowed myself to digest the gravity of the situation we are in. Climate change is here and actively changing the communities and ecosystems around us. Working to balance our efforts between conservation and climate mitigation, all while deploying solutions at an accelerated pace, is essential. I believe that bridging the gap between science, technological innovations, and local communities is essential to inspire change and develop mitigations at the pace we need to ultimately reduce environmental harm.”
Darci Connor Maresca, assistant director of the College of Natural Sciences’s School of Earth & Sustainability, reflected on Perry’s ascent and commitment to the UMass community: “Kelsey rocketed from UMass into the wind energy field in Massachusetts, working her way up from intern to community engagement specialist, to External Affairs Manager. Now, she's a recognized clean energy leader. This most recent honor is an example of her impact. Kelsey regularly commits her time and service to mentoring UMass students and alumni. She is a star in the region and a proud representative of our UMass alumni network.”
"Kelsey Perry has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and collaboration in her role at SouthCoast Wind,” said Max Dilthey, the program manager and curriculum lead for the UMass Offshore Wind Professional Certificate. “I knew Kelsey before her offshore wind journey, and it was a privilege to watch her quite literally establish our industry’s best practices for stakeholder engagement through the performance of her role.”
“I’m deeply thankful to my incredible colleagues and community partners, whose support, patience, collaboration, and belief in me helped make this recognition possible—I think it underscores the importance of our collective efforts in shaping a reliable and community-driven energy future,” reflected Perry. “It's a true honor to be part of this legacy of trailblazing women who are shaping the future of our industry, and I'm super-motivated to mentor others on their journey. I'm proud of how far I've come, but I know there’s still so much more to do—and I have no plans to slow down!”
Perry will receive the Rising Star award during NEWIEE’s 2025 Annual Awards Gala at the Westin Copley Hotel in Boston, MA.