Lisa Fennell shares her non-linear career path—from studying police science at a technical college, to restaurant work and administrative roles, to becoming a business analyst and eventually a sales and marketing leader in utility tech. Along the way, she opens up about confidence, mentorship, being “the only woman at the table,” and what it’s like building a career without a traditional four-year degree.

What you’ll hear in this episode

What Lisa does today

Lisa explains Ping Things and the need for high-resolution, high-density grid data that can actually make it into the hands of data scientists—so utilities can train machine learning algorithms, understand what’s happening on the grid, and decide what to do next.

“Reflex vs reason”

A standout analogy the grid needs both immediate “reflex” at the edge and deeper “reason” centrally. Lisa compares it to touching a hot stove—your reflex pulls your hand back, but your brain learns “don’t do that again.” Ping Things supports the “learning” layer.

A career journey that didn’t follow the typical script

Lisa walks through her path technical college → a mentor encouraging her to rethink shift-work policing → customer service/restaurant leadership → an office role → recognized technical aptitude → business analyst → writing software requirements/specs → utility industry tech roles → sales leadership.

Working in a technical field without a four-year degree

Lisa talks candidly about how long it took to admit she didn’t have a college degree—and how mentorship, opportunity, and her own tenacity shaped her success.

Sales in technical spaces

Lisa describes the gift of translating “engineer language” into “normal language,” the importance of listening more than speaking, and how relationship-building is often the real differentiator.

Married to an engineer in the same industry

She and her husband Kevin have traveled together for industry events and customer dinners, and Lisa shares how she brings levity and connection—often with fun icebreakers that instantly melt the room.

Proud moment

A sweet moment Lisa’s dad tells Alexa about her career story (including the no-four-year-degree part), and Lisa shares how meaningful it is to feel that pride from a parent, no matter your age.

Not Expert” listener question

Kathy, Linda, and Lisa share not-expert perspectives on timing, preparation, and how workplace culture has evolved (and still has a long way to go).

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In this episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM, host Kathy Nelson sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Mendes, a newly minted PhD and postdoctoral researcher whose work focuses on rare and aggressive pediatric cancers.

Dr. Mendes recently completed her PhD at Duke University, where she spent over five years researching rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood soft-tissue cancer. Her goal: identify new biological targets that could one day lead to better, more effective treatments for children. Kathy and Liz explore not only the science behind pediatric cancer research, but also the deeply human reasons that drive this work.

What We Talk About in This Episode

• What pediatric sarcomas are—and why they’re so challenging to treat
  Liz breaks down complex cancer biology in an approachable way, explaining how sarcomas differ from more common cancers and why their ability to “change form” makes them particularly dangerous.
• A non-traditional path into science
  From archaeology and zoology to teaching middle school math and science, Liz shares how curiosity—and not a straight line—ultimately led her to molecular biology, cancer research, and a PhD.
• Choosing pediatric cancer research
  Liz explains why she decided to focus on rare childhood cancers that receive less funding but have devastating outcomes—and how personal experiences with cancer shaped that decision.
• Science close to the patient
  We discuss the importance (and rarity) of researchers interacting directly with patients, families, and clinicians—and how those experiences fundamentally change how science is done.
• Life after the PhD: postdocs, fellowships, and moving to the UK
  Liz shares what it’s like to finish a PhD, move countries, start a new research position, and navigate life and work during a major transition.
• Being your whole self in STEM
  From makeup and music to mental health and social media, Liz talks about rejecting outdated stereotypes of what scientists “should” look like—and why authenticity matters for the next generation.
• Representation, mentorship, and science communication
  Liz reflects on why visibility matters, especially for women and first-generation students, and how platforms like social media can help make science more accessible and human.

A Conversation About More Than Science

This episode goes beyond lab work and credentials. It’s a candid conversation about grief, resilience, identity, and the responsibility scientists carry—not just to discovery, but to people. Liz’s story is a powerful reminder that STEM careers don’t require fitting into a mold—and that compassion belongs in science.

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In this episode, Kathy sits down with Vinayasri Nidadavolu, a specialist engineer in offshore wind energy at Siemens Energy. Vinaya’s story spans continents, megawatts, and life stages — from earning a rare degree in wind engineering to climbing offshore turbines hundreds of kilometers out at sea, and now navigating her career as a new mother.

Vinaya takes us inside the fascinating world of offshore wind turbines — explaining how today’s turbines have grown from 2–3 megawatts to an astonishing 14–15 megawatts, and what it actually looks like to work on machines that can produce enough energy for two households with a single blade rotation.

We talk about what it really takes to work offshore: the extensive safety and survival training, life aboard service vessels for weeks at a time, and what it feels like to climb, ride lifts, and work inside turbines that are now larger than many apartments. Vinaya shares vivid details about the physical, mental, and emotional demands of the job — and why she still considers it the best career decision she’s ever made.

The conversation also explores Vinaya’s path into engineering, beginning with childhood curiosity and fixing broken appliances, through being the only woman in her mechanical engineering class, to choosing sustainability and renewable energy as her long-term focus. Her story is a powerful reminder that representation matters — and that girls belong everywhere curiosity leads them.

As a new mom, Vinaya reflects on balancing motherhood with a demanding technical career, why she chose not to “compromise herself” professionally, and how leading by example matters more than ever. Her reflections on identity, resilience, and modeling possibility for the next generation are honest, thoughtful, and deeply relatable.

In the Ask the (Not) Expert segment, Vinaya shares practical, no-nonsense advice on how to ask for a raise — especially for women — emphasizing documentation, advocacy, and the importance of asking more than once.

We wrap up with rapid-fire questions that touch on self-care (never underestimate a single cup of coffee), courage, and why Vinaya believes her own life story may one day become her favorite STEM “book.”

This is a wide-ranging, inspiring conversation about engineering at scale, renewable energy, confidence, and choosing not to shrink — even when life changes.

Topics We Cover:

• What offshore wind engineers actually do
• How wind turbines have evolved from 2 MW to 15 MW
• Life, safety training, and work on offshore service vessels
• The physical reality of climbing and working inside turbines
• Choosing sustainability and renewable energy as a career path
• Being the only woman in the room — and staying anyway
• Motherhood, identity, and not compromising your career
• How (and why) to ask for a raise
• Leading by example for the next generation of girls in STEM

Music by Kay Paulus

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