Utilities, energy providers, and infrastructure organizations trust Henna Pryor, CSP to help leaders and high performers build the mental and social skills required to perform in complex, high-stakes environments.
HAPPY CLIENTS
In utilities and energy, change is accelerating. Are your leaders and high performers built for what’s next?
From grid modernization and decarbonization to cybersecurity risk, regulatory scrutiny, and workforce transitions, the utilities and energy sectors are navigating enormous transformation. Technical expertise is table stakes – but performance now depends on clear thinking, strong communication, and the willingness to lean into tough conversations that keep people safe, aligned, and moving forward.
Utilities and energy keynote speaker Henna Pryor, CSP is a Workplace Performance Expert, award-winning author, and nationally recognized voice on leadership and workplace dynamics. She helps executives, operators, engineers, field leaders, and cross-functional teams strengthen the mental and social muscles needed to lead through disruption with confidence and trust.
Henna has been a go-to and trusted partner of incredible Utilities & Energy companies, including:
- Keynotes/workshops for companies including: Energetic Women, NAED, and more.
- Trusted advisor for 14 years in executive search, for companies including: Pepco Holdings, American Water, Exelon Corporation, Peco, PPL Corporation, Sunoco Logistics, UGI, Amerigas, Talen Energy, Chesapeake Utilities.
Today’s utilities and energy leaders and high performers are navigating challenges that can’t be solved by technical expertise alone:
- Workforce transition and retention: Aging workforces, skills gaps, and increased competition for technical talent make resilience and social connection critical to retention and knowledge transfer.
- Safety and reliability pressures: Leaders must maintain flawless execution while managing fatigue, risk, and human error in high-consequence environments.
- Leadership under pressure: Executives and frontline leaders must make rapid, high-stakes decisions during outages, emergencies, and regulatory scrutiny while keeping teams aligned and focused.
- Rapid change and disruption: Grid modernization, renewable integration, AI, and evolving regulations are reshaping how work gets done – requiring adaptability without compromising safety or trust.
Henna translates the latest psychology, social, and behavioral science learnings into practical tools utilities and energy professionals can use immediately – whether that means cultivating stronger social muscles, embracing neutral thinking during incidents, or leaning into tough conversations that strengthen safety, accountability, and collaboration.
Why choose Henna Pryor for your utilities or energy event?
Utilities, energy associations, and operations-focused conferences trust Henna to deliver keynotes that shift mindsets, strengthen communication, and elevate performance under pressure.
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Expertise backed by research: Henna is the author of 18x award-winning Good Awkward, Inc. Magazine columnist and favorite expert of top media, and leads a pioneering national study on Social Muscle Atrophy in the workplace. Her insights directly support industries where trust, clarity, and human performance are mission-critical.
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Dynamic and relatable delivery: Henna blends humor, research, and storytelling in a way that resonates with executives, engineers, operators, and field leaders alike. She helps teams confront the conversations they often avoid – enabling better handoffs, clearer decision-making, and safer outcomes.
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Tailored content for utilities and energy: With over two decades of experience partnering with operationally complex organizations – first in her 14-year staffing career and now as a keynote speaker and workplace performance partner – Henna understands the realities of regulated, safety-driven environments and adapts her content accordingly.
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She is a CSP! The Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation is an international credential awarded by the National Speakers Association. Less than 17% of speakers worldwide hold this designation, which recognizes proven expertise, professionalism, and a track record of excellence. For event planners, hiring a CSP means hiring a speaker who is highly skilled, reliable, and consistently delivers high-impact presentations.
Preview Henna in action!
Popular keynote topics for utilities and energy leaders and high performers:
Dominating Disruption and Pushing Limits: Unlocking the mental and social skills of success in a rapidly evolving energy landscape
Operational complexity, regulatory change, and infrastructure demands require leaders who can stay clear-headed under pressure. This keynote equips teams with neutral thinking, strategic discomfort, and micro-risk tools to adapt without compromising safety or reliability.
After this keynote, you’ll be able to:
- Recognize how legacy habits can create risk in dynamic environments
- Train your mindset to remain calm and focused during high-stakes moments
- Build repeatable habits that support resilience, adaptability, and execution
The Changing Psychology of Influence: How to overcome resistance and move ideas forward in utilities and energy
Influence matters when rolling out new safety protocols, technology upgrades, or operational changes. This keynote reveals hidden friction points and teaches strategies to build trust and alignment across technical, regulatory, and frontline teams.
After this keynote, you’ll be able to:
- Identify the core reasons people resist operational change
- Shift from authority-based leadership to influence-based buy-in
- Position initiatives to gain alignment without increasing risk
Awkward and Upward!: Your surprising secret weapon for navigating uncertainty, risk, and tough conversations
Avoiding difficult conversations about safety, performance, or accountability increases risk. This keynote reframes awkwardness as a protective force – helping leaders lean into clarity when it matters most.
After this keynote, you’ll be able to:
- Use awkward conversations to strengthen safety culture
- Improve communication across shifts, teams, and contractors
- Lead with confidence when stakes are high
The AI–Human Edge: How strengthening social muscles with AI creates safer, higher-performing utilities and energy teams
AI is transforming forecasting, maintenance, and grid management – but over-reliance can erode situational awareness and tough conversations. This keynote shows how to pair AI with human judgment, communication, and trust.
After this keynote, you’ll be able to:
- Use AI to enhance operations without losing human oversight
- Catch communication gaps before they turn into incidents
- Balance efficiency with empathy to support safer outcomes
Our employees are still raving!
We’re still getting feedback from attendees about the impact of her talk weeks later. We loved working with Henna and would strongly recommend her for anyone looking for a captivating keynote!
Elli Reges, PhD, Director of Learning and Development
Why the next 5 years in utilities and energy will look nothing like the last 5:
Decarbonization goals, grid modernization, electrification, and cybersecurity threats are reshaping utilities and energy operations. Analyses from the International Energy Agency, Deloitte, and McKinsey highlight sustained investment in renewables, infrastructure resilience, and digital systems – alongside rising pressure on leadership, workforce readiness, and communication.
The organizations that thrive won’t be the ones that avoid hard conversations – they’ll be the ones who confront uncertainty directly with clarity, courage, and coordination.
Utilities and energy as a growth market:
Global investment in energy transition, grid resilience, and infrastructure modernization continues to rise, driven by electrification, renewable integration, and regulatory mandates. Industry outlooks consistently point to sustained capital investment over the next decade – increasing complexity and the need for leaders and high performers who can adapt without sacrificing safety, trust, or performance.
Top utilities and energy conferences to attend:
Looking to stay future-ready? At well-respected industry events like these, you’ll find opportunities to stay ahead of the curve, learn from experts, network with like-minded industry professionals, and more:
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DISTRIBUTECH International
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POWERGEN International
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CERAWeek
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IEEE PES General Meeting
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Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Annual Convention
Attending events like these keeps utilities and energy leaders and high performers informed about the latest industry trends – and bringing in keynote speakers like Henna Pryor ensures those insights translate into action, alignment, and safer outcomes back at work.
Book a Strategy Session with Henna
Need a bit more info? Find out if Henna is a good fit for your keynote, workshop, or company meeting by scheduling a free 30-minute strategy session.
Frequently asked questions
Who is a good keynote speaker for a utilities or energy conference?
Henna Pryor, CSP, is a workplace performance keynote speaker who works with utilities and energy teams, including NAED and Energetic Women. A 2x TEDx speaker and author of Good Awkward, she helps energy leaders build trust, strengthen safety culture, and lead people through transformation.
What does Henna Pryor speak about for utilities and energy teams?
Henna speaks on performance mindset, influence, and social fitness at work, tailored to energy. Her keynotes help utility leaders navigate the energy transition and workforce change, reinforce safety culture, and have the tough conversations that keep crews aligned and engaged.
Why do utilities and energy teams need this message now?
The energy transition is straining leadership, workforce readiness, and communication; the IEA, Deloitte, and McKinsey all point to sustained investment in renewables and grid resilience. Henna’s keynotes help energy teams carry that change without losing the trust and safety culture the work depends on.
Has Henna Pryor worked with utilities and energy companies before?
Yes. Henna has delivered keynotes and workshops for energy organizations including NAED and Energetic Women, and advised companies like Exelon, American Water, PECO, and PPL Corporation during her 14-year executive search career.
How much does it cost to book Henna Pryor for a utilities or energy event?
Henna’s keynote investment varies by event format, location, and audience size, and typically starts in the mid-five-figure range. To get an exact quote and confirm availability, book a free 30-minute strategy session at pryoritygroup.com/connect.
What makes Henna Pryor different from other energy speakers?
Henna is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), a designation fewer than 17% of speakers hold. She skips the jargon, blending behavioral science and humor into practical tools that resonate with linemen, engineers, and executives alike.