Energy & Climate Program Manager
Superior Watershed Partnership
Marquette, Michigan
A leader and advocate for low-income residents of the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, Tonya Swenor started at the Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP) in 2011, and has since has led conservation programs including the Better Buildings for Michigan, Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) and the Tribal Youth Conservation Corps. She has been an active member of several state-wide and local workgroups and partnerships focused on collaboration. In 2021, Tonya was invited by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to join the UP Energy Task Force. Tonya manages the SWP Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP), which has provided energy assistance and self-sufficiency services to over 4,000 eligible low-income households. In an effort to make the SWP MEAP a “one-stop shop,” she began working with the Department of Energy in 2019 to implement the Home Energy Score (HES) program, and formed relationships with utility partners to compliment the HES by creating direct referrals for energy waste reduction services. These collaborations have benefitted hundreds of families with utility bill assistance, free home energy improvements, residential solar installations and utility energy waste reduction services. Tonya’s passion for energy conservation, education, and energy security shines through in the real work she does every day.
Using Home Energy Score to Lessen Energy Burdens in Low-income Communities
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM