Investing in Clean Energy and Pennsylvania’s Working Families
Event Summary
What does a worker-centered clean energy transition look like in one of the nation’s largest energy-producing states? This panel examines labor’s vision for Pennsylvania’s clean energy future—from building and launching the Union Energy coalition to shaping state policy that aligns climate action with economic security.
Panelists will explore the key challenges and opportunities of organizing the emerging clean energy economy, including how to ensure strong labor standards, meaningful community benefits, and real pathways for fossil fuel workers and communities. The conversation will dig into what a “just transition” looks like in practice—and how labor, policymakers, and advocates can work together to deliver an energy future that is affordable, reliable, and union-built.
Lunch will be available after the talk.
This event is part of Energy Week at Penn. Check out the rest of the 2026 programming at energyweek.upenn.edu.
Angela Ferritto
President, Pennsylvania AFL-CIOAngela Ferritto is the first female president of Pennsylvania’s AFL-CIO and a nationally recognized labor leader. Named Pennsylvania’s most powerful labor leader in 2022, she is a trailblazer committed to organizing workers, advancing fair pay, and empowering women in labor leadership.
Jim Snell
Business Manager, Steamfitters Local 420Jim is a 35-year member of Steamfitters Local 420 and its elected Business Manager. Rising from apprentice to union leader, he has served in key leadership roles at the local, state, and regional levels, advocating for members, strengthening benefit funds, and representing labor across Pennsylvania.
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler
Pennsylvania State Representative, 184th DistrictState Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler represents Philadelphia’s 184th District in the Pennsylvania House. A former WHYY journalist and daughter of union educators, she is a champion for strong public schools, affordable health care, clean energy, and an economy and democracy that work for working families.
Katie Blume
Legislative Director, Conservation Voters of PennsylvaniaKatie Blume is a leading Harrisburg advocate for climate action and environmental justice. As political and legislative director for Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania and president of Millheim Borough Council, she advances clean energy, curbs power plant pollution, and builds bipartisan solutions
Matt Ryan
Eastern States Regional Director, Climate Jobs National Resource CenterMatt Ryan is Eastern States Regional Director at the Climate Jobs National Resource Center. In his role, he works closely with the union leaders of state climate jobs coalitions in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
