• UAI News

  September (2023) Member Spotlight: Jennifer Wischnowsky (Ameren)

  Posted by Kevin Praet (Adm) on September 6, 2023 at 1:16 am

  @Jennifer is an active UAI member and provides outstanding influence and contributions to the UAI community through any of our multiple channels, including, but not limited to engagement on UAI Connect, volunteering with UAI, involvement and/or leadership in monthly Community Conversations, and/or speaking at UAI events, plus so much.  As thanks, we are featuring her in the UAI Member Spotlight. Jen is the Senior Director, Data, Analytics & Transformation at Ameren overseeing the enterprise data team, enterprise customer and business analytics, the center of automation, the innovation center and supporting the customer transformation. Jen has been in the power and utility industry for 13 years at Ameren and Exelon, and prior to her current role has held roles in corporate performance management, accounting policy & research and external financial reporting.  

   

  Kevin: How did you get into the utility analytics industry?

  Jennifer: In 2018, I became Senior Manager over the Center of Automation which oversees robotic process automation, remote desktop automation and optical character recognition technologies. In late 2020, we had an opportunity to combine the enterprise data and analytics team with the Center of Automation – and we are now acting as a Center of Excellence, delivering the One Ameren Analytics, Automation and AI strategy and roadmap. As a Center of Excellence, we are able to leverage skillsets and best practices across the spectrum of automation, descriptive analytics, advanced analytics and now AI use cases.

   

  Kevin: What project have you enjoyed working on most in your career?

  Jennifer: We are currently developing a set of advanced analytics use cases that we refer to as Advanced Metering Analytics, using AMI data to detect potential theft and begin collecting missed revenue, ensure we are rolling trucks for high confidence meter issues to optimize field worker and truck roll expenses, improve safety by reducing unnecessary trips and reducing compliance issues and complaints due to orphan meters.  I am excited by this project because we are working with teams across Ameren in the field, metering and analytics groups, and building use cases in-house from knowledge gained through discussions with our UAI peers.

   

  Kevin: What has been your biggest professional challenge and how did you work through it?

  Jennifer: I transitioned from finance and accounting roles into the digital organization five years ago and I went from being an expert to a kindergartner overnight.  I listened to my colleagues, actively listened at UAI conferences and discussions, listened to podcasts, read articles and books, etc. and eventually realized that I knew what questions to ask to improve our solutions.  Having a business and a technical understanding are both integral to designing the right solution to solve the right problem, and we need to continue to build techno-functional expertise across the industry.

   

  Kevin: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice before entering the utility analytics industry, what would it be?

  Jennifer: No other industry will go through as significant of a transformation (and be ultimately responsible for saving the planet) as the power and utility industry from 2010 through 2050, and the power of analytics, automation and AI will be required to achieve the clean energy transition.  Get ready and excited to be a driver of change, and recruit and retain the next group of leaders to lead us through the next 30 years!

   

  Kevin: What would you like to talk to fellow colleagues and members about in UAI Connect? Or, what issues or topics would you like to see more discussions on in UAI Connect?

  Jennifer: My next goal is to create domain-based roadmaps of analytics, automation and AI use cases that have the ability to deliver significant value to Ameren across customer, grid and back-office areas.  I would love to hear from others which use cases have provided the most value to your organizations and what’s next on your horizon with generative AI.

   

  Kevin: Thank you so much for sharing with us and for being a highly engaged member of UAI!

  Do you have any final thoughts, ideas, or comments you would like to share with your fellow UAI members?

  Jennifer: Know why you are doing what you do, not just what you are doing.  The better you understand the business problem you are trying to solve, the more likely you will design the best solution.

   

   

  ——————————
  Kevin Praet
  Membership Coordinator
  Utility Analytics Institute (UAI)
  Boulder CO
  315-440-3033
  ——————————

  Kevin Praet (Adm) replied 1 year, 2 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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