Rebecca Ashack

2024 Indiana Chapter Chair

Rebecca Ashack is a Learning Advisor - Operations at American Water. In her current role, Rebecca helps operations with learning and development opportunities throughout the American Water footprint. Additionally, she supports the leadership team throughout American Water to help with leadership effectiveness. Previously Rebecca worked in Operations as a Supervisor and in Engineering as a Project Manager for Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water.

Rebecca is an active Women’s International Network of Utility Professionals (WiNUP) member. She serves as the 2023 Indiana Chapter Chair. Rebecca is a committee member of Indiana Water Environment Association (IWEA) and their Leadership Development Institute focused on helping leaders specifically in the water and wastewater fields. She also is a board member of Pet Friendly Services of Indiana, which is focused on ending the euthanasia of adoptable pets by providing free/low cost spay/neuter services around Indiana.

Rebecca holds a Master of Business Administration from Indiana Tech. Rebecca received her Water Operator’s License (WT3) in 2021.

Rebecca and her husband, Nathan, reside in Indianapolis with their 2 rescue dogs, Rufio & Malakai and 4 rescue cats, Loki, Sootie, Freya and Ruby.

Emily Schilling

2024 Indiana Chapter Vice Chair

Emily Schilling retired from Indiana Electric Cooperatives in 2023. She had been editor of Indiana Connection magazine since 1985. While at IEC, she wrote a history book about rural electrification in Indiana, “Power to the People.”

Emily has been active in WiNUP since she joined the organization in 1990. She was WiNUP’s first international president (in 1999) and, previous to that, served as national vice president and secretary of WiNUP’s forerunner organization, Electrical Women’s Round Table, Inc. She’s chaired and served on several international as well as chapter committees during her membership. She received the POWER Award in 1994 and Member of the Year Award in 1999 and is an International Honorary Life Member. She has chaired or co-chaired three national/international conferences (1993, 2011, 2023) and helped plan five other conferences.

Through the years, Emily has served various terms as Indiana Chapter chair, vice chair, secretary, newsletter editor and international board representative. She is also a member of the New York chapter.

Emily received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University. She and husband Mark live in Zionsville.

Sarah Gordon

2024 Indiana Chapter Secretary

Sarah Gordon is a Learning Advisor supporting Environmental and Safety Leadership stakeholders at American Water. In this role, Sarah supports American Water’s talent development strategy and leads initiatives to drive learning solutions and continuous improvement initiatives across the environmental and safety business units. Sarah has been in the environmental and safety field for almost a decade across both manufacturing and utility industries holding roles including an Environmental Engineer, Engineering Project Manager, Environmental Compliance Supervisor, and EHS Team Leader.

Sarah is an active Women’s International Network of Utility Professionals (WiNUP) member. She serves as the 2024 Indiana Chapter Secretary and was the 2023 STEM Scholarship Committee Chair. Sarah also serves as an Indiana-American Water ID&E committee co-chair.

Sarah holds a Master of Science in Occupational Safety and Health with an Environmental Management focus and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering Technology from Murray State University. Sarah received her Associate Safety Professional certification in 2019 and her Certified Safety Professional certification in 2020.

Sarah and her husband John reside in Zionsville with their son along with their dog and cat, Scout and Lena.

Shelby Leisz

2024 Indiana Chapter Treasurer and International Board Member

Shelby Leisz is the Federal Regulatory & RTO Policy Lead for AES Indiana and AES Ohio where she supports the implementation of commercial and regulatory strategies for both utilities. In this role, Shelby leads the AES US Utilities DER policy initiatives and DOE project efforts. In past roles at AES, Shelby supported commercial and industrial customers in Indianapolis as a customer account manager, managed the 2016 and 2019 AES Indiana Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) as a project manager, and led energy efficiency program evaluations as a lead analyst.

Shelby is an active Women’s International Network of Utility Professionals (WiNUP) member. She serves as the 2024 Indiana Chapter Treasurer and International Board Member. Shelby received the 2021 WiNUP POWER Award which acknowledges an up-and-coming member of WiNUP that contributes to the organization and the energy industry with their professional accomplishments. Shelby is also on the leadership committee for the AES Women’s Networking Group (WNG).

Shelby holds a Master of Public Affairs and a Master of Environmental Science (both degrees with an energy policy analysis focus), and a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs, all from Indiana University Bloomington. Shelby Leisz received her Professional Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2020.

Shelby and her husband Keegan reside in Indianapolis with their son (born in Spring 2024) and their rescue mutt Wrigley.