Behind every public hearing and polished plan is a simple question: who actually had a voice? My guest, Mary Palmer, founder of New Bayou and Director of Energy Equity & Inclusion at SEPA, and I explore how real community engagement looks: what utilities miss, what advocates need, and how relationships, not checklists, reshape the energy transition for the better. If you work inside a utility, city, regulatory space or community organization, this conversation may change how you engage — and who your process truly serves.

⭐ Highlights

Grasstops vs. grassroots engagement — what the difference really looks like on the ground and why so many “participation efforts” stay stuck at the top.

Why traditional utility engagement fails — even when intentions are good.

Restorative justice in the energy sector: repairing broken relationships between institutions and communities.

The speed of trust: why meaningful engagement takes time — and why skipping that work costs more in lawsuits, delays, and public pushback later.

The education gap nobody talks about: how residents are asked for input in forums they don’t understand, and what must change to make engagement real and effective.

About my guest, Mary Palmer
Mary is the Founder of New Bayou and Director of Energy Equity & Inclusion at the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA).
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycpalmer/

About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs
Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.
Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindovermarkets
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/

About Just Power Podcast
Just Power is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change.

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