Training Coordinator From Brooklyn Wins Con Edison’s Highest Honor
Ijana Nathaniel Is Also A Noted East Flatbush Community Leader
A Con Edison training coordinator has won the company’s highest honor for her on-the-job innovations, her commitment to youth and her community, and her professionalism.
Ijana (eye-yana) Nathaniel is the winner of the 2021 Living Our Values (LOV) Award for employees who exemplify Con Edison’s priorities: safety, operational excellence, and providing an exceptional customer experience. Winners must also conduct themselves with integrity and contribute to the community.
During her eight years at the company, Nathaniel has honed her innate organizational skills to train employees at various levels for Con Edison’s energy projects. An example was the virtual study group she created during the pandemic to instruct colleagues who needed to pass the inspector’s exam for natural gas and electricity services.
“I enjoy doing things for other people to help them grow,” said Nathaniel. “I’m trained as a ‘servant leader’ who creates opportunities to help others become leaders.”
She also left her imprint on a similar program called R.I.S.E. Academy (Responsibility Initiative Success Excellence). Nathaniel was tapped to be a facilitator to teach corporate skills and personal development for employees wanting to advance within the company.
Ijana Nathaniel of Con Edison is a winner of the company’s Living Our Values Award.
Nathaniel started her career at Con Edison as a meter reader. In one instance, upon entering a customer’s home, she saw the elderly woman who was living there needed immediate care. She reached out for social services, which in turn provided help.
“Ijana epitomizes the LOV award standards of innovation and problem solving,” said Constantine Sanoulis, Con Edison’s vice president for Central Operations. “Her enthusiasm and focus on helping others is of paramount importance to her. She relentlessly looks for opportunities to help others succeed both at work and in her community.” She’s a true inspiration for us all.”
Outside of work, Nathaniel is the founder of the Dare 2 Dream Leaders organization in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush community. D2D empowers at-risk middle and high school students to gain practical skills as well as financial, career and entrepreneurial expertise.
Nathaniel also is a published author, college instructor and public speaker. She a has a master's degree in organizational leadership from Nyack College. Her areas of expertise are curriculum design, workshop implementation, panel discussion, mentoring and public speaking. She is active in organizations such as iMentor and teaches at her alma mater, the New York City College of Technology.
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $63 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com. For energy efficiency information, visit coned.com/energyefficiency Also, visit us on Twitter and Facebook.