Carrie Tongarm – Convergent

When Carrie Tongarm interviewed at Convergent Energy and Power, it didn’t take long for her to know something was different. As a queer, mixed-race woman with a theater degree, three kids, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Carrie is used to walking into rooms where she stands out—often as the only one who looks or identifies like her. But at Convergent, the conversations flowed. People smiled not just politely but with shared understanding. The interview panel included women of color. The legal team felt warm and familiar. The vibes, she says, “were just right.”

Carrie Tongarm | Convergent | Vice President & Associate General Counsel

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much,” she remembers. “But I felt so good by the end of the panel interviews. I knew I would cry if I didn’t get the job.”

She didn’t have to. While driving a few days later, she got the call: she was in. “I literally pulled over and screamed,” she laughs. “I was just so excited.”

Since joining in early 2024 and stepping into her current role as vice president and associate general counsel in March 2025, Carrie has continued to experience that same sense of belonging.

“It almost feels like we’ve worked together for years,” she says of her legal teammates, despite being a fully remote team. “We’re collaborative, kind, and bring something different to the table—different educations, backgrounds, and life experiences—but we share this mutual respect.”

That culture isn’t accidental. It reflects Convergent’s identity: a purpose-driven energy company pushing for a cleaner, more equitable world—inside and out.

Changing the grid—and the conversation

Founded in 2011, Convergent Energy and Power is a North American leader in energy storage solutions. At a time when developing large-scale battery systems was still an emerging concept, Convergent recognized the technology’s transformative potential. Since then, the company has invested over $1 billion in or committed to assets in operation or under development across North America for utilities, grid operators, and industrial clients. These systems reduce electricity costs, enhance power reliability, and help solve infrastructure bottlenecks—critical work in a world racing to meet decarbonization goals.

Carrie’s own career mirrors the broader energy transition. After earning her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh, she initially practiced environmental law for oil and gas clients in the heart of the Marcellus Shale.

“It was incredibly educational, but I reached a moral tipping point,” she says. “Eventually, I didn’t feel good telling people at parties what I did for a living because oil and gas development was so controversial in Pennsylvania.”

Her move into public utilities was a welcome reset, but joining Convergent has felt like a culmination. “It’s rare to find a company where your values and skills align so closely with the mission. At Convergent, we’re not just selling a product—we’re solving some of the biggest challenges of our time.”

She supports nearly every phase of that mission. With a broad legal background that spans procurement, permitting, real estate, and government relations, Carrie works across teams to guide projects from conception to completion. She collaborates with pre-construction engineers on land development challenges, works with permitting officials to navigate often-confusing local regulations, and negotiates critical equipment procurement contracts.

“I’m commercially minded, but I always follow the rules,” she says. “The real skill is figuring out how to work within them—and sometimes challenge how they’re interpreted—to get a project across the finish line.”

Her favorite part of the job? Land development. “It’s like solving a puzzle,” she explains. “How do you fit this much infrastructure into this much space, in a way that makes sense for the community, the project, and the landowner?”

Equality as a standard

While Carrie’s legal expertise is indispensable, her DEI leadership is just as impactful. From her very first interview, she was clear about what mattered. “I asked about Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). I asked about company values. I asked how DEI shows up—not just if it exists,” she says. “And people didn’t hesitate. The smiles were genuine. The answers were thoughtful. That told me everything I needed to know.”

Once on board, Carrie quickly noticed something was missing from the company’s stated core values: equity.

“We had values like collaboration, ownership, and resilience—but I wanted to know where the ‘E’ was.”

Instead of accepting the omission, she worked with the company’s People Ops and Learning & Development teams—and with the full support of the Chief Legal Officer—to change that. Today, equity is a formal, evaluated part of how employees are expected to show up and contribute.

“It sends a strong message,” Carrie says. “When equity becomes a core value—one you’re evaluated on—it moves from symbolic to real.”

This isn’t just philosophy for Carrie. It’s personal. Growing up mixed-race in Northern Virginia, coming out as gay in a time when representation was limited, and raising three kids with her wife—her perspective has always been shaped by what it means to navigate systems that weren’t built with her in mind.

“I remember Ellen DeGeneres coming out. I recall seeing the movie ‘Milk’ and realizing how far we still have to go. That’s what inspired me to become a lawyer.”

At Convergent, she’s helping shape a company culture that doesn’t just accept difference but thrives on it. The legal team includes people from Colombia, Puerto Rico, and England. Conversations are open and expressive. Everyone is encouraged to bring their full selves to work.

“We don’t just have DEI initiatives—we live it,” she says. “The whole company feels like one big ERG.”

The mission keeps her going

For Carrie, the work is both deeply fulfilling and urgently necessary. “We’re not going to need less energy in the future—we’re going to need more. And it must come from sustainable sources. Batteries and storage are critical to that transition.”

She’s not naïve about the challenges. Tariffs, permitting delays, and misinformation about energy storage safety—all pose significant headwinds. But Carrie is undeterred.

“You don’t stop flying if a plane goes down. You learn from it. You don’t stop building batteries because one incident or article made people nervous. You educate. You listen. You lead.”

That mindset—pragmatic yet hopeful—is what keeps her grounded in a sometimes chaotic industry. It’s also why she’s so committed to her team and the company’s broader purpose.

“The founders have set a tone of mission-driven work. We’re not just chasing profit. We’re here to do something great, and everyone knows it.”

She says it’s easy to show up to work daily when that’s the shared goal.

“Even with the obstacles we face—political, economic, logistical—there’s a belief here that we’ll figure it out. Because we don’t really have a choice. The planet needs this work.”

Looking ahead, Carrie’s aspirations aren’t about title or prestige—they’re about impact. She’d like to return to community service, maybe through a nonprofit or advisory board involvement. In a previous role, she served on her local borough council, which she describes as one of the most meaningful—and humbling—experiences of her life.

“It was hard to balance work and family, but it reminded me of the power in local decisions. That’s where people feel it the most.”

But professionally, she’s exactly where she wants to be. “If nothing ever changed and I did this job forever, I’d be happy,” she says. “I love the company. I love the people. I see my future here and am ready to ride this wave for as long as possible.”

That wave, powered by clean energy and carried by a culture of equity and empathy, is exactly the kind of force the world needs more of. And thanks to leaders like Carrie Tongarm, it’s growing stronger by the day.