This Women’s History Month, e-Mission Control (eMC) is celebrating women in the green tech industry who are leaders at ChargerHelp!, an EV charging reliability management company.
ChargerHelp!, which was founded by Kameale Terry and Evette Ellis, is the trusted reliability partner for charge point operators. The ChargerHelp! software combines network and field service to provide holistic reliability insights needed to enable EV charging reliability management at scale. Their workforce development creates a local, skilled workforce that’s specifically trained on the unique issues EV charging stations have in the field.
We interviewed Kameale C. Terry and Samantha Ortega of ChargerHelp! to get their insights and advice on founding a business, being female entrepreneurs, and satisfying parts of their work.
Name: Kameale C. Terry
Occupation: Co-founder and CEO at ChargerHelp!
Hometown: South Central Los Angeles
Education: Azusa Pacific University, BS Organizational Leadership
eMC: What year was ChargerHelp! founded? What gave you the idea for this business?
Kameale: ChargerHelp! was founded in 2020 when my co-founder, Evette and I saw a gap in the industry regarding the electric vehicle (EV) driver experience. I knew I could help create jobs and be a part of the solution of making the EV driver experience better.
eMC: What factors were critical in your business getting off the ground? What got you from a good idea to an actual business with employees?
Kameale: The most critical aspect was finding the right team. I needed to recognize what I was not good at or did not have time to execute myself. I knew I needed to find people who were committed to my vision and could live out that vision. The transition from vision to business was honestly finding people who believed in and trusted me and sharing a future idea that people could believe in.
eMC: What advice can you give to fellow women entrepreneurs in the green tech/environmental services space?
Kameale: My advice is to remember that there are so many opportunities for new and better solutions. You simply have to discover problems and look to solve them.
eMC: What is your proudest moment at ChargerHelp! so far?
Kameale: Every time I join a technician call, I hear how much our technicians have learned and know how impactful they are. That is such a dream come true.
eMC: What do you think women in the workplace should know about career success whether they have ambitions to start their own company or not?
Kameale: I’ve learned that building relationships will take you far.
Name: Samantha Ortega
Occupation: ChargerHelp! Government Relations Manager
Hometown: Westlake Area, Los Angeles, CA
Education: California State University – Northridge, BA in Political Science & Government and Central American Studies
eMC: What inspired you to join ChargerHelp! as Government Relations Manager?
Samantha: It was refreshing to see women leading the charge in an emerging industry, and I was motivated by the dedication of our co-founders. I was also inspired by ChargerHelp!’s commitment to improving the reliability of the infrastructure that would be required for electric vehicles and drivers.
eMC: What is the most satisfying part of your job?
Samantha: The most satisfying part of my job is knowing that ChargerHelp! is going beyond training our own technicians but also providing workforce development support in multiple communities throughout the US. Knowing that trainees are eager to learn something new and understand that they are making an impact on climate change is very rewarding.
eMC: What career mistakes would you advise women to avoid?
Samantha: Don’t allow other people to undercut you and diminish your experience and qualifications, but go towards that which you are passionate about, whether it is a financial goal or within the workplace, it is also important to go where you are appreciated.
eMC: What is your proudest moment at ChargerHelp! so far?
Samantha: One of my proudest moments was when The White House released a Fact Sheet in February 2023 highlighting the partnership between ChargerHelp! and SAE International. Seeing the White House name ChargerHelp! as a leader in workforce development and an innovator in the repair of the EV charging infrastructure brings pride in the work I do.
eMC: What are you looking forward to in the future of ChargerHelp! and the electric vehicle industry?
Samantha: I am looking forward to expanding on our work by helping create more training, local jobs, and ultimately ensuring that EV drivers have a reliable charging experience.