We champion people by investing time and resources to support the wellbeing of our workforce and the communities where we operate. Acting as a bridge between Sempra Infrastructure’s employees, our vision and the communities neighboring our workplaces, Vanessa Kohn has been leading volunteer efforts to strengthen our positive impact on those around us.
Coming from a military family, Vanessa was born in Augsburg, Germany. She moved to the U.S. at a young age and has called Houston home for the last three years. Vanessa joined Sempra Infrastructure in 2022 and is currently the Strategic Planning and Business Analyst for the External Affairs and Communications team. The Hunger Action Month campaign that she cross-coordinated between teams throughout the company this past year collected over 10,000 pounds of food alone – and this is just one of the many initiatives she has led for Sempra Infrastructure.
Learn about the role Vanessa plays in employee engagement and hear from her experience first-hand.
You lead many of Sempra Infrastructure’s external community volunteering events. Tell us a bit about your varied experiences.
In my role, I am fortunate to organize various volunteer activities for our San Diego and Houston offices, which means I participate in all of them. Over the past two years, I have contributed to coastal clean-up events, toy drives, food sorting programs and more. I have promoted volunteer initiatives among Sempra Infrastructure employees, ensuring our binational integration by identifying opportunities that meet the needs of our many communities in Mexico and the U.S. to help employees across the company come together for a shared cause.
Can you share a memorable experience or story from a volunteering activity?
One of my most memorable experiences recently has been our United Way Campaign, which revolved around helping the most vulnerable populations in the greater Houston area by creating Thank You cards for veterans, collecting food donations and spreading awareness about homelessness. Seeing our Houston employees come together for meaningful causes was truly inspiring. From what I have observed, many of us are still navigating the challenges of recovering from the impact of COVID-19. Volunteer participation was also strongly affected by the pandemic, making it difficult to achieve strong turnout.
With that in mind, I was overjoyed and moved by the incredible number of people who came to support the campaign. It was heartwarming to witness so many individuals dedicating their time and energy to make our volunteer efforts successful. This experience has reminded me of the power of a community and the importance of giving back. It was a reminder that, even in difficult times, people are willing to step up and make a difference.
What does it mean to you to have a positive impact on the communities we serve, and in what ways can we all get involved?
It warms my heart to know that the time and energy I’ve volunteered is making a difference within the company. More than anything, I hope that I can inspire others to get involved, whether it is through the opportunities Sempra Infrastructure provides or in their personal lives. I hope my example might encourage others to take the first step towards making a positive impact.
We are proud to put our energy behind championing the communities where we live and work. Learn more about our efforts here.