As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the diverse, exciting contributions Hispanic and Latin cultures bring to America, AVANGRID is introducing you to voices and faces from around our team. In this installment, meet Joseph Bittner.

Q. What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

For me, it’s a chance to celebrate a side of my heritage that isn’t apparent to most people, and an aspect that people don’t always take seriously. Judging this book by it’s cover (Bittner showcases my paternal Swiss-German heritage, I look white, sunburn easily, and can’t handle spicy foods – the odds are stacked against me!). When people look at me, Hispanic isn’t the first thing that pops into most people’s mind. Hispanic Heritage Month is an incredible opportunity to promote that side of my background and increase awareness of the diversity within this diverse group of people.

Speaking of diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to showcase the diversity within the label of “Hispanic” or “Latino” – the two languages, Spanish and Portuguese, three continents, 20 countries, and dozens of cultures and regions. There’s more music, food, dance, history, and culture than meets the eye, and HHM is a chance to recognize the depth and breadth of culture within this one label. It’s also a chance to recognize the economic and historical impact Hispanics and Latinos have had on our country, as well as the rising number of Hispanic and Latino entrepreneurs.

Aside from all the celebration, it’s also an important opportunity to raise awareness to some of the more significant adversity faced by Hispanics and Latinas, especially around Latinas in the workplace. On average, Latina women are paid 45% less than white men, and 30% less than white women, meaning that for every $1 earned by a white male, a white female earns $0.79, while a Latina female earns just $0.55.

Q. How do you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? What culture(s) resonate with you the most?

My mother is from El Salvador, so that is the culture that resonates with me the most personally; however, I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time immersed in other Spanish-speaking cultures, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Spain! Each place has similarities but also so many unique aspects that I love celebrating, not just during Hispanic Heritage Month, but throughout the year. Recently with travel restrictions, celebration of these cultures has manifested itself in food, music, and occasionally dance (although admittedly, my dancing skills are nothing to celebrate). To celebrate El Salvador, I continue searching for the perfect pupusa (thick corn tortilla stuffed with cheese, beans, or meat) here in Portland and rely on my stash of Salvadoran cheese and refried beans. El Salvador doesn’t have a distinct type of popular music, but I find myself listening to certain artists, many of whom are Cuban or Puerto Rican, because that’s what my grandfather in El Salvador listens to. It always brings back memories of dancing into the early hours with family when in El Salvador for the holidays.

Q. What do you like about working at AVANGRID?

In my role within AVANGRID Renewables, I get to work with virtually every area of the business. Within Internal Audit, we’re really focused on being consultants and trusted advisors to the business, through the lens of risk management and business process improvements. My vantage point allows me to see across the business, connect dots and groups, and offer an “outside” perspective with insider experience and knowledge, all while creating the best processes possible to enable the company to succeed and achieve its potential. With all of that, it’s so exciting to see the new projects and technologies as they are identified, developed, and implemented. With the world looking at addressing climate change and embracing green energy and technologies, it’s such an exciting time to be here at AVANGRID Renewables.

Q. What’s a recent project or initiative you’ve been proud to be a part of?

As the new BRG Chair of our Hispanic Organization for Leadership & Awareness, or ¡HOLA!, I get to support our Hispanic and Latino employees by raising awareness of our culture and promote that awareness throughout the company to strengthen partnerships with other BRGs and allies everywhere. Recently, I was able to join our CEO, Dennis Arriola, and ¡HOLA! executive sponsor, Zsoka McDonald, in hosting an in-person event at our Headquarters in Orange, CT, where we brought in Hispanic food trucks (Mexican and Puerto Rican), and enjoyed a live performance by a local Mariachi band! It was great to be able to share the food, music, and comradery with over 260 of our employees. I’m excited to help accelerate our DE&I efforts for recruiting and retention across all AVANGRID operating companies in partnership with all our BRGs.

Q. Who or what inspires you?

Creating a sense of belonging for each and every employee here at AVANGRID and having our BRGs be a conduit for enabling that sense of belonging. When employees feel like they belong, they bring their best self to work every day, including their unique contributions and ideas. Enabling people to do that every day allows us to challenge the way things are done, create new processes and systems, and focus on reaching our full potential as individuals, teams, and as a company.