Kristin Zatta, Entergy Louisiana, LLC

Meet our members!  AFN’s greatest asset is our members—a diverse network of national, regional, and community-based foundations, financial institutions, and grantmakers—investing in advancing equitable wealth building and economic mobility. Check back each month and meet your peers!   

1: What is the mission of your organization and how is advancing equitable wealth building and economic mobility incorporated into the work?

Entergy’s mission is to grow a world-class energy business that creates sustainable value for our four key stakeholders – our customers, employees, communities and owners. Our company is committed to diversity, inclusion, belonging and serving our communities by leading social change. By providing volunteer opportunities and social justice resources, Entergy supports employees to take actionable steps.

2: How does your organization currently or plan to explicitly and intentionally include and empower people of color in the design of your policies and strategies to close the racial wealth gap?

Entergy is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged culture that inspires all individuals to work together to operate a world-class energy business for our customers, employees, communities and owners. Since 2018, we have in place a dedicated internal team whose mission is developing and leading the company’s strategy for improving organizational health, diversity and inclusion. This initiative includes employee resource groups, diversity groups, organizational health surveys, leadership toolkits and more. But that commitment does not end at the front door. It extends into the community and is reflected through our philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy that encourages individuals to take action. In 2021, Entergy Corporation contributions to diverse organizations totaled $5.5 million or 34% of total charitable contributions. Of that total, $1.2 million was allocated to social and racial justice organizations and $4.4 million was allocated to minority-serving non-profits and institutions. And since 2010, Entergy has donated charitable contributions totaling more than $24 million to more than 600 nonprofit organizations, schools and institutions focused on creating inclusive communities of opportunity for all individuals.

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3: Where are we lacking investments as a sector that will result in greater economic equity, and how can we address the gap?

One of Entergy’s goals is to create sustainable value for our communities by ensuring that all children receive an education that leads to a life of opportunity. Since 2006, Entergy shareholders have invested more than $47 million to support education alone in Louisiana. Entergy identifies and provides support for innovative nonprofit partners who are leaders in education reform. The organizations that we have selected as strategic partners are data-driven and deliver proven results against metrics that matter. Entergy is also a major funder of workforce initiatives to ensure that Louisiana has a skilled and ready workforce to meet the needs of current and future employers. Entergy wants to ensure the people in our communities have access to educational opportunities and help build the workforce of the future. We need to collectively work together to fight this issue.

4: Share a question you would like to raise to your funder colleagues.

I work in the utility industry. I’m interested to know what the top three investments in 2023 are for those whose industry work is outside of the financial space?

Since getting actively involved with the Asset Funders Network in early 2015, and specifically forming the Louisiana chapter in the last few years, one of the biggest benefits has been networking with like-minded individuals and organizations. The level of knowledge and experience has been second to none. Our local chapter has brought solutions to non-profit leaders, we have collaborated as funders, and have pushed the needle and opened up conversation around the entire state about issues we are currently facing and issues that were hard to discuss.

6: What event or activity in your community have you most enjoyed resuming in the past year?

This year, we have resumed volunteering as a family. As a parent, it’s important to me to encourage healthy attitudes about helping others while instilling a sense of financial responsibility among my children. And giving back to our communities together, is a bonding experience for me, my husband, stepdaughter, and my 7 and 10 year olds. They particularly love raising money for St. Jude, and this year in particular, we have started volunteering our time at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. They encourage their friends to participate and are always asking when we can go back!

About Kristin Zatta, Senior Public Affairs Representative, Entergy Louisiana, LLC

To improve the quality of life in communities where Entergy operates through strategic investments in education/workforce, low income/poverty solutions and environmental programs.

Kristin’s role is to work to address poverty solutions, as well as education/workforce development and environmental programs, through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy in the state of Louisiana.