Tennessee Women In Green (TWIG) 2025; Women Rising
Tiffany Wilmot: Founder of Wilmot Inc. and Co-founder of Tennessee Women In Green (TWIG)
“Look around this room. Every face you see belongs to someone extraordinary. You’re here because something inside you burns brighter than doubt. You’re here because you refuse to accept the world as it is when you can see so clearly what it could be.” — Tiffany Wilmot, TWIG Co-Founder and Sustainability Pioneer
Sustainability has always been a battlefield — one fought on shifting political terrain, against corporate inertia, and through sheer willpower. It is a fight that requires visionaries, warriors, and those willing to stand their ground even when the path forward is uncertain. It is a fight that, for decades, women have been leading.
Tiffany Wilmot, founder of Wilmot Inc. and co-founder of Tennessee Women in Green (TWIG), is one of those warriors. Her journey into sustainability was not a career choice — it was a calling. And today, in a world still struggling to balance progress with preservation, she reminds us why women in sustainability are not just participants but leaders of a movement.
TWIG was born in 2008, at the height of the Great Recession. Amidst the economic downturn, Wilmot and co-founder Laurel Creech saw an undeniable truth: women in sustainability were stronger together. What started as a small network of women in the field has since grown into a force that influences policy, projects, and communities across Tennessee.
“In the past, society taught us to see other women as competition. They wanted us to fight over crumbs when we could be building bakeries together. No more,” Wilmot declared to a room filled with professionals, activists, and changemakers.
TWIG is more than a networking group — it’s a revolution in how sustainability work is done. It provides women with mentorship, resources, and a collective voice. Wilmot made it clear: success is not about gender — it’s about vision.
“Supporting women in sustainability isn’t about gender, it’s about recognizing that when we protect our Earth, we protect ourselves, our children, and the children of every species.”
Wilmot’s work is as tangible as the infrastructure she has helped shape. From citywide solar projects to massive waste diversion efforts, she has turned sustainability into economic opportunity.
Metro Solar Initiative: A vision sparked by Metro Water Services Director Scott Potter led to an analysis of 1,400 government properties, identifying 260 solar installations for fire stations, schools, and municipal buildings. The result? 100MW of solar energy, saving Nashville an estimated $80 million.
The Titans’ LEED Gold Stadium: Sustainability isn’t just about the environment — it’s about smart economics. Wilmot is working with the construction team of the new Titans Stadium to reduce the global warming potential (GWP) of concrete by 20% and achieve LEED Gold certification.
Metro Nashville’s Zero Waste Strategy: Under her guidance, Metro Nashville has made commitments to LEED Gold for all Metro buildings, electrification of the city fleet, and a comprehensive zero-waste initiative.
At Wilmot Inc., the philosophy is clear: sustainability isn’t just about being green — it’s about making the business case for sustainability.
“We’ve learned that the most powerful argument for sustainability isn’t saying that it’s ‘green’ — it’s economic,” Wilmot stated.
“When we tell clients that sustainability saves money, they listen. When we show them how solar is the cheapest form of energy — cheaper now than coal, natural gas, or nuclear — they act.”
Despite decades of progress, the road for women in sustainability is still not smooth. Wilmot acknowledged the frustration many feel in the face of setbacks, political resistance, and industry barriers.
“There’s anger in my heart and frustration in my bones. And you know what? Those feelings are valid. They’re real. But they’re fuel.”
She urged the room not to let despair turn to disillusionment but to action. Crying, screaming, feeling overwhelmed — those are not signs of weakness, they are part of the process. The only failure is inaction.
And in a world that often pits people against each other, she made a bold call for unity:
“No tribes, no cliques. We MUST work together, support each other’s successes, and lift each other up after failures. If we do that, we’ll be able to Make Our Earth Great Again — MEGA.”
For Wilmot, sustainability is not just about policies and projects — it is about people. It is about communities coming together to create meaningful change. It is about building a world where the environment and the economy are not at odds but intertwined in a future that benefits everyone.
Every person in the room was given a challenge: to ground themselves in facts, act locally, and communicate sustainability in a way that connects with people. Not everyone will care about a distant forest, but they will care about the tree in their front yard. Not everyone will understand the climate crisis, but they will understand rising energy costs.
And, above all, every person in that room was reminded of one thing: their work matters.
“You’re not just creative — you’re visionaries. You’re not just insightful — you’re prophets of possibility. You’re not just kind — you’re healers of a wounded world.”
In a time of uncertainty, TWIG and its members stand as proof that women in sustainability don’t just weather storms — they rebuild after them. They don’t just fight for the environment — they shape the future.
And as Tiffany Wilmot made her closing remarks, her message was clear:
“Together, we’re not just going to make things better. We’re going to make them extraordinary.”