Tequila Smith, president of the Alabama Power Foundation and Alabama Power’s vice president of Charitable Giving, has been named one of the “Women Who Shape the State.”

The annual award, presented by Alabama Media Group and its affiliate, This is Alabama, spotlights women who are making a difference in the state across a broad spectrum of fields and missions.

“It’s a great honor to be included among these accomplished women who are doing so many great things to elevate our state,” Smith said. “We are blessed to have so many strong and inspiring women in Alabama who are helping improve lives and communities every day.”

More than 150 women were nominated for the award. A panel of Alabama Media Group leaders and journalists reviewed the nominations and selected the 25 honorees, who are being recognized on the This is Alabama website and in The Birmingham News, Mobile Press-Register and The Huntsville Times.

“These women are all helping to make Alabama a better place and we’re honored to recognize their leadership and celebrate their accomplishments,” said Elizabeth Hoekenga Whitmire of This is Alabama.

“The 25 honorees were so generous to share their personal experiences with us, offering advice to other women and discussing the barriers they’ve faced – and how they’ve worked to overcome them,” Whitmire said.

As the vice president of Charitable Giving at Alabama Power, Smith leads the company’s philanthropic, volunteerism and community support initiatives. As president of the Alabama Power Foundation, she oversees a nonprofit philanthropic institution that – over more than 30 years – has supported Alabama communities, educational institutions and nonprofits through more than 20,000 grants and scholarships, using nonratepayer dollars.

Smith also is executive director of the Alabama Business Charitable Trust, which works with community action agencies and other partners to help low-income individuals and families with their utility bills. The ABC Trust also works with nonprofits to help them become more energy efficient.

Over the past year, the Alabama Power Foundation has placed a greater emphasis on assisting nonprofits that have been delivering critical services during the pandemic. The foundation has been working on initiatives, with partners, to address issues of social justice and inequity, among other areas of focus, which include education, community development and environmental stewardship.

Smith has more than 20 years of experience in the utility industry and has held positions of increasing responsibility at Alabama Power and its parent, Southern Company.

She is active in the community, serving as a member of the UAB School of Engineering Advisory Board and as a 2020 Torchbearer for the Junior League of Birmingham’s Community of Lights Campaign. She is a 2020 graduate of the Momentum Executive Women Leadership Program. Momentum is the state’s premier female leadership and mentoring organization.

Last year, Smith was named to the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2020 list of “Women to Watch” – a select roster of women who are making an impact in the Birmingham business world. Honorees were selected based on career accomplishments and contributions to their organization, as well as future leadership potential.

Learn more about the Alabama Power Foundation and the ABC Trust, along with other Alabama Power volunteer and community initiatives, at http://powerofgood.com.