Fifty years ago, 89 students arrived in Lakeville and ushered in a new era of women and girls at Hotchkiss. Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Hotchkiss will reflect on their inspiring legacy, pay tribute to the achievements of students who followed in their footsteps, and gratefully acknowledge all members of the Hotchkiss community who boldly helped steer the School forward.

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By Erin Reid P’01,’05

Deirdre Lord ’85, P’27 is focused on her ultimate goal of contributing to an improved energy industry. She is an energy entrepreneur and customer advocate who serves as CEO of The Megawatt Hour, a platform she co-founded in 2010 for finance professionals, energy and facilities managers, and consultants seeking better energy outcomes.

Lord’s extensive family lineage at Hotchkiss goes back to the 1920s. “I never expected to end up in Lakeville, but I have vivid memories of my grandfather (Oswald Lord, Class of 1922, P’52,’55, GP’83’83,’85, GGP’27) telling my brothers how much they would love Hotchkiss. By the time I entered secondary school, Hotchkiss was coeducational. I wanted to move from an all-girls school, so I decided to visit my twin brothers, Charlie and Tim, Class of 1983, on campus.” She was so impressed that she became the first girl in the Lord family to attend Hotchkiss, noting, “My grandfather took great pride in that milestone.”

Hotchkiss brought learning to life for her. “I still remember amazing English classes in which we delved into books like Zorba the Greek and The Invisible Man. I valued talking about literature with my peers and unearthing meaning and context. I also loved AP bio with Jim Morrill P’87,’89 and found him to be brilliant. The late Walter Crain P’86,’89 told me that I was ‘a fine math student,’ which was the first time I’d heard that!” Former faculty member Jennifer Bryan was also important to Lord, and they have remained in touch.

Lord was part of a very talented varsity soccer team that lost only one game in three years, and she also ran track. “It was a wonderful combination of personal challenge and amazing team spirit. For me, participating in sports built a strong sense of community within the larger School environment.”  

Her school and career choices were heavily influenced by a childhood spent outdoors and compounded by her mother’s example. “She modeled activism, starting an environmental group in New York City in the 1970s,” Lord explained. She decided to pursue a B.A. in English and environmental studies at the University of Vermont (Phi Beta Kappa), followed by a master’s from the University of Delaware in energy and environmental policy.

Lord’s first job was at the International Institute for Energy, where she implemented energy-efficiency technologies and private sector partnerships in developing countries. She worked at several other energy companies before moving to Constellation NewEnergy. From there, she left with two colleagues to found Juice Energy to provide green power for commercial companies.

Electric companies deregulated in the late 1990s, allowing people to purchase energy from secondary providers. Lord hoped that making the environmental impacts of delivering energy more transparent would lead to different consumer behaviors, both at the commercial/industrial level and at the residential level. “I liked the idea of energy transparency driving innovation and investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy. It has taken over two decades, but we are at a point where investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and alternative technologies are often the most cost-effective way to meet growth in demand.”

She established The MegaWatt Hour platform in response to a need to link markets to customers. “I knew that the idea for The Megawatt Hour was a good one and that large energy purchasers needed the information we would provide. Our customers are happy and well-served by the work that we do, which is incredibly gratifying.”

In terms of consumer demand, consumption, and its impact on the environment, Lord says: “Consumption is the third rail in environmentalism. While our country was built on this notion of limitless resources and constant growth and expansion, we may well be running up against some limits. I think we need to place greater value on less resource-intensive measures of well-being. 

“I believe that change comes when individuals feel the effects of inaction. People all over are now experiencing forest fires and floods—the extreme impacts of climate disruption. I never thought we would be suffering from forest fire smoke in New York City, but we saw the sky darken in June 2023 and then again in November 2024. Perhaps all these experiences will continue to motivate changes in behavior and consumer preferences and start to help us rewrite the stories that we tell ourselves about consumption and growth.”

For the past 10 years, Lord has shared her energy expertise by serving on the boards of several organizations, including Clean Choice Energy, established to make clean energy accessible to everyone, and GreenerU, a design-build firm that helps organizations achieve climate neutrality and sustainable operations.  

Lord values her time at Hotchkiss but notes it was not without its challenges. “When I first left the School, I had very little perspective about the sexual misconduct [that took place at the School]. I decided to remain involved and later supported Courage Garden. I was impressed by the bravery of the survivors, who have so lovingly committed to improving life at Hotchkiss for current and future students. The School’s commitment to transparency and student safety will ensure that these things never happen again. Courage Garden is a tribute to the fearlessness of our survivors whose stories need to be remembered forever.”

Her relationship with Hotchkiss is stronger than ever, evidenced by her son, Charlie, who is a member of the Class of 2027. “He has found the School to be a wonderful fit, and our shared experience of Hotchkiss feels special. I remain grateful for my friends, and I make new friends with classmates whom I didn’t know well whenever I attend a reunion. I think I can speak for Charlie that we both made our decision with a real sense of independence and with respect for our family history.”