Kameale Terry, 35, grew up in South Central Los Angeles as the eldest of four children in a first-generation American family. Her parents immigrated from Belize, instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in their children.
“I grew up just knowing that I could do anything, I could accomplish whatever I put my mind to,” she says. “We grew up in a household that was really about at least trying to do something bigger.”
Growing up surrounded by freeways in the Los Angeles basin, Terry witnessed her community’s disproportionate suffering from poor air quality – an experience that shaped her life’s work. As Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!, she now improves electric vehicle charging station reliability through solutions combining big data and skilled technicians.
“Most of the issues that you see with charging stations are software-related,” she explains. “We fix it through big data sets and people.”
Her path to clean energy advocacy began personally. Her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis when Terry was 11 – a battle that continues today – became her environmental catalyst during her work in EV charging software.
“But when her cancer came back, I had to take a step back and decide to kind of go and do this thing on its own, ChargerHelp. I didn’t really know that it would become what it is today, but I really started taking the environmental impact on health seriously.”
After recognizing how air pollution disproportionately harmed communities like hers, Terry came to view EVs as an imperfect but necessary step toward environmental justice.
“I don’t feel like I’ve made any sacrifices,” she says. “Creating something that solves real problems – how often does that chance come along? Everything that comes with it is part of the opportunity.”
“I’m grateful to address meaningful challenges, it gives you purpose, and that’s invaluable.”
Did you experience any unexpected milestones with ChargerHelp?
Absolutely. We drafted the nation’s first EV Charging Reliability Act – as a Black founder, helping shape and pass policy in California meant everything to me.
We pioneered Reliability as a Service, bringing an entirely new product to market. Our launch was backed by an exceptionally strong data set.
Last year, we published the groundbreaking EV Charging Reliability Report – the first of its kind. Today, industry leaders reference it to improve charging reliability nationwide. These achievements make me incredibly proud. They prove real, tangible impact is possible.
Through your journey, did you run into a lot of no’s?
Oh, yeah. The interesting part was that we weren’t just building a company—we were building an entire industry. We had to pass a law because, at the time, companies could deploy charging infrastructure, secure millions in funding, yet face no accountability if stations failed.
When we introduced Reliability as a Service (RDA), reactions were like, ‘Cool, but technically, I don’t have to fix this station—so why should I care?’ We had to change that mindset.
Early on, I learned: You create the environment for success. That’s why we pushed bills, led thought leadership, and now—people come to us. They recognize the problem and, more importantly, know they must solve it.
So when faced with obstacles, we ask: How do we pivot? How do we get stakeholders to act? That’s been our focus.
Currently, there is a lot of market uncertainty, especially in the EV space. Any advice for founders?
For us, reliable infrastructure drives consumer choice, so we stay focused on delivering a great product that ensures reliability.
Interestingly, most of our customers—fleet operators, utility operators—don’t rely on federal funding, so market shifts affect us differently. Their funding comes from other sources.
Regardless, we stay disciplined: tracking leads, refining our story, understanding our numbers and doubling down on product.
You can’t build a business contingent on who’s in office—that’ll always change. Build something consumers will pay for, solving a real problem.
What does success mean to you?
True success will be seeing multiple ChargerHelp alumni launch their own companies. The world suffers from too many unrealized ideas. Right now, most technology reflects just one perspective – from those who get to scale their vision.
I often wonder how different our world would look if more diverse voices could build their ideas. That’s why I’m committed to supporting others. At ChargerHelp, we’ve created a different model: all technicians start at $30 an hour, every employee receives company equity, and we provide comprehensive health benefits.
This approach comes from my personal story. My mother was an outstanding teacher’s assistant who never earned more than $27,000 a year. Her experience taught me that you can treat people right and still run a thriving business.
There are so many others with valuable perspectives that could improve society. When we can help them grow their visions, we have an obligation to do so.
About the Author: Tess Danielson is a journalist and writer focusing on the intersection of technology and society.
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