Sang Ah Koh joined City Light in August 2016 and currently serves as the employee relations manager. “People know us as the ‘investigations’ group since we handle workplace investigations and matters that pertain to equal employment opportunities. It’s not very exciting or fluffy,” Sang Ah explained. “However, we’re also the team that processes leaves like parental and sabbatical which can be exciting!”
Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Sang Ah received a BA in International Studies from Ewha University. She studied law at West Virginia University where she obtained her JD. Sang Ah lives in Capitol Hill with her husband Jason and their golden doodle Agi. “My identical twin sister and most of my family live in South Korea so I try to visit once a year,” Sang Ah said. In this week’s (spot)Light, Sang Ah shares what she loves most about her job and what she enjoys about living in Seattle.
A sunny stroll with Sang Ah and Agi
“We’ve lived in Seattle for three years. When my husband and I were deciding where to move, Seattle was always number one in so many good categories. We liked how politically progressive the city is and how environmentally aware the people are. Protecting the environment matters here and there’s also a strong focus on education. These were all attractive and admirable attributes. It was a culture I wanted to be part of.”
“Seattle has also won me over with its food scene—wow! So many celebrity chefs rave about it and I’ve read many articles about it. I get so excited when I talk about food. Some of my favorite places to go are in Capitol Hill. That neighborhood has anything and everything great about food, ranging from bar eats to high-end dining. I have my favorite for each category of food—Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean, Indian, etc. So far, Stateside has been my favorite dining experience. I also like its smaller bar, Foreign National, which is another go-to of mine.”
“We have a seven-year old golden doodle, Agi, which means ‘baby’ in Korean. My husband and I treat her like our child. People in Charleston, West Virginia (where Jason and I met) loved dogs, but not quite at the level that we expressed. When we moved here, it became very clear that people love dogs just as much as we do. We see so many dogs walking around Capitol Hill. It’s another thing I absolutely adore about Seattle.”
“I’m a very proud City Light employee. This position attracted me because of its reputation. The utility’s human resources division is well known and I wanted to be part of it. I’ve also always craved people skills—talking to people on a personal level and having the ability to connect. Every day, I’m fortunate to talk to people with various backgrounds, both professionally and personally. It’s a humbling experience and an aspect of my job I truly enjoy. It never gets boring.”