Elizabeth Lyon has worked at the utility’s Lighting Design Lab (LDL) for over four years. LDL, a unit of Customer Energy Solutions, focuses on commercial and industrial lighting education and evaluation services for regional utilities, energy efficiency organizations and trade professionals. “I’m the marketing-communications strategist,” Beth explained. “My role is to expand the lab’s visibility and increase the activity of our services.”
Originally from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Beth graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in communications and a minor in business. She also studied retail advertising at the Fashion Institute of Design Merchandising and achieved a graduate certificate in advanced digital marketing from the University of Washington. Beth originally moved to Seattle for work, but was quickly attracted to the region’s diversity and proximity to outdoor activities. She lives in West Seattle. “I love its sense of community; how close it is to the Sound and the fact that it’s very dog-friendly,” Beth shared.
In this week’s (spot)Light, Beth shares what keeps her busy and what she enjoys about LDL.
Beth and Cameron
“Skiing, biking and hiking are a few of my favorite outdoor activities. Our access to the mountains is what makes living in the Northwest so great. I’ll head up to Whistler for a weekend of skiing, but I also like Crystal Mountain. I also ski outside the country. I’ve skied in France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. I just think that the snow is much better. France is my favorite place in the world to ski, particularly Chamonix. Courmayeur in Italy is a close second.”
“I give back by volunteering as a crisis response dog handler and responder. Sadly, my previous response dog, Rex, died unexpectedly, but I have a new partner in training, Cameron. He’s currently away at early ‘boot camp.’ He’s learning typical puppy skills while being exposed to environments filled with a lot of people and a lot of noise. When he’s about one year old, Cameron will become a therapy dog. He won’t test for crisis response until he’s about two. All handlers and dogs with our response organization (there are several across the country) are highly trained in FEMA incident command, traumatology and dog handling. We’re also registered and insured.”
“Through this work, I’ve had the honor to be at the Oso mudslide and the Seattle/King County Clinic at Seattle Center. And, although rare events, my team was deployed to work the shootings at Seattle Pacific University and Marysville High School, providing comfort to victims and students through the love of a dog. Tragic deployments can come at a moment’s notice and I’m grateful for my boss who is very supportive of this effort.”
“I really enjoy the people I work with at LDL. We’re a small, scrappy team which allows us to be nimble and proactive for our customers. I’m always happy to share the work that we do. If anyone would like a tour of LDL, just let me know!”