The Basics
Years of Service: Two
Division: Employee Relations
Role: My work includes advising management and employees, responding to escalated workplace issues, and conducting workplace investigations. During the pandemic, I have also done rapid response, outreach, and contact tracing, to help our employees during this difficult time. I try to approach everything I do with kindness and authenticity, and I hope that results in leaving Seattle City Light an even better workplace than I found it.
Background
Hometown: I was born and raised here in Seattle. I grew up in Ballard and went to Ballard High School (Go Beavers!).
Alma Mater: I went to Western Washington University in Bellingham, and then to the University of Washington School of Law.
Discipline/Trade of Study: As an undergrad, I studied human cognition. At the time, I planned to be a psychology researcher and professor. After I graduated from Western, I took some time off to decide on my next steps, and ultimately landed on law school rather than academia. In law school, I focused on environmental, natural resources, and energy law.
Tell us about your family: My husband, CJ, and I have three cats: Sookie, Bear, and Zissou. If you’re lucky, you may catch a cat cameo on a Teams meeting with me.
Just for Fun
Where do you live and what’s something you love about the area? We live in Issaquah, and I love being so close to nature out here. There are breathtaking mountain views and sunsets, and hiking and biking trails right in our back yard. I have to say, I’m disappointed that I haven’t seen a single bear since we’ve lived out here, but I have high hopes this spring!
What are some of your favorite activities/hobbies? I have a really diverse set of interests and hobbies. A few of my favorites are mountain and gravel biking (I have a Kona Big Honzo and an All-City Gorilla Monsoon, for any other bike nerds out there), reading and writing fiction, camping, and re-learning all the French I’ve forgotten since high school. During the pandemic, I have discovered cooking and Dungeons & Dragons (which, surprisingly, does not always take place in a dungeon!).
If you could have any job for only one day, what would it be and why? This is a tough one, because I want to do everything. Today, my answer is being a wildlife photographer who gets to travel to remote locations and have encounters with rare animals. If you share this interest, I recommend following Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier on Instagram for some great photos.
What brought/attracted you to City Light? I have family members who previously worked for City Light, and some who are still working here. Their positive experiences always made me interested in working for City Light. I was also drawn to City Light because of the utility’s value of Environmental Stewardship, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work for a utility that provides clean energy while protecting and preserving the environment.