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News and Updates from Seattle City Light

Seattle City (Spot)Light: Lindsay Ohab

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Lindsay Ohab started at Seattle City Light in April 2020. As the utility’s internship coordinator, Lindsay promotes the internship program to local colleges and universities, onboards new interns, and plans professional development programming. “I feel a lot of pride getting to work with our awesome interns – they bring such skill, passion, and dedication to their projects. For instance, Communications Intern Kelsey Hay frequently writes these (spot)Light profiles!”

Originally from Tempe, Arizona, Lindsay went to school in California, receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She continued on to earn her Master of Public Administration at the University of Washington (UW). “Being new to Seattle, graduate school was such a great way to build my personal and professional network.” Lindsay shared. “I made so many life-long friends at UW, including several who are working throughout the City.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Lindsay shares her experience at City Light, her pre-COVID favorite hobbies, and what she has enjoyed most about her time at the utility.

Lindsay in Šibenik, Croatia 2019

“Since I began my position during the pandemic, I have only ever known remote work at the City. Although the internship program was suspended in summer 2020, I have been grateful to have some time to plan for the return of the program, meet colleagues at City Light and in the community, and learn more about the utility. It has been fun to connect with those interns who were able to stay on for a couple of extra months, learn about their work, and get their valuable feedback about the program.” 

“After going to college in California and returning to Arizona for a few years, I realized that the heat just wasn’t for me. I moved to Seattle 12 years ago to attend graduate school at UW and have been here ever since. I love to travel and have missed it a lot during COVID times. Regardless of how near or far I am traveling, I love the feeling of packing up my suitcase and heading to the airport. I remember my last time on a plane was the weekend before the shutdown – I went to visit some family in the Bay area, and my interview at City Light was a few days later. It was a pretty memorable week!”

“I was attracted to City Light because of the organization’s values and the positive experiences of those I know who work here. I spent the past eight years working in higher education, and the transition to City Light has allowed me to engage with the students in our region in a new way for me. In my previous role at Seattle University, I worked with students to find internships around the city. Now I have the opportunity to bring great students to City Light. In my role, I have heard so many positive comments from supervisors about their interns’ meaningful contributions. Interns have also shared the growth they’ve experienced at City Light. It’s a good feeling to be a part of a formative time in the academic and professional lives of our interns.”

“There have been so many resources available that have helped me learn during these remote times – from the Get to Know City Light Info Sessions, Cornerstone trainings, working closely with SDHR, and the kindness of my colleagues. It is strange to have not met all of my team in person, but they have made me feel so welcome and provided lots of laughs during these times.”

Seattle City (Spot)Light: Kiyomi Morris

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Kiyomi Morris began her City Light career in 2015 as an intern in the Environmental, Land & Licensing business unit, and she’s been with the utility ever since. “As an intern, you get to know the utility industry and learn from all of the wonderful people working here. I had a great experience, and I get excited every time I run into someone from my cohort!”

Born and raised in Washington, Kiyomi grew up on a small lake in the Maltby area with her mom, sister, and grandparents. “As kids, my sister and I spent a lot of our time outdoors – swimming, fishing, and exploring,” she shared. “My mom eventually found us a place of our own, but my grandma kept my childhood home and finally sold it this year.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Kiyomi shares more about her work at City Light, her love for frozen sweet treats, and what initially brought her to the utility.

L-R: Kiyomi and Pete on the boat they restored; Kiyomi and her dog Tonko

“I went to the University of Washington, where I received an interdisciplinary degree in environmental studies. It’s a great mix of the natural and social sciences, and it pairs perfectly with the work I do here at City Light. Among other things in my role at the utility, I help facilitate the tracking, reporting, and emission reduction of one of City Light’s most potent greenhouse gasses. Right now, I’m in a temporary out of class role overseeing the tracking and reporting of all emissions associated with City Light’s business. This role also includes policy work and maintaining City Light’s greenhouse gas neutral status. The work requires me to interact with different people across the utility, and I learn so much from everyone I get to work with – whether it’s something about them or about the work they do for the utility.”

“I currently live on Beacon Hill in a house that was originally owned by my great grandparents. I love how many memories I have in this house, and I’m grateful it’s still in the family. It has a beautiful backyard that our dog loves to run around in. The backyard also has several trees and plants, so we have peaches, Asian pears, plums, apples, and cherries. When we were young, my sister and I would spend weekdays here in the summer with my great grandparents. My extended family is also very tight knit, we all live in the area. Almost every Sunday, the whole family would gather at the Beacon Hill house for dinner.”

“My favorite activity is eating ice cream! I bought an ice cream machine last year so that I can make it all the time. I love to cook and bake, too – I like to think that I balance out all of the ice cream and food with all the hiking and backpacking we do. My partner Peter and I also like to fish and sail. He also loves to tinker with things, so I find myself helping out on many projects. Over the past year, we restored his grandfather’s old boat fishing boat – we finished just in time to enjoy the summer this year!”

“I was attracted to City Light’s impressive environmental reputation. I also knew I wanted to work in a place that would challenge me – somewhere I would feel like I was learning something new every day. Thankfully, I found that here. I get to work for a place that challenges me and allows me to learn and meet new people. I don’t think there is anything else I could ask for. Everything about this place is interesting to me! City Light holds a never-ending pit of information, and I absolutely love it.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Brendan Armstrong

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Brendan Armstrong joined Seattle City Light in January 2019 after working in the private sector for 11 years. “I wanted to be a part of an organization that serves the public, and City Light’s focus on the customer directly aligns with my values,” Brendan shared.

Brendan has lived in Washington state since he was two years old. “I’ve practically lived here all my life, so I still consider myself a native Washingtonian,” said Brendan. He lives in Renton with his wife, Erin, their three children, two dogs, and one cat. “It can get pretty chaotic at home sometimes; well, let’s be honest, all the time, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Brendan talks about his educational background, family life, and utility work.

“I studied at the University of Washington and have a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Law, Societies and Justice. I have always had a strong interest in governance and how decisions that impact the public are made. I’m also interested in the factors that influence the process. It’s that fervor that led me to City Light.”

“With all the fun at home, our hobbies have seemed to revolve around the kids. We enjoy bike rides around the neighborhood and going to the parks to play. I think that’s just the reality of parenting. I try and instill my preferences, like being a huge Sounders fan! I’m winning the kids over to being lifelong soccer fans.”

“As the Physical Security Program Manager at City Light, I am responsible for mitigating security risks to our employees and infrastructure. For me, this comes down to a philosophy of ensuring our employees are safe and feel safe. I am passionate about this work, especially as we continue to move the physical security program in that direction. I love hearing from the people we support, learning what their needs are, and developing solutions to meet those needs. I’m thankful for my amazing team who not only cares deeply about how we can do better every day for our employees and the customers we serve, but who also make it an overall joy to come to work.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Losi Namoa

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Losi Namoa will be celebrating one year at City Light in January 2021. As a lead janitor in Facilities, Security and Emergency Management (FSEM), her job “is to ensure that the team and I work safely and proficiently to assure cleanliness at its finest to all employees and the public.”

Born and raised in Hawaii, Losi wanted to experience life on the mainland and began her journey to the East Coast before ending up on the West coast for good. “I explored Washington and discovered its beauty, fell in love with all four seasons, ate the one and only Rainer Cherries, and have grown to appreciate the values instilled into my humble life here,” Losi shared.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Losi talks about her life in Washington, the hobbies she’s acquired over quarantine, and what she’s enjoyed most about her time at City Light.

“I currently live in Tukwila, where I enjoy the rugby and soccer matches at Starfire Sports, the seafood markets, community involvements, and all of the active noise from birds to aircrafts. My favorite day is everyday! Bonus when the Seahawks are playing. It brings the family together and we all enjoy good food, company, and debates.  Beside game-day, I also volunteer in the community and enjoy connecting with those around me. Since COVID, I’ve picked up a new interest in reading National Geographic magazines and watching UFC sports entertainment. So far, the skills of orcas and Joaquin Buckley are fascinating.”

“To be honest, I was attracted to City Light by the big neon rooftop sign on 4th Avenue. Of course, I did my research too, and once I did, I absolutely knew I was a ‘City Lighter’! I love the commitment of serving and servicing the public while being able to grow and overcome obstacles together with the community at the same time. City Light is an amazing organization.”

“Working at City Light has been an awesome experience. I love the environment, core values, challenging growth, connectivity, learning curves, the city of Seattle, and the FSEM team! I believe my time here has just begun, and I’m excited to give it my best shot.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Dan Langdon

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Dan Langdon has been with City Light for 14 years. He was born and raised in Iowa but traveled to Seattle on and off since the 70s. It wasn’t until 1987 that Dan moved to Washington permanently with some friends from college. “Back in those days, Seattle was a very inexpensive place to live, and the music scene was taking off. It was a great time for the city.”

“I went to The University of Iowa, where I studied lots of things, but ultimately majored in Technical Theatre,” Dan shared. “That has actually come in handy at City Light because a lot of it was about construction and electrical work.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Dan talks about his life in North Beacon Hill, his new weekend getaway, and his work at the utility.

“I live on North Beacon Hill. The views are amazing, and the neighborhood, while changing, still feels like a neighborhood. It’s close to work, the light rail, and the interstates. You can get almost anywhere pretty quickly. My partner and I recently bought a little house over in Electric City, Washington, which is right near Grand Coulee Dam, so we’ve spent many weekends working on it. I hadn’t spent much time in Eastern Washington before that, so it’s been exciting getting to know that part of the state. The geographic diversity of Washington State is amazing. Aside from that, I like cooking, reading, playing with our two dogs, and collecting mid-century furnishings and accessories (something I’ve been doing since the 1970s when nobody wanted it).”

“I worked in the hotel industry for ten years and then worked for an internet marketing startup back in the early days of the web. When a larger business acquired that company, I was out of a job, and saw a position with City Light that looked interesting: Electric Service Representative (ESR).”

“I am the Training Supervisor for the Electric Service Representative groups at North and South, and I also handle special projects. Right now, with the COVID situation, I’m spending most of my time working on projects associated with the wrap-up of the Advanced Metering Initiative (AMI). I was working on AMI before the first meter got exchanged, and I think I will be working on it until the last meter gets exchanged.”

“I love the wide variety of work I’ve been able to do here at the utility. Everything from standard ESR work, to projects like the launch of the Outage Management System, the transportation electrification initiative, and Advanced Metering, to planning and staffing the City Light booth at the Seattle Home Show for several years. I’m particularly happy to have been involved with City Light’s renewable energy efforts. When the solar production incentive began back in 2008, it was the ‘wild west,’ and nobody knew how to deal with it. It’s great to see how it has evolved – both the technology and the way that the utility has responded to it.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Antronette Simmons

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Antronette Simmons began her career with Seattle City Light in January 2019. She is the Division Administrator in the Facilities, Security and Emergency Management division, where she supports human resources, financial reporting, and division operations.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Antronette’s family re-located to Seattle when she was ten. She currently lives in West Seattle. “I love the neighborhood because we have everything we need; plenty of food options for shopping and restaurants, Alki (a gem), parks, and good neighbors.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Antronette shares her new hobbies, her background before City Light, and her continued work at the utility.

Antronette and her daughter.

“I was taking piano lessons before COVID-19 struck, so I’m excited to get back to it! Since COVID, I’ve developed a green thumb, renewed my love for cooking, and have become quite the DIY oil painter; some people may have noticed my colorful doggy in the background of video calls. I’m working on colorful hot air balloons next!”

“My bachelor’s degree is in American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington (UW), and, in September, I’ll begin UW’s Human Resources Management Certification Program. I’m excited to continue my education.”

“Before joining City Light, I worked at UW for 13 years as a research administrator. I wanted a change. City Light attracted me with its diversity, institution size, cultural changes, mission, and service to the community.  All of which are very important to me.”

“What I enjoy most about working at City Light are my colleagues and the relationships I’ve continued to build. I also appreciate the utility’s workplace expectations, leadership training, the cultural changes I see happening, and the ability to change and pivot to fit the needs of the community and organization.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Jen Chan

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Jen Chan joined City Light in May 2019 and celebrated her 20 years at the City of Seattle this past August. Jen grew up in Boston, but after one too many snow-shovel laden winters, normalized negative experiences with Boston drivers (okay, she may have been a co-participant in certain, totally justifiable situations), and a huge desire to see what the other coast was like (GO, SEAHAWKS!!), she moved to Seattle in 1996 to pursue her Master of Social Work at the University of Washington.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Jen shares more about her work at City Light, her life in Seattle, and overall, what she wants to accomplish in her role at the utility.

As City Light’s Chief of Staff, Jen oversees Communications, Performance Metrics & Benchmarks, Strategic Plan, Continuous Improvements, Organizational Change Management and other high-profile projects from the GM’s Office. One of the most common questions Jen hears is: What does a Chief of Staff actually do? Which is a great question since she has wondered that herself, given there is no standard definition and always a challenge to explain to her parents that she is not literally the “Chief” of all staff. So, one way she thinks of her role is: “Aside from management responsibilities for specific work areas, I like to think of myself as the behind-the-scenes person trying to align timing, information, opportunities and decision-making to develop a path forward and get stuff done. While not intentional, I have spent most of my career facilitating workstreams or executive decision-making on topics where I am not the subject matter expert. Having an outsider’s perspective helps me stay out of the weeds, hone in on the most salient issues or concerns at hand, and draw out broader connections, risks and impacts to develop a more informed, scalable and systemic response.” While this explanation may help clarify her role to some, she knows her parents may still not understand what she does. To which it may be easier to just respond: “Yes, mom and dad. I am the Chief of a very small number of staff.”

Jen lives in the Bryant neighborhood in Northeast Seattle with her husband Vince and her two children, Olivia (14), Marcus (12) and dog, Remy (2). Pre-COVID, they spent most of their free time watching their kids’ soccer, basketball and ultimate frisbee games. However, now with their family time freed up, they spend most weekends thinking about the yardwork, closet cleaning, home projects or hiking adventures they should do instead. Three-quarters of the family loves traveling; the other quarter barely tolerates it. This means the family’s traveling habits are typically set by the family member who does most of the household planning (i.e., Jen), so yes, traveling is one of their hobbies.

When reflecting on what Jen would like to accomplish at City Light, she shared: “I absolutely believe that our time here in life and at work is very precious, so for whatever issue I work on, I want to add value to the organization and to customers. At the same time, I think it’s super important to keep everything in perspective, have a little fun when doing good, and definitely enjoy and cultivate the people relationships we form along the way. So, to me, how I judge my time here will boil down to two things: added value and people connections.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Kelly Haren

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Kelly Haren has been a dedicated member of the City Light team for 20 years. “I’m the Generation Supervisor at Cedar Falls and Tolt hydro projects where I support the crew and operations at both sites,” Kelly shared. “My responsibilities include coordinating projects with utility divisions, facilitating training and safety programs, and supervising activities that impact fisheries, deal with environmental issues or influence our dam and public safety programs. I also work with City Departments, like Seattle Public Utilities, for operations planning.”

Originally from Idaho, Kelly moved to the Seattle area after joining the US Coast Guard, where he was stationed in Seattle and Astoria. “I met my wife during that time, and we’ve lived in the Northwest ever since.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Kelly talks more about his life pre-City Light, his family, and more about his work at the utility.

“I spent a couple of years at the University of Idaho before joining the Coast Guard. In college, I studied engineering, basic science, and math. In the Coast Guard, I received experience and education in many engineering and mechanical fundamentals but became an electrician after completing my trade schooling and necessary hours. I was attracted to City Light because of its apprenticeship opportunities, the ability to support my family better, and the varied types of work and opportunities the City would provide throughout my career.”

“I live in the Auburn area on a small lake and enjoy being on the water, boating and relaxing! My favorite activity is traveling with my wife; Hawaii, Cabo, and the Florida Keys are a few of our favorite destinations. For hobbies, I love golfing, boating, and taking the RV out for weekend getaways. I also have four young grandchildren with whom I enjoy spending as much time as I can!”

“What I love most about working at City Light is the many opportunities I’ve had in my career, up to this point. I started in the Constructor Apprenticeship, worked as a journey-level Constructor in Substations downtown, and transferred to the Generation team, where I learned about hydro operations. I also assisted our Apprenticeship Office as a Craft Advisor. Now I can apply all my previous experience to my current role as a Generation Supervisor. City Light has been such a great place to build a career and provide for my family.”

Community (spot)Light: Bob Weeks

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Meet Seattle City Light volunteer, Bob Weeks. Bob, along with the occasional help of family and friends, has spent the past year working tirelessly within a utility transmission corridor next to the Duwamish River. During his weekly visits, he mulches native plants, cuts back and digs invasive Himalayan Blackberries as well as other noxious weeds.

City Light volunteer, Bob Weeks

Bob’s site is adjacent to Tukwila’s Cecil B. Moses Park and part of North Wind’s Weir, a habitat restoration project on the Duwamish River. The stewardship of this site began with Bob’s sister, Pam. She began removing non-native blackberries and planting native plants several years ago as part of a volunteer party for her 70th birthday celebration. Last fall, Bob noticed the native plants that Pam and her party planted were being overgrown with blackberries. As a result, Bob picked up a shovel (technically, a Pulaski), clippers, and got to work.

Bob’s restoration work began as a child when he dug up non-native blackberries at his family home in West Seattle, replacing them with native conifer trees. Sixty years later, most of them are still thriving. As young boys, Bob and his brother played on Harbor Island while their father worked on a boat at the nearby Jim Clark Marina. Later he canoed around the lower Duwamish and began exploring upriver by kayak. Eventually he took a Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition tour of the river led by B.J. Cummings.

His connection to the Duwamish continues through his restoration work. While volunteering at his site, he enjoys seeing Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Herons, King Fishers and other birds and critters that grace the Duwamish River. Freeing native plants from the blackberry overstory and adding new native plants serves the Duwamish River and its native salmon runs. Bob’s stewardship is motivated by his appreciation of the Duwamish River’s history and restoration efforts. Thank you so much for your time, energy and dedication, Bob!

Seattle City (spot)Light

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Hannah Staples has been with City Light for five years. Starting out as a college intern in her first year, Hannah moved between a few temporary positions before moving into a permanent role with the Spatial Analytics team within Geographic Information System (GIS) Services as a GIS Analyst.

“I was born and raised in Bremerton, which is just a quick ferry ride from Seattle. Growing up, making a visit to Seattle was always a special occasion and I have loved making Seattle my home! I have thought about moving to other cities, but being around water, mountains, and forest all feel necessary to me and it’s hard to find that combination anywhere else!”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Hannah shares more about her work at City Light, her creative hobbies, and her life in Wallingford.

InWeb NetWork Hannah Staples Spotlight

“Very simply put, I make maps. Basically, if there is any type of data that has a location associated with it, I can analyze that data and create interactive web maps that help various business units at the utility gain more insight into their data. Some examples of work I’ve completed in the past include an interactive map of the crossover between poles of a particular height and scenic routes, maps exploring the relationship between various demographic data and Utility Discount Program customers, and work with the Streetlight group to create a map that allows their contractors to spatially update what streetlights they are working on.”

“My husband and I have been living in Wallingford for four years now. We love walking around the neighborhood and enjoying the beautiful residential streets. It’s also lovely to be walking distance from coffee shops and bakeries! I love getting involved in anything creative when I’m not working. Lately that has been photography and painting. I also make and sell jewelry and run my own small business. Outside of art, I spend a lot of time going to dog parks with my golden retriever, Maisie, and I love to go camping, especially in Olympic National Park. My husband and I actually got married at the first place we ever camped together! It was the Staircase campground.”

“I attended four different college campuses when I was studying undergrad. I started out at Western Washington University thinking I would major in Behavioral Neuroscience. I then transferred to UW Tacoma to major in Social Work and ended up graduating from UW Seattle with a bachelor’s in environmental science and Resource Management. In college I had the opportunity to intern with City Light and I quickly found that I enjoyed the work I was doing, and I met so many great people that I have been here ever since!”

“I am so grateful that I’ve met so many wonderful individuals at City Light and having great support from co-workers and supervisors makes for a great work environment. I also appreciate that City Light values maintaining a healthy work/life balance.”