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News and Updates from Seattle City Light

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.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Kelly Purnell

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Kelly Purnell has been with City Light for three months working in the Asset Management and Large Project division. “I’m a senior project manager in the Special Capital Programs group where I’m currently managing the Accelerated Pole Replacement Program and working with a great team to continue to keep that program running.”

Originally from Southeast Idaho, Kelly went on to study at the University of Utah earning her B.S. in Geography with a minor in International Relations, and a M.S. in Geography with a focus on Geographic Information Systems and environmental planning from the University of Idaho. “In 2008 I interned in Bellevue at Puget Sound Energy during grad school, and about six months after the financial crisis happened my former colleague there called me and told me they had a contract position available if I wanted it. I moved here two weeks later and never regretted it for a moment.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Kelly shares her assortment of hobbies, what she loves about the area, and her new role at City Light.

InWeb NetWork Kelly Purnell spotlight

“I have so many hobbies- I’m a serial hobbyist. Right now, I’m attempting to learn how to play the ukulele, though my general lack of musical talent will likely land that instrument next to my dusty banjo; one can dream though… I’m also a big reader and I love concerts so hopefully we’ll all get to attend one again. My real passions are in the mountains. I’m a backcountry skier, ski patroller at Summit Central, sometimes mountain biker and road cyclist, and avid long-distance hiker and backpacker. Every now and then I still do a little mountaineering Basically, a tent is my happy place. If I can combine any of my interests with my love of travel, all the better. I feel lucky to have had some of those opportunities in the past and I’m eager to explore more of them once we are able to again.”

“I currently live in North Kirkland. After nine years in Seattle and commuting across Lake Washington, I caved and went to the eastside. Of course, less than two years later I took this job at City Light and now I have that same commute in reverse! I love the much quicker access to open spaces than I had in Seattle, and it’s at least half an hour less to get to the mountains where I spend a lot of my spare time. I also live very close to the Woodinville wineries and my dog appreciates the enhanced access to the outdoors and Marymoor.”

“I worked at Puget Sound Energy for ten years in multiple capacities, starting as a land planner and ending as a project manager for complex electric infrastructure projects. It was a great company to work for and I enjoyed my years there, but I was looking for new and interesting opportunities and to gain perspective on the organizational differences within the industry. Seattle City Light had an opening in their Special Capital Programs group and here I am, looking forward to working on all the innovative and interestingly complex infrastructure projects. Three months in, it’s the people that stand out the most. I’ve barely met anyone in person due to COVID, but regardless, everyone I’ve met via a screen or a phone call is welcoming and eager to help me find my feet in the organization. I really appreciate that. None of this craziness is easy for any of us, and a little help goes a long way right now.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Mario Gonzalez

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Starting at City Light in August 2016, Mario Gonzalez works with the business customer service team as their Senior Customer Service Representative. “I assist our key customer managers with our key customers’ billing inquires, our electrical service engineers with service to bill process, the business customer advisors in account related issues, and our key account yearly rate review.” Mario shared. “I’m here to support our key customer and my team the best I can with the knowledge I have in our systems.”

Originally from Los Angeles, Mario came to Washington for stability and a fresh start, “I heard nothing but good things, so I packed my bags and landed in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Mario talks more about his background, his love for sports, and why he enjoys working at City Light.

“I’ve completed some courses in hospitality at a local community college back in Los Angeles, but most of my experience comes from all of the different jobs I’ve held in customer care throughout my life. They have molded me into the person I am today and I look forward to going back to school to complete my education in business administration.”

“I currently live in Bothell, just down the street from Bothell High School. The community, school district, and quiet, yet busy, downtown make this area a beautiful place for my little family to grow. I love to play sports of any kind; you name it, I’ll play it! Just not hockey, I don’t
think I was made to be on ice. One thing I get teased most for but actually enjoy the most is playing kickball. I am a part of an adult league that travels and plays competitively and after the games we all get together and go have fun at a local bar. It combines my love for travel, my love for sports, and a community of friends that I can share fun memories with.”

“My decision to come to City Light all came down to the possibility of progression and stability. I originally applied for a property management position for a large firm and the temporary position with the city. Thankfully I got both, but the city just made more sense to me at the time even though it was temporary. I’m very thankful that I chose the route I did because I’ve had so many opportunities and have advanced to a position that I am proud of.”

“At the end of each day, I can honestly say that I’ve solved a customer’s issue and in return, I receive gratitude that makes me feel appreciated. I have gained so much from working for Seattle City Light and look forward to the future.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Kim Kinney

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Kim Kinney has worked for City Light for over 11 years. Her initial position was in the General Manager/Chief of Staff Office for
seven years before moving to her current role working in the Chief Financial Officer’s office in the Financial Services Business
Unit (FSBU).

A transplant from the “Great White North” (Canada), Kim was born in a small town on Vancouver Island (Port Alberni which has less than
20,000 people). “What brought me to Seattle was my husband, Lamar,” Kim shared. “Who knew that I would meet a guy in Mexico, spend four
years being a regular customer at the Peace Arch Border Crossing, and then get married and move to Seattle? Lamar and I have been happily
married for 21 years.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Kim talks more about her life in Seattle, her background before City Light, and her work at the utility.

“My husband and I live in West Seattle with our only child—a Shih Tzu named Tasha. There’s nothing better than having a fur baby who thinks
she’s part human and part cat. On the weekends, we love spending our time watching football (Go Hawks! Go Huskies! Go Cougs!). We also
enjoy attending smooth jazz concerts at some of our favorite venues like Jazz Alley and Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. Cooking and traveling
are some of my favorite hobbies. Of course, Mexico is a favorite because that’s where it all started!”

“I studied psychology and sociology at the University of Victoria. I spent many years in both Vancouver and Seattle working in the banking
and insurance industries for company executives and when the opportunity arose at City Light, I was excited to work in public service. I
related to our mission and values in providing customers with affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible energy services. I am
inspired by the utility’s dedication to enhancing, protecting and preserving the environment for future generations.”

“I currently work as the Division Administrator in FSBU. I really enjoy the variety in this role where I get to be actively involved in
administration of the department, human resource matters, coordination of the utility department policies and procedures, management of
damage claims, development and management of SharePoint sites, and the ability to participate in various special projects for the business
unit. I have especially loved participating in the “Women in Power” group and find their mentorship program very valuable.”

“The people and job are what I love about working at the utility. It allows me to network with employees in different areas and it is
gratifying to be able to take on a variety of projects, brainstorm solutions and strive for excellence and process improvement in our daily
work.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Thor Peterson

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“Relative newbie” Thor Peterson started working with City Light in October 2019 in a 11-month TES contract. Before coming to City Light, Thor worked for Seattle Public Utilities and the former Department of Planning Development in conservation and green building roles from 1998-2007, “I’ve got a bit of history with municipal utilities despite my newness in my current role.”

Thor is a native Washingtonian, “in fact both of my parents and one grandparent were also born in Seattle” he shared. “I’m one of those apples that didn’t fall far from the tree! I received my bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington, and then went back to the UW campus a few years later to receive my Master of Public Administration from the Evans School where I focused on environmental policy and public participation in environmental decision-making.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Thor talks more about his work at City Light, his connection to the environment, and what brought him to the utility.

“I currently live in the Ravenna-Bryant neighborhood. The overall sense of place I have here is probably my favorite thing about it; My dad has memories of salmon running in Ravenna creek when he was a kid and I like the feeling of rootedness that my family has instilled in the same place. Needless to say, I love the outdoors- especially plants and the ecosystems they underpin. I love the design challenge of working with nature and unlocking the potential of the natural world on a small scale in my little plot of soil at our house.”

“I am the residential energy efficiency rebates program manager in the Customer Care and Energy Solutions division. Our rebates are meant to change consumer behavior toward selecting more energy-efficient alternatives which help to propel market transformation toward resource efficiency. I was brought on specifically to help sunset some of our long-standing rebate programs and help stand up some innovative replacements. While there’s still a ton of energy conservation opportunity out there, a good amount of the low-hanging fruit has been plucked. Technological change means some new fruits are emerging that we should be focusing on. Some of our programs had also run on autopilot for a while and it was time to rethink our approach to ensure that we not only meet our market transformation and conservation goals, but that we equitably serve our customer base as we work to become the utility of the future.”

“Truly, I like a lot of things about the utility! If I have to pick one, it would have to be the people- I really respect and admire my coworkers. They care deeply about the community we serve, and are just so smart, dedicated and creative. It makes it easy to remain inspired and hopeful, even in the face of daunting challenges they help me feel that we really are up for the task.”

“Working for SPU really ignited my love for publicly-owned utilities. I had the pleasure of collaborating with City Light back in my SPU days, since the green building program I helped administer there had a natural alignment with City Light’s conservation goals. When my current position came up, I jumped at it because it was a unique chance to revisit familiar territory from a new angle and with fresh inspiration. Also, the energy industry is going through massive changes these days and is an essential player in creating our sustainable relationship with our planet- to assist, even in small ways, with the sort of transformation we’ll need to effect as a utility… that’s fun and exciting stuff!”
 

Seattle City (Spot)Light: Margaret Owens

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Margaret Owens has been performing line work with City Light for 24 years. Currently, she is one of two Transmission Right of Way Crew Chiefs. “My job ranges from vegetation management, lake debris removal, right of way restoration, road building, responding to emergency callouts and providing line worker support” Margaret shared. “My crew and I are the eyes and ears for the 100 miles of transmission line which we take great responsibility in caring for.”

Originally from Iowa, Margaret also lived in Arizona before deciding to start fresh and turn over a new leaf in Washington. She now lives in West Seattle, where she loves the close vicinity to stores, restaurants and the short walks to the water, parks and work. “Most days I enjoy biking to work and I have many friendly neighbors who watch out for me and my dog Lucy- especially when emergency call outs take me away from home.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Margaret shares about her educational background, her love for the outdoors and her work at City Light.

“Photography was always a love of mine and I actually studied it at a community college in Iowa for a short time. When I got to Washington, I went through the SCL apprenticeship program in linework and gained journey-level status in 2001. I also went to South Seattle College for numerous years while working full time to receive my arborist certification and almost my Associate’s Degree in Landscape Horticulture, with an emphasis in Landscape Sustainability (I still need a math and English course to finish!). I am also a Certified Arborist/Utility Specialist and I am Tree Risk Assessment qualified.”

“I enjoy all types of outdoor activities but gardening definitely tops the list as one of my favorites, especially with native plants. I have even converted my entire yard to a majority of native area plants! I never go by a nursery that I don’t want to stop and visit- the same can be said about wineries.”

“24 years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As time went on, I realized the wonderful comradery of the workers here in addition to the growth opportunities and ability to make a stable living. I greatly enjoy working with my crew each and every day. They are incredibly talented, knowledgeable and they have a fantastic sense of humor- even through a storm. Every day is different; I never know what the day will bring, but I know with my crew, we can get through it every time. I would also like to give a shout out to the Washington Women in Trades, of which I’m a member, and which accepts memberships from men who support women.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Kelsey Hay

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Kelsey Hay celebrated her one-year anniversary with City Light in late June. She works with the Communications and Marketing division as a Communications intern, where she provides support on a number of projects and teams including community outreach (community meetings and related tasks), Skagit Tours, (spot)Lights, and more!

Growing up in Seattle and currently living in the West Seattle area, Kelsey attends the University of Washington and is majoring in marketing at the Foster School of Business. “It has been so cool to connect the concepts that I have learned in a closed, academic environment to real-world situations and projects at City Light! It has definitely made me that much more excited about what the future has in store and fuels my passion for the work I am currently doing.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Kelsey shares about her travels, her hobbies, and her experience as an intern at City Light.

InWeb NetWork Kelsey Hay SpotLight

“I have been super fortunate to have traveled as much as I have in my short life so far and it makes me never want to stop! In January I had the opportunity to go to Europe for the first time. We originally had planned to only travel to Paris and London but ended up exploring Madrid and Rome for a short time as well. I definitely returned to the states just in time, but I can’t wait for the next opportunity to go back and further appreciate the beautiful countries! It has always been my dream to travel to Europe, but I have also traveled around the states, with Hawaii and New York being some of my favorites.”

“Living and growing up in Washington has made me fall completely in love with the outdoors; whether it’s camping, kayaking, hiking, or just going for a walk, I really enjoy taking advantage of the few clear-skied, sunny days we have. When the weather isn’t the best, and especially in the Fall and Winter months, I am usually indoors with schoolwork, but I’ll always make time for a Seahawks game. My family has always been huge Hawks fans. I guess that must have translated down to me because I never miss a game!”

“I had originally heard about the internship opportunities from a friend that interned in the communications department in the mayor’s office–he really loved the experience and suggested that I look into internships with the City as well. I am so glad that I did and that I found this internship with City Light! Never would I have imagined the amount that I have learned and experienced through my time at the utility. Going through the internship program last summer and meeting other interns, traveling up to the North Cascades National Park (which is hands down one of my favorite places now), and working with so many different and amazing people has really made this internship an overall fantastic experience!”