Robert Mahoney started his City Light career in 2013. From consultant role to temporary position, he’s now a full-time employee in the Power Supply business unit. “I’m the Operational Technology Program Manager for the Power Systems Automation Group,” Robert explained. “I manage the scope, schedule and budget – for most of the projects that come out of our group.  Right now, we’re implementing the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) and working on new trading and risk management systems, business processes and training employees on the new tools. We’re currently   focused mostly on software.”

Rob grew up in the Boston area where he pursued his education at local institutions. He graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a degree in electrical engineering and later earned an MBA on organizational behavior from Suffolk University in Boston.

Rob lives in Bothell with his wife Erica and their two daughters, Emily (five years old) and Makenna (two years old). In this week’s (spot)Light, Rob talks about his hometown, hobbies and life in the Northwest.

Rob with his family

“I interned at my local utility during my sophomore year of college and it just kind of stuck. I enjoy knowing how much work goes into something simple as turning the lights on. At utilities we figure out how to generate, transmit and distribute electricity especially around certain constraints and congestion. It’s a fun, complex problem to solve.”

“I grew up in Rockland, Massachusetts which is halfway between Boston and Cape Cod. I lived there for 27 years and met my wife in Boston. At the time I was working at National Grid during the day and the door at comedy club at night. She grew up near Portland but went to school in upstate New York. She always wanted to move back to the Northwest.  We’ve been here for about 8 years but enjoy traveling back east as often as we can.

“I enjoy the Northwest. The views here are amazing. The mountains, the trees, the ability not to have snow, but have the option to experience it in the winter whenever you want. That’s something I don’t miss about New England – the frigid cold temps. The weather here is great. I don’t think there is a better place to be than Seattle in the summertime. But even though I live here, I still root for my Boston teams. I’m a total Red Sox, Bruins and Patriots fan.”

“We have two kids and do a lot of hiking and exploring different parks. I think that’s another thing that’s unique to the Northwest. Our kids keep us busy; there is always gymnastics, soccer or some activity going on. Something that most people don’t know about me is that I love musicals, if I’m working with my headphones it is it probably Wicked or Hamilton. I also enjoy archery, it’s something I tried it as a team building activity when I was consultant and I really liked it! I’ve been doing it for nearly four years. It’s fun, precise and incredibly calming to me. I never thought it would be something that I do in life, but I’ve completely taken to it. My oldest daughter also enjoys it, so we do that together in our backyard.”

Cintia Luna-Villasana will celebrate four-years at Seattle City Light in March. She started on the Talent and Acquisition team, but after three years, transitioned to Power Supply as the Administrative Specialist for Officer Mike Haynes. “I’m better known as Mike’s conscience,” Cintia joked. “I also support Generation Operations and Engineering Director Faz Kasraie. I handle travel requests, training contracts, budget information, HR processes – a variety of things.”

Cintia was born in Wenatchee where she lived until she was about eight years old. “My parents had a business and decided to move to western Washington,” Cintia shared. “They have a Mexican restaurant in Everett, El Pollo Rico. I still help out with bookkeeping on the weekends.” Cintia attended Western Washington University on a full-ride scholarship and received a degree in business administration with a focus in human resources.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Cintia talks about public service and the family vacations that sparked her interest in utilities.

Cintia at Bonneville Powerhouse

“Growing up, my parents took me to Rocky Reach Dam every Easter because it had an egg hunt and real bunnies! I also went there on a school field trip. I remember visiting the fish ladder and viewing area and thinking that it was the greatest place. Ever since then, I’ve always liked generation and developed an interest in utilities.”

“Visiting dams and learning about power is something I enjoy. It was part of my childhood. Whenever people visited, we took them to Rocky Reach. It has a cool visitor’s center and was something neat to see. So, in a way, I grew up with dams. And I’ve kept it up! In 2008, I went to Grand Coulee Dam. That was something since it’s the mightiest hydroelectric plant in the United States. I’ve visited Chief Joseph Dam, Bonneville Dam and on a recent trip to Palm Springs, I toured the windmill farm. It was super interesting and gave me a greater appreciation for hydro. This June, I plan to check out the Hoover Dam. I’ve been to our dams in Boundary, Skagit, Lucky Peak as well as Masonry Dam in Cedar Falls. I’m hoping that one day I can visit BC Hydro – I just need access. If you know someone, let me know!”

“I like to go on road trips – even if it’s just for a day. I’m the person who won’t have anything planned and will spontaneously say ‘Let’s go!’ Depending on the weather, it could be Portland or Vancouver, BC., but honestly, my favorite getaway is Skagit. It’s so close and just beautiful. I also like summer road trips to eastern Washington, particularly Wenatchee because it’s home. I like being away from the city. I’m a country girl at heart.”

“I got into public service because both my brothers are Marines. It’s my way of giving back; we’re all public servants, in a way. One of my brothers is deployed and on his second term, and the other is about to finish his term. I love my parents and am very close to them. I have so much to be thankful for. When my family arrived in the United States, they were apple pickers in Wenatchee and saved money to make their dreams come true. My siblings and I are living our American dream and it’s great for my parents to see.”

Jeanie Ahn has been at City Light for two and a half years. She began in financial planning but now works as a Budget Analyst in the budget office where she sets budgets and helps keep groups on track. “I’ve always been a numbers nerd and enjoy numbers and their relationships,” Jeanie said.

True to her word, the Kansas native majored in economics at the University of Washington. While in college, she got a part-time job at Nordstrom and worked there for 19 years, most recently in the company’s budget office.  “I decided to switch over to City Light and take the public route because I was looking for a change and wanted to do something for the community,” Jeanie explained.

In this week’s (spot)Light, read about Jeanie’s love for Taekwondo, teaching and empowering women.

Jeanie in a jumping back kick

“I’ve been doing Taekwondo for about 24 years. When I was a teenager, one of my friends got into trouble and her punishment was to do Taekwondo. I watched her practice and thought it looked cool. I told my parents I wanted to try it and my dad said ‘Absolutely not.’ He saw it as a male sport, so that cemented the fact that I had to do it. We fought about it for three months until he finally caved. The first week was so hard I wanted to quit. I now teach Taekwondo and self-defense classes at my studio in South Seattle. I also practice and teach yoga which is a nice complement to martial arts.”

“My friend looked at my resume years ago and she said, ‘Oh, you’re a teacher!’ I taught piano lessons when I was younger. At Nordstrom, I was the person that trained other people and worked new-store openings. I think, in general, I like teaching. That appeals to me. While numbers are very black and white and methodical, teaching lets me be creative. I can explore my creative side and design a class based on an individual’s skills, needs and focus.”

“Teaching self-defense is really important to me because it empowers other women. Not to say it’s only for women! Men have taken it as well and women do come in with their partners. Our self-defense class was created for a novice person coming in off the street; someone who wants to learn some moves. It’s a two-hour workshop where people learn how to get out of certain grabs, but also, maybe speaking more to the female side, how to attack. I feel that it doesn’t come natural for women to strike. So, we talk about, demonstrate, and practice different ways to attack if you had to defend yourself.”

“One of my favorite parts of this class is how we end it – every person breaks a board! I never tell them that, though. It happens at the end of class, so I wait until the right moment to bring it up it. And everyone does it! I’ve never had anyone who couldn’t do it. Women really underestimate themselves and how strong they are. It’s important to leave on a positive note because it’s kind of a sour reason we’re there to begin with. Women are targeted more. It’s a downer, so it’s important to finish high.”

Cindy Reside Hensel celebrated 20 years with City Light in November 2018. Her work as a Student Engineer and Energy Management Analyst led to her current role as an Electrical Service Engineer in the Customer Construction Services division. “I love being part of the Electrical Service Engineering group because I get to work with large key and industrial customers on the largest construction projects in Seattle,” Cindy said.

Cindy grew up in Bremerton and attended Olympic High School where she played in the band. “I’ve been playing the flute and piano since elementary school,” Cindy shared. “I enjoyed being in wind ensemble and jazz band”. In fact, in high school, I was in the jazz band with Ben Gibbard, the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie!” She went to college at the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in material science and engineering. She lives in Richmond Beach with her husband and three children (ages five, eight and ten).

In this week’s (spot)Light, Cindy talks about her career path, hobbies and shares her engineering inspiration.

Cindy with her family at Grand Canyon National Park

“I’m a long-distance runner. I ran the Honolulu and Big Sur marathons. I’ve also ran six half-marathons. Running is not just exercise for me; it’s a way of life. It clears my mind and really gives me that runner’s high. When I was a kid, I would see a group of young students run in my neighborhood. I always wondered who they were and why they ran. They motivated me.  So, when I was in junior high school, I decided to sign up for cross country. I’ve been running ever since! I’m not fast, but I’m steady. When training for marathons, I give myself a mileage goal to hit. I always tell myself just one more mile!”

“I love math. That kind of spurred my interest in engineering. My dad also inspired me. He was a mechanical engineer. He used to bring home his drawings and I would watch him create his designs.  High school was another source of inspiration. That’s where I was introduced to new programs like AutoCad and programming. I ended up taking additional classes which inspired me to go into this field. I was planning to have a career in failure analysis with Boeing, but somewhere along the way, I got pulled into the electrical world and have loved it ever since.”

“My kids love math and chess! Our oldest is in fourth grade at Syre Elementary. I’m co-chairing the Math Olympiad program and am a Chess Club volunteer at his school. It looks like the love of math is continuing in our family!”

“I’ve been lucky to work with such talented people at City Light. It’s been a rewarding experience to work with a diverse array of unique and technical projects while providing the best customer service to our customers. During my time here, I’ve always felt the support of management during transitions in my life—from being a student to getting married and having kids.  I’m very thankful I was able to take a one-year sabbatical. Even though they don’t work here anymore, I especially want to acknowledge John Nierenberg and Fred Ojima. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have applied for the Electrical Service Engineer position. It opened many doors for me and I’m so grateful to them for that opportunity.”

Quan Tharngtrakul joined City Light in 2015 as a receptionist in Human Resources. From there, she moved to Talent Acquisition before landing her current role in Transmission & Distribution Operations. “I’m an Administration Specialist lll and support our network, substations and service operations teams,” Quan explained. “My responsibilities include compiling management reports, meeting and event coordination, scheduling, travel requests and other items our director and management team need.”

Quan grew up in Anacortes and attended college at Western Washington University where she graduated with a degree in international business. “I was kind of tucked away up north until I started my job at City Light; it’s what got me to move to the big city!” she said with a laugh. Quan and her fiancé, Erin, live in Kirkland and are busy planning their September 2019 wedding.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Quan talks about her job, her hobbies and her move to the Emerald City.

Quan in Whistler, British Columbia

“I like my job because I work with different groups across the utility. I have a lot of friends who are in this role within their own divisions; it’s fun to coordinate with them and brainstorm how we can improve our processes. We’re a strong network for one another. It’s also great that I work under a female executive (Michelle Vargo). I really like that I support Michelle directly. I learn a lot from her and the people around me. In fact, every group I’ve worked with has been filled with good, supportive people. They’ve always encouraged my professional development with trainings, workshops and other opportunities.”

“Moving to Seattle was a big culture shock for me. People assumed that I was familiar with the city because I’m from the Northwest, but it’s so completely different than from where I grew up. I never had to deal with traffic. I never took public transit. When I first moved here, everyone seemed to know what they were doing! It was intimidating, but I’m glad I made the move. Before Seattle, I was working in my hometown and basically in the same environment of my upbringing. I wanted to try something new. I applied to City Light on a whim; it was for a temporary six-month position! But it got me out here and now I’m in a full-time role.”

“The majority of my family is in Thailand, but my parents and grandma live here. We have a small Thai restaurant, Bangkok Bistro, in Burlington; a good midway stop on the way to Skagit! I grew up helping at the restaurant and developed a love for cooking. I cook a lot of Thai fusion food at home. Right now, I’m trying to get into baking. I love the Food Network and have even made cookies for CLEA!”

“I can’t imagine living anywhere else.  I love the natural beauty of the Northwest. I enjoy photography and this area has a ton of cool photo opportunities. I like doing landscapes and stand still shots. Also, food. I’ll take photos of my meals and send them to my friends. My fiancé and I also love to do jigsaw puzzles. We go big and do the complicated ones; anything above 1,500 pieces. Right now, we’re working on a Stars Wars puzzle that’s turning out to be pretty awesome.”

In 2013, Dejene Mersha started at City Light as an intern in the Network Engineering group. Since then, he’s worked as an assistant electrical engineer with Network Engineering and Systems Planning team and is now part of the Generation Operations & Engineering division as an associate electrical engineer. “My internship was a really good experience,” Dejene said. “I’m glad that I continued to work here. The people here are rich in experience and, working with them, has showed me where to be and how to develop my skills.”

Dejene was born in Ethiopia. He moved to the United States in 2007 with one destination on his mind: Seattle. “I had family living in Tampa, Florida, but a friend suggested I study engineering at the University of Washington,” he shared. “So, I headed straight to Seattle, to join UW.” He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from University of Washington and went on to receive his master’s degree in electrical power engineering from Washington State University. Dejene and his wife Hana live in Lake Stickney with their six-year-old son Yoseph.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Dejene talks about his work and shares a few of his favorite activities.

Dejene with his family

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been interested in anything that was relevant to electricity. It’s always been my passion. I knew that I wanted to study electricity, specifically the electrical field. That’s why I came to the United States—to pursue a higher education. My background specializes in power engineering. With my experience, you want to work at a power company. Living in Seattle, it was clear that City Light is the ideal place for me.”

“It’s been great working with different groups at the utility. The work is interesting; always different. And I’ve learned a lot. When I was with Network Engineering, I analyzed energy loads. With System Planning, I studied the system and provided recommendations to our team. I’m fairly new to my current role, but I help prepare the engineering schematic and relevant drawings for major hydroelectric power generating units. I also help fulfill the standards and regulatory obligations assigned by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC).”

“When I’m not working, I like to spend time with my loved ones. There’s nothing better than that, right? That’s one of the reasons why I love where I live. We have a backyard for us to hang out and there is a little park by my house where I like to play with my son. I also like to play soccer and take my son swimming.”

“Weekends are always fun at my house because my wife loves to cook. And she is a great cook! She is always trying new foods, new recipes. That’s why I like it so much; nothing is similar or repetitive. She explores different culture’s food and will cook anything and everything! Recently she made Pasta Al Forno. She deviated from the traditional recipe and adding her own touch by using different sauces. It was amazing!”