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News and Updates from Seattle City Light

Seattle City (spot)Light: Steve Crume

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Steve Crume will celebrate 20 years at City Light in July. He’s part of the Asset Management and Large Projects division as the Joint Use and Streetlight Engineering Manager. “The best way to describe Joint Use is anything that you put on a utility pole that doesn’t belong to the utility – all your communication networks like 4G and 5G, small cell, wireline communication, things like that. And, streetlight, well, it’s in the name,” he said with a laugh.

Steve grew up in the middle of Indiana’s farm country. “I always had ambitions to see the world, so I joined the Navy,” Steve shared. “I spent time as a crewman in P3 aircraft hunting submarines. For career advancement, I quit flying, earned my commission as an Aviation Ordnance Officer and spent the rest of my career either on aircraft carriers or embarked on them as part of an air wing.” He now lives in Lynnwood with his wife Linh.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Steve talks about his time in the Navy, woodworking and his childhood stint in the amateur circus.

“I retired from the Navy after 24 years. I’ve traveled the world many times and have visited twenty-four percent of the world’s countries. I’ve seen more of the world than I have this country! After retirement, I was hired at City Light as an Electric Service Representative. I spent two years doing that before getting promoted to a pole engineer. But I wasn’t really a true pole engineer; the utility was at the very early stages of forming Joint Use. I was brought on to help build the program. In 2008, Joint Use became an official unit and in 2011, I inherited Streetlight Engineering.”

“Before retiring from the Navy, I had no idea where I wanted to be. That is until I stepped foot in the state of Washington. It was in 1991 on Whidbey Island. The second I was here, I knew that this is where I wanted to be. At the time, I was young enough to start a second career. I have a background in construction and used to teach Electric Theory and Fundamentals while in the Navy – that’s what got me in the door at City Light. I really thought I would go to Boeing with my aviation background, but I’m very happy my career unfolded the way it did.”

“I’m an avid woodworker. I like to build and work with my hands – bookcases, magazine racks, end tables, custom-made tables. In fact, there are some Christmas gifts that have been on my to-do list for several years now! I’ve even made a desktop chess set including all the pieces and a set of checkers to go with it. I absolutely love woodworking.”

“One thing people might not know about me is that I spent seven years in an amateur circus. I started when I was ten years old as a clown…some people say I’ve never stopped! I rigged and set-up the acts. I also performed. I did a bullwhip act and was a trapeze catcher. I was also the top guy on Roman ladders. There’s a documentary about it, ‘Circus Town USA.’ I guess you know you’re old when you go to a museum and see pictures of yourself!”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Shari Weir

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Shari Weir will celebrate three years at City Light this month. She works in Customer Energy Solutions as the program manager for Green-Up, City Light’s voluntary green power program. “We have about 13,000 participants who contribute a little extra on their bill,” Shari explained. “That extra money goes toward the purchase of renewable energy. Our customer contributions average around $1M dollars per year. It’s amazing to see.”

Shari was born in Southern California but grew up in Snoqualmie. “My dad was a software engineer, so we moved up here in the early 90s,” Shari shared. She studied urban planning, in the Community, Environment and Planning program at the University of Washington (UW). She also attended graduate school at UW’s Evans School of Public Affairs.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Shari talks about being a public servant and her hobbies.

Shari on the Horseshoe Bay Ferry in British Columbia

“I enjoy the outdoors as much as I can – skiing, hiking, getting out with my dog Roger. I used to work for the Forest Service so I’m familiar with the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and know the trails well. The past few years, after pressure from my sister and brother, I’ve gotten into alpine touring. I would like to do more of that without the fear of avalanches! I also like to read, bake, restore mid-century furniture, and embroider, mainly free-hand embroidery… I got started in grad school when I found I needed a creative release– it’s nice to grab a piece of fabric and some thread and create something out of nothing.”

“My job has two focuses. One is to market the Green-Up Program; to keep attracting customers and talk to those who already participate. The other is to find ways to spend the revenue in ways that 1) are compliant with the laws that govern the program and 2) are in line with the customers’ preferences. One example is our Green-up Grants which funded 14 local projects in 2017. This year, I ‘m working on the Access Solar Project which will install solar on affordable housing in our service territory.”

“I’m a born public servant and have worked in renewable energy for seven years. I had a strong desire to switch over to the utility side, especially one that serves my hometown. Because we’re a muni, I’m also working for the City. It’s all about the public good. I like to operate with a high level of integrity. It’s always been my philosophy to apply my work toward public good, specifically focusing on sustainability. That’s how I decided on my major in college.”

“As an organization, we have a pretty high level of integrity. We’re always trying to treat our customers well, to do the right thing, to be responsible with our revenues and rates. I see that consistently. I also really like our focus on RSJI and assisting our low-income customers. That’s been a real joy to work on – to always consider the community impact, the community initiative. It’s not just about what we at the utility want to do.  And I get a lot of pleasure managing a customer-facing program because it’s all about our customers. It’s not ratepayer’s funds I’m working with, it’s the participant’s funds. So, it’s about what they want.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Marlin Jackson

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Marlin Jackson has been at City Light for twelve years. As the Communications Electrician Crew Chief, he’s located at the North Service Center where he and his team serve the utility’s telecommunications operations. “Our primary responsibility is to make sure that we can facilitate the transfer of information to and from our sites, both local and remote,” Marlin explained. “Some of the ways we interface the technology include an optical multiplexing system, copper cables and touch screen communications.”

A New Jersey native, Marlin settled in Washington state after serving in the Navy. “I served for twenty years and for fourteen of those years, I was stationed in different locations on the East coast. I wanted to try something new,” Marlin shared. “So, I took orders to the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72, followed by the Fleet Technical Support Center Pacific. I retired in 2003.” He now lives in Everett where he enjoys access to the Northwest’s beauty, including mountains, lakes and rain forests on the Peninsula.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Marlin talks about his hobbies and his work at City Light.

Marlin Jackson

“Over the course of my career and during my time in the Navy, I attended many vocational schools. I studied things like closd circuit television, telephone systems, broadcast televisions and more. As you can see, the common thread is electronics. Although technology has made much of that training obsolete (for example, no more analog), it cemented the fundamentals to this day. Before retiring, I passed my certification for my Federal Communications License and completed my degree in applied science from Excelsior University.”

“One of my favorite hobbies is motorcycle riding. I was a late bloomer to it but it’s something I can only describe as ‘transformational.’ When you ride, all your senses are alive. I feel that it allows you to truly experience the roads instead of simply driving from ‘Point A to Point B’.”

“The challenge of learning the job is what attracted me to City Light. Even with my background and training, I was amazed at the equipment that’s used here. I was familiar with some of it, but there were some items I had never seen. Once I was hired, I immersed myself in the role. In many aspects, it was a little overwhelming at times, but not impossible.  I believed then as I do now, that if you truly apply yourself to learning and improving, there isn’t anything you can’t accomplish.”

“I like City Light because of the people who work here. I also like the challenge of being part of an evolving business. Responsibility increases, training never stops, and accountability is always present. And with the work that we do, there is an ongoing satisfaction of a job well done. This is an industry where we must always practice safety to ensure that everyone gets home to their love ones. To me, each of these elements represent a continued drive for excellence.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Ronda Strauch

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Ronda Strauch joined City Light in July 2018 as part of the Environment, Land and Licensing business unit. As a climate scientist, she works on climate change research and adaption. “My goal is to better understand climate change, how it affects City Light’s business, and what strategic things can we do to reduce impacts and prepare for it,” Ronda explained.

Originally from San Diego, Ronda received a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from UC Davis. She also earned her master’s degree in forest ecology and a Ph.D. in civil environmental engineering from the University of Washington. “In grad school, I looked at climate change impacts on high elevation forests,” Ronda shared. “I focused on what happens after a wildfire because, when you think of it, you’re kind of starting with a clean slate. It was a hot topic at the time. The IPCC had just formed and I knew we needed to learn more about how change could impact our forests.” She continued studying climate change focusing on landslides in the North Cascades during her doctorate.

Learn more about Ronda and her adventurous hobbies (including building her own sea kayak) in this week’s (spot)Light. 

Ronda with the 17 ft kayak that she built with her husband

“I love getting outdoors to kayak.  I’ll kayak on the Snoqualmie River, but last Labor Day my husband and I went to Broken Group Islands on the outskirts of Vancouver Island. I have a smaller kayak for rivers and lakes and the 17-foot sea kayak that we built! It took about five months to make. It’s a kit from Pygmy Boats out of Port Townsend and it’s made from an Okoume plywood that’s thin and resistant to fungal attack. I named her Cuttlefish.”

“I’m also a mountain climber. I’ve done Rainier twice, Mount Adams several times, and Mount Olympus once. Mount Baker and Mount Hood are on my list. I tried Glacier Peak, but we got foiled by whiteout conditions. I’d like to try that again. Right now, I’m training for an ultra-marathon trail run which is crazy, but it keeps me active! It’ll be at Bryce Canyon in May.”

“Gardening is another favorite hobby of mine. I have this goal of getting every tree species in Washington to grow in my yard. I have most, actually! I live on the outskirts of Woodinville. It’s a nice forested area with a little over an acre. So, we tend to get lots of animals. Last year we had two black bears. We’ve also had bobcats – we live with wildlife!”

“In my career, I’ve also looked at climate change and how it affects transportation. I did that at King County Department of Transportation and as part of my graduate work. I focused on climate change wherever I went, in whatever job I’ve held. I get to carry on that work at City Light. My work entails keeping up on the science, advancing research that supports our data needs, and communicating that information such that climate change considerations are integrated into our everyday decisions.  I really enjoy meeting and interacting with City Light employees and appreciate how they embrace the duty of keeping the lights on – even when the snow comes or doesn’t come, wind blows, fire strikes, and the heat is on!”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Erin Lowery

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Erin Lowery will celebrate five years at City Light this June. Erin is a fisheries biologist who works in the utility’s Environment, Land, and Licensing Business Unit. “We have various settlement agreements through our Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license (FERC),” Erin explained. “These agreements are designed to reduce our effects on various resource areas. My job is to manage our fisheries program as defined by our Fisheries Settlement Agreement.”

A Seattle native, Erin grew up in a turn of the century farm house in Ballard. He attended the University of Washington where he pursued his undergraduate and graduate studies at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. “My master’s focused on the feeding behavior of bull trout in the Skagit River,” Erin shared. “That work was funded by the Science Policy Unit here at City Light. I worked with Ed Connor and Dave Pflug throughout my graduate program and am proud to be one of the scientists in that group.”

In this week’s (spot)Light, Erin talks about his hobbies and his work at City Light.

Erin with his family

“Spending time with my family is my priority. We live in Haller Lake in North Seattle. I love that my girls have become friends with a ton of kids in our neighborhood. My wife and I have also befriended many of our neighbors. And our neighborhood has sidewalks! I’m also introducing a few of my hobbies to my daughters. I like working on classic and modern cars. I have a ’74 MGB roadster, ’67 Series 2a Land Rover 88”, and a ’95 Land Rover Range Rover Classic. I’m also into junk yards, brewing beer, woodworking and metal working. I like to hunt big game (deer, elk, and bear) and upland bird hunting. Living in the Northwest, I also enjoy hiking, camping, overlanding, boating, and various types of fishing.”

“I work on two research programs that focus on Chinook salmon and steelhead. There is also a habitat construction and maintenance program for chum salmon and a small resident trout stocking program for the reservoirs. I help manage the flow plan on the Skagit which dictates how we operate the Gorge Dam in support of salmon and steelhead spawning, incubation, and fry migration. The model that was used to develop the flow program could not provide 100% protection of salmon redds (nests), so there’s a clause in our license that allows us to modify our flows based on the results of on-the-ground monitoring. Because of this, I’m out on the river once a week from March-June and again in August-January to monitor spawning activity. I use the data collected to work with natural resource agencies, tribes and City Light’s Power Management to achieve 100% redd protection.”

“City Light has a reputation of being a good steward of the environment. It’s also an organization that puts science first. Working with Ed and Dave left a big impression on me; it was a great experience.  When I was a researcher at UW I maintained professional relationships with the biologists on the Skagit. So, naturally, I was excited to apply to the utility when a position became available. I like the nature of the work and my colleagues. It also nice to know that I’m a valued part of the organization and that my work is important.”



Seattle City (spot)Light: Sara Lien

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Sara Lien will celebrate five years at City Light in April. Originally from Taiwan, she moved around to different cities before settling in Vancouver, British Columbia. She attended Simon Fraser University and received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting. After college, she articled with KPMG, a public accounting firm, to obtain her Chartered Accountant license (or CPA equivalent) and did mostly financial audits and corporate tax planning. “I decided that my experience at KPMG provided me with good background. I wanted to learn more on the operational side of businesses, so I left the public accounting practice and switched industries, focusing on internal and process auditing,” she explained.

Sara moved to Seattle when she began her career at City Light as an Internal Auditor in Finance, but recently switched roles to be a Strategic Advisor for the Continuous Improvement team in Customer Care. “I’m working with different business groups to initiate the new Business Process Improvement Strategic Plan,” she shared. Longer term, she hopes to help City Light cultivate a continuous improvement culture, which engages people at all levels of the organization.

In this week’s (spot)Light, find out about her love for Seattle, travel, and work.

Sara, her husband and their chocolate lab, Maddy

“My husband (Darren) and I live in Queen Anne with our chocolate Labrador, Maddy. We love exploring Seattle and the surrounding area because we’re both relatively new to the city. We enjoy all the different local parks. My favorite is Discovery Park. It reminds me of Stanley Park in Vancouver. Discovery Park has many different trails that lead to majestic view of Mt. Rainer, the Olympic mountains, and the Puget Sound. It is my go-to spot for reflections and a quick getaway from life’s business.”

“As a couple, we love traveling. We usually plan one major trip each year. We travelled to Taiwan last November, so I could share with Darren the country I grew up in, my culture, and favorite Taiwanese dishes. Since I left Taiwan at young age, I wasn’t very familiar with its history. Darren and I visited some key landmarks and museums, and we were able to learn the country’s history, political climate and appreciate even more of our experiences there. This year, we are looking forward to taking the infamous coastal drive from San Jose to Big Sur in California. “

“One of the great things about working for City Light is what the utility stands for: being green and serving its customers. Those are the great things you want to be part of. I like the fact that the utility industry is very broad. It covers everything from operations, customer services, wholesale and retail energy, to conservation. The learning never ends. Finally, I am grateful for the various City Light programs that help me to develop professionally, such as the Emerging Leader and Tuition Reimbursement. Because of these programs, I am applying what I learned to my daily work and pursuing a Master’s in Organizational Leadership at Gonzaga University!“

Seattle City (spot)Light: Meghan Pinch

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Meghan Pinch has been at City Light for seven years. She’s part of Customer Energy Solutions (CES) where she works as a Business Transformation Strategic Advisor. “I’m helping reposition CES to be more nimble, agile and responsive to emerging energy efficiency technologies and evolving customer needs,” Meghan explained. “I’m also leading the CES culture change initiative – a multi-year effort that will enable us to fulfill our division’s Mission Vision and Values.”

Meghan grew up in Spokane and came to Seattle to pursue her undergrad in Jewish Studies at the University of Washington (UW). After college, she lived in the Bay Area, Whitefish and Jackson Hole before returning to UW to receive a master’s degree in Urban Planning. She lives in Rainier Beach with her husband and two children – her daughter Addie (four-years) and son Oren (18-months).

In this week’s (spot)Light, Meghan talks about life in Rainer Beach, her interests and what she enjoys about City Light.

Meghan with her family

“I love Rainier Beach – its history, sense of community, diversity and plentiful open space! We live next to the Chief Sealth Trail, a beautiful pathway (under City Light power lines!) with great views of Mt. Rainier and downtown. We take family walks along the trail; it’s a great way for my kids to explore! Before I had children, I helped launch the Rainier Beach Urban Farm, and now Addie attends pre-school next door. They often go on exploratory adventures to the farm. There is also a horse farm behind us, and we see people riding horses on the trail. Oren loves airplane spotting at Boeing Field just over the hill.”

“I love to ski and ride bikes. Before I had children, I did cyclocross and mountain bike racing as a member of a local cycling team. These days I’m busy teaching my kids to ski. I also sneak in knitting and quilting when I can. In warmer months, we do a lot of outdoor activities like camping and fishing. I also love to garden but am figuring out how to fit it in with the general chaos of our kids and pets!”

“My CES colleagues are fantastic and are a favorite part of my job. In the past two years, we’ve better aligned our programs with our strategic goals. We’ve also designed and implemented a new framework to govern program development, portfolio decisions and resource allocation. We spent the last year developing a Blueprint for Culture Change and held training practice to create a more respectful workplace. This year, we’re implementing the Blueprint. So far, we’ve engaged our leadership team with training in conflict management, inclusive leadership and have put a strong focus on effective performance reviews. Looking ahead, we plan to conduct training and practice in conflict management.”

“There is so much I value working at City Light. I appreciate the family friendly culture. I also love the people. I’m continually amazed by my colleagues, their commitment and how we work together to do new, innovative things. City Light has been a great place for career growth. I’m not sure I would have seen myself in my current role 7 years ago; it wasn’t really on my radar. However, I’ve really enjoyed this job and have been given a great opportunity to develop the skills required to do this work.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Robert Mahoney

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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.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Brynne Taylor

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Brynne Taylor will celebrate one year at City Light on Feb. 26. As part of the Transmission & Distribution Operations unit, Brynne manages electronic equipment for our field workers. “I work in the radio shop and maintain all the radios and accessories for the big trucks at our North and South Service Center,” Brynne explained. “I also perform manual labor, work on fiber optics and troubleshoot issues – anything that has to do with monitoring equipment and transporting it back to the System Operations Center (SOC).”

Brynne was born and raised in Georgia. She ended up in Washington after serving six years in the U.S. Navy as an electronic technician. “I always tell people that this is where the ship dropped me off,” she said with a laugh. She lives in Bothell where she’s resided more than 20 years.

In this week’s (spot)Light, Brynne talks about her hobbies and what sparked her interest in this field.

Brynne sportin’ her scooter collection

“I’ve always been kind of a tomboy and have liked electronics. I was the one who took the radio or TV apart to see what was inside. I wanted to know how things worked. It was interesting to pull things apart and see how these devices talk to each other from miles away. I wouldn’t want to do anything else and I’m not sure anything else would interest me as much. I would miss it. Even when I leave work, I go home and tinker with electronic things around the house. I love it.”

“Most people at the shop know this, but I’m big into scooters. I own five. I get a little bummed when the winter comes, and it rains because I have to ride in a car! It’s just a love of scooters. People tell me that I could buy a motorcycle with what I’ve spent on scooters and that’s just missing the point. It’s not a matter of being on two wheels – it’s the scooter itself. I’ve always been in love with the old British movies and watching people zip around – especially with a guy and a girl off on some great adventure. I always thought it was romantic. I’m not into big motorbikes and things that are tough. It’s just the cuteness of scooters.”

“Growing up in Atlanta, I was a Falcons fan, but I also loved the Seahawks. I think it was the colors and the helmets! I decided that my favorite vacation would be to take a train to Seattle and watch the Seahawks play. Little did I know that I would be living here 20 years later, cheering them on. Maybe it was fate and somehow, I knew that I was going to end up here. This is my home now. I love Seattle.”

“I pinch myself every day. This is a job of a lifetime for me and I’ve never been happier. I love City Light; especially the camaraderie we have in the shop. We all pull together as a team. Some of my favorite moments are when we’re fiber slicing in the back of the truck and we’re joking with one another, having fun on-the-job. As the only woman in the group, they’ve all accepted me and that’s important. To have those guys take me in and embrace me the way they have, has just been incredible.”

Seattle City (spot)Light: Cintia Luna-Villasana

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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.”