John LeCompte has been with City Light for twelve and a half years. After spending nine years providing energy efficiency incentives for commercial and industrial customers, and the next two years working on emerging technologies, John was recently reassigned to the newly-formed Electrification and Strategic Technology Division. “We are focusing on bringing new technologies to City Light and its customer-owners with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and modernizing our grid so we can offer more sustainable, reliable, equitable and customer-centric services.” 

Originally from Seattle, John has also lived in Eastern Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Vermont and Boston. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from UW and a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University.  He is a licensed professional engineer, and holds certifications as a Certified Energy Manager, Certified Building Commissioning Professional, and Certified Measurement & Verification Professional.

In this week’s (spot)Light, John talks about his hobbies, his new work, and what he loves about City Light.

“I currently live in West Seattle and I love the combination of a densifying suburb and sleepy semi-isolated neighborhood (more so now with the bridge issues), while all being within biking distance to work. I started practicing karate in 1983 and currently hold a 7^th degree black belt in a peaceful, traditional Okinawan karate school- it really helps me frame life’s challenges as opportunities to grow my perspective and abilities. I also love Ultimate frisbee–a fantastic way to get a solid aerobic workout with good spirit, as well as rock climbing when I have the time!”

“I have worked in several areas of engineering and construction, having owned my own engineering company at one point, but City Light offered me the opportunity to give back to my home city. Most recently, my team has joined several other City Light employees in the Utility Next effort, a very focused mission to propose projects to get the economy rolling again in the aftermath of COVID-19. It’s very exciting, but all-consuming! In parallel to this work, I’m also serving as a shop steward to the members of PROTEC17, the largest union of City employees, where I am involved in efforts to improve employee morale and organization effectiveness through a collaborative approach. I feel I’m part of meaningful work in both of these roles, and I am honored to be working with teams of dedicated professionals working to help our city.”

“City Light offers the chance to be a part of significant work to rein in climate change, and I love that I can be a part of that alongside others who want to make a difference. Right now, I feel extremely lucky as a City employee to have continuity of work and income in this time of historic unemployment. We are able to use our position as a utility to prop up other struggling industries and people and this simple fact makes me feel grateful to City Light and responsible to my fellow Seattleites.”

Gina Baxter is a Senior Analyst in City Light’s Financial Planning Unit. She’s lived in the greater Seattle area her entire life, and currently resides in Gig Harbor with her husband.

Gina had 13 years of experience in the utility industry prior to joining City Light, and she always wanted to work for a public utility. In February 2019, she made that happen when she joined the City Light team. Since then, she has been working on the utility’s financial forecast, conducting financial analyses to support strategic planning, capital financing, utility fees, and electric rates.

In this week’s Seattle City (spot)Light, Gina talks about her hobbies, why she was attracted to City Light and her team.

“My favorite activity is attending a variety of concerts. My first few jobs, prior to starting my career, were working at local recording and post-production studios in the Seattle area. I still have a strong interest in the music industry and supporting artists at all levels. My other interests vary significantly, but also include listening to podcasts, reading, creating terrariums, volunteering, and walking our dog around the neighborhood.”

“Throughout my career, I’ve worked with utilities in specialized areas of work and studies, but I’ve always had a desire to work at a public utility where there is a connection to the local community and a mission to serve the public. I became interested in becoming a part of the team at City Light due to it being an organization that values environmental stewardship, innovation, diversity/equity, and excellence.”

“There are a lot of talented individuals at City Light that go above and beyond, work collaboratively with others, and are continuously striving for excellence. City Light offers great work-life balance and opportunities for growth. I couldn’t have found a better team!”

Brian Hempel joined Seattle City Light in February 2020—just in time to get acquainted with his office space before the COVID-19 response mandated social distancing and he began to work from home. Born and raised in Southern California, he also lived in Buffalo, New York, before returning to SoCal and finding his way to the Pacific Northwest.

As the Safety & Technical Training Coordinator for City Light’s Workforce Development team, he ensures training standards meet or exceed compliance and verifies the accuracy of training information. In this week’s Seattle City (spot)Light, he talks about the journey that brought him to City Light, his educational background and life as a single father.

“I was really attracted to City Light because of its commitment to providing clean, green energy. I worked for a larger company in the energy industry prior to this, and you can tell that the only thing that mattered was their earnings sheet. Here at City Light, you can tell that the customers and company culture is important to everyone.”

“I am a bit of a non-traditional learner. I joined the United States Marine Corps on the day of my 18th birthday and was in the Marines from 1999-2003. After my enlistment, I became a police officer in Southern California and was in law enforcement for approximately 6 years. I attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale for my Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Workforce Education and Development, graduating in 2012 and 2014 respectfully. In 2019, I completed a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Oxford, and I am currently a PhD Candidate at California Baptist University studying ‘Leadership in East African Conflict Zones’.”

“My favorite activity is getting to travel with my daughters Mackenzie (12) and Brooke (10). We have a goal to visit all 50 states by the time Brooke turns 12, and as of today we have been to 45 states with just Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and West Virginia left on our list. I also enjoy watching my daughters play their respective sports. Mackenzie plays club volleyball and, in the fall, will start her fifth year. Brooke plays soccer and has been playing for six years. It is fun to watch them develop and get better in their sport as the years go by.” “Between work, raising two daughters, and grad school, personal hobbies are at a minimum, but I do enjoy playing golf, cycling, and fishing. Being new to the area, I’ve got a lot of exploring to do this summer.”