Leska Fore
Seattle City Light

Quinton Harrington
Snohomish County PUD

Kristine Cramer
King County Wastewater Treatment

Thor Peterson
Seattle City Light

DESCRIPTION

Consulting, supporting, and encouraging diverse views, experiences and perspectives within the hydro industry is more than a moral responsibility. It's a business imperative that helps organizations refine and improve the way they operate. This panel will consider diversity and equity issues related to the workforce, customers, and neighbors of hydro projects in the Northwest.

Who should attend:
Policymakers, utility leadership, human resource professionals, community relations experts, and everyone interested in equity issues. These topics draw owners, suppliers, contractors, consultants, and regulators together in support of the longevity of the hydropower industry.

Why you should attend:
To learn about best practices and innovative approaches to ensuring that equity is considered in all aspects of work.

Moderator/Panelists:
Moderator: Leska Fore, Skagit License Assistant Manager, Seattle City Light

Panelists: 

• Quinton Harrington, State Government Affairs Coordinator, Snohomish County PUD
• Kristine Cramer, Community Relations Team Leader, King County Wastewater Treatment Division
• Thor Peterson, Utility Discount Program Manager, Seattle City Light

Speaker Bios:

• Leska Fore coordinates planning, logistics, implementation, communication, and finances for the Skagit Hydroelectric Project license and for the ongoing FERC relicensing process. Previously, as president of Statistical Design, she developed ecological based monitoring programs for state water resource agencies. At Puget Sound Partnership, a Washington state agency, she developed an effectiveness monitoring program designed to evaluate the outcomes of habitat restoration efforts. Leska has served as a journal editor and manuscript referee for more than 20 scientific journals, and her publications have been cited over 1,500 times. She has an MS in Quantitative Ecology from the University of Washington and an MA in Organizational Development from Seattle University.
• Quinton Harrington is the State Government and External Affairs Coordinator at Snohomish County PUD, he has been with them for 3 years now. Quinton is Navy veteran from Chicago who has made Washington his new home.
• Kristine Cramer has over two decades of experience working in communications and public engagement on large capital infrastructure projects. She has led efforts to incorporate equity and social justice tools and practices into capital project engagement efforts.
• Thor Peterson is the Utility Discount Program manager for Seattle City Light. The Utility Discount Program helps income-qualified utility customers manage their energy burden via a 60% discount on their City Light bills. Prior to managing the discount program, Thor has held various public- and private-sector positions supporting high-performance building and sustainable community initiatives. Thor holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Washington.