Who Should Attend SPARK?
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SPARK is designed for utility professionals at all levels—from the C-suite to individual contributors—because leadership starts the moment someone chooses to follow you. Participants include:
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Operations leaders driving efficiency and reliability
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Customer experience leaders focused on engagement and satisfaction
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Human resources professionals shaping workforce strategy and culture
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Financial leaders navigating cost, investments, and affordability
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Innovation leaders accelerating new technologies and approaches
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Transformation leaders guiding organizational change
SPARK Topics
Customer Experience, Engagement & Satisfaction
Emergency Preparedness & Crisis Communications
Energy Transition Goals & Sustainability Initiatives
Technology Innovations & Reducing Tech Debt
Workforce Challenges, Training & Hiring for New Roles
Cultural Transformation & Leading for Inclusion
Asset Investments to Meet Evolving Demands
New Stakeholders & Influence Beyond Authority
September 15, 2025
Day 1
11:00 AM – 2:30 PM | Community Service Project & Lunch: Give Back, Connect, and Spark Change
Choose between assembling care packages at the hotel or volunteering at a local nonprofit. Charitable giving is a powerful way to kick off the conference—through connection, purpose, and community impact. We will provide lunch and transportation.
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM | Welcome Reception: Cocktails & Conversations
Set the tone for SPARK with meaningful connections in a relaxed, Seattle-inspired setting. Join us for networking, regional bites, and our signature Emerald Elixir cocktail.
About SPARK
The U2030 SPARK Annual Meeting, hosted by Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy, is the premier leadership event for utility professionals driving transformation at the intersection of customers, employees, and operations.
From September 15 to 17, 2025, at Seattle's iconic Edgewater Hotel, SPARK blends immersive learning, bold leadership conversations, and collaborative problem-solving in an unforgettable setting.
This year’s theme—Rethinking Priorities: Bold Utility Leadership—explores how utility leaders are navigating shifting priorities across management, emergency preparedness, energy transition, technology innovation, workforce strategy, cultural transformation, and infrastructure investments.
Designed through the U2030 Learning Experience Design (LXD) lens, SPARK features a dynamic mix of rapid-fire panels, Ignite Talks, RADIATE Capstone presentations, and gamified sessions that deliver actionable strategies, real-world stories, and meaningful connections leaders can take back to their organizations.
SPARK also includes two signature events: the Women Who SPARK Awards Gala and the RADIATE Participant Graduation Ceremony—celebrating bold leadership and transformational growth.
Facilitators & Presenters
Agenda
September 16, 2025
Day 2
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM – 9:15 AM | Welcome, Safety Moment, Introductions & Icebreaker
Kick-off Day two with an interactive icebreaker and our theme: Rethinking Priorities: Bold Utility Leadership.
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Vanessa Edmonds (U2030)
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Chris Hilborn (U2030)
- Cheryl Davis (Georgia Power)
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | U2030 Vision & Roadmap Panel: Progress & What's Next
U2030 leaders reflect on member-driven impact and preview what's coming next.
Panelists:
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Vanessa Edmonds (U2030)
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Chris Hilborn (U2030)
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Mike Smith (U2030)
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Jody Allison (Xcel Energy)
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Sean Vanslyke (SEMO Electric Cooperative & GoSEMO Fiber)
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM | Host Utility Panel: Changing Priorities at SCL & PSE | Sponsor: i3 Verticals
Hear how Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy are evolving to ensure safety, reliability, and affordability while investing in the energy transition, asset modernization, and new technology.
Moderator: Ram Kasarla (i3 Verticals)
Panelists:
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Dawn Lindell, CEO and General Manager, Seattle City Light
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Mike Haynes, Chief Operating Officer, Seattle City Light
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David Logsdon, City Light’s Director of Electrification and Strategic Technologies, Seattle City Light
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM | Break
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | LXD Leadership Simulation: Immersive Learning in Action
Experience the power of Learning Experience Design (LXD) through an interactive simulation designed to spark reflection, build emotional intelligence, and strengthen leadership competencies to thrive in complex, fast-paced environments.
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Executive Leadership Council Panel: What’s Changing and Why It Matters
Top utility executives share evolving leadership priorities amid industry disruption and shifting workforce dynamics.
Panelists:
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Ajit Apte (Baltimore Gas & Electric)
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Brandy Bolden (SMUD)
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Chima Chijioke (Georgia Power Company)
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Doneen Hobbs (Liberty Utilities)
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Frankie McDermott (SMUD)
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM | Lunch | Hybrid Guided + Open Space Session
Join a conversation at a themed table, or start one of your own. Move freely between discussion tables based on your curiosity and interests.
Topics:
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Customer Experience, Engagement & Satisfaction
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Emergency Preparedness & Crisis Communications
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Energy transition goals and sustainability initiatives
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Technology Innovations & Reducing Tech Debt
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Workforce Challenges, Training & Hiring for New Roles
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Cultural Transformation & Leading for Inclusion
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Asset Investments to Meet Evolving Demands
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New Stakeholders & Influence Beyond Authority
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Open Space Tables (5) - Choose You Own Topic
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM | Ignite Talks: Enlighten Us But Make It Quick
Six speakers. Five minutes each. Twenty auto-advancing slides. Fast, focused leadership insights from diverse voices across the sector.
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM | Fireside Chat: Modernization vs. Preservation
How can we pursue innovation without losing what matters? This session will explore balancing modernization with stewardship and heritage.
Speakers:
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Maureen Elenga (Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation)
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Vanessa Edmonds (U2030)
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM | Break
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Utility Customer Panel: The Reality of Affordability
Real utility customers share what affordability means and how they perceive value, trust, and transparency in utility services.
4:45 PM – 5:15 PM | Day two Recap & Key Takeaways: Rethinking Priorities
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Women Who SPARK Awards Ceremony & RADIATE Graduation Dinner
Sponsored by InvoiceCloud & ContactPoint 360
Celebrate the trailblazers of 2025 during this inspirational evening of recognition and connection.
Facilitators:
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Vanessa Edmonds (U2030)
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Jody Allison (Xcel Energy)
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Doneen Hobbs (Liberty Utilities)
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Paul Applegate (InvoiceCloud)
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Elizabeth Sedlacek (ContactPoint 360)
SPARK Registration & Hotel Information
U2030 Member Tickets (Utilities & Solution Providers)
As a U2030 member, your team receives event tickets, which can be used for either the SPARK Annual Meeting or the U2030 ENERGIZE Retreat.
Additional Tickets
Member companies who wish to purchase additional tickets receive a discounted ticket price of $495.
Not sure if you're a member or how many tickets you receive?
Email us at info@utility2030.org.
Non-Member Tickets
Utility Employees
Utility employees who are not U2030 members may attend for $995.
UTILITY EMPLOYEE NON-MEMBER REGISTRATION
Solution Providers
Solution providers who are not members should contact U2030 about attending or sponsoring.
Hotel
In 2025, SPARK is hosted at the iconic Edgewater Hotel on Seattle's scenic waterfront.
The room block link is coming soon.
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Join Us for U2030 INFLIGHT 2025, Sept. 18th, Seattle, WA
Stay for a Bonus Day Focused on Cost-to-Serve & Affordability
Join us on September 18th, from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM, at the Edgewater Hotel for U2030 INFLIGHT 2025—a hands-on workshop presented in collaboration with Paymentus.
Reducing cost-to-serve and making utility services more affordable is more than just a business goal—it’s a leadership imperative. It directly impacts both the financial health of your utility and the well-being of the communities you serve. This interactive workshop builds on the energy of SPARK, equipping utility leaders with bold strategies, practical tools, and a transformational mindset to turn affordability into action.
Don’t miss this opportunity to go deeper on one of the industry's most pressing challenges.
September 17, 2025
Day 3
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM | Day 2 Welcome & LXD Activity
Start the day with a creative and energizing experience that redefines leadership development.
Facilitators:
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Cheryl Davis, Director, Managed Accounts, Georgia Power Company
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Sean Vanslyke, CEO, SEMO Electric Cooperative & GoSEMO Fiber
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM | Interactive Research Data Walk: Hacking the Data
Explore findings from the 2025 U2030 Annual Research Study and help shape how we interpret and apply the data.
Speakers:
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Audra Drazga (U2030)
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Mike Smith (U2030)
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Mark Streifel (HSI)
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM | RADIATE Capstone Presentations – Session 1
Hear three 15-minute Capstone presentations from women participating in the U2030 Women’s Leadership Program.
Moderators:
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Samantha Hart (Milepost)
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Briauna Perryman (Milepost)
Presenters:
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Overcoming Chronic Burnout & Mental Load Exhaustion at Work – Carlyn Altheide (InvoiceCloud), Dale Mills (Milepost), Brittney Mulcahy (SEMO Electric & GoSEMO Fiber), and Tiffany Bello (Georgia Power Company)
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Women in Leadership – Brittnye Roberts (CDC Lightband), Sheri Rice (Seattle City Light), Jessica Lim (Southern California Edison), and Enjoli Black (PG&E)
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Women in Skilled Trades – Bri Swierstok (SMUD), Stacey Corbett (EPCOR), Kat Pohlman (Nashville Electric Service), Rheanon Fuller (PG&E), and Caitlin Harvey (BGE)
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Break
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM| Hot Topic Lightning Panel
Quick-hitting insights on today’s most pressing industry issues. Stay tuned for speaker announcements.
Moderator: Chris Hilborn (U2030)
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM | RADIATE Capstone Presentations – Session 2
Three additional groups share creative solutions to real challenges around culture, hiring, and women as customers.
Moderators:
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Samantha Hart (Milepost)
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Briauna Perryman (Milepost)
Presenters:
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Enhancing Women’s Well-Being in the Workplace – Kelly Beatty (Liberty Utilities), Nathalie Laughlin (SMUD), Christine Miles (Paymentus), and Marguerite Behringer (Landis + Gyr)
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Hiring Practices – Patricia Roberts (Georgia Power Company), Jessica Tsosie (NTUA), Antrecia Sims (LADWP), Darlene Sakahara (NTUA), and Christina Northrup (BHC Global)
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Women Customers – Ashley Smith (Liberty Utilities), Nicole Sombrero (NTUA), Leah Tutnauer (BGE), and Jill Zaller (Hibbing PUC)
12:30 PM – 1:15 PM | Lunch
1:15 PM – 1:45 PM | Panel: Women Who SPARK Team Award
This year’s award-winning team shares how mentorship and collaboration led to extraordinary outcomes.
1:45 PM – 2:30 PM | Ignite Talks: Women Who SPARK Individual Award Winners
Hear quick-hit leadership contributions from this year’s inspiring Women Who SPARK recipients.
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Fireside Chat: Women Who SPARK Lifetime Achievement Award
Hear a conversation with those who have devoted their careers to leading with courage, consistency, and vision.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Meeting Wrap-Up & Commitment Wall
Reflect on what you learned at the meeting, what you’re ready to rethink, and what you'll return to your organization.
As a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) certified by WBENC and CPUC Supplier Clearinghouse, we prioritize diversity of thought and inclusion in everything we do.
