Kimberly Gentle

Senior Project Manger | EES Consulting |  Spokane, WA

The Employee Spotlight for November is Kimberly Gentle. Kimberly is part of the EES Consulting office, joining the GDS team earlier this year.  She joined the power industry in 1997 with Avista Energy, a broker in Spokane, WA. She moved to public power in 2008, working with Clark Public Utilities in Vancouver, WA.  She returned to the Spokane area in 2013, as Director of Power Supply and Risk Management  for Pend Oreille PUD.  In 2019, she joined EES Consulting and is now a part of GDS.

Kimberly has 23 years of experience in project management, wholesale and retail power contracts, power supply procurement, origination and risk management activities for electric utilities and power brokers.  Her work includes full development of Enterprise Risk Management programs from design to implementation, including developing risk management policies, hedging strategies and staffing plans. The foundation of Kimberly’s experience is power supply procurement and optimization of asset value through policy and contracts. She is experienced in power, natural gas, renewables and emissions and has held roles in the front, middle and back office including scheduling, trading, contracts, settlements and risk oversight.

What are your interests in your field of work?

I am interested in the evolution of power supply and how many entities are breaking away from long standing relationships to achieve access to lower priced market power.  This is happening on a retail level as well and it is driving retail access policies.  I also have an interest in the Alaska Railbelt and the work being done to create reliability rules and regulation similar to what the lower 48 states have through NERC regulatory compliance.  .

What do you enjoy doing on your day off?

Hiking, boating or playing in the woods.

Any career lessons you have learned thus far?

Many, but my favorite lesson came from a boss of mine when I worked for an energy broker (Avista Energy).  Always do the math.  If the economics work, explore risks and variables.  If the deal still works, ask yourself “is this the right thing to do for the client?”.  If it is the right thing to do, pitch the deal, if it is not, walk away.  Making money by doing the wrong thing never works in the long run.

Do you have a favorite quote?

“You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway” – Mother Tereasa

Fun fact about yourself.

I hate shoes. I make wine.

What is your favorite meal?

Crab

Do you participate in any extra-curricular activities (e.g. volunteering)? 

I volunteer to support homeless youth and have hosted over a dozen non-biologic children in my home over the years and was chairman of the board of Youth Emergency Services. I am the Director for Patrons of Pend Oreille, which is an organization that helps local businesses with advertising, grant writing and business plans.  I volunteer with Pend Oreille Players Association as a grant writer.  I am active with my local high school football team (team film).

Tell us about your family and friends.

I have been married for over 25 years and I have three biologic children and a dozen or so non-biologic.  My oldest daughter is 23, my middle son is 20 and my youngest is 18.