Board of Directors

ColumbiaGrid operates with an independent, three-person Board of Directors.  The Board was originally seated August 16, 2006, with initial terms staggered to accommodate the election cycle. Following the initial seating, ColumbiaGrid Directors are elected for a three-year term.
 
The current board includes Board Chair, Shelly Richardson, and Directors Ed Sienkiewicz and Jim Miller.  All three have extensive backgrounds in the electric utility industry. 
 
Shelly Richardson

Shelly Richardson

Board Chair

Prior to joining ColumbiaGrid, Shelly Richardson represented consumer-owned electric utilities on bulk power and transmission access, supply, and rate issues in the Western Interconnection. She negotiated transmission and wholesale electricity contracts, tariffs, rates and policies, and litigated related disputes in trial, appellate, and administrative forums. Re-elected as Director in 2009, Dr. Richardson’s current term expires in August 2012. She is currently serving as Board Chair.

Email Shelly Richardson

Ed Sienkiewicz

Ed Sienkiewicz

Director

Ed Sienkiewicz is a retired federal executive and economist, spending 29 years at the Bonneville Power Administration, where he developed regional transmission policies.

Email Ed Sienkiewicz

Jim Miller

Jim Miller

Director

Jim Miller is a retired Idaho Power Company executive. An electrical engineer with nearly 33 years of experience with Idaho Power, Jim held a wide variety of senior management positions during his career. At the time of his retirement, he was the Senior Vice President of Power Supply with responsibility over the planning, construction and operation of the company’s hydro, natural gas and coal-fired resources. Mr. Miller has served on a number of regional and national industry boards, and is also involved in many community non-profit boards. He was elected as Director in 2011 to a three-year term.

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WHAT OUR MEMBERS SAY

Member: Avista Corporation      Project: ColumbiaGrid     
Avista Corporation

"In ColumbiaGrid, we now have the ability to resolve the three fundamental transmission questions: What transmission facilities should be built? Who should build them? Who should pay for them? With ColumbiaGrid's independent staff and process to resolve disputes, we can answer these questions effectively and in a timely fashion to facilitate our region's new resource development needs."
~~ Jeff Schlect, Manager, Transmission Services, Avista