• What can you contribute to the KIUC board, and why do you want to serve?

Unfortunately KIUC lost Dee Crowell, a valuable member of their team. I am seeking to fill the void. Here is what I can contribute:

A. Leadership. I’ve been a leader for many organizations in our community. I was the president of many youth organizations mainly on the west side of Kauai, a PTSA president, President of the Kauai Bar Association, and a Homeowner’s Owners Association Director. For ten years, I served as a District Family Court Judge on Kauai and organized many stakeholder meetings to better assist the public’s access to justice.

B. Decisiveness. As a practicing attorney for 23 years and a judge for ten years, I’ve learned to make decisions in the best interest of the clients I represented or tried to make the best decisions for the parties that appeared before me based on the evidence presented.

C. Team Player. I am willing and able to collaborate with other board members and stakeholders to achieve better outcomes for KIUC members.

D. Time. I am retired so I can dedicate some of my time to serving the community. I’ve worked in public service all of my career and dedicated much of my time to serving the youth of our community. It would be my honor to serve on KIUC Board of Directors and be part of a team that has already made great strides in utilizing renewable resources to generate power for our members.

• Do I believe that LNG should be part of KIUC’s portfolio? And, should it be extended to the community at large?

It is my position at this time that LNG should not be part of KIUC’s portfolio. I believe approximately 60% of Kauai’s energy are from renewable sources; hydro, solar and biomass. KIUC has exceeded it renewable portfolio standards for 2020, 2030, and is well on its way of exceeding it’s goal for 2040.

• What more can KIUC do to combat the Climate Crisis; build resiliency?

I support KIUC’s efforts in reducing its dependency of fossil fuels and relying more on biodiesel. In the future, I would like to see more collaboration with developers, contractors and our local government to offer incentives for planned communities to have a renewable energy source built into the project. For example, a new neighborhood or housing project already equipped with solar panels for water heater and/or electricity.

• What would be my primary goals be as a board member for the upcoming 3-year term?

As a new member of KIUC Board of Directors, I would like to learn about all of KIUC’s sources that provide energy to all of our members. I would work alongside the other KIUC board members and collaborate with community leaders to see how we can improve services to our members. Finally, I would continue to work with the current board members and CEO to achieve the renewable energy goals.

• What can you contribute to the KIUC board, and why do you wish to serve?

My first-hand operational experience working for and consulting to regulated electric utilities will serve KIUC as it moves to achieve 100% renewable energy generation over the next decade. My passion for the well-being of Kauaʻi residents and those served by non-profit organizations will add strategic balance to KIUC as it moves forward. The transition from oil to renewable energy has been a win-win for KIUC and its members.  Adverse impacts to climate are being realized and the price of electric power is being reduced.  The final conversion to 100% renewable energy production will be the most challenging and requires great leadership. 

• LNG has been championed by Gov Green; {what part of KIUC’s portfolio should it be} Do you agree that it should be part of KIUC’s portfolio?  And, should it be extended to the community at large?

The energy sector in Hawaiʻi has taken a serious look at LNG on three previous occasions.  Each time it appeared to present significant economic benefits (compared to oil) but failed to materialize.  When last considered about 10 years ago it was politically defeated because it was viewed as a threat to Hawaiʻs transition to renewable energy. The carbon footprint of LNG may be marginally better than that for oil, but it is significantly worse than that for other renewable energy options available to KIUC. LNG is often characterized as a "low cost bridge" to 100% renewable energy.  With KIUC already 66% renewable energy and near-term plans to move higher, LNG does not seem to make sense for KIUC’s portfolio.

•  What more can KIUC do to combat the Climate Crisis & build resiliency?

KIUC has been a world leader among regulated electric utilities transitioning from fossil fuel to renewable energy; and this has been accomplished while sustaining reliable service and lower energy costs. Due to the intermittent nature of some sources of renewable energy, KIUC needs to continue to invest and implement industry-leading technologies (energy storage and control systems) to manage the grid to assure acceptable levels of resiliency. As Kauai transitions to greater adoptance of electric vehicles KIUC can extend its investments in more EV charging stations. 

• What would your primary goals be as board member for the upcoming 3 year term?

My primary goals would be to assure that major decisions and investments made by KIUC are balanced among:  (1) Achieving 100% renewable energy generation; (2) Sustaining reliable electric service to KIUC members; (3) Performing requisite preventive maintenance of the KIUC infrastructure; (4) Reducing costs of electricity to KIUC members; (5) Maintaining a positive working relationship with regulators; and (6) Improving the safety culture for KIUC employees and members.

• What can you contribute to the KIUC board, and why do you wish to serve?

My unique experience and broad perspective is why I’m asking for your vote. I gained that experience through 10 years as the Chief Financial Officer of Wolverine Power (an electric co-op in Michigan); six years on KIUC’s board; and four years as an officer of a nationwide trade association where I collected and analyzed data about what works and what doesn’t work for co-ops like ours. Additionally, I am the only female in the race, and there are no women on the board now.  I believe we owe it to our future generations to demonstrate gender equity in important leadership roles and bring diverse perspectives to problem solving. 

• LNG has been championed by Gov Green; {what part of KIUC’s portfolio should it be} Do you agree that it should be part of KIUC’s portfolio?  And, should it be extended to the community at large?

LNG is both ideologically and practically inappropriate for Kauai.  First, it is ideologically inappropriate because KIUC is committed to generating 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2033 (12 years earlier than the State of Hawaii’s mandate).  Since LNG is a fossil fuel, if KIUC started burning it, it would make it harder for KIUC to accomplish its goal.  Second, LNG is impractical for Kauai.  LNG is natural gas.  Natural gas is delivered from the port to customers via a pipeline system.  There is no such pipeline system on Kauai. Oahu is considering LNG because parts of Oahu do have an existing gas pipeline network.  Creating new infrastructure in Hawaii is always very expensive and costly. Given KIUC’s goals of 100% renewable energy sources, there is no reason to consider establishing a gas pipeline to allow KIUC to burn natural gas.  Natural gas should not become part of KIUC’s fuel portfolio.  Nor is there a need to establish natural gas infrastructure to serve the general community for the purpose of heating houses (who needs a furnace on Kauai?), water, clothes, or food.  Electricity, solar power, and propane adequately serve that need, without the expense of establishing new infrastructure on Kauai. 

• What more can KIUC do to combat the Climate Crisis & build resiliency?

The most important way for KIUC to combat climate change is to actually achieve its goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2033.  As of 2023, it was at 57.9% from renewable sources.  100% is achievable, although it isn’t easy to do so.  KIUC must continue to devote its resources to accomplishing this goal.  At the same time, KIUC must do what is required to adapt to the effects of climate change.  This includes moving any buildings or equipment that would be damaged by temporary or permanent sea level rise. Facilities in areas that flood should be moved inland.  KIUC also is and needs to continue adopting new ways of protecting its facilities from wildfires.  Resiliency involves recovering quickly when disaster strikes.  KIUC makes itself more resilient by investing in stronger poles and wires, and hurricane proof office and field buildings.  The devastation wrought by Hurricane Iniki over 30 years ago was a great motivator.  KIUC has been steadily investing over the last 20 years in stronger facilities — spreading that cost over many years.  Another way to be resilient is to have redundant generation facilities and looped transmission systems. KIUC has more than enough generation to meet Kauai’s electricity needs — there is plenty of redundancy in generation.  Furthermore, much, but not all, of KIUC’s transmission system is part of a looped system.  If a transmission line is broken in one place, power can still flow on both sides of the break, providing electricity to everyone except a few customers near the break in the line.  But the area west of Hanalei is not part of a transmission loop.  When the power line breaks there because of a wind storm or flood, power cannot be fed to Wainiha and Haena.  In 2023, the directors established a strategic goal for KIUC:  build a second transmission line into the Hanalei area.  This would make the area west of Princeville much more resilient. KIUC has also become more resilient as a result of installing solar power and batteries.  If ships stop delivering fossil fuel gas to Kauai (e.g., because of a strike or some world crisis), KIUC can rely solely on its solar arrays for power during the day and batteries during the night.  Existing solar plus batteries might not meet all of the load on Kauai today, but it likely will in the future, when KIUC achieves 100% renewable energy.  KIUC wanted to supplement solar-powered batteries with hydro batteries, with its westside pumped storage project.  Lawsuits and delays seem to have killed this project, but such a project in the future (even 10 or 20 years from now) would provide much needed resiliency to KIUC’s grid.  Hurricanes might blow away some solar arrays and damage some batteries, but hurricanes probably won’t blow away the water course or ponds used in a pumped storage system.  

• What would your primary goals be as board member for the upcoming 3 year term?

Serving on a board of directors is like playing on a football team.  The results are best when all directors and staff work together to accomplish shared goals.  We do not do well when one director pulls in one direction and another director pulls in another direction.  We need to agree on the goals that we give to the employees of KIUC to achieve.   I was a member of the Strategic Planning Committee that prepared the Strategic Plan that KIUC’s board adopted in January 2023.  It took over a year to develop a consensus for those goals, but the resulting product is worth it.  It will take years to achieve all of those strategies.  I would like to serve on KIUC’s board again so I can cheer on KIUC’s CEO and employees, encouraging them to accomplish those goals.  It is the board’s job to make sure that the goals don’t get lost in the day-to-day effort to provide electricity to this island.  There are lots of specific tactics included in that Strategic Plan. But if I had to pick a few as my favorites to talk about, they would be to have the lowest electricity rates in Hawaii, achieve 100% renewable generation by 2033, and develop a second transmission line to mitigate North Shore outages.

• What can you contribute to the KIUC board, and why do you wish to serve?

I bring fresh ideas around the latest technologies to help accelerate Kauai off of fossil fuels and saving money at the same time.  One strategy is to launch an #ElectrifyKauai campaign to teach members how to save money through electrification of their homes, businesses, government buildings and transportation.  My main drive to serve is saving money and fighting climate pollution! 

• LNG has been championed by Gov Green; {what part of KIUC’s portfolio should it be} Do you agree that it should be part of KIUC’s portfolio?  And, should it be extended to the community at large? 

LNG must be stopped as it is literally killing us and is responsible, with the rest of big oil,  for breaking our climate and lying about it! So NO, I am not okay with LNG as a bridge fuel! Furthermore, I want KIUC to aggressively work to educate members on the harms of LNG, and incentivize homeowners and commercial owners to switch out their harmful and expensive gas water heaters with cheaper, cleaner and cooler heat pump water heaters and cleaner, faster, cheaper induction stoves that also keep homes much cooler than propane gas and indoor air healthier.  

• What more can KIUC do to combat the Climate Crisis; build resiliency?

Tell the truth about how bad the climate crisis is and what needs to be done to mitigate the worst effects of it. Then, work in concert with the community, local and state governments to accelerate Kauai off fossil fuel use ASAP not just for power generation, but the entire island. Promote a vision for no more gas stations or use of LNG. I am pro biodiesel as a bridge fuel, as it has about 85% fewer emissions. A Carbon cashback program could make it economically feasible to start using Biodiesel in all KIUCs diesel generators quickly and immediately reduce the climate pollution that is pouring into our air and ocean on a daily basis. Carbon Cashback is projected to put more money in members pockets and should be aggressively supported, as this is one of the most important policies to implement to reduce climate pollution that is still out of control per the Climate and Economic experts. 

• What would your primary goals be as a board member for the upcoming 3 year term?

Save KIUC and its members money by launching an #ElectrifyKauai campaign. Stop the purchase of expensive to operate climate polluting cars and trucks and work to quickly electrify KIUCs fleet and use the fleet as an emergency power backup source. Pay people more for rooftop solar by adding storage via EVs and large grid batteries. Add a TOU (Time of use) rate in addition to the regular rate to allow members more choice and to shift some KIUCs load to daytime. This will save members money and also pay members more for the solar they produce. Win-Win-Win!

• What can you contribute to the KIUC board, and why do you wish to serve?

I am a former science and environment writer. I am active in our community. I have worked on climate initiatives. I have served on the KIUC board for several terms, and have been part of a board majority that has moved us faster and farther toward a renewable electricity future than any utility in the state and just about any in the country. We have done that while keeping costs under control. Measure us against the competition. We went from the highest electricity rates in the state when the cooperative took over the utility to a recent two-year period where our rates were the lowest in the state—and lower than some Mainland areas. We can do more. I would like to be part of the team that continues pushing us to 100 percent renewable energy—something we currently plan to achieve by 2033—just eight years away. There are many threats--the current federal administration not the least among them--that threaten our progress. Keeping the momentum will be a big challenge, and I hope to leverage the work we’ve already done, and the team with which we have done it, to get us there.

• LNG has been championed by Gov Green; {what part of KIUC’s portfolio should it be} Do you agree that it should be part of KIUC’s portfolio?  And, should it be extended to the community at large?

LNG is a fossil fuel. The climate crisis is real. Start there. Natural gas is cleaner and cheaper than oil, but it still pollutes, contributes to warming and also suffers from the same potential supply disruption issues as oil. At KIUC we have studied it, and we’ve passed. I don’t agree with the governor that using cheaper, somewhat cleaner fossil fuels are a way to get off fossil fuels, certainly not for Kaua`i. The whole point of our renewable efforts is to stop using them. That said, we are in a dynamic energy environment, and in other communities, the calculations could be different. 

• What more can KIUC do to combat the Climate Crisis; build resiliency?

We will build toward 100 percent renewables faster than anyone thinks possible—and well ahead of government directives. That’s what we’ve been doing for the past decade. Our work is an example others are following—helping them move faster as well. We are improving the resilience of our grid in multiple ways. During a recent fire emergency, we were able to “island” a portion of the West Side—allowing it to operate independently entirely from solar and battery power in the region. Our remarkable staff effectively created a microgrid on the fly in an emergency—and kept the West Side hospital powered throughout. We are planning ways to provide similar capacity in other regions. We will ensure the energy is available for the electrification of our transportation sector. That is a big challenge, because it means total electrical demand is rising at the same time we are seeking a completely renewable grid. We are chasing a moving target, but we have shown we have the skills to get there.

• What would your primary goals be as board member for the upcoming 3 year term?

The core functions need to always be top-of-mind: reasonable rates, reliability and renewables. Ensuring those is job one, but there are significant threats that require attention. Two of them are changing federal policy and digital attacks. KIUC has been very good at leveraging federal assistance in our energy initiatives. Recent indications suggest the federal government might not be active in supporting climate and renewable energy initiatives, and might be regressive. This is a huge threat to moving where we need to go. We will need to redouble our efforts to meet our community’s needs and expectations. It will take innovative and aggressive policies, and a determined and experienced KIUC board of directors. The cyber environment is a scary place right now. Bad actors from around the globe wage persistent and significant attacks on our electronic systems. We are currently well protected, but hacking and cyber warfare is constantly evolving. The KIUC board will need to spotlight security and the protection of our grid. At the same time we must move aggressively to improve reliability and keep costs under control through data management, predictive analytics and related technologies.

• What can you contribute to the KIUC board, and why do you wish to serve?

I have lived here on Kauai for all of my life,  I have seen the changes that have happened here during my lifetime.  Some were good and some not so good.  At first I ran to be a director of KIUC because I thought my electric bill was too high, about $50,000 per month (this was 20 years ago).  Recently KIUC had the lowest electric rate in the state. I want to continue to serve as a director of KIUC to continue to improve the quality of life here on Kauai for all of us and especially our future generations. 

• LNG has been championed by Gov Green; {what part of KIUC’s portfolio should it be} Do you agree that it should be part of KIUC’s portfolio?  And, should it be extended to the community at large?

As a board member, we have had those discussions about using LNG to generate electricity, more so when oil prices are higher.  The issues to overcome are (a) high transportation costs (b) the need to build storage tanks and infrastructure (c) the shipments of fuel will be more complex. LNG is still fossil fuel!!!

• What more can KIUC do to combat the Climate Crisis; build resiliency?

KIUC can combat Climate Change by increasing our renewal portfolio by adding more solar and battery projects.  We can try to develop more hydroelectric power.  We can help to improve the electric vehicle infrastructure. We can help our members use electricity more efficiently.

• What would your primary goals be as board member for the upcoming 3 year term?

In the next 3 years I would like to see KIUC develop 2 or 3 more utility scale solar with battery projects.  And I would like our members get more involved with their electric company.