Powerful Sponsors the Northwest Public Power Association’s Women in Public Power Conference in Santa Rosa, California
Firm sponsors the conference mobile app and continues a Northwest association relationship spanning more than two decades
SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA — Powerful served as a sponsor of the Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) Women in Public Power Conference, held July 28 through 30 at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country in Santa Rosa, California.
Powerful sponsored the conference mobile app, giving every attendee access to the agenda, speaker information, and networking tools from their phone throughout the event.
Representing Powerful at the conference were Beth Knudson, Success Strategist, and Leanna Thesken, Senior Implementation Specialist.
“NWPPA and its members go back more than 20 years with us,” said Charlie Stanley, CEO and Chief Web Solutions Architect at Powerful. “Our roots are in the Pacific Northwest, and so much of what this company became started in rooms like this one. Sponsoring Women in Public Power is not a line item for us. Women in technology is one of the pillars we hire against, and building a real pipeline means showing up for the people already doing the work.”
The Women in Public Power Conference brings together utility professionals from across the region for sessions on leadership, career development, financial literacy, board service, and communication, along with structured networking designed to build connections that outlast the event.
The program moved between formats, pairing full-length keynotes and panels with short-form “WIPP Talks” delivered by utility professionals from across the region. Speakers came from public utility districts, municipal utilities, and electric cooperatives, and covered ground that ranged from navigating career transitions and supporting staff through organizational change to workforce development and the practical realities of moving into leadership. Several sessions dealt directly with visibility: how women in the industry are seen, heard, and valued inside their own organizations.
Other sessions leaned toward concrete skill building. Attendees worked through personal branding and reputation, financial literacy and budget confidence for utility leaders, and communication strategy. A question-and-answer session with public power board members gave attendees direct access to the governance side of the industry, which is often the least visible path for utilities looking to develop leaders from within. Evening receptions and a dine-around through Santa Rosa carried the same conversations past the last session of each day.
Powerful was joined on the sponsor list by two longtime collaborators, General Pacific and Energy Northwest, both of which have websites built by Powerful as well as friends from Itron, NISC and Meridian.
About Powerful
Powerful designs, builds, and manages websites for electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and statewide associations. Over more than 25 years, the company has partnered with over 300 utility organizations and with a focus on accessibility, translation, and member communication.
