Employee of the Month > September 2022

Intellectually curious, passionate about excellence, very serious work ethic, supportive and loyal – these are just a few of the phrases used to describe Astrid Gambill in the multiple nominations she received to become our September Employee of the Month.

Astrid began her career with the PUD on February 1, 2005, as a Business Analyst – CIS. In her 17 years at the utility, Astrid has held numerous positions including IT Business Consultant; Sr. Business Analyst; Sr. Utility Analyst; and Data and Analytics Consultant. In April 2021, she was promoted to Sr. Data and Analytic Consultant, the title she holds today.

Astrid is no stranger to the Employee and Team of the Month Program. Astrid was recognized as a member of the October 2015 Team of the Month – ONE Program Project Team and the March 2021 Team of the Month – Bill Estimation Team. This time, she gets to stand alone in the spotlight.

“From her leadership implementing AGILE project and work management practices for the Data & Analytics team, to her support of the customer self-service initiative, Astrid continuously demonstrates her commitment to our Team PUD values,” said Kristi Sterling, Chief Information Officer. “I’m extremely grateful to have her on our team. Astrid’s commitment to customers and focus on teamwork embodies what it means to be employee of the month at the PUD.”

The contributions listed by her colleagues are so numerous that we could not possibly list them all, but below you will find a sampling of the achievements that earned Astrid this prestigious recognition:

• Successfully transitioned the team into the Azure DevOps tool and instituted an AGILE framework that has been adopted by the team through her dedication, persistence and leadership.
• Contributed her analytics and data engineering expertise to CSS, CONNECT UP and a multitude of other strategic projects.
• Provides leadership in the day-to-day operations of the Data & Analytics team and is a key contributor to the work backlog.
• A major contributor to all major meter to cash system initiatives since 2001.
• A key resource in all CIS implementations and transitions from prior systems.
• Developed a lead’s dashboard in collaboration with management that allows the leads, management, and staff to transparently track and improve our data quality and provide insights into our work management processes so that we can proactively take action to improve our delivery.

In addition to excelling at the technical aspects of her work, Astrid truly cares about her customers and her peers.

“She is one of those people who do more than anyone will ever know behind the scenes to make sure other people are successful in their jobs,” said Chris Britsch, Senior Manager Data and Analytics. “She truly cares and makes everyone else’s problems her own. Astrid is highly respected by management, her peers, and her customers due to how much care she puts into solving their problems and providing insights into their business process. She is consistently requested for her services, and I have been asked to clone her on many occasions. Astrid sets the bar on how to serve your customer.”

“She is supportive and loyal,” said Cathy Patterson, Senior Customer and Energy Services Program Manager. “I appreciate that if I make a decision that maybe doesn’t turn out the way we thought, she always has my back and fixes my mistake – always with a smile, empathy and patience.”

“On a regular basis, Astrid makes herself available to me to answer questions about a project, Dev Ops or supporting Agile,” said Tracy Larkin, Project Manager. “Her willingness to put other people’s needs over her day-to-day work shows what an amazing team player she is and how willing she is to share her knowledge. She has helped me troubleshoot countless issues with a great attitude and willingness.”

Astrid’s commitment to leadership and service to others extends beyond the walls of the PUD. Outside of work, she volunteers as the troop leader/treasurer/cookie mom for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop and manages the cookie distribution for all of Stanwood and Camano Island.

Whether you are looking for an empathetic leader, an expert in Agile/Analytics/Dev Ops, a supportive team player, or a box of delicious Thin Mints, look no further than Astrid.

Please join us in congratulating Astrid on being selected as our September Employee of the Month.

PHOTO: Astrid & her husband Bill