President
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson has been on the board of Lakeview Light & Power since 2016. Since then, he has chaired the Audit Committee, Finance Committee and the Compensation Committee. He obtained his Credentialed Cooperative Director certification through National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). As an elected member and representative, he serves in a fiduciary role for the Cooperative- a role that requires him to make informed decisions that are in the best interest of Lakeview Light & Power and its members.
Mr. Johnson has been a resident of Lakewood for the past 35 years and recently retired from Columbia/Umpqua Bank after 27 years of service as its Senior Vice President. He gives back to the communities where he lives and works. Some highlights of his community involvement over the years include being on the Allocations Committee for United Way, the Advisory Committee for Clover Park Technical College and serving as an Executive Board Member, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee for Annie Wright School.
Vice President
Robert Estrada
Robert (Bob) Estrada is a retired military Air Force officer who has resided in the Lakeview Light and Power service area for 35 years. He previously served as Lakeview’s Board Secretary for 12 years and after 2 years of retirement, was elected again in 2018. Bob brings to Lakeview over 39 years of work experience while serving in the military, state government, nonprofits, retail, and asset management organizations. He has also served 20 years on nonprofit boards. He has supervised staff, planned and implemented special projects, improved work procedures, and assessed the condition, maintenance, and accountability of equipment and facilities.
Community is important to Bob and he currently volunteers with the following organizations: Chair, City of Lakewood Planning Commission; President, Friends of the Lakewood Library; Finance Council and Lector, and St. Frances Cabrini. He also volunteers for Lutheran Community Services; City of Lakewood Adopt a Street Program; and at a local food bank.
Secretary
Alan Hart
Dr. Alan Hart grew up in Pierce County, and after education and a career spent mainly on the east coast, retired and moved to Lakewood in 2001. Dr. Hart’s advanced degree and postdoctoral studies are in the fields of chemistry and engineering. He continues to maintain an active interest in all areas of science. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
During his career, Dr. Hart worked in a variety of areas including occupational safety and health, toxicology, environment, product safety, and quality. He also managed a design safety and operations review group for Union Carbide Corporation.
His engineering group conducted design safety, reliability, and quantitative risk studies on operations worldwide. After retirement and return to the Pacific Northwest he maintained his interest in chemistry by being an adjunct chemistry instructor at Tacoma Community College for 10 years.
Dr. Hart was elected to the Lakeview Light and Power board in 2017 and the Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange board in 2023. He is a member of the Lakewood Public Safety Advisory Committee and volunteers with the Lakewood Police Department. He was also a member of the Lakewood Emergency Response and Preparedness Group, and a member of CERT. In 2011 Dr. Hart received the Governor’s Volunteer Award for his activities and is also a Credentialed Cooperative Director.
Dr. Hart believes that long-term planning and careful implementation of well-designed customer-oriented services are in the best interests of customers of Lakeview Light and Power.
Treasurer
Linda McDermott
Linda McDermott’s journey in public power began in 2003 with her nomination to LLP’s Board of Directors. Since then, she has had the privilege of serving in various roles, including President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. She recently held the position of President of the Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association (WRECA), which is affiliated with LLP. In this role, she promoted energy policies that empower our members and ensure their continued access to reliable, affordable, clean energy. As Chair of LLP’s Scholarship and Contributions Committee, Linda manages scholarship funds for deserving students seeking to further their education.
Prior to retirement, Linda worked as a frontline performance manager for Allstate Insurance Company, focusing on converting the Northwest Property and Casualty Group into a model of success that prioritized customer satisfaction and retention.
Linda’s community service spans from being a member of Lakewood Rotary to volunteering with American Lake Veteran’s Hospital and Clover Park Schools, dedicating time to both veterans and youth.
Director
Jessica Elwess
Jessica Elwess currently holds the position of Accounting Manager at DexCare, a Seattle-based Software as a Service (SaaS) healthcare start-up. Specializing in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance consumer demand and advance health system business objectives. DexCare utilizes technology to provide inclusive healthcare access within the United States.
Ms. Elwess has over three decades of professional expertise in the realm of accounting. In her role as a Controller within the Aerospace and Manufacturing sector, she made significant contributions to accounting support, payroll management, and report generation. Her proficiency extends to analyzing contemporary trends and data, enabling her to make functional financial decisions conducive to cost effectiveness in budgeting, reporting, and investing. Through adept strategic planning, she gained trust, instilled confidence, and earned respect – nurturing positive relationships that, consequently, played a pivotal role for elevating gross margins and ensuring overall sustainability. Ms. Elwess holds an MBA in Accounting from the University of Phoenix, a BA in International Studies from the University of Washington, and AAs from both Pierce Community College and Tacoma Community College. She has been a resident of Lakewood since 1991 and is a graduate of Clover Park High School.
Ms. Elwess was appointed to the Lakeview Light & Power Board of Directors in 2024, raising the number of directors from five to six.
Director
Tom McDonald
Mr. Tom McDonald has resided in the Lakeview Light & Power service area since 1977. He is a Credentialed Cooperative Director by the Northwest Public Power Association. He served four years in the U.S. Army and 24 years in the Washington Army National Guard.
He has over 40 years of experience in the electrical industry retiring as one of the Managers of Madsen Electrical to be an instructor for the Southwest Washington Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Committee, from which he also recently retired.
Mr. McDonald was elected to the Board in March of 2003, and believes that the present Board of Directors, as well as our General Manager, are an extremely talented group of individuals, with one focused idea in mind:
To serve the Lakeview community, to the best of their ability, in maintaining your utility rates as one of the lowest in the Greater Puget Sound area.