In early March, Chief Public Affairs Officer Teresa Waugh announced the selection of the first participants of WAPA’s new Integrated Communications Group.
Guided by Strategic Roadmap 2024 and the critical pathway of Mutually Beneficial Partnerships, the ICG targets gaps in communication by bringing together a diverse team of employees to identify needs and disseminate messaging to improve communication in hard-to-reach areas of the organization.
The ICG is headed up by Waugh and Senior Vice President and Colorado River Storage Project Manager Steven Johnson.
The 2020-2022 group of participants includes individuals from different backgrounds, regions, functions, groups and grade levels, ensuring that all necessary parties are collaborating and bringing forward well-thought-out strategies with a bias toward action.
The ICG was founded with an understanding of the critical need for aligned messaging.
“Stakeholders may hear two different messages, or many different ones for that matter, and that breaks trust,” said Waugh. “People want and need to know that everyone in an organization is on the same page.”
Waugh emphasized that the importance of aligned messaging cannot be overstated, and that customers have different expectations than they had in the past.
“Live, modern media is coming at us from every direction,” she explained. “Countless social media channels create stakeholder-led media, and we are in the stage of rapid understanding. This poses challenges in a rapidly changing environment such as energy.”
Closed Circuit reached out to the first batch of participants to get their thoughts on WAPA’s innovative solution to communication complications.
Administrative Officer Michelle Fink
I’m honored to be selected for the Integrated Communications Group. I applaud WAPA for recognizing the value of effective communication and for the efforts to continuously develop in this area. I look forward to collaborating with the other members of the ICG as we “Seek. Share. Partner.” to help improve communication.
Transmission and Power Markets Advisor Rebecca Johnson
Communications that are aligned and cohesive yet tailored to diverse audiences will be critical for organizational alignment and stakeholder buy-in on strategic initiatives. I welcome the opportunity to help to shape those communications and am pleased to have been selected for the team.
Emergency Management Specialist Tarra Keathley
If an organization is accustomed to aligning communication on a daily basis, emergency communication will be much more effective. I look forward to being a part of the ICG, which will help ensure lines of communication are available to all WAPA employees during both normal operations and emergency situations.
Power Marketing Advisor Bob Langenberger
I am looking forward to being a part of the inaugural ICG and developing strategies for WAPA to more effectively communicate throughout the organization. It will be a great opportunity to meet new people and establish new relationships across WAPA.
Supervisory Auditor Greg Loendorf
I am excited to have the opportunity to help improve and enhance communication and collaboration across the organization. I am also looking forward to meeting new people and contributing to this team. It’s great to see WAPA’s commitment and leadership in this area.
Electrical Engineer Lori Messegee
“Listen to understand. Speak with purpose.” It’s one of our core values for good reason. I believe improved communications lead to increased efficiency and elevated morale. This is an exciting opportunity for me to serve WAPA in this endeavor.
Financial Program Analyst Lisa O’Brien
I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with the ICG to improve the way information is exchanged in an effort to evolve our communication strategy. I’m also excited for the chance to meet and cultivate new relationships with employees from a variety of functional areas and locations.
Vice President of Reliability and Compliance Brent Sessions
I am excited about participating in the ICG because I have some specific ideas I want to develop and implement. This group provides an opportunity to accomplish that. Consistent and timely communication helps solve many problems before they begin as well as helps employees understand what is going on around the organization. In the end, it saves time and aggravation.
Contract Specialist Diana Weiss
Communication has always been a passion of mine. The ICG will enable me to stretch into different areas of WAPA to learn about the cultures and various communication patterns already present. I look forward to taking the skills and innovative ideas I have to the team to make improvements to our communication and culture.
Transmission Scheduling Supervisor Ira Witherspooon
Working for WAPA for the past 16 years, I have been fortunate to be part of many projects and initiatives. In order to better align WAPA’s most valuable resource—its people—I look forward to blending my knowledge and experience with the larger ICG. I am honored to be a part of it.
Last modified on March 6th, 2024