WAPA honors 2024 ESA winner Anastasia Markel

The Exceptional Service Award, WAPA’s highest honor, recognizes employees who consistently go above and beyond, contribute to critical projects or committees and advance WAPA’s strategic plan through exceptional performance and external activities. This year’s winners exemplify these qualities, showcasing remarkable dedication, innovation and leadership that have profoundly impacted WAPA and its communities. Their contributions reflect WAPA’s core values and help drive the organization’s mission forward, ensuring reliable, affordable power for millions across the western United States.  

Anastasia Markel: A leader in energy management and team collaboration 

Anastasia Markel is a highly skilled Energy Management and Marketing Specialist for the Colorado River Storage Project region. She consistently goes above and beyond her role, showing meticulous attention to detail and strong leadership. Her teamwork ensures timely completion of time-sensitive tasks, and she plays a pivotal role in supporting her colleagues. 

Markel has been instrumental in a number of successful projects. As the technical lead, she collaborated with the software engineers at Minneapolis Consulting Group to automate load and resource spreadsheets for CRSP and the Loveland Area Projects, significantly saving time and improving the accuracy of uploads and meter readings. Additionally, she played a crucial role in successfully transitioning the Silt Water Conservancy District and Public Service Company of Colorado Balancing Authority into the Western Energy Imbalance Service market. Her efforts ensured a seamless transition for all parties involved, demonstrating her ability to manage complex tasks effectively.  

She and her team recently helped set up new schedule templates to manage stranded energy for next-day tagging purposes, benefiting customers of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project and Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. Markel’s expertise and determination were instrumental in the team’s success. 

Markel’s expertise in managing schedules, troubleshooting and collaborating with teams like IT, Contracts and SCADA systems has contributed significantly to WAPA and its customers. Beyond her technical acumen, Markel’s positive attitude and dedication inspire her colleagues. She is known for her deep knowledge of her role and WAPA’s history and is always willing to help others.