ALPHARETTA, GA — June 11, 2026 — Utility leaders carry tremendous responsibilities. Every day, they make decisions that affect employee safety, customer affordability, system reliability, community resilience, and long-term sustainability. The stakes are high, the challenges are complex, and the pressure is real.

At Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative (U2030), we believe utility leaders deserve support from people who understand what that responsibility feels like and how to succeed. That’s why we’re proud to announce that Gretchen Stanford is joining U2030 as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Utility Advisor.

Most recently serving as Chief Transformation Officer for the City of Fort Collins, Stanford has spent her career helping organizations navigate change while never losing sight of the people behind the work. She understands that transformation isn’t something that happens through project plans alone. It happens through leaders making difficult decisions, teams learning new ways of working, and organizations finding the courage to change cultures to move forward.

In her role at U2030, Stanford will work across both membership and advisory services, helping utility organizations tackle workforce challenges, organizational effectiveness, customer experience, leadership development, and enterprise transformation.

“As part of the Fort Collins team, Gretchen has been a valued member of the U2030 community for more than a year,” said Vanessa Edmonds, Founder and CEO of U2030. “Over that time, we watched her build trusted relationships, share her expertise generously, and help other leaders think differently about transformation. We saw that the impact she could make extended far beyond a single organization.

Gretchen understands the business, technology, and human sides of change. She knows what it feels like to carry the weight of difficult decisions when there isn’t an obvious answer. She understands the pressure leaders face when the stakes are high and everyone is looking to them for direction.

But beyond her expertise, she’s an authentically good person who genuinely cares about helping others succeed. That’s exactly the kind of leader we want serving our members, clients, and the utility industry.”

For Stanford, joining U2030 was an opportunity to help even more leaders navigate the challenges she knows firsthand.

“Utility leaders carry a profound responsibility, often navigating complex transformations where there is no easy blueprint. But leadership should never be a solitary journey. What drew me to U2030 is our shared conviction that when you support a leader, you strengthen an entire community. I look forward to standing alongside these dedicated professionals—not just to help them navigate the weight of change, but to unlock the incredible talent and innovation waiting to be unleashed across our industry.

We often talk about the future of utilities in terms of infrastructure, but the real infrastructure of tomorrow is human. True enterprise transformation requires more than strategy; it requires the courage to change culture. I’m joining U2030 because we don’t just advise on the future—we build the leadership capacity to handle it. I am eager to work with our members to turn the complex pressures of today into the defining achievements of tomorrow.”

The addition of Stanford reflects U2030’s continued commitment to helping utility organizations lead through change — not just by providing advice, but by building trusted relationships, developing leaders, and creating communities where people can learn from one another.

Media Contact

Isaac Edmonds
iedmonds@utility2030.org
Utility 2030 Leadership Collaborative
www.utility2030.org