Rachel Landis

LPEA Incumbent Candidate, District 3

Serving YOU on the La Plata Electric Board of Directors

“For me, every day I show up for work at LPEA, my mind is centered on fighting for the things that I want and love — a stable climate that sustains all of us and this incredible place we live in, ensuring that working people in our community don’t have to make the choice between paying their electricity bill and feeding their family, and a vibrant and equitable local economy.”

My LPEA Accomplishments

  • Leading the Energy Future:
    • Led the search and ultimate hire of a CEO poised and eager to handle the challenges and opportunities that come with a shift in the utility space. 
    • Helped lead the board to a unanimous vote to seek out a cleaner power supply
    • Approved the purchase of and installation of 2MW solar farm outside of Durango 
  • Fiscal Responsibility
    • 2021 saw the largest retirements of capital credits in LPEA history ($5.5 million)
    • Budget restructure
  • Taking Care of Members
    • Lower Rates:
      • 2% rate decrease from TSGT in 2021 with another 2% in 2022
    • Member Support:
      • Overdue accounts are at historic lows do to CSR support and innovative pay programs
  • Accountability
    • Passed policy and put practices in place to make LPEA one of the more transparent and accessible organizations.
  • Excellence in all that LPEA does:
    • Promotes the healthy functioning of LPEA, which requires healthy functioning board, focusing on board review and evaluation.

My Story

  • I grew up in the Northwestern Illinois; Daughter of a Methodist Preacher (9th generation preacher’s kid!) and a school secretary.
  • I fell in love with the outdoors while growing up on the banks of the Mississippi River — beginning at age 10, I would pedal my bike out to the Mississippi Palisades State Park to wait for the climbers to arrive from Chicago, after which I would bum belays 🙂 
  • From Illinois, I high tailed it to the northeast, where I studied Environmental Studies and Biology at St. Lawrence University. I become a ‘guide’ with the school’s outdoor program and gallivanted all over the Adirondack Mountains
  • Following my college experience, I wanted to connect as many people to the outdoors and nature, as possible, believing that this would be a vehicle to aid in their development of a land and environmental ethic. Accordingly, I became an outdoor educator and guide working for organizations ranging from the High Mountain Institute to the National Outdoor School. My outdoor career carried me all over the western US, Canada and Mexico, as well as, Central and South America.
  • Eventually I came ‘home’ to Durango and the San Juan Mountains — one of the earliest places (and always my favorite) that I had worked in my outdoor career. My goal was to settle in, build community, and give back in meaningful ways.

My Work Experience

I have spent my career in service to social & environmental change and my community. After a decade of teaching Social Change Leadership and Environmental Studies in experiential and higher education, I transitioned to the sustainability field where I served as the Director of the Environmental Center at FLC (2011-2018) and now as the Director of The Good Food Collective. I have founded several non-profits and served on numerous boards including Local first, 4CORE, and the Colorado Food Policy Leadership Council. I hold a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies and a certificate in Sustainable Development. I am a team-player, systems-thinker, strategist, and values-driven leader all of which have proven assets in my service to LPEA.

Civic Engagement

  • Montezuma Food Coalition, Board Member, May 2018-present
  • Team Up United Way, Food Security Action Team Member, May 2018-present 
  • Archuleta County Food Justice, Food Equity, Participant, May 2018-present 
  • Round Up Foundation, Board Member, January 2018-May 2019 
  • 4 Corners Office of Resource Efficiency, LPEA Delegate, January 2018-present 
  • Sustainability Alliance of Southwestern Colorado, September 2012-May 2017 •
  • Growing Partners of Southwestern Colorado, Board Member, August 2011-January 2017 •
  • City of Durango Housing Policy Advisory Committee, February 2015-2017
  • Green Business Roundtable Planning Committe, Spring 2014 & 2017
  • Board of Directors Member, Local First Durango, September 2012-June 2014
  • La Plata Food Policy Council, Member, August 2011-2014
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