Seattle City (spot)Light: Kristina Pham, Enterprise Organizational Change Manager
The Basics
Division: Office of the General Manager
How long have you been at City Light? 4 years
Tell us about your role: My role is to ensure City Light employees are supported through organizational change initiatives. As the Organizational Change Manager, I lead a team of four in developing and implementing strategies and plans to facilitate smooth transitions for the people side of change. We focus on creating scalable and effective plans that drive positive behavior change. Our approach empowers our workforce to adapt and thrive during technology system implementations, process changes, and the pursuit of organizational goals, ensuring long-term success.
Background
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia
Alma mater: George Mason University
Discipline/Trade of study: Business management with a minor in information technology
Tell us about your family/pets: The word for my family is “organized chaos”! I’m in Auburn with my husband, Andy, and our two little sidekicks. Lawson (who just turned 7!) is navigating second grade, and our resident comedian, Kaylani (4), has started kindergarten. They both attend Montessori school and are growing and thriving every day. I’m a Virginia native – Fairfax is my hometown – but I’ve completely fallen in love with Seattle. It’s a beautiful city, and we’re having a blast exploring it!
Just for fun
What energizes you and brings you excitement? I’m passionate about Seattle City Light’s mission and the vital role we play in our community. What energizes me is knowing that our work in change management contributes to the bigger picture. By helping our organization evolve and adapt, we’re ultimately helping City Light deliver on its promise to provide reliable and sustainable energy to the Seattle area. It’s about being part of something larger than myself and making a positive impact on the city we serve.
What is the one item you can’t live without that needs electricity to operate? As the manager of the Enterprise Organizational Change program, I’d have to say it’s my connection to our communication platforms. Whether it’s my laptop for staying connected with my team and stakeholders across the organization or my phone for quick updates and crucial decision-making, reliable communication is essential for navigating change effectively. Without these tools, powered by the electricity we provide, it would be incredibly challenging to ensure smooth transitions and successful adoption of new initiatives within City Light. Ultimately, it’s about keeping everyone informed, aligned, and empowered throughout any organizational change.
What obstacles have you overcome in your career? Early in my career, I was presented with the challenge of leading a large team while also driving a complex technical project. I was responsible for 35 project managers and business analysts and was tasked with leading the selection of a new grant management system for departments across the city of Seattle. This meant not only effectively managing and motivating my team, but also deeply understanding the technical requirements of the system and ensuring we selected the right vendor.
The challenge was balancing the expectations of leadership with the need for technical expertise. I addressed this by actively engaging with the technical experts on my team, fostering open communication, and dedicating time to understanding the intricacies of grant management systems. This allowed me to effectively guide the team, evaluate proposals, and ultimately select a vendor that met the City’s needs within a six-month timeline. (Source: https://powerlines.seattle.gov/2025/09/29/seattle-city-spotlight-kristina-pham-enterprise-organizational-change-manager/)