For nearly 30 years, I helped developed and commercialized next-generation, software-based, network technologies initially revolutionizing the voice telecommunications networks to support broadband technologies and later to enable the electric utility market to integrate intelligence and renewable energy into the power grid.
Early in my career, I was a member of a telecommunications software development team where I earned numerous team patents. These patents enabled broadband video communications in a then nascent market. This phase of my career provided a route to upper management positions where I led large software teams and developed a strong foundation for subsequent senior strategy and business development roles in other companies.
After twenty years in senior roles in telecommunications, I applied my network and software knowledge to new positions in business development and strategy at small, privately held start ups serving the electric utility industry. Characterized as arcane and discontinuous, the power grid that serves the United States lacked advanced network software and communications components that had long been used to manage the telecommunications network. With the growth of energy generated from remote, renewable sources, electric utilities required similar technological solutions to supply connectivity, control and communications to their antiquated power grid. View my patents here (under my previous name, Storaasli).
Moving into the business side of small start ups in the electric utility was extremely challenging career move but provided me the opportunity to leverage my telecommunications and technical background. I was able to use my experience to anticipate and identify key shifts in markets and technology capabilities; translating these shifts into bottom line growth. As a business developer and market strategist, I grew my roles into becoming the face of our business and the voice of our business’ value at regional and national levels through sales events and speaking at conferences.
My career began with the birth of the computer and advancement of communications. As a woman in these fields during this critical point in time, I was afforded the opportunity to participate as a pioneer in developing the foundation for today’s evolving technologies.
In my post-professional life, I continue to pursue new information and knowledge as a blue-water sailor. My husband and I live aboard a 38 foot, ocean worthy, sailing catamaran, Sky Pond, made by an Australian boat builder, Seawind. Since February of 2016, we have sailed approximately 25,000 nautical miles including numerous multi week ocean passages. We have sailed into and around more than a dozen countries, crossed the international dateline once and the equator twice as we made our way through the South China Sea, to the South Pacific, French Polynesia, Eastern Pacific and Northern Pacific oceans. You can follow our adventures by viewing this map.
On board we educate ourselves regarding the international and domestic issues of each country and have a keen awareness of impacts to ocean environments. On board, I continue to grow personally as an artist and maker using found objects in compositions, painting with water colors and constructing fiber vessels from wool roving.