ODOE Welcomes New RARE Member to Support Rural Resilience

The Oregon Department of Energy welcomed our first member of the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) Program, Angela Singleton, in Fall 2022 and a second RARE member, Alice Weston, in Fall 2023. Their work was so valuable to ODOE and the rural communities we serve. We are thrilled to welcome a new RARE member, Sara “Lark” Millies-Lucke. Sara Lark is working with the Community Navigator Program and will be analyzing ODOE programs in various stages of implementation to help us learn about how we can better reach and serve rural communities and support their energy resilience. 

Meet Sara Lark in her own words:

I grew up on a farm in rural Michigan where I was privileged to develop a deep appreciation of the environment and an understanding of the challenges and beauty of rural areas. After graduating from Michigan State University in December 2020 with a major in Comparative Cultures and Politics with a concentration in environmental justice and renewable energy, as well as a minor in environmental studies and sustainability, I continued to work on renewable energy through my work as a board member at Taras Meadow on Beaver Island, and as an Energy Analyst ICF and Key Account Manager at Dynapower. Now, I am excited to continue working on energy through the lens of public policy and state government and connect back to my passion and focus on rural areas and environmental justice communities. As a RARE member, I am excited to be working with the Oregon Department of Energy through the Community Navigator program. I will be analyzing several state and federal initiatives to increase rural participation while also increasing ODOE’s understanding of how its programs can better serve rural communities. As part of the program, I am hosted by IVCDO, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of those in the Illinois Valley through various initiatives and partnerships, including energy and infrastructure. Centered in the heart of the Valley in Cave Junction, Oregon, I will experience firsthand and support rural communities in Southern Oregon. You will also find me traveling around the state to meet and connect with different rural communities and organizations across the state.

During my time with ODOE, I will be working with the Community Navigator program and developing analysis on Solar For All, Grid Resilience Grant program, and the Community Renewable Energy Grant program with ideas on how ODOE can better reach and serve rural communities and support their energy resilience. I will also be reaching out to community leaders to better understand community needs and connect organizations to relevant grant funding opportunities. My work will center on cataloging energy needs across the state and creating a foundation to build positive lasting relationships with rural community organizations, public officials, consumer-owned utilities, and representatives and members of the nine federally recognized Tribes of Oregon. Although focused on the three main projects, I’m excited that my work will help lay the foundations for a robust approach to serving rural communities in Oregon.