Executive Management

Mr. Anderson is President and Chief Executive Officer and a Board Member of Northwest Natural Holding Company (NYSE: NWN) and Northwest Natural Gas Company. He previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of NW Natural from August 2015 to July 2016, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from February 2014 to July 2015, as Executive Vice President of Operations and Regulation from February 2013 to February 2014, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from when he joined NW Natural in 2004 to February 2013. Before joining NW Natural, Mr. Anderson was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at TXU Gas. He previously held executive positions within TXU Corporation (formerly Texas Utilities) including Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, and Vice President of Investor Relations and Shareholder Services. Mr. Anderson also serves as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chair for certain subsidiaries of NW Holdings including Northwest Energy Corporation, as well as serves as Chair of the Board for NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, and NW Natural Water Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.

In addition to serving on the Boards of NW Holdings and NW Natural, Mr. Anderson serves on the Board of Directors of National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE: NFG) where he has been appointed to the Audit, Finance and Compensation Committees. Mr. Anderson also serves as a board member of the American Gas Association (AGA), where he is immediate past Chair of the Board, Chair of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee, Compensation Committee, and Safety, Resilience/Reliability, and Security Task Force. He is also a board trustee of the American Gas Foundation, a director of the Oregon Business Council, and a member of SOLVE Founders’ Circle. Mr. Anderson has also been appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown to serve on Oregon’s Global Warming Commission. Mr. Anderson is a past board member of the Northwest Gas Association, Portland Business Alliance, Portland State Foundation, and Greater Portland Inc., and a past President of The Oregon Partnership, Inc. (Lines for Life). Mr. Anderson is also a past Co-Chair of the AGA Clean Energy Task Force, and past Chair of the AGA Audit Committee, the AGA Compensation Committee, the AGA Fiscal and Tax Committee, the Associated Oregon Industries (AOI) Fiscal Policy Committee, and PSU Foundation Investment Committee, and is a past advisory board member for PSU School of Business and Oregon Department of Education Business Advisory Team. Mr. Anderson holds a BBA in Accounting from Texas Tech University and is a CPA (ret.) and Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Mr. Anderson serves a key leadership role on the Board of NW Holdings and provides the Board with in-depth knowledge of each area of NW Holdings’ and NW Natural’s business, its finance and operations, the energy industry generally, and the Company’s challenges and opportunities. He acts as the principal intermediary between management and the independent directors of our Board, and communicates to the Board management’s perspective on important matters brought before the Board. Mr. Anderson’s 18 years with NW Natural, his over 30 years’ experience in the energy industry, and his extensive involvement with the AGA and Northwest Gas Association enable him to bring to the Board a comprehensive understanding of the Company’s business operations as well as matters relating to the energy industry generally. Mr. Anderson’s service on local business, educational, charitable and public service boards provides an important connection between NW Holdings and the communities it serves. Additionally, his extensive experience in finance and operations provides important perspectives with respect to the Company’s business, operations, and financial positioning, as well as with respect to the communities the Company serves. Mr. Anderson’s combined professional skills and insights from his position as President and Chief Executive Officer, as well as his other roles and experiences, strengthen the Board’s collective knowledge, capabilities and experience.

Mr. Burkhartsmeyer is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NW Natural Holdings and NW Natural. Prior to joining NW Natural in May 2017, Mr. Burkhartsmeyer was the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Avangrid Renewables (Renewables), which is a subsidiary of Avangrid and part of the Iberdrola Group. He had been with Renewables since October 2005, serving as Senior Vice President of Finance, and Vice President of Strategy Planning and Market Fundamentals prior to assuming his role as a Director and President and CEO in April 2015. Mr. Burkhartsmeyer had also previously served as Managing Director of Strategic Planning at ScottishPower, a vertically integrated energy company with headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland, with strategic oversight responsibility for the company’s two United States businesses-PacifiCorp and PPM Energy. He also held a variety of roles, including Director of Treasury, at PacifiCorp, an electric power company operating in Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming, and Utah, prior to its acquisition by ScottishPower. Prior to that, Mr. Burkhartsmeyer spent seven years in the commercial banking industry in a variety of corporate development and financial analysis roles. He is a member of the Board of Directors for various NW Natural Holdings’ subsidiaries, including NNG Financial Corporation, KB Pipeline Company, NW Natural Energy, LLC, NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Northwest Energy Corporation, NWN Gas Reserves LLC, NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, NW Natural Ohio Renewable Energy, LLC, and NW Natural Water Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.

Mr. Burkhartsmeyer is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Portland Business Alliance and as a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy of Oregon.

Mr. Burkhartsmeyer previously served as a director of American Wind Energy Association and Avangrid Renewables. Mr. Burkhartsmeyer holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Montana and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Oregon.

Mr. Downing is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of NW Natural. Prior to joining NW Natural in September 2017, Mr. Downing was Chief Information Officer for the America’s division of WorleyParsons, an Australia-based engineering firm that provides services to the resources and energy sector around the world. Before working for WorleyParsons, Mr. Downing worked at British Petroleum (BP) for over 9 years, holding executive positions from 2008 to 2015. He has also previously worked with Schlumberger, the largest provider of technology services to the oil and gas industry.

Mr. Downing has a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and an Executive MBA from Tulane University.

Ms. Filippi is Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of NW Natural Holdings and NW Natural. She has served as Vice President and Corporate Secretary of NW Natural since 2015, and assumed Chief Compliance Officer responsibilities in 2016. Ms. Filippi also served as NW Natural’s Senior Legal Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary from 2011 to 2014, and Associate Legal Counsel from 2005 to 2011. Ms. Filippi is also Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary of various NW Natural Holdings’ subsidiaries, including NNG Financial Corporation, KB Pipeline Company, NW Natural Energy, LLC, NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Northwest Energy Corporation, NWN Gas Reserves LLC, NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, NW Natural Ohio Renewable Energy, LLC and NW Natural Water Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.

Prior to joining NW Natural, Ms. Filippi was an attorney at Stoel Rives LLP, focusing her practice in corporate, securities and finance, and mergers and acquisitions.  Prior to Stoel Rives LLP, she clerked in the Special Litigation Unit of Oregon Department of Justice, was a Policy Researcher at Public Policy Research, and an Instructor for the Communication Studies Department at Portland State University.  She currently serves as a director on the Lewis & Clark Law School Board of Visitors.  She is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Business Law and Innovation, a member of the Advisory Team for PDX Corporate Counsel Forums, a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, and a member of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists.  She was previously Chair of the Board and Chair of the Governance Committee, as well as Trustee of the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College Alumni Board of Directors. Ms. Filippi also served as Trustee of the Oregon Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and was a member of the Board of Directors of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation.

Ms. Filippi received her Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Kansas State University.  She attended a Master of Arts Program (ABT) in Communication Studies at Portland State University, and received her Doctor of Law (J.D.), magna cum laude, with a Certificate in Business Law, from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College.

Mr. Huddleston is NW Natural’s Vice President, Engineering and Utility Operations. He also served as NW Natural’s Senior Director, Utility Operations from 2014 to 2018, as Director, Utility Operations from 2013 to 2014, and multiple positions ranging from Design Engineer to Process Director from 1990 to 2013. In his previous position as Senior Director, Utility Operations, he oversaw transmission and distribution construction, gas operations and maintenance, storage and plant operations, and gas control. Over the course of Mr. Huddleston’s previous positions with NW Natural, he has also led engineering, technical training, business systems support, business analytics, technology implementation and federal pipeline safety compliance for NW Natural.

Prior to joining NW Natural, Mr. Huddleston was an engineer at Boeing. Mr. Huddleston is a Board member of the Friends of the Children and Operations Technology Development, where he previously served as Chair, and a former Board member of United Way of the Columbia-Willamette and former Advisory Board member of MECOP, Inc.

Mr. Huddleston received his Bachelor of Applied Science, Civil Engineering at Oregon State University, and a UEC Certificate, Utility Executive Course at University of Idaho.

Mr. Kravitz is Vice President, Rates and Regulatory of NW Natural, a position he has held since 2022.  Prior to his current role, Mr. Kravitz served as Senior Director of Rates and Regulatory from 2021-2022, Director of Rates and Regulatory from 2018-2021, and as a regulatory attorney from 2014-2018.  Prior to joining NW Natural, Mr. Kravitz was an Associate Attorney at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP from 2011-2014, focusing his practice on energy and utilities law.  He also previously served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office where he worked in the Labor Relations Division.

 Mr. Kravitz received his Bachelor of Arts in English and Government from The University of Texas at Austin and his Doctor of Law (J.D.) from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

Mr. Palfreyman is NW Natural’s Vice President, Strategy and Business Development.  Before joining NW Natural in 2016, he was with Lazard, Freres & Co., one of the world’s preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, serving as a Director in Lazard’s Power, Energy & Infrastructure Group from 2009 to 2016.  In that position, he provided strategic and financial advice to corporations, institutional investors, private equity funds and government clients.  Prior to Lazard, Mr. Palfreyman was an associate in the Infrastructure Investment Banking Group at Goldman Sachs in New York.  He has also held various positions in finance, strategy and business development at both Apex Learning and Accenture in Seattle, Washington.  Mr. Palfreyman is President and a member of the Board of Directors of NW Natural Water Company, LLC and its subsidiaries. He also currently serves as President of NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, as well as serving as Vice President of NWN Gas Reserves LLC, NW Natural Energy, LLC, and NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC. He serves on the boards of NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, and NW Natural Ohio Renewable Energy, LLC.

Mr. Palfreyman currently serves as Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair on the Board of CASA for Children of Multnomah, Washington and Columbia Counties.  Mr. Palfreyman graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from The University of Chicago Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy.

Ms. Rogers is NW Natural’s Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Diversity Officer. Prior to this appointment in July 2018, Ms. Rogers had been serving as NW Natural’s Senior Director of Human Resources since January 2018, and had previously served as Senior Manager, Organizational Effectiveness and Talent Acquisition from October 2015 to January 2018. Before joining NW Natural, Ms. Rogers had been a Senior Associate at Point B, a management consulting firm based in Seattle, from November 2014 to October 2015, as well as serving as Director of the Executive Development Center of Willamette University from December 2011 to May 2015. Prior to that, Ms. Rogers held a variety of human resources roles over 14 years at Knowledge Universe, Qualcomm and Hewlett-Packard, in addition to having ten years of experience in management positions in sales, engineering and supply chain. She has extensive experience with cultural change leadership, transition management, organizational development, succession planning and linking human resources strategy to business results.

Ms. Rogers sits on the Board of Partners in Diversity, an organization that works to help local companies advance diversity goals. Ms. Rogers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing and English from Bryant University and has participated in several advanced leadership development programs.

Ms. Rush is NW Natural’s Senior Vice President, Operations, and Chief Marketing Officer.  She also served as NW Natural’s Senior Vice President, Communications and Chief Marketing Officer from January 2018 through March 2018, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Communications from 2014 to 2017, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer from 2013 to 2014, Chief Corporate Communications Officer from 2011 to 2013, Communications Director from 2005 to 2011, Director of Consumer Information and Internet Services from 2000 to 2004, and Director of Consumer Information from 1998 to 2000.  Ms. Rush is a member of the Board of Directors for various NW Natural Holdings’ subsidiaries, including NNG Financial Corporation, KB Pipeline Company, NW Natural Energy, LLC, NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Northwest Energy Corporation, NWN Gas Reserves LLC, NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, NW Natural Ohio Renewable Energy, LLC and NW Natural Water Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.

Prior to joining NW Natural, Ms. Rush held management and senior communications positions at Alltel Corporation and Bank of America Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Rush currently serves on the board of the Northwest Gas Association, ONE Future, the Western Energy Institute, and is a member of the Operations and Sustainable Growth Committees of the American Gas Association. Prior board experience includes Greater Portland, Inc., LifeWorks Northwest, Natural Gas Vehicles for America and Utilization Technology Development, affiliated with the Gas Technology Institute.

Ms. Rush received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications at the University of Iowa, and a Master of Science in Communications at Northwestern University in Illinois.

Ms. Saathoff is Senior Vice President, Regulation and General Counsel of NW Natural Holdings and NW Natural.  She was appointed as Senior Vice President and General Counsel in 2015, and in 2016, Ms. Saathoff was appointed to oversee the Company’s regulatory matters.  Ms. Saathoff also served as NW Natural’s Vice President, Legal, Risk and Compliance from 2013 to 2014, and as Chief Governance Officer and Corporate Secretary from when she joined the Company in 2008 until 2013, as well as serving as Deputy General Counsel from 2010 to 2013.  Ms. Saathoff is a member of the Board of Directors for various NW Natural Holdings’ subsidiaries, including NNG Financial Corporation, KB Pipeline Company, NW Natural Energy, LLC, NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Northwest Energy Corporation, NWN Gas Reserves LLC, NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, NW Natural Ohio Renewable Energy, LLC, and NW Natural Water Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.

Until accepting her position with NW Natural, Ms. Saathoff was Chief Compliance Officer for Danaher Corporation and Assistant General Counsel for Tektronix, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danaher.  Prior to her position at Tektronix, Ms. Saathoff was General Counsel to Oregon Governor Kulongoski and his administration from 2003 through 2005, and also served as the Governor’s Business and Economic Development Advisor and Higher Education Policy Advisor during that period.  She has played a variety of legal roles in her career, including Senior Legal Counsel at Tektronix from 2000 through 2003, where she provided legal services to several business and operational divisions, and four years with the Oregon Department of Justice as the Attorney-in-Charge, managing the Business Transactions Section for the General Counsel Division.  Ms. Saathoff began her legal career at Stoel Rives LLP, focusing her practice in corporate, securities and finance.  She currently serves as Chair of the Oregon Lottery Commission.  Ms. Saathoff is a past Director of the Boards of the Northwest Gas Association, Oregon Health & Science University, the Portland Center Stage, United Way of Columbia-Willamette, Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, the Artists Repertory Theater, and the Classroom Law Project.  She is also a past member of the Portland State University Business Advisory Council, and previously served on the Oregon Public Officials Compensation Commission. Prior to her legal career, Ms. Saathoff was a high school teacher at Sunset High School in the Beaverton School District.

Ms. Saathoff received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College, and her Doctor of Law (J.D.) from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College.

Mr. Weber was named Vice President, Gas Supply and Utility Support Services of NW Natural Gas Company effective August 2019. He had previously become President and Chief Executive Officer of NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC and President of KB Pipeline Company on March 31, 2018. Mr. Weber previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gill Ranch Storage, LLC from January 1, 2011 until its sale on December 4, 2020. Mr. Weber is also a member of the Board of Directors and serves as Vice President of NWN Gas Reserves LLC. Mr. Weber oversaw the development of the North Mist Expansion Project, and beginning in 2018, became responsible for overseeing NW Natural’s Gas Supply Operations. In August of 2019, Mr. Weber added responsibilities for NW Natural’s Gas Storage, Gas Control, Business Systems and Utility Support Services. Mr. Weber was NW Natural’s Chief Information Officer from April 10, 2001 until joining NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC and Gill Ranch Storage, LLC in November of 2010 as Chief Operating Officer. He previously served as Director of Information Services for NW Natural. He joined NW Natural in 2000 after a 16-year career with IBM as a project executive and consultant. Mr. Weber also served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He currently serves as Chair of the South Clackamas Transit District and a Board member and Treasurer of Clackamas Repertory Theatre. He is also a past chair of the American Gas Association’s Technical Advisory Committee, past vice chair of Junior Achievement, and a past board member of Software Association of Oregon and American Leadership Forum of Oregon.

Mr. Weber has a long history of technology management, dating back to his studies at the University of Denver, where he earned an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Mathematics.

Ms. Williams is NW Natural’s Vice President, Public Affairs and Sustainability.  She has management responsibilities in government affairs, environmental policy, community relations, and corporate giving.  Prior to this appointment, effective in April 2019, Ms. Williams had been serving since April 2018 as NW Natural’s Government and Community Affairs Director.  Before joining NW Natural, Ms. Williams had been the State Affairs Manager at the Port of Portland, where she oversaw the Port’s state government relations efforts, since November 2015 and the Business and Rail Relations Manager from January 2007 to November 2015.  Prior to her employment at the Port, she was an associate at the regional public affairs consulting firm, Imeson & Carter, and spent over a decade working on issues on behalf of transportation providers, utilities, infrastructure companies and nonprofit organizations.  Ms. Williams currently serves on the board of Identity Clark County, Oregon Business and Industry, Board of Trustees for WorldOregon, and is a board member of the non-profit Urban Gleaners and is a past board member of the Oregon Transportation Forum, Oregon Public Ports Association and Innovation Partnership/Partners in Diversity.  She is involved with numerous leadership and community-based organizations, including Metro’s Regional Transportation Funding Task Force.

Ms. Williams is a graduate of The Colorado College where she received a bachelor’s degree in History and Latin American Studies.  She completed an executive education program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government on Economics and the Environment and is a graduate of the Portland Business Alliance’s Leadership Portland program.

Mr. Wilson is Vice President, Treasurer, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of NW Natural Holdings and NW Natural. Mr. Wilson has been serving as Treasurer since 2016, and was appointed NW Natural’s Controller and Chief Accounting Officer in 2013. Since joining the company in 2012, he has had management responsibilities in controls, accounting, regulatory, treasury, budgeting and forecasting. Mr. Wilson also serves as Treasurer for various NW Natural Holdings’ subsidiaries, including NNG Financial Corporation, KB Pipeline Company, NW Natural Energy, LLC, NW Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Northwest Energy Corporation, NWN Gas Reserves LLC, NW Natural RNG Holding Company, LLC, NW Natural Renewables Holdings, LLC, NW Natural Ohio Renewable Energy, LLC, and NW Natural Water Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.  Before coming to NW Natural, Mr. Wilson was a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Mr. Wilson is currently serving on the boards of the Wind & Oar Boat School, Oregon Sports Authority, and Mark Selid Scholarship Board, and participates in a number of professional associations supporting accounting and finance professions, including as a member and Chair of the American Gas Association’s Accounting Advisory Council.

Mr. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from George Fox University and is a Certified Public Accountant in Oregon.