Scott M. Lindsay founded SML Consulting in 2003 to offer strategic marketing and government relations consulting to the energy, telecommunications and technology industries.

Over the last few years, he has helped form, advise and provide government relations support for two national trade associations -- the Rural Broadband Coalition (RBC) and the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition (OREC). He is co-founder and President of RBC -- a Washington, D.C.-based association, focused on helping rural communities obtain high-speed, high-capacity access to the Internet (broadband). He is also a founding organizer and board member of OREC –- a Washington, D.C.-based association focused on promoting the marine renewable energy industry in the United States.

Scott brings over ten years of experience working on congressional campaigns, grass-roots initiatives, and on a range of federal, state, county and local issues.

Scott formed SML Consulting after serving as the director of government & member relations for the Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA). As a consultant, he continues to serve as a primary liaison among NWPPA’s membership, in twelve Western states and Canada, and Congress. He continues to represent the association as a regional coordinator, writer, event speaker, legislative educator and an advocate.

He joined NWPPA after three years of consulting for the Association from Morgan Meguire, where he was vice president. While with this Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, Scott served as a legislative consultant for NWPPA and other energy and technology clients. Scott was responsible for Northwest power issues in addition to telecommunication, technology, transportation and defense matters.

Before joining Morgan Meguire, Scott moved from APCO Associates (APCO) where he was manager of government relations. Prior to joining APCO, Scott worked in the office of United States Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn (R-Wash.) where he served for five years as a legislative aide and outreach coordinator focusing on energy, information technology, transportation, commerce, banking, foreign affairs, veterans' and national security issues.

Scott is a Washington State native and graduated from the University of Portland before moving to Washington, D.C. He now resides in Vancouver, Wash.

Crystal Ball – Senior Advisor

Crystal Ball is a senior advisor to SML Consulting and provides legislative, communication and marketing support in the areas of energy and technology.

She has 15 years of public policy and communication experience in the electric utility industry. Over her long career with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), she gained a thorough understanding of the Pacific Northwest high-voltage transmission network and the Federal Columbia River Power System. This included working for BPA in its Washington, D.C at the height of the West Coast electricity crisis. Crystal also participated in Energy Secretary Bill Richardson’s energy emergency team and worked with DOE officials charged with tracking the problems and remedying the crisis.

In Washington, D.C., Crystal also built relationships with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and tracked FERC’s actions on Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Standard Market Design (SMD). In 2003, Crystal received the Administrator’s Excellence Award for Exceptional Service. She was recognized for her relationships with the DOE, congressional staff and FERC staff, that helped provide BPA with information and insight into many of the current, important national energy issues. It was noted that she was committed and diligent in her efforts to build political support for BPA and its strategic direction.

Crystal joined BPA as a full-time public affairs specialist out of college and served as a BPA spokesperson. As such, she was responsible for answering questions about BPA from regional, national and trade reporters. In September 1999, Crystal took the lead for staging a national media event that would allow the U.S. Secretary of Energy to participate in a drill that would test the nation’s electric utility industry’s Y2K readiness. The Y2K ready story made the morning news programs and appeared on the front pages of newspapers nationally.

Crystal is an Idaho State native and graduated with honors from the University of Portland before moving to Washington, D.C. She now resides in Portland, Ore.

Strategic Team Members:

NGrC — Doug Riggs

SMI, Inc. — Ted Lynch & Damian Kunko