This Pride Month, we are celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and the launch of SDG&E’s newest employee resource group: the LGBTQIA+ Allies ERG (Employee Resource Group). The group aims to foster an environment that educates, enhances and sustains the LGBTQIA+ Ally community where everyone can feel a sense of belonging, be seen and bring their whole self to the workplace in an authentic way. The goal is to provide a safe space for connecting and educating members and allies, with a strong emphasis on all employees feeling “proud to be me at SDG&E.”
The ERG has a strong team of SDG&E employees leading the way, with a focus on equity, equality, respect and inclusivity. In the Q&A below, get to know Kellen Gill, Manager of Regulatory Relations and President of our new LGBTQIA+ Allies ERG.
What’s your role at SDG&E? What are some of the things you enjoy about your job?
I recently became a Manager of Regulatory Relations out of our San Francisco office though I am based in San Diego. Prior to that, I was responsible for overseeing wildfire, safety culture, and infrastructure permitting for regulatory affairs at SDG&E. As a Manager of Regulatory Relations, I serve as a professional lobbyist for SDG&E and SoCalGas by helping to translate concepts for our regulators and advocate the companies’ positions on various topics. One thing I really appreciate about my job is that I can bring my authentic self to the work that I do. I am surrounded by allies who both support and encourage me to talk about my family, my passions, and to be who I am without fear of discrimination.
Are there any LGBTQIA+ community organizations that you are involved with that you would like to share more about?
In May of this year SDG&E officially launched its LGBTQIA+ Allies employee resource group where I currently serve as President. When we started the group, the leadership team and I really wanted to be thoughtful about emphasizing inclusivity. To us, this meant that the organization is not just for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, but anyone who wants to join either to learn more or be an ally. Beyond SDG&E, a few other organizations I’ve engaged with in various capacities include the Trevor Project, Equality California, the NAACP, and the LGBT Center of San Diego.
What advice would you give someone who is a new ally or member to the LGBTQIA+ community?
I would first say welcome! Don’t be shy about asking questions that come from a place of respectful curiosity. I would prefer someone ask a question and be better informed than worry about offending me. To our new allies, I would add: being an ally means so much because you are some of our strongest and most important supporters. There are few things more powerful than when an ally stands up to someone making disparaging comments or educates someone to ask ‘what’s your partner’s name’ rather than assuming a man has a wife or a woman has a husband. For new members, I’d say look to your community for support. Often the shared experience many of us have had can be really powerful in helping to process difficult situations, prepare you for difficult conversations, and steady you through difficult emotions.
What are some of your hobbies? What are you passionate about?
One of my favorite hobbies is studying wine. About 13 years ago I had my first wine tasting experience at a winery in Santa Ynez. It was later in the day, so I had… ahem, tried a few different wineries and I wanted to try describing the wines like the other people I heard. I asked the tasting room attendant if he thought the wine was ‘peppery.’ He looked at me like I was from Mars and said, “absolutely not!” Well, I should send that snob a quiche because the embarrassment I felt led me to take a class at San Diego State University’s Business of Wine Program. Taking that class evolved into sitting for and passing the Advanced level exam for the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Studying wine has led me to appreciate why food and wine go together and I started eating things I wouldn’t have even touched previously. During COVID, I really stepped up my cooking game and made over 700 home cooked meals that I enjoyed pairing with great wines.
Other than wine tasting and study, I’m passionate about financial literacy. I spend a lot of time teaching underserved members of our community about financial awareness and I teach college and graduate students who want to become certified public accountants. From a young age, there was something about accounting that drew me in. Maybe it was the suspenders and briefcases? Later I realized I just liked how the language of business was prefaced on a set of agreed upon principles and how it was the accountants’ job to figure out how to apply them correctly.
As a family, my husband Justin and daughter Lily (6) and I love to cook together and travel.