Sarah Hill-Nelson

Role: Speaker, Panelist

Sarah Hill-Nelson is the Owner/Operator of The Bowersock Mills and Power Company, a run of river, certified low-impact hydroelectric plant located on the Kansas River in Lawrence, Kansas. Ms. Hill-Nelson is the fifth generation of the Hill family to own and operate The Bowersock Mills and Power Company. She is the President and CEO of the company, and manages the company operations along with her father, Stephen Hill. On an ongoing basis, Ms. Hill-Nelson acts as the primary manager of BMPC operations, including all business relationships and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) compliance. In 2010, Bowersock received a FERC license to expand the Kansas River Project through the construction of a new powerhouse, expanding site operations from 2.35 MW to 7MW. Ms. Hill-Nelson managed the BMPC FERC license effort, coordinating with federal, state, and local agencies and NGOs to ensure an efficient licensing process. Prior to her current position, Sarah worked as a research analyst, and, early in her career, as a history teacher. She graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College in 1992, was a Kansas Truman Scholar, is fluent in Spanish, and earned a master’s degree in history from the University of Washington in 1995 and a Master’s in Teaching from Seattle University in 1997. Ms. Hill-Nelson is active in issues relating to water resources in Kansas, and as a member and former Chair of the Kansas Regional Advisory Committee she advocates for state engagement to preserve the quality and quantity of water for Northeast Kansans. Ms. Hill-Nelson is engaged the Lawrence community as well as the region. She is active in her children's school and currently serves as a board member for Landmark National Bank and Friends of the Kaw. She has served in leadership positions on several boards, including as President of the Douglas County CASA Board, Vice President of the City of Lawrence Sustainability Advisory Board, and Treasurer for Friends of Lawrence Area Trails. Ms. Hill-Nelson is married to Eric Nelson and they have two children ages twenty and eighteen.