AVISTA CORPORATION
K. Collins Sprague
Avista Senior Director of Government Relations
K. Collins Sprague has been a government relations professional since 1987. A native of Seattle, Washington, he graduated with honors from the University of Washington. After beginning his career as staff on political campaigns and consulting candidates for local, legislative, and congressional office, he became the Political Director for the state’s largest political action committee. His introduction to lobbying began when he represented a variety of public and private sector organizations before the Washington State Legislature. He was later served as Manager of Government Affairs for the Association of Washington Business (the state Chamber of Commerce), where he created the organization’s environmental affairs division. Avista Corporation hired Mr. Sprague as Manager of State Government Relations in 1990. (Avista Corp. is a publicly-traded, electric and natural gas utility serving approximately 775,000 customers in five western states.)
In 2012, he was promoted to Director of Government Relations, supervising the company’s engagement in public affairs in Spokane, Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. Mr. Sprague is presently Senior Director of Government Relations. He has served on the board of government commissions and civic organizations throughout his career. He currently serves on the boards of Spokane Airports, Northwest Gas Association, Northwest Clean Energy Coalition, Treasure State Resources Association, Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance, Spokane Club, and Spokane Good Roads Association. Mr. Sprague has previously served on the board of the Association of Washington Business and other non-profit organizations, as well as on the Washington Commission on Judicial Conduct. Mr. Sprague resides in Spokane, Washington.
Jason Thackston
Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Clean Energy Officer
Jason Thackston is senior vice president and chief strategy and clean energy officer for Avista. He joined the company in 1996 and has held leadership positions in energy resources, customer solutions, energy delivery, finance, risk management, investor relations, and corporate development.
Thackston holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Whitworth University with a major in International Studies and an emphasis in Business Management. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Gonzaga University.
He serves on the boards of Association of Washington Business, Whitworth University, United Way of Spokane County, Independent Colleges of Washington, Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, and Health Sciences and Services Authority of Spokane County. Previously, he served on the boards of YMCA of the Inland Northwest, Northwest Gas Association, Northwest Business Development Association, and Business Development Corporation of Eastern Washington.