Doyle Names Lauren Azar to PSC
The media release said:
Governor Jim Doyle today announced that he is appointing Lauren Azar to the Public Service Commission (PSC) effective Monday, March 12, 2007. Azar, of Madison, replaces Bert Garvin, who is stepping down.
“I am pleased to appoint Lauren Azar to the Public Service Commission,” Governor Doyle said. “Lauren will bring both the right experience and judgment to the challenges and opportunities facing Wisconsin. As both a utility and environmental attorney for over a decade, she is highly qualified to address the complex matters that come before the PSC and evaluate these questions from the perspective of ratepayers, the utility industry, and the entire community.”
“I am thrilled and honored to serve the State of Wisconsin, which has a long history of leading the nation in utility regulation,” Lauren Azar said. “I believe that the PSC should always value reliable utility service, competitive rates that protect the consumer, and the environment, all of which are critical to move the state forward. I applaud Governor Doyle’s leadership on economic development and energy independence. I look forward to furthering the Governor’s efforts in these areas and I thank him for the opportunity to serve the people of this state.”
Lauren Azar has served both ratepayers and utilities before the Commission. In 2007, Ms. Azar was named one of the Best Lawyers in America in the area of energy law.
In addition to her legal experience, Ms. Azar brings a strong environmental background to the position, holding a master’s degree in water resources management from UW’s Gaylord Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies. This past summer, Ms. Azar traveled to four European countries to investigate their ongoing efforts to address global warming by utilizing renewable energy sources.
Ms. Azar also holds a master’s degree in philosophy from Northwestern University.
She is a resident of Madison, where she resides with her domestic partner, U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin.
