Stay Basin! Dynamic work, professional development, and a place to grow

Basin Electric appreciates its employees and works hard to retain its workforce. The cooperative understands that employees — with their combined knowledge, insight, and hard work — are the ones who make the difference.

With over 11 years at Headquarters under her belt, LaDonna Carpenter, Basin Electric information technology (IT) organizational change management lead, found her fit after a career marked by unexpected turns.

Carpenter graduated from Chadron State College in Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science degree in music education and an endorsement in vocal music. “I had originally planned to teach, but it didn’t take me long to discover that I didn’t like teaching in a school environment,” Carpenter says.

After spending 14 years at Microsoft in roles spanning technical support, project management, and team leadership, Carpenter began looking for a workplace that felt more personal. “Basin Electric offers the right mix of big company while maintaining a personal connection with employees,” she says. “It’s large enough to provide growth opportunities, but small enough that you never feel like a number on someone’s spreadsheet.”

Carpenter’s work at Basin Electric focuses on facilitating IT change management through training, communication, and overseeing the testing of new IT systems. “My focus right now is primarily on the NextGen Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project,” she explains. “This entails making sure that employees are armed with information, training, and tools to help them learn the new SAP software and processes that will be implemented over the next 18 months.”

LaDonna thrives in the dynamic nature of her work. “I love the variety!” she says. “I still love to teach and present, so change management and training are natural fits for me. I also get to be creative through writing, training development, designing pages for SharePoint or Basin Electric’s intranet, and I’ve even gotten to dip my toes into animation for an upcoming awareness campaign.”

Outside of work, Carpenter channels her creativity into the Bismarck community theater scene. “I have performed in more than 20 shows, directed four times, and have worked in some capacity on several others,” she says. She is currently directing A Christmas Story at Dakota Stage in preparation for performances this coming December. During the summer, she also serves as the volunteer coordinator for Sleepy Hollow Theater and Arts Park, where she “wrangles the volunteers that take tickets, run the concessions stands and merchandise sales, and make the famous scotch-a-roos and caramel sauce.”

“Basin Electric has been a long-time sponsor of Sleepy Hollow, and last year sponsored the musical I directed at Dakota Stage,” Carpenter says. “This year, Basin Electric is a co-sponsor of A Christmas Story. To have that kind of support from my employer for my outside passions is something you don’t often find in the professional world.”

Looking ahead, Carpenter hopes that Basin Electric will be her last employer. “After having a variety of employers over the years, I’ve found that Basin Electric has the right combination of challenging work and growth opportunities, which allow me to play to my strengths. I feel valued here. I don’t plan to go anywhere else.”

She adds, “I recommend Basin Electric as an employer to others all the time. Basin Electric is a place that truly cares about its people. I appreciate that the most.”