Podcasts

Line Life Podcast: Women on the Line, Part 3: Featuring Joanne Ward

May 18, 2023

Retired Crew Chief Joanne Ward shares her memories of working as a line crew helper in the 1970s and recites her poems about life in the trade.

Amy Fischbach

Related To: Huskie Tools

Back in the 1970s, Joanne Ward became interested in non-traditional job roles for women, and she applied for a job as a line crew helper for Seattle City Light, where she later served as a crew chief and crew coordinator. Years after her retirement, she published a poetry book titled, Utility.

During the May 2023 Line Life podcast, which is sponsored by Huskie Tools, she recites some of her poems, including "1978: Affirmative Action," "Utility" and "Cable Terminations."

For Part 3 of the Women on the Line series, she also shares her memories of working as a high-voltage electrician in substation maintenance and construction and offers tips on crew leadership for women who are currently working in the line trade.

To listen to the episode, click on the link below.

Email us at [email protected] with your comments on this episode and subscribe to the Line Life Podcast on Podbean to be notified when new episodes are available.

Also, be sure to listen to the other episodes in the Women on the Line series:

Joanne Ward worked as an electrical helper before moving on to positions as a crew coordinator and crew chief.

About the Author

Amy Fischbach | Amy Fischbach, EUO Contributing Editor

Amy Fischbach is the Field Editor for T&D World magazine and manages the Electric Utility Operations section. She is the host of the Line Life Podcast, which celebrates the grit, courage and inspirational teamwork of the line trade. She also works on the annual Lineworker Supplement and the Vegetation Management Supplement as well as the Lineman Life and Lineman's Rodeo News enewsletters. Amy also covers events such as the Trees & Utilities conference and the International Lineman's Rodeo. She is the past president of the ASBPE Educational Foundation and ASBPE and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Kansas State University. She can be reached at [email protected].