Propane Personality: NPGA’s Lesley Garland

EDUCATION

The University of Alabama
Bachelor of Arts, Journalism
and Political Science
Class of 1997

WORK EXPERIENCE

2014-Present
National Propane Gas Association (NPGA)
Vice President, State Affairs
Director, State Affairs

2006-14
Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA)
President and CEO

2003-06
Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)
Editorial and Publications Manager

“My main goal is to be a bridge between the 38 state and regional associations and the National Propane Gas Association. We want to help states take advantage of opportunities and deal with the challenges
they’re facing.”

FAMILY

“My father is on the faculty at The University of Alabama. I’m a college professor’s kid.”

Garland says she’s pulled off
a propane industry “hat trick,” having worked for three key organizations: NPGA, PERC and WPGA. “I’m going into my 15th year working with the propane industry, as a servant of the industry. I love it. I love the industry. I love the people.”

NPGA IMPACT

⦁ 10,000 – The number of bills that Garland says NPGA analyzed over the past year that had some type of impact on propane industry businesses.
⦁ 750 – The number of bills the association actively followed over the past year.

NPGA offers tools and resources, Garland says, that allow members to actively engage with their legislators or decision-makers on an issue – whether that’s clicking a link to send a letter or sign a petition or using
a set of prepared talking points for a call.

“Our companies do have a proven track record of grassroots support, showing up and making our voices heard when it matters,” Garland says

HOBBIES

Scuba diving, playing piano, traveling. “I’m also a soccer mom, a basketball mom, a baseball mom and a Lego mom,” says Garland, who has a 7-year-old son.

A reporter’s life

President Bill Clinton’s impeachment in 1998, resulting in part from his improper relations with a White House intern, took place during Garland’s time at the newspaper. An editor assigned her a “man on the street” story, for which she would ask people in Columbus how they felt about adultery. “I took my reporter’s notebook and went in front of the Piggly Wiggly as people were walking in,” she laughs.

She also remembers an anthrax threat at a local post office; political “movers and shakers” coming out of Columbus; and military-based stories with Fort Benning nearby.

“I loved every minute of it,” she says of her time as a reporter. “It made me fearless that I can talk to anybody about anything.”

Coming out of college, Garland worked as a city government and police reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper in Columbus, Georgia. “I moved to Washington, D.C., where the journalism world was far more difficult to break into, so I ended up working in politics for a while and ended up getting into community non-profit trade associations.”

State affairs team

Garland teams up with Jacob Peterson, manager of state engagement, and Eric Sears, manager of state association relations. Peterson handles external relations and works with the “alphabet soup” of policy groups that impact the industry. Sears gives NPGA that close connection to the state
propane associations.