Bipartisan Policy Center

Chair, Board of Directors, Consumers Union; Former Chief, Consumer Protection Division, Washington Attorney General's Office

Sharon Nelson is Chief of the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Attorney General's Office and Chair of the Board of Directors of Consumers Union. Before serving in her current capacities, Ms. Nelson served as Director of the Shidler Center for Law, Commerce and Technology at the University of Washington School of Law. Previously, Ms. Nelson served two terms as Chairman of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) (1985-1997). Prior to joining the WUTC, her credentials include teaching history and anthropology in secondary schools (1969-1973), serving as staff counsel to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee (1976-1978) and serving as legislative counsel to Consumers Union (1978-1981). She has also been a lawyer in private practice (1982-1983) and served as staff coordinator for the Washington State Legislature's Joint Select Committee on Telecommunications (1983-1985).

Ms. Nelson received her B.A. from Carleton College, an M.A.T. from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from the University of Washington. She is the past president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (1989-1990). She also sits on the Board of Trustees for the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) and the Board of Directors of Itron.

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National Commission on Energy Policy, National Commission on Energy Policy - Commissioners