Lora Anguay is a proud Sacramento State alumna and the new CEO and general manager of SMUD. She’s at the helm of the nation’s sixth-largest publicly owned utility that’s also regarded as one of the most progressive utilities in the country.
Born and raised in Sacramento, Anguay grew up at SMUD. Both of her parents worked at the utility and family dinner conversations sparked her interest in energy and community service. She credits her parents for teaching her that anything is possible and her Sac State education for launching her leadership journey.
After high school, Anguay joined the U.S. Coast Guard, where she served as an aviation mechanic. A proud veteran, Lora says the Coast Guard taught her the importance of quality work and its impact on the people she serves.
While working fulltime at SMUD, Anguay attended night classes and earned her degree in Business Administration from Sac State in 2013 while also raising her three young sons.
With her degree in hand, Anguay went on to hold progressive leadership roles, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the distribution grid, including maintenance design and construction — all work that keeps the lights on.
Anguay joined SMUD’s executive team in 2021 as chief zero carbon officer. She led the addition of more than 1,430 megawatts of utility-scale renewable and energy storage resources, and the retooling of Cosumnes Power Plant, which reduced plant emissions by 27%. She also oversaw significant customer adoption of clean-energy technologies, including solar and battery storage, and the electrification of homes and vehicles.
Throughout her journey, Anguay’s roots remain firmly grounded in Sacramento.
“I came from humble beginnings and that’s never far from my mind when we’re developing programs and services and working on behalf of our customers,” Anguay says. “They’re at the heart of everything we do.”
SMUD’s purpose is to improve the lives of its customers and community, and Anguay is deeply committed to shaping a clean energy future that benefits everyone.
“Our path to a clean energy future must be as reliable and affordable as it is clean,” she says. “I’m committed to regional economic development, clean job creation, building a sustainable future and ensuring that everyone can benefit.”
