Kate Lancraft, P.E., C.S.P.
Founder & Principal
Professional Excellence
Kate Lancraft, P.E., C.S.P. is the Managing Director and founder of Gradient Planning LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to helping water and wastewater utilities protect essential services, strengthen organizational resilience, and meet regulatory obligations with confidence. A licensed professional engineer and board-certified safety professional, Kate partners directly with utility leadership to identify, prioritize, and manage risks—from extreme weather and infrastructure failures to cyber incidents and operational disruptions. Her work translates complex risk and compliance requirements into practical plans, training, and exercises that utilities can execute under real-world conditions, ensuring continuity of operations, public trust, and regulatory confidence.
Through Gradient Planning, Kate provides utility directors and managers with more than compliance deliverables—she delivers readiness that works in practice, embedding resilience into day-to-day operations and long-term organizational culture.
Expertise
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Led AWIA-compliant risk and resilience assessments and emergency response planning efforts that integrate operational, cyber, and human-caused threats into actionable, system-specific strategies.
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Designed and facilitated tabletop, functional, and multi-agency exercises that improve decision-making, clarify roles under ICS, and measurably reduce response times during real incidents.
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Developed business continuity and recovery strategies that have helped utilities avoid boil water notices, maintain customer service functions, and sustain treatment and distribution operations during emergencies.
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Guided utilities through cyber preparedness planning and response, enabling recovery from cyber events without service interruptions and with minimal operational impact.
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Supported utilities through EPA and state compliance reviews, resulting in zero deficiencies, positive regulator feedback, and strengthened credibility with boards and oversight agencies.
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Works directly with operators to translate plans into clear, field-ready procedures—addressing site access, manual operations, equipment workarounds, staffing constraints, and shift-level decision-making so plans remain usable during high-stress events.
Approach & Philosophy
Kate founded Gradient Planning with a clear mission: to provide utilities with practical, implementable solutions that protect communities while meeting regulatory requirements. Her approach combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of the real-world constraints utilities face
"Too often, utilities receive plans that look great on paper but can't be executed by their staff. I focus on creating solutions that work in the real world, plans your team can actually use when it matters most."
Kate's commitment to excellence and practical results has made Gradient Planning a trusted partner for utilities throughout New England and beyond.
Discuss how Gradient Planning can help your utility achieve compliance, continuity, and confidence.