Truckee Donner Public Utility District

From IT and Finance to Customer Service and Conservation, women keep TDPUD running! In celebration of International Women’s Day, read interviews with three of the women who work at TDPUD and learn about their careers, what they like about working in the public sector, who inspires them and how they hope to inspire other women.

 What do you do?

I manage our entire GIS infrastructure, from installations to mapping water & electric for the town of Truckee and providing the user support.

What made you decide to work in the public sector?

I used to work for the private corporations and realized that it’s a very ineffective, almost unworkable environment. I like the efficiency and transparency of a public company when decisions are done in a timely manner. Also, I like the fact I work for the company that is not totally driven by financial gain.

 What do you enjoy about your job?

I knew that I wanted to be in a field of geography since my young teenage years. I like maps – I think they are mathematical and artistic masterpiece! Also, I enjoy the spatial component of my job, being out in a field.

Are there any women who inspire you professionally?

Hm, to be honest any woman who works and plus has a family is quite inspirational. I always find myself pondering how they can do it all. Such an example is my first boss, Ella F., who ran small environmental non-profit company in New Jersey. She was super powerful speaker who worked with the state to implement many environmental policies while being a mother to four kids!

How do you hope to inspire other women?

I think it’s quite important to know what one desires in life and then go after that. In other words, create your dream and live it.

What do you do?

At the 30,000 ft. level, I oversee financial operations and ensure accurate accounting records. At a more basic level, I work with an amazing team to make sure everyone gets paid, the warehouse is stocked, work orders are opened and closed, financial statements are issued, and any other required reporting is completed.

What made you decide to work in the public sector?

After years of working in the ski resort/hospitality industry, I welcomed the opportunity to work in an environment that offered job security, excellent benefits, and true work/life balance.

What do you enjoy about your job?

Spreadsheets!! And of course, working on the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

Are there any women who inspire you professionally?

I have been fortunate to have two amazing mentors throughout my career, both of whom are women, and both are forces to be reckoned with. In addition to sharing their professional knowledge, the life skills they taught me are invaluable.

How do you hope to inspire other women?

By encouraging all women to celebrate their achievements (no matter how small) and empower each other.

What do you do?

Some of my tasks include: The final accounting of our development agreements and billable work orders for the District. First line of contact with contractors and/or homeowners for their new residential builds in providing their electric and water services. Coordinating panel upgrades with crew and customers and various accounting tasks.

What made you decide to work in the public sector?

I wanted to invest my time and energy into the town I love, and what better way than to work for the “local power and water company.” Switching my career path from hospitality to the utility industry has seamlessly allowed me to provide high level customer service, effective communication, attention to detail, and the ability to handle various situations efficiently.

What do you enjoy about your job?

Learning. The crews and engineers have been very gracious in always teaching and explaining what they are working on. 

Are there any women who inspire you professionally?

Many women over the years, however most recently, my classmate from grade school, Jessica C., she is a captain for fire & emergency services at an Air Force base. Her daily posts on social media are very inspiring. Secondly, a former co-worker of mine from the hospitality realm, Jessica S., who has made her leap to nurse practitioner. I have been watching her climb through the nursing world in awe, from starting nursing school to her most recent graduation from grad school to earn her FNP.

 How do you hope to inspire other women?

I hope to inspire at least three young women in my life (my daughters). If I can at least be a role model to them, showing them to keep moving forward, stay positive, and to find the silver lining in any bad situation, then my job is complete.

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