I have spent my entire career in the operations side of water utilities. I began as a part time student engineer in the City of San Diego’s Water Department’s Production Division and am now Director of Operations and Maintenance at the San Diego County Water Authority responsible for a staff of 85 and an annual budget of $19 million. Each step along the way has provided new opportunities to expand my operational knowledge and build the lasting relationships that are critical to job success and career development when you’re an engineer in an operations environment.