A year has passed since I've been in the position of SVCW's Manager; beginning with an interim appointment in April followed by a permanent assignment in July of last year. As this time has passed, I've come to realize the responsibility that being in a Manager's position carries. There are the obvious ones like leading our agency and its employees to ever-increasing greatness, communicating with our elected officials and outside agency partners, and making both the fun and difficult decisions on a daily basis. Then there are the somewhat less obvious ones that are unique to leaders in general, to leaders within a wastewater arena, and to women leaders in a primarily male dominated field. While I hope that we all understand the value that having a diverse workforce provides, it remains a sensitive topic.
I have had the pleasure of being asked to speak in many different forums over the past couple of months to different audiences about the environment, how the wastewater field fits into overall sustainability, being a woman in the wastewater field, and being a person of color in the working world. It has brought me to understand that I wear many hats and each comes with its own sets of responsibilities. I'm honored to be in the position I'm in and I don't take it for granted.
I'm also honored to be able to impact, in a small way, how the world perceives all of who and what I am and, by extension, all of who and what SVCW is. I tell anyone who will listen to "model the behavior you want to see in others." Therein lies the responsibility. I want to make this agency proud. I want to make the industry proud. And I want to make all people who care about equality in opportunities proud.
Silicon Valley Clean Water is a fantastic place to work; our employees care about what they do, they like coming to work, and they gain satisfaction from knowing that they're contributing to society in a meaningful way. I want to extend my thanks to everyone who enable me to do my job in the manner that moves us forward in our mission and through our vision.
Alicia Aguirre,
George Otte
Warren Lieberman,
