My time on the HRSD Sustainable Water Initiative For Tomorrow (SWIFT) program was a turning point in my career. Being part of a team building a large, complex program from the ground up gave me early exposure to program management, funding strategy, and regulatory coordination. 

In that role, I supported funding application packages that included contracts, financial documents, and permits. While I could contribute technically, I realized I didn’t fully understand how those pieces were developed or how they shaped project delivery. That gap motivated me to broaden my perspective. 

After discussing it with mentors, I pursued an MBA at the University of Michigan and later worked in infrastructure investment. Those experiences helped me connect the technical, financial, and contractual aspects of projects. 

Today, I approach water infrastructure with a more holistic lens, understanding that strong technical solutions must be supported by sound financial strategy and program planning, especially as utilities navigate challenges like water reuse and PFAS treatment. 

Treatment technologies have always interested me. Currently, I support program management at DC Water, where one project I’m closely following is a filtrate treatment facility using side-stream anammox to treat high-ammonia filtrate. 

I’m also watching the progress of mainstream partial denitrification anammox technologies. Innovations in advanced nutrient removal continue to push the field forward. 

From a delivery standpoint, I’m excited about alternative delivery methods like progressive design-build and construction manager at-risk. These approaches bring owners, designers, and contractors together earlier, improving collaboration and accelerating project delivery. 

Long-term planning and program management help utilities allocate capital and time more effectively. 

Municipal utilities oversee complex systems that include treatment plants, pump stations, and thousands of miles of pipelines. Capital improvement planning helps prioritize projects, allocate limited resources, and anticipate challenges before they become major issues.

Program management also allows utilities to coordinate public and private partners more effectively, helping them deliver infrastructure improvements efficiently and responsibly. 

Two things stood out to me: GFT’s values and the caliber of its people. 

A mentor once told me, “If you do good work and treat people fairly, things tend to work out in the long run.” I’ve found that many of my colleagues at GFT share that same mindset. 

I’m also impressed by the depth of expertise across the firm. Successful water infrastructure teams need strong technical knowledge along with an understanding of finance, policy, and collaboration. I’ve been consistently impressed by the experience and professionalism of the people here. 

I enjoy reading, especially historical biographies and autobiographies. Recently, I’ve been reading Edmund Morris’s three-volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt.

I also enjoy hiking, kayaking, and playing tennis. Lately, I’ve gotten interested in fishing. The quiet and simplicity of being out on the water is a great way to recharge.