Influential Woman · Wastewater Utility

Rebecca Burkman

Director of Environmental Affairs, Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority

Little Rock, AR

3Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Biology Degree Arkansas State University Degree 2014 Degree Master's in Environmental Management Degree University of Maryland Global Campus Degree 2018 Degree MBA Degree 2019 Degree Executive Training Course Degree UNC Kenan Flagler Business School

Her Story

About Rebecca

I've been in the water and wastewater industry since 2010, spending my entire professional career in this field. I started as a lab tech and progressed to lab supervisor before joining the executive team as Director of Environmental Affairs. I was promoted to the executive leadership team when I was 31, making me the youngest executive my company has ever had - that's probably my biggest achievement so far. Over the last 4 years, I've had the opportunity to lead 2 other departments in interim capacities, which has been really fun because I've always heard a good leader can lead anybody, even without direct experience in those areas. In my current role, I work very closely with the Chamber of Commerce on large-scale economic development, essentially anything that's typically $100 million or more. If a major industrial user or major employer is coming to town, I get involved. I'm one of the four utility partners representing the wastewater utility for the city of Little Rock, working alongside my peers from gas, electric, and water utilities.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Rebecca

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think, ultimately, so many things come down to our childhood, but my dad was a Marine, Marine Corps infantry officer, and he was really tough on us. I think I just have held myself to that standard my whole life - just don't give up, and you know, just keep pushing, even when it's hard. My dad set the standard of excellence.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Advocate for yourself. No one else is going to advocate for you.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I work in a male-dominated industry, and it's easy to be discouraged when you don't see a lot of people that look like you in a role. I would encourage women to not let that deter them from doing something they're passionate about. If you're passionate about it, you have a place at any table.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The biggest challenge is lack of funding and infrastructure - that's anywhere you go in the country, wastewater utilities are all experiencing the same thing. But the biggest opportunity to me is that we have a lot of retirements happening right now. We're definitely one of those industries that's experiencing the proverbial silver tsunami. The downside is we're losing a lot of institutional knowledge, but the opportunities are that we have openings and positions that don't come open often. I think it's a great field to get into right now, because there are a lot of opportunities to move up.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Number one is integrity, absolutely. I think everyone has their flaws, but if integrity is your core value, everything else kind of falls into place.

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