Her Story
About Rebekah
My career in wastewater treatment began after I earned my bachelor's degree in environmental science. I originally wanted to be an environmental consultant, but after talking to people in that field who said it was mainly paperwork versus being outdoors, I searched for the highest paying entry-level job with my degree and discovered wastewater treatment. I started as a trainee with the City of Largo in the Tampa Bay area and worked my way up to shift supervisor with Pinellas County, eventually becoming a shift lead before leaving in 2023. I then became plant manager for Banks County, and now I serve as a business development growth manager for environmental management, where I oversee over 210 facilities in the Southeast region. My main area of expertise is lab analysis - doing lab work for the wastewater side, compiling reports and data, analyzing trends to identify upcoming problems for facilities, and troubleshooting issues. Every day is different in my role, from collecting samples like BOD, DEO, and TSS, to working with lab techs, to consulting with clients about their results and recommending solutions. One of my most notable achievements was solving a two-week mystery at Pinellas County where we had discoloration in our samples. Through experimentation, I discovered that adding nitric acid removed the color, and we traced it back to high concentrations of manganese from a facility that wasn't pre-treating properly before entering the city's sewer system. What really inspired me in this career was taking a review class at UF Trio in Gainesville, where we looked at one drop of wastewater under a microscope and I saw the incredible amount of life in it. From that point on, I felt like I was taking care of all this microbiology and keeping it alive - like a mom for microbiology. I'm passionate about this work because everything we do impacts the environment and helps build a better future for future generations. As one of the few women in this industry, I'm committed to encouraging more women to join this rewarding field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rebekah
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is don't be afraid to admit when you're wrong. I didn't learn that the hard way, but it's something I learned over the years. It's better to be honest, and it's better to be upfront and to not beat around the bush. I've seen that a lot in my career with other people, and that was the greatest advice that I ever learned - don't be afraid to admit when you're wrong.
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