What area do you work in within the VPFA portfolio?
I work in Campus Planning and Facilities Management, at the Central Power Station.
What is your current position and what are your job responsibilities?
I’m a co-generation engineer (power plant operator), responsible for operating and monitoring the operation of two natural gas-fired boilers, a steam turbine generator, a combustion turbine generator, and a heat recovery steam generator, as well as all of the associated equipment. These provide steam for use in the plant and on campus, as well as emergency power in the event that we lose EWEB service. We also operate and monitor five chillers in our chilled water plant, which provide cooling water for campus environmental controls. Co-generation engineers (“cogens”) are the utility tunnel guardians. We make sure that only properly trained people are allowed entry into our utility tunnels. We check out keys and radios and make sure that everyone comes out again when the work is done. We troubleshoot and track down issues that need to be addressed to keep things running smoothly and safely both in the tunnels and in our steam and chiller plants.
What has been your career path; how did you end up in your current position?
I’ve had a pretty diverse career path. My first job at the age of 13 was as a soda jerk in the small town where I grew up in Arizona. It took a relatively short time to become competent and trusted in that position and the owners soon tasked me with the full running of the diner, including opening and closing. I saved up my money and bought my own transportation: a three-wheeler. I rode the five miles home on dark desert dirt roads feeling like the queen of the world!
In my 20’s, I worked on fishing and crab ships in the Bering Sea. I’ve also worked in advertising as a media buyer and various other positions. When I moved to Oregon in 2001, I initially went back to advertising. This was right after 9/11 and there was a lot of fear about what the job market would do. Then in 2004, I went to work for Weyerhaeuser in Cottage Grove. I had a great time in the nine years that I worked there. I worked in the Finish Department and learned and performed all the operator jobs as well as the Optimizer and process flow coordinator (PFC) positions.
In 2013, I started work at International Paper to increase my earning potential and reduce my commuting time as I had moved to Springfield with my husband. I was lucky in that I was assigned to the Power and Recovery department at IP, and that is where my education about boilers and steam turbines started. I stayed at IP for six years. The shifts were long and difficult but the money and benefits were great and I learned a great deal about the Kraft paper-making process, water treatment, and the mysteries of steam generation. When my husband saw the ad for a cogen at UO he thought it might be something I’d be interested in. I remember it was right before the position closed and I had to stay up until 2am to submit my application. I’m so glad I did!
What do you like about your current position?
I like the kind people that I work with and the well-maintained equipment that I get to operate. I like that safety is a strong part of the culture at the university and I like it when people are willing to listen to ideas and concerns. I love being essential—knowing that I’m providing a service that is depended upon in the campus community gives me a feeling of purpose. I appreciate the beauty of my surroundings here at the power station and enjoy seeing ducks, geese and, herons in the Millrace. I also like the “vibe” at the university, and the focus on diversity, inclusion, and equality.
Please share a little about yourself personally:
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Family: I’m married to my awesome husband Darren, who has worked at International Paper for 30 years. We are the proud parents of a brown standard poodle named Dexter. Plus, I get to be the stepmom of two outstanding and dynamic young men, one of whom goes to school here.
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Food: My favorite all-time food is my mother’s home-made chicken fried steak with pan gravy. Second favorite is tacos.
If you could take any three items with you to a deserted island, what would they be?
A fully stocked yacht, my family, and enough cash to cruise indefinitely.
How do you want to be remembered?
I’d like to be remembered as someone who was kind, who had a great sense of adventure, and stood up for her beliefs.
If you could have the answers to any questions, what would they be?
Does the consciousness go on after death? Are aliens visiting earth? What is my dog thinking?
(September 2020)