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nypaenergy · 3 years

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Women in Engineering

NYPA is proud to recognize women in engineering fields and supports the continued development of our staff.

Holli Monroe

Holli is a Project Engineer II & Engineering Supervisor in our Clean Energy Solutions group, and she specializes in Engineering & Construction Management.

What drew you into the discipline of engineering?

The desire to design and build a better world.

How do you motivate fellow engineers when part of a team?

I appreciate and amplify the ideas, skills, and contributions of others. People who feel appreciated will always do more than is anticipated. People who feel appreciated make for the best, motivated team members.

Do you have any advice for engineering students or brand new engineers just entering the workforce?

It is important to identify which facets of engineering you enjoy most. I would recommend taking advantage of opportunities for career exploration via internships, co-ops, job rotations, and/or shadowing. Such varied, cross-disciplinary experience will help engineering students and entry-level engineers identify and position themselves in their preferred fields and roles.

Amariah Barton-Harris

Amariah is an Assistant Construction Engineer I. Amariah has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering technology with a minor in mathematics from Buffalo State College and an Associate’s in general studies from Erie Community College.

Tell us about your role.

I coordinate, inspect and control the work of construction contractors assigned to perform energy services contract work at the NIA facility. I ensure that quality workmanship is always maintained and in accordance with applicable construction procedures, methods, codes and specifications. My projects include electrical, civil, mechanical, instrumentation and control engineering disciplines.

Who has been the greatest influence on your career?

I’ve had many great influences which makes this question difficult. However, among one of the greatest in my life was W.E.B. Du Bois. I learned about him in elementary school. His work ethic and dedication to educating himself had a profound impact on me. He set time aside every day to fill his brain with things he did not know in order to solve problems. Most importantly, he always held himself accountable. Following his path for most of my life has never led me in the wrong direction. There are many self-taught scholars throughout history. His path and work ethic influenced me the most.

April Contreras

April Contreras is an Associate Project Engineer and has been with NYPA for four years. She manages street lighting projects in Western and Central New York – including our largest project in Syracuse valued at $38 million dollars.

Who has had the greatest influence on your career?

“My former boss Dave Laney (now retired). I had management experience but no engineering experience prior to NYPA. I was at a low point after many failed interviews and was considering relocating. Thankfully, when Dave interviewed me, he saw my passion for engineering and gave me an opportunity to prove myself. He worked hard with me in my first year to give me the confidence I needed as a new project manager and female engineer. Dave has continued to be my mentor.”

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

“The best advice was from my grandmother who always would tell me to keep pushing forward no matter what. ‘Life is going to have ups and downs, you have to remain focused and continue to persevere’.”

Cindy Ramirez Parrales

Cindy Ramirez Parrales is an Associate Environmental Engineer in our White Plains office.

Can you describe your professional journey and how it led you to NYPA?

My professional career began only a few years ago and it has been an exciting journey. In my career, formal education, internships and previous work experience have helped me grow professionally every day. I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by professionals willing to share their experiences and knowledge with me, and I can use what I have learned in my day-to-day work.

What has been your greatest professional achievement so far?

My job is to comply with regulations for environmental conservation, health and safety of people against adverse environmental effects. Protecting the health and safety of a worker while conserving natural resources and the environment provide everyone a better quality of life, and these are daily successes for me.

Can you suggest some advice for young women entering the workforce?

DO NOT underestimate the power of networking, and always keep an open mind!

Cindy Bradford

Cindy Bradford is a Senior Project Engineer in our White Plains office.

Why did you choose to become a PE?

A Professional Engineering license is a certification that demonstrates an engineer’s commitment and adherence to a higher level of standards. Today, Professional Engineer certifications are highly respected, and sometimes a necessity for career advancement. NYPA, being a state agency, requires that higher-level engineering positions be filled only by licensed professional engineers. This certification offers engineers a slew of valuable opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.

What types of challenges in engineering do you enjoy?

Every career path presents challenges. There are two challenges that I enjoy the most. One is profound responsibility. All work engineers do for our power plants will directly or indirectly affect our customers. Professional engineers are ultimately responsible for the welfare, health, and safety of the public. Everything we do at work will make an impact, big and small. The other challenge I enjoy is the need for continuous learning. The world is changing. Technologies are evolving faster than ever. Engineers need to be prepared to change around what they do and learn new skills at any age.

What personal characteristics do you think are needed to become a successful engineer?

Becoming an engineer has never been easy and every discipline comes with great skills and is followed by even great responsibilities. To be a successful engineer you must have a specific set of soft skills. Some of the most important ones are curiosity, creativity, team work and communication skills.

#womeninenergy #womeninengineering #engineer #engineers #engineering #womenengineers #femaleengineers #womeninstem #femalesinstem #stem #newyork #ny #nys #nystate #newyorkstate

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treehuggersntrailblazers · 2 years

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dec 11, 2021-

as work picked up in the last few weeks, i’ve had the opportunity to find my groove in the salmon world, usually soaked in guts and river water, knee deep in silt and carcass goo. While this might not sound glamorous, because it’s not, my coworkers often remind me how lucky we are to be in the field that we are. because at the end of the day i get to survey all day on the river, meet all types of fish, birds, and critters. i get to kayak one or twice a week in the most serene little creeks. i get to see otters playing and people hiking and biking and i get to tell them all about the great work my team is doing. i try to avoid the routine negativity at work and average complaints about the ick and soreness we all feel after a long day, because i don’t want to take this position and opportunity for granted. because of these amazing people and our work i have learned more about fish, salmon, spawning, rivers, fungi, birds, books, music, the workforce, fisheries, grad school, pop culture and random facts of history than i ever would have.

i don’t always feel like all of it is relevant to me, but who knows. i’m job hunting again and will likely move again, so who knows where i may end up and how this abundance of knowledge and growth will support me. it’s interesting to see how when i don’t have as much time to go adventure, i tend to find little things in my daily routine. with work being so busy and the holidays kicking in, i haven’t had much me-time in nature lately. I’ve prioritized my new and old friendships and spent my spare time learning from others and listening to others. i love letting other soul seekers and adventurers show me their passions and tell me their stories. i love figuring out why people like us are the way that we are. i love finding similarities in unexpected places and explanations for the thrill of life we all share.

more than anything i want to put into words the feeling that these hikes, these places, these people, these adventures give me. it might be impossible! but i think between prioritizing experiencing it first hand as often as i can and by gathering stories and feelings from fellow trailblazers and treehuggers, i can attempt to portray our natural connection. in a world of so much sorrow, hate, and darkness, we all find light, love, and an overwhelming sense of togetherness in our own way.

#salmon #carcasscrew #americanriver #adventure #job #treehuggers #trailblazers #earlymorning #explore #femalesinstem #groovy

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