FWEA Focus—Sondra W. Lee

FWEA FOCUS The Value of FWEA

Sondra W. Lee, P.E.

President, FWEA

Can you remember where you were when you first learned of FWEA? I first learned of the organization in 2002 and have noticed since then the great value that FWEA has brought me. The first 10 years of my career in engineering were mostly spent on private development projects and stormwater design, never crossing paths with FWEA.

It was shortly after I had joined the City of Tallahassee’s water and sewer engineering team when, one morning, a coworker of mine, Donna Nichols, invited me along to visit some project sites. As noon approached, she turned into the parking lot of a consulting firm and casually said, “I need to stop at this office for a meeting; you can just come in with me.” It turned out to be a steering committee meeting of the Big Bend Chapter, which was planning a technical seminar for the Tallahassee area. I was assigned a small task, which eventually led to getting very involved with the chapter, and that has grown—20 years later—into taking on the role of serving as the president of FWEA.

The Benefits of Involvement

Over the years I have seen the value FWEA brings to our members, communities, and the overall profession. Two specific examples of how the organization can serve you, in both your career and personally, are professional growth and connections.

Professional Growth

Part of the mission of FWEA is to provide professional education opportunities. By attending conferences, seminars, and chapter luncheons, members and colleagues enhance their knowledge to help manage our water resources. In addition to these events, those who volunteer also have the opportunity to develop their project management and leadership skills. Running, or serving on, a committee, one will need to be organized, create and follow a schedule, look for and define priorities, and find ways to encourage others on the committee to keep moving with their tasks.

Connections

The other great benefit, or value, from joining FWEA is the personal connections from meeting others in the water industry. The FWEA is a volunteer-driven organization where the volunteer opportunities bring together a wide array of colleagues at meetings and events. Often these are people that I would not have had the chance to interact with if not for FWEA.

There have been many times I have picked up ideas and tips to better manage my work with the City of Tallahassee. There is just something about the synergy of meeting colleagues and sharing information about projects, funding, and staffing, and exchanging ideas while at inperson events (and occasionally during virtual meetings). From what I saw at the Florida Water Resources Conference in April, it appears to me that many of us were ready to connect again.

Take the First Step

These are just a couple of examples of the value I see in being a member of FWEA. The FWEA board of directors will continue to strive to bring value to the membership over the next year, and for years to come.

Be on the lookout for FWEA events taking place throughout the state. I encourage you to offer some assistance at just one event, or to help out with some behind-the-scenes task for your area chapter or on a committee of interest. You can find contact information for chapters and committees from the “Membership” drop down menu on the FWEA website at www.fwea.org.

If anything, I hope that you consider attending an event, and invite someone else so they can discover the value that FWEA brings to the water industry. S

FWEA leadership development workshop planning session.