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APWA Diversity: A year in review
Jennifer Adams, LCSW
Deputy Public Works Manager
City of Tempe, Arizona
Chair, APWA Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee has had an active and successful year. We were fortunate enough to have a dedicated and enthusiastic group of volunteers from all over the country.
One of our first assignments was to discuss our committee's name. We went through an inclusive process and decided to add a tagline to better define our committee. Our group is now known as the "Diversity Committee...Many Faces of APWA."
President Frevert's Top Priorities greatly influenced the committee's direction and he charged the Diversity Committee with the following: "Be proactive in promoting public works as a profession of choice for young people entering the work force. Also, encourage young people to invest in scientific, technical and engineering educations to help North America avoid a loss of economic strength and prominence in a world market-driven by technology."
A result of President Frevert's priorities was the formation of a Generational Subcommittee. Our Mission Statement is: "To recruit, develop, connect, empower and retain young professionals in APWA through increased opportunities and resources to enhance their professional development and success within the Association and the public works industry." We also developed the following three key goals:
- Develop mentor programs targeted towards college students and young professionals
- Attract college students and young professionals into APWA
- Engage college students and young professionals as they become members of APWA
The Generational Subcommittee took several steps to implement their goals. One step entailed President Frevert sending a letter to all chapter presidents encouraging them to sponsor a young professional (35 years or younger) at Congress this year. In addition, the subcommittee will host a networking reception for our younger members at Congress. Finally, the subcommittee has also discussed forming buddy systems at the local chapters for young professionals and developing chapter welcome packets for our new members.
We continued our Progressive Women in Public Works Subcommittee from last year. The subcommittee will host the 3rd Annual Progressive Women in Public Works Breakfast at Congress. Last year's speaker was Elizabeth Treadway, Vice President, AMEC Earth and Environmental and also serves as the Region III Director on the APWA Board of Directors. The Women's Breakfast speaker this year will be Doris Voitier, Superintendent of Schools for St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans. Ms. Voitier will discuss the many challenges she faced from the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe.
In addition to the breakfast activity, the Progressive Women in Public Works Subcommittee:
- will host our 2nd Annual Networking Reception at Congress. This a great opportunity to meet new friends throughout the country;
- has CDs of 50 Essays by Women in Public Works available. These can be ordered online through the Association's website free of charge; and
- has posted monthly communications on our infoNOW Community regarding a variety of subjects related to women and public works.
The Diversity Committee as a whole sponsors two important events during Congress: The First-Timers Meeting and the Diversity Brunch. The First-Timers Meeting will have a discussion on how to get the most out of your dollar and time investment in Congress; learn all about educational sessions and tracks that APWA offers; learn how to use the exhibits to your advantage; and, in the process, make some new contacts from around the world.
Another important diversity event is the Diversity Brunch. This year's speaker is Maura W. Donahue, President of Donahue-Favret Contractors Holding Company of Covington, Louisiana, and former chair of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Donahue is a vocal advocate of small business issues including reducing healthcare costs, burdensome government regulations, and litigation.
In addition to the above-listed events, the Diversity Committee will host three educational sessions at Congress related to diversity:
- "A View from the Top" will feature three panelists who will discuss their unique experience as women in public works.
- "Recruiting for the Future" will focus on the next generation of employees.
- "Generations in the Workplace" will focus on the challenges of generational issues in the workplace.
Members from the Diversity Committee and Subcommittees will proudly participate in the St. Bernard's community outreach project to help rebuild homes on the Friday and Saturday before the start of Congress.
Selecting the winner of the Diversity Exemplary Practices Award is one of the honors bestowed upon the Diversity Committee. This award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to promoting diversity. We are pleased to congratulate the Illinois Tollway Disadvantaged Business Enterprises as this year's award winner.
The Diversity Committee is made up of an extraordinary group of dedicated volunteers and we are proud to highlight several of our accomplishments this year:
- We wrote 12 articles on diversity/inclusiveness for the Reporter
- We wrote four articles in Bridges on chapter inclusiveness
- We had quarterly communications with our Diversity Liaisons on ways to create an inclusive atmosphere in the chapter and diversity-related activities at Congress
- We held the 11th Annual First-Timers Meeting with a record-setting 340 in attendance
- We conducted a webcast on February 21, 2008 promoting inclusiveness in chapters
- Peggy Pound represented the Diversity Committee by presenting an educational session on generational issues at the Mid-America Conference this past year
- The chair presented at the "March Madness Membership Conference" in Denver on the importance of recruiting the next generation of public works employees
- The chair was interviewed by the Boston Globe on March 23, 2008 on the changing role of women in public works
- We continued the Diversity Awareness Corner in each issue of the Reporter
Finally, I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank the following individuals who have served on the Diversity Committee and its subcommittees:
Diversity Committee
- Jennifer Adams (Chair), Deputy Public Works Manager, City of Tempe, Arizona
- Mac Andrew, Director of Infrastructure, Johnson County, Kansas
- Rosemary J. Baltcha, Personnel Officer, Fresno County, California
- Eric K. Dargan, Deputy Director, City of Houston, Texas
- Jimmy B. Foster, P.E., Director of Public Works, City of Plano, Texas
- Michael Fraser, Director of Public Works, City of Salina, Kansas
- Ken Hill, Assistant Director, City of Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Joel S. Koenig, Senior Project Manager, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Aurora, Illinois
- Peggy M. Pound, President, The Pound Group, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Maria Fernandez Porrata, Civil Engineer, PR Manager, Marlin Engineering, Miami, Florida
- Diane Linderman, P.E. (Board Liaison), Director, Urban Infrastructure & Development Services, VHB, Inc., Richmond, Virginia
- Kaye Sullivan (Staff Liaison), Deputy Executive Director/COO, American Public Works Association, Kansas City, Missouri
Progressive Women in Public Works Subcommittee
- Cora Jackson-Fossett (Chair), Public Affairs Director, Department of Public Works, City of Los Angeles, California
- Susan M. Hann, P.E., AICP, ICMA-CM, Deputy City Manager, City of Palm Bay, Florida
- Diane Linderman, P.E., Director, Urban Infrastructure & Development Services, VHB, Inc., Richmond, Virginia
- Wendy Springborn-Pitman, Engineering Services Administrator, City of Tempe, Arizona
- Teresa C. Smith, P.E., Director of Public Works, Richland County, South Carolina
- Jennifer Adams, Deputy Public Works Manager, City of Tempe, Arizona
- Sharyn L. Fox, Municipal Program Manager, Whitman Requardt and Associates LLP, Newport News, Virginia
- Judith L. Hines, Assistant Director of Public Works, City of Newport News, Virginia
- Rebecca Bilderback, Civil Engineer III, City of Olathe, Kansas
Generational Subcommittee
- Rosemary Baltcha (Co-Chair), Personnel Manager, Public Works and Planning Department, Fresno County, California
- Michael Fraser (Co-Chair), Director of Public Works, City of Salina, Kansas
- Jennifer Adams, Deputy Public Works Manager, City of Tempe, Arizona
- Joe Soucie, Public Works Director, City of La Vista, Nebraska
- Wendy Springborn-Pitman, Engineering Services Administrator, City of Tempe, Arizona
- Eric Dargan, Deputy Director, City of Houston, Texas
- Thomas Frisbie, Operations Manager, City of Gainesville, Florida
- Maria Fernandez Porrata, Civil Engineer, PR Manager, Marlin Engineering, Miami, Florida
It has been a privilege and pleasure to serve as the Diversity Committee Chair and to have worked with such a dynamic and enthusiastic group of people.
Jennifer Adams can be reached at (480) 350-8835 or Jennifer_adams@tempe.gov.
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