Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority
Amiles
An interest in genetics and microorganisms drew Amiles to become a lab technician. “We were studying samples on slides; one of them was taken from a cell phone and turned out to be a staph infection,” she said, laughing. “We had to shut down the lab for two weeks. That fascinated me, so I switched my major.”
Her position with Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority allows this biology major to work with machines, running tests and performing analysis. “My favorite thing in life is learning. I learn something every day here at LRWRA,” she said. One of the most surprising aspects of her position, Amiles said, is the legal aspect and the permits and paperwork involved. Though unexpected, she enjoys learning about the legality behind her work.
Amiles will soon complete her studies, thanks to determination and the support of her family and friends, especially that of her husband Rafael. “I would not be here without him. Even if my idea sounds crazy or hard, he’s there to help. He says ‘OK. If this is what you want to do, I’m here for you. How can I help?’” Besides work and her studies, Amiles also meditates and practices yoga. In fact, she’s a certified yoga instructor. “As a child, I had an irregular sleep schedule, night terrors and insomnia, so I turned to meditation and yoga to help,” she said. “I have to lift some pretty heavy stuff at work and the strength I’ve gained definitely helps.”
What advice would Amiles give girls interested in the sciences or women interested in a male-dominated field? “Never assume you can’t do it, and never say ‘Oh, they only hire men for those jobs.’ It’s important that you believe in yourself. Apply yourself. If you work hard, you can achieve anything and cross barriers.”
Linda Lovett
Whether a business is local with one location or international with locations on nearly every intersection, its success comes down to one thing: its employees. And at LRWRA, it’s Linda’s mission to make sure her colleagues are well taken care of.
For nearly two decades, Linda has worked in the human resources department to make sure new and exiting employees have a smooth transition. She began as an assistant but is now a specialist. People make the difference for Linda, and she hopes she makes a difference for them. “My ability to help employees and the retirees with their benefits is what I enjoy the most about my job,” she said. “I love helping people, and so I feel it’s a great pleasure to be in this unique position. The employees are my clients, and I work hard to make sure their benefits are taken care of so they can work without worry. I troubleshoot situations to make sure they have positive outcomes.”
Her dedication is, in part, she said, due to the example her parents set. “My mom will be 86, and she still works fulltime, and my dad is 90. I’ve always admired their work ethic. Watching them provide for us taught me the value of a good work ethic. There were 11 of us. Seeing them and how they provided for me and my ten siblings, how they took little and made sure we had all we needed and wanted – we knew no lack – that took real dedication and hard work.”
Linda said working in Human Resource is rewarding, and she’d recommend her job to others, but said it’s important to forge your own path. “I would encourage girls to pursue a career they’re passionate about. The fact is I give 100% and then some, but I do it because I love the satisfaction I get from knowing my customers are well taken care of,” she said. “For instance, when an employee tells me ‘My wife says be sure to give Linda a hug for me,’ that’s a true reward. I would encourage girls to pursue the thing that makes them happy because if it’s your passion, it won’t be work.
Valerie
Valerie has served Little Rock for 34 years in various departments at Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority. She earned an associate degree and a Class 1 Wastewater License. In her current role as asset management coordinator in the finance department, she maintains and processes activities related to cash, inventory, construction work in progress and fixed assets. She also supervises daily operational duties for accounts payable and said her job is never boring.
“My position is complex and requires me to complete a variety of tasks daily,” she said. “I feel I’m able to utilize all the skills I’ve learned during my 34 years of working at LRWRA. I have a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day knowing I contributed to LRWRA operating to its fullest potential.” Valerie feels the field of finance is ideal for women. “There will always be a demand for anyone who loves dealing with financial matters, such as taxes, insurance and financial reporting,” she said.
As a longtime LRWRA employee, Valerie said, she’s witnessed how the company has changed. “LRWRA has evolved so much over the years while holding on to employees like me. There aren’t a lot of employers with employees who are invested in the company over several years. We’ve made so many improvements in processes, and we continue to improve every day.”
Valerie has been married for 37 years and has three daughters, five grandsons and “finally a granddaughter.” Her husband is a minister, and this affords her the opportunity to lead community outreach programs, town hall meetings with local elected leaders, voter registration drives, youth programs and more.
Valerie said her supervisor B.J. Harrison inspires her. “B.J. is always looking for ways to empower his employees and pushes me to reach my fullest potential. When there is a new project, he includes me in the brainstorming process, which lets me know he values my work experience and knowledge,” she said.
Ava
Ava admits before she started working at LRWRA that she, like many of us, didn’t consider what happens after the “flush,” as long as everything went down the drain. However, as a collection system analyst in the engineering services department, it’s now top of mind.
Ava has more than 25 years of experience in program writing, database structure and working with numerous software. Her background also includes more than two decades in wastewater collections procedure and methods, and she has worked with geographic information systems for nearly the same amount of time. She enjoys the trust that her managers at LRWRA have in her and the work she produces. “They allow me a great degree of control and freedom to complete tasks assigned to me,” she said. “Producing maps is my favorite task. I love the challenge of figuring out how I’m going to create a map that reflects the requester's intent while making it visually appealing. Mapping gives me the freedom to utilize both the left and right sides of my brain.”
She also enjoys the evolution of the industry. “LRWRA and the water reclamation industry is always changing and always evolving. It’s more than a simple ‘flush.’ I am amazed by the intricate processes, massive piping structures, and the vast array of professionals it takes to reclaim the water.”
Ava gained exposure to those processes while earning a Class II wastewater operator license. She is also an active member of the Arkansas Water Works and Water Environment Association. Her role at LRWRA is most often held by men, however, she said that should not deter girls and other women from choosing a career in engineering. “Not only does my position require analytical and problem solving thinking, it also allows for creative freedom, which for me, it’s the best of both worlds,” she said. She’d also encourage them to consider the industry as a career path. “If that’s not your cup of tea, then there are a vast array of other opportunities waiting for you in the water reclamation industry. Once a male dominated industry, women are now proving to be great additions to the collective team.”
Ava has been recognized for her service to the community as a Community Champion Volunteer. She’s also received LRWRA’s Going the Extra Mile, or GEM, Award, designed to recognize employees who go above and beyond in their duties to residents and their colleagues. This quote from Mother Teresa, she said, is an inspiration: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” She is also inspired by her father. “Both were generous, kind, and had a loving heart.”
Jessica
Though Jessica’s career at Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority has just begun, she brings a decade of experience in maintenance. She’s a mechanic, licensed heavy equipment operator and has been trained in confined space entry and boom truck operations. Her career in maintenance began at a local construction company soon after graduating from high school. “I love being able to trouble shoot a problem, fix it, and then put [our equipment] back into service and see it run properly,” Jessica said about the work she does. Her daily tasks include preventive maintenance of equipment, including greasing, cleaning, changing oil, rebuilding pumps, equipment repair and troubleshooting.
“The most surprising aspect of my job is how many different things there are in the treatment processes and how many things there are to learn about and fix to keep the plants properly running from day to day.”
As you may imagine, Jessica’s colleagues are mostly men. “The guys I work with everyday inspire me the most,” Jessica said. “They have really taught me a lot and are very encouraging. They push me to keep learning and further my knowledge of every component of the treatment plants.”
Jessica said her career is a conversation starter, one she uses to “encourage girls to try something new, something out of their comfort zones. Not every job is for everyone, but trying something different, like working as a mechanic at LRWRA, will give you more information on how the treatment plants work, what all the parts do to keep them running and how to fix them.”