How long have you been with the Flood Control District?  

I started in Fall 2019, so about 3 ½ years.  

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How did you get your start at the Flood Control District?

I was hired to work on the Clear Creek Federal Project

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What does your job at the Flood Control District entail?

Primarily Project/Program Management of large efforts including the Clear Creek Federal Project, Buffalo Bayou & Tributaries Resiliency Study, Tunnels Feasibility/Section 203 Feasibility, and assisting with the development of the design-build/CMAR procurement documents. I have also gotten to help the Capital Projects South Department with their a few of their projects in the Clear Creek and Armand Bayou watersheds,  along with helping with the intake and review of partnership project applications.

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What is your favorite thing about working at the Flood Control District?

 I previously worked in the private sector before coming to FCD, and it was pretty limited to my specialty at the time, which was H&H/Public Works.  Here, I get to do so much more than that.  Not just from the engineering focus, but also from the public and interagency perspective.  

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What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now?

Preparing all the documents for the USACE Section 203 (FCD Lead) Study RFQ.  I have to be aware of not only FCD feasibility requirements but also USACE requirements.  We are getting to talk to multiple people across the country either about their experiences about tunnels or how their agency is handling their own Section 203 study.  

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What has been your favorite project so far?

I would say Mud Gully (a sub project to the Clear Creek Federal Project) is my favorite so far.  It has been my biggest training ground for all the different aspects at HCFCD (e.g., real estate, engineering, construction), the USACE, permitting, and working with lawyers.   Listening to a lawyer’s perspective on all the different Federal regulations, how they negotiate with contractors, or how they interpret contracts has been super interesting.   

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What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?

Taking advantage of my reviews.  When I was an EIT, there were moments where I kept seeing all these really cool projects that I wasn’t on, and I had finally gotten to a point where I was ready to take those training wheels off, so I just point blank asked for things to be trained on or do a project solo.  It really opened the door communication wise and gave me an opportunity to provide an informal review back to my boss.  Tell them how well they are doing!  I think this helps let you know where you stand and where you will be going in the next year(s).

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What’s the best thing that’s happened to you so far this week?

Finally finishing negotiations on an amendment!!

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What is something about yourself that most people don't know?

When I was in college, YouTube was just getting its start – so back in the day I would watch all these East Asian live action dramas (Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese) that would be uploaded in these grainy videos.   Hit or miss on whether you got the translations.  I would also have to supplement it with my internet search for episode translations.  Cable at the time used to limit it to one pan Asian channel and usually didn’t carry the mega hits being released at the time.  This dedicated watch has slowed down because I think some of the shows are a bit of a repeat of the golden years, so I do go back and rewatch.  And now with the arrival of K-POP going mainstream, I think it is a lot easier to catch up on these without having to do multiple site searches.  However, I have developed this horrible habit of not wanting to watch the final few episodes of a seasons until a new season is dropped.  It usually takes me forever to finish a show if it is the final season.

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What is something about you that people would be surprised to know?

I can get into the biggest laughing fits that can lead to uncontrollable laugh/crying.  Sometimes, at the most inappropriate times like quiet times in a movie where nobody thought a scene is as funny as I do.    

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What was your first job?

It was as an unpaid intern. My school required students to intern a couple weeks at different companies/organizations every year throughout Middle School and High School.  They really wanted kids to understand how jobs worked in the field they were interested in. My first internship was at Duke Energy when I was 13 and I got to shadow people and got assigned tasks. Later, I jumped around during the summers because I got bored, so I usually volunteered instead of working. But I kept up my rotation until I was 17 where I landed as an intern at TCB|AECOM, which later transitioned to paid internship the summer I graduated from High school then eventually full time when I graduated from Texas A&M.  

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What do you like most about your job?

Everyone is super nice and willing to help if you have questions.  I also really appreciate all the benefits that the County provides.  

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What motivates you to wake up and go to work?

I am not a morning person at all, but I would say that has shifted somewhat.  I sometimes force myself to be more on top in the morning by scheduling a meeting or doing all my deadlines first thing to get things done.