Each year on June 23, we recognize International Women in Engineering Day, an awareness campaign that raises the profile of women in engineering, celebrates their achievements and focuses attention on career opportunities available to women in this exciting industry. We spoke with some of the female engineers around OUC to learn how they got into the field and what being an engineer means to them.

Quyen Newell, Senior Engineer, Water Production

For Quyen Newell, choosing to be an engineer was a process of elimination. She tried different paths (accounting, pharmacy) before finding the one — environmental engineering — that ended up being just right. She joined OUC in 2018 after working more than 22 years at another Florida utility. As a senior water production engineer, Newell works on projects such as replacing ozone equipment, adding Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) systems and conversion of chlorine gas systems to sodium hypochlorite at OUC’s water treatment plants.

“What I like most about my role is providing clean drinking water,” said Newell. “We are so blessed here. You turn on your faucet, and you have clean drinking water readily available. There are several places around the world where that’s hard to come by.”

Victoria Simanca, Distribution Engineer

For Victoria Simanca, engineering was in her blood, as her parents worked in the industry. While she originally set out to pursue civil engineering, her path changed during an introductory environmental engineering course—she went to her adviser to switch her major the first day of class.

Simanca started at OUC in May 2018 as a water engineering intern and was hired as a distribution engineer after receiving her bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Central Florida. While she never expected to work for a utility, she says it’s opened her eyes to the variety of opportunities in engineering: “What I love about the field is that it’s so broad; you can do anything, you just have to apply what you’ve learned.”

Ileana Loubriel, Manager, OT Engineering

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Ileana Loubriel always heard, “Engineering is for men.” And because she liked math, she was encouraged to go into accounting instead. But at her school’s career night, she met a female engineer. “She worked in the chemical industry,” Loubriel remembers. “I was so interested in what she was saying. I thought that was kind of cool to enter an area where there are no women. I think that opened my eyes. Now, I’ve been an engineer for around 30 years.”

One of Loubriel’s favorite parts about her current role is the variety: “Here, we do a little bit of everything. We plan what we’re going to do, we do the scope, we buy the equipment, we design. I like that because I learn other things, not just my part. I can learn the whole line of production.”

Xama Joshi, Senior Engineer, Substation & Transmission Project Management

Xama Joshi’s goal was always to become a doctor, but when she moved to Orlando from India, there was no medical schools close by. So she took a different route, getting her associate’s degree from Seminole State College before earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Central Florida. “A lot of my professors at UCF inspired my interest in the electrical field, so they definitely have made a big impact on my career,” said Joshi. Now, she’s been with OUC since 2007, starting in Distribution Engineering and eventually moving to Transmission Engineering, where she enjoys working on various transmission projects.

“I highly believe that if you work hard, you can always achieve your goal in your life, no matter how hard the path is,” Joshi said. “For those who want to become engineers: never give up, keep on working and do your best.”

Natalie Urick, Senior Distribution Engineer

With an electric engineer for a dad, Natalie Urick grew up witnessing the power of engineering firsthand. “He could do anything,” said Urick. “No challenge seemed too great. I wanted to be as amazing as him.” Because math and science were her strong suits in grade school, she thought engineering might be the path for her. But it wasn’t always straightforward.

“During college, I made good grades and enjoyed most of the classes, which was enough reassurance to know I was pointed in the right direction. After college, I spent the next five years or so constantly second guessing my career,” said Urick. “Did I just really make a choice based on feelings? Were my feelings or hunches wrong? Should I do this with my life? Should I do that? I finally found what I was looking for—PURPOSE. That purpose drove me to become a better engineer; to learn things, I thought I would never understand, like chemistry and electrical engineering, being a part of a team, and managing projects. My purpose was simple—to help other people with what I’m good at, and it turns out it is designing water and wastewater utilities. I stopped looking for what job or career might make me happy, to finding a way to use my abilities to help others. “

Eva Reyes, Manager, Lighting

Utilities were the family business for Eva Reyes. Her dad worked in commercial services at an electric utility in Puerto Rico, and she followed in his footsteps at the same company for 11 years before moving to Orlando with her husband and two children. She joined OUC in 2004.

“My favorite part about engineering is you’ve got to be very creative,” said Reyes. “You also need to approach different sources — different departments, different people, experts on the subject that you might not be proficient in — to complete a project design.”

Chris Russell, Manager, Water Resources & Compliance

When Chris Russell’s high school guidance counselor suggested engineering, she thought it sounded too technical. But after researching different careers in the industry, she was drawn to environmental engineering. “Working with people and with the environment had more appeal to me than the mechanical aspects,” said Russell. “I decided, OK, I’ll try it — and I’ve been doing it for 37 years.”

In her role at OUC, Russell primarily deals with consumptive use permitting compliance and water resources planning. “I enjoy being an engineer because it’s always challenging, and there’s usually never a dull moment,” said Russell. “I like using critical thinking to solve problems.”

Alyson Byrne, Project Engineer, Water Resources

Alyson Byrne became interested in engineering when she was applying to college.

“At that time, my older sister was pursuing her PhD in Environmental Engineering. I have always looked up to her and, as my mom fondly reminds me, wanted to do everything she was doing,” said Byrne. “Our grandfather was a sanitation engineer. He studied civil engineering in 1946 and specialized in potable water treatment, wastewater treatment and solid waste. Eventually, sanitation engineers were referred to as environmental engineers with the holistic mission to protect human health and nature’s ecosystems. Since I excelled at math and science, engineering was a good fit for my skill sets.” Following in their footsteps, Byrne graduated with honors from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Master’s of Engineering.

For young girls looking to get into engineering, Byrne says to seize opportunities and don’t be afraid of challenges: “I landed my first job at an international consulting company because of a few challenges in college. Throughout college and the first decade of my career, these opportunities have shaped my personal and professional growth, ultimately leading to my current role in Water Resources with OUC.”

Lilly Pares, Project Engineer, Distribution

Lilly Pares comes from a family of engineers, and was among the first few female engineers in her family to continue their legacy. As an undergraduate student, she followed in her father’s footsteps by studying electrical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.

After earning her degree, Pares was hired to work as an engineer at PREPA (Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority). She fell in love with her work and spent over 25 years serving in different capacities, from assistant engineer to chief of division at PREPA. Not ready to give up engineering, Pares retired from PREPA to move to Florida, where she joined OUC in 2014 as a project coordinator and later joined the distribution engineering team.

Today, Pares continues to thrive in her work as an electrical engineer. In her spare time, Pares is passionate about raising awareness about environmental issues and volunteering as a mentor in her community. She hopes to use her experiences to inspire young people interested in joining the field: “In the next chapter of life, I plan to narrate my experiences and thoughts to help nurture and cultivate the next generations of exceptional engineers.”

Sarah Riseden, Distribution Engineer, Lighting

For Sarah Riseden, pursuing a career in engineering was a natural fit. Riseden excelled in math throughout her academic career. After talking with Air Force engineers, Riseden knew a career in engineering was for her and decided to pursue a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida.

In college, Riseden fell in love with electrical engineering and found a passion for photonics and lighting psychology. In August 2019, Riseden joined OUC as an intern in the Lighting Department while finishing her degree at UCF. She enjoyed that OUC allowed her to apply her education toward impactful projects. In just a year and with a degree in hand, Riseden was hired as a Distribution Engineer in the Lighting Department. In this role, she is responsible for lighting design, surveying areas, and managing commercial and residential requests. “As an engineer, you have the ability to make an impact on someone’s life and help people through your work,” said Riseden.

For women interested in engineering, Riseden says to not let a male-dominated field intimidate you: “You may be one of three women in a group of 30 but don’t let that stop you. There are women that are in this field to support you,” she said.

Katherine Farinas, Distribution Engineer

For Katherine Farinas, engineering is a family tradition. Farinas has been at OUC for four months in the Distribution Engineering department, as an Electrical Distribution Engineer. Farinas pursued a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a minor in power systems because of her family’s background in engineering.

“Engineering is a family thing; my dad, aunt and sister are electrical engineers. My husband is also an engineer,” says Farinas. Her inspiration has always been her father, who also served as her mentor throughout her career.

When asked what she loves about engineering, Farinas said, “I love engineering because I get to solve problems and be creative. I also enjoy that engineering brings opportunities to learn new things.”

To Farinas, International Women in Engineering Day is a celebration of all women who have studied and worked in a traditionally male-dominated field. She commends all women who have pursued their dreams, regardless of the barriers they had to break.

Updated on June 22, 2022