About the author:
Bob Crossen is the senior managing editor for Water & Wastes Digest. Crossen can be reached at [email protected].
Compiled by Bob Crossen
undefinedName: Nikki Holloway
Age: 33
Education: B.S. Chemistry
Company: Beaver Water District
Title: Lab Supervisor
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
Other than the obvious answer, a wonderful husband and daughter, I would say starting my own fitness boutique studio has been very fulfilling.
List some of your professional accomplishments.
Among my professional accomplishments are being a participant and then coach for our Top Ops (aka water industry quiz bowl) team through the past 8 years with 7 regional championships and many top 6 national finishes.
What has been your most memorable project?
My most memorable project has been the development and implementation of a cyanotoxin monitoring and analysis program for our water treatment facility, ahead of any state or federal guidance.
What did you do before entering the water industry?
I started in the water industry! During college, I was an intern in a drinking water treatment lab. I knew then that this is what I wanted to do for a career.
What was the biggest lesson you learned when you entered the water industry?
It's amazing the number of stakeholders that depend on clean, affordable, and dependable drinking water. Water is a resource taken for granted by so many people but it's also the backbone of any successful society.
How do you expect your generation will influence the water industry?
I think that my generation will fight for inclusivity in the water industry. This is a true strength we have developed by growing up in a world more visible thanks to the power of social media and the internet as a whole.
What are your aspirations for your water industry career?
I want to make an impact. I don't know if that will be specifically at my workplace, in my state, or the water industry as a whole. There is a shift occurring in our industry to work towards one water, lower environmental impact, and workforce inclusion and I would like to be involved in the movement. Change can often be threatening but I like to view it instead as an opportunity to move the needle.
In what extracurricular work activities would you like to be (or are) involved in?
I am the current chair of our AWWA Southwest Section Young Professional group. I have really enjoyed this role and hope to stay involved even after aging out of the group as a seasoned professional.
I am also in a few industry professional groups. We are currently revising a manual for simplified drinking water laboratory methods and procedures as well as writing articles for industry journals to promote laboratory knowledge. It's been great to find a group of peers in water treatment through professional groups and committees. We are all working towards the same goals and it's refreshing.
What are your hobbies?
I love music and have a very diverse musical taste. Live music in a crowd is my favorite and I try to attend concerts as often as possible. I also really enjoy teaching group fitness classes.
What is your hidden talent?
I would have to say "procrasti-cleaning" or my ability to clean and organize with fervor when there is some other task I don't want to tackle.
Tell us a "secret" or something about you nobody knows.
I spent a few years of my childhood without running water. My family lived a simple "pioneer" lifestyle for a while by choice and the experience did a lot to shape my values. I really developed an appreciation for nature and our natural resources, as well as indoor plumbing.
What are your passions?
I am passionate about a lot of things. I believe we all have a duty to leave the world a little better than we found it, whether that's through compassion, kindness, or environmental stewardship. I believe we should help those less fortunate whenever we can. I believe it's really hard to be and stay healthy and I want to help educate and assist others where I can. I think foremost, I am passionate about teaching what I know and leading by example.
Describe a memorable moment with family or friends.
A recent but very memorable memory happened on our last family vacation. Half of us drove all night/day and the other half flew out to Florida only to get there pretty late at night. Instead of going to bed on arrival, we took a long night walk along the beach with our 2 year old being pulled asleep in a wagon to explore and look for crabs on the beach. I love that my family is always up for an adventure.
Who has been your greatest personal (or professional) influence and why?
Professionally, my supervisor Mindi Dearing has been a huge influence. Having a strong woman in the industry to learn from has been invaluable. I started as a lab technician and then a lab analyst with Mindi as my Lab Supervisor. Now that I am in her shoes in my current position, I have been able to apply what I learned from watching her throughout the years in so many instances. I have a great deal of respect for her and other women in our industry including one of my best friends and college roommate Kari, who is now a microbiology lab supervisor at a municipal water treatment facility.
Personally, my husband has been a big influence on my life with his immense passion in everything that he does. He has an unmatched willingness to get uncomfortable to learn something new that I greatly admire. He pushes himself and everyone around him, myself included to never settle and to better themselves daily.
