Public Works Podcast - Joseph Blackman

Latest Episodes:

Travis Kearney: Wastewater Collection Supervisor @ Carpenteria Sanitary District, CA Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman welcomed Travis Kearney, Wastewater Collection Supervisor at Carpenteria Sanitary District, to the public works podcast, where Travis outlined his multi-faceted role, including managing 42 miles of pipe, overseeing maintenance and inspections, and maintaining 133 unique E1 grinder pumps in the small beach community. Travis emphasized the importance of a positive mindset and rotating work activities for team development, while also detailing the integration of the Lucidity CMMS system with ArcGIS Pro for work order creation. Travis shared his career path, credited mentors like Ricardo Larude and Mark Bennett, and offered leadership advice, including the importance of staying calm under pressure and encouraging young professionals to step outside their comfort zone. Give the episode a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Lucia Diaz: Manager of Facilities & Water System Programs @ Inland Empire Utilities Agency, CA Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman introduced Lucia Diaz, the Manager of Facilities and Water System Programs for Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA), who provided an overview of IEUA's wholesale water services, wastewater treatment, and her extensive role overseeing facilities management, conveyance systems, and physical security. Lucia detailed her career progression from a construction background to being the first female construction coordinator at IEUA, where she successfully managed major projects despite initial challenges, crediting her advancement to continuous learning, mentorship from advocates like Chander Letulle, and a focus on essential skill sets such as adaptability, people leadership, and strategic thinking. Throughout the discussion, Lucia emphasized the importance of listening, remaining consistent, and focusing on professional conduct, while also sharing her advice to the community to "Protect your pipes" by only flushing the "three P's." Give the episode a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Kristina Ramirez: City Engineer @ the City of Harker Heights, TX Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman introduced Kristina Ramirez, the City Engineer at Harker Heights, Texas, to discuss her diverse responsibilities, which include managing capital improvement projects (CIP), ensuring compliance for development plans, and prioritizing public communication and transparency. Kristina highlighted that a city engineer's essential skill sets are communication, active listening, and bridging technical knowledge with field realities, sharing that public interaction is vital for their small public works department. The discussion also covered Kristinas non-traditional career path, her transition from the private to the public sector, the use of multiple resources for tracking federal and state regulations, and the value of professional organizations like APWA for networking and professional development, with a focus on encouraging attendance at the PWX conference. Give the episode a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Danielle Blacet-Hyden: Executive Director at California Municipal Utilities Association Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman welcomed Danielle Blacet, Executive Director at the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA), who explained that CMUA is a nonprofit trade association representing 86 water, wastewater, and publicly owned electric and gas utilities in California, primarily focusing on advocacy in legislative and regulatory arenas. Danielle highlighted CMUA’s advocacy win, securing $3 billion from the state for Californians to pay overdue water and energy utility bills, and discussed the high level of innovation among CMUA members, including advanced water recycling, AI-integrated operations, and wildfire mitigation projects. Discussions also covered the ongoing efforts by members to educate the public on essential utility operations, Danielles transition into the Executive Director role, and strategies for addressing the "silver tsunami" in the workforce through early education, internships, and highlighting the benefits of utility careers.
Find more at https://www.cmua.org/

Sumant Patel: Manager of Operations Wastewater Services @ the City of Guelph, Ontario Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman interviewed Sumant Patel, Manager of Operations Wastewater Services at the City of Guelph, about his professional role, which involves managing daily operations, planning strategic priorities, and ensuring resource support for staff, all while focusing on optimization to reliably deliver wastewater treatment services. Sumant shared his career path from software engineering to wastewater, emphasizing the importance of strategic asset management, financial stewardship, stakeholder engagement, and resilient leadership as essential skills for his current role, and he described how AI is useful in the sector for data management but does not replace the critical need for human operators' skills. Key talking points included Sumants core motivation as a public servant driven by early life water scarcity experiences, lessons learned about asking for support after a career mistake during a night shift, initiatives to address the "silver tsunami" of an aging workforce through knowledge transfer, and a suggested public billboard message to educate citizens on the essential nature of water services. Give the episode a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Elia Twigg: APWA's Jennings Randolph Scholarship Experience Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman welcomed Elia Twigg, CEO of Lantic Solutions, to the public works podcast to discuss Elia Twigg's civil engineering career, ranging from discovering the field in 11th grade and joining UF's "step-up program," to progressing through city roles to become the Public Works Director, and eventually founding Lantic Solutions in 2022. Elia Twigg detailed their experience as a Jennings Randolph Scholarship recipient in 2013, focusing on a study tour in Australia to learn how public works are promoted and public awareness is increased, which led to implementing ideas like water stations and promotional materials based on those used by the Manley town and Waverly Council. Elia Twigg encouraged others to apply for the scholarship and mentioned their ongoing commitment to joining the APWA international committee to foster global collaboration.

Max Herzog: Deputy Director of Programs and Partnerships @ Cleveland Water Alliance Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman and Max Herzog discussed the Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), a nonprofit economic development organization focused on supporting water technology innovation in Ohio and the Great Lakes region. Max Herzog, Deputy Director of Programs and Partnerships at CWA, explained that the organization helps innovators and institutional stakeholders by acting as a market connector and validator, facilitating technology trials to de-risk adoption in the risk-averse municipal water sector, and addressing the "innovator's dilemma" by ensuring solutions meet end-user needs. Max Herzog highlighted CWA's work in nutrient mitigation for agriculture and the piloting of a hypochlorite generation system for a drinking water utility, acknowledging that global tariffs and political climates pose challenges to sourcing international innovation. Give the episode a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.
Find more at: http://clevelandwateralliance.org/

Aaron Kirkland: Superintendent of Green Storm Water Operations @ the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman interviewed Aaron Kirkland, the Superintendent of Green Storm Water Operations at the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), to discuss the department's "Green Cities Clean Waters" initiative, which aims to reduce combined sewer overflows using green storm water infrastructure (GSI) like rain gardens. Aaron Kirkland explained that GSI uses Storm Water Management Practices (SMPPs) to slow and infiltrate rainwater, detailing their unit's responsibility for maintaining this infrastructure and their focus on talent development through the Community Apprenticeship Program, which recruits and trains individuals for entry-level positions. Aaron Kirkland shared their personal career journey and leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, transparency with management about capacity, and motivating teams through quantifiable metrics and positive competition. Give the show a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Erinn DeJonge: Fleet Business Operations Manager @ Sarasota County, FL Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman introduced Erinn DeJonge, the Fleet Business Operations Manager at Sarasota County, who manages over 1,700 assets with an annual budget that includes about $12 million for acquisitions and $3-5 million for fuel, while clarifying that a separate manager oversees the 40 technicians across three maintenance shops. Erinn DeJonge detailed their role in acquisition, fuel site management, and budgeting, explaining the reliance on cooperative contracts, Board of County Commissioners' approval, and direct engagement with operators to ensure equipment minimizes downtime and aligns with user needs, while also sharing their use of AI for structural improvements in memos and contract writing. Erinn DeJonge emphasized the importance of continuous learning through certifications like CAFM and professional networking, along with developing self-starter skills and critical thinking to manage long lead times and address fleet funding challenges with department-specific data transparency. Give the show a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Ron Romero: Assistant Director of Austin Resource Recovery, Austin TX Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Joseph Blackman welcomed Ron Romero, the assistant director of Austin Resource Recovery, to the podcast where Ron Romero described their operational role leading 250 employees responsible for all curbside services and the complexity of solid waste management, emphasizing the need for adaptability due to dynamic variables like weather. Ron Romero discussed the positive community feedback on the transition to an on-demand bulk pickup system, the importance of inter-departmental collaboration for litter abatement, and how Austin Resource Recovery has evolved into a 24/7 department utilizing technology to work smarter and increase efficiency. Key talking points included Ron Romero's career path influenced by mentors Vidal Maldonado and Sam Angori, the focus on recruitment to attract younger generations to solid waste careers, and the department's continuous efforts to improve operations, including applying lessons from a winter storm to enhance safety protocols. Give the show a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

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