| Member Spotlight -- Drusilla Hudson
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Member Spotlight -- Drusilla Hudson

 

Job: Assistant manager/chief chemist. I have also been an organic chemist and quality control officer supervisor.

Employer:  Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham, Ala.

Age:  51

Education: Bachelor’s degree in science from Alabama State University           

Most unexpected thing you learned on the job: We had a major tornado on April 27, 2011 and I had to learn how to recover our water system, which covers five counties. Our area lost power, gas, water and human lives. I had to review EPA regulations to assist the public relations team. As part of the recovery team, I had to assess the situation, not knowing what was going on within the system, and recover as quickly as possible to return drinking water to our customers. I organized and had the laboratory prepared to receive hundreds of samples from throughout our distribution system to ensure the water did not have contaminants. The system of five counties was back in service by May 2, 2011. This was sudden and unexpected, something I will never forget.

Daily duties: I manage the operations of the laboratory and oversee the water quality flushing program and rehabilitation project recommendations. I supervise the lab staff in conducting chemical and bacteriological analyses and perform quality assurance and quality control activities to ensure that the drinking water complies with all local, federal and state rules and regulations as well as assist in managing regulatory departments. I also train and develop staff; prepare and review reports; coordinate sample collection, direct analysis of samples; and develop, implement and enforce operational and administrative policies, procedures and programs.

What is the most exciting project you have ever worked on? I am the governmental affairs chair for Alabama for AWWA’s Alabama-Mississippi section. I met with state senators and representatives to explain the importance of the failing infrastructure of our water systems and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act. I am very proud that I had a part in making this one of the many agendas of the water industry.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you? My desire is to become a mortician once I retire.

What is your motto? “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”…Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What is the toughest thing about your job? To understand the different dynamics of people. Once you understand people, you have succeeded in serving the staff you’ve been charged to serve.

What is the biggest challenge I have faced in my career? It’s unusual for people to see a black female in a white, male-dominated profession, but my colleagues realize we share the same mission, which is to respond to the needs of the community and to maintain, preserve and conserve our water resources.

What are your hobbies? Traveling, teaching Sunday school, caring for my daughters and my grandbaby and caring for others.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? At the age of 12, I wanted to be one of the greatest female ministers in my hometown and the greatest gymnast in the world.

Goals: To be a great example as a mom to my two daughters; to earn a degree in Christian education; and to become manager of the lab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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