#SheCanSTEM: Meet Kerry Roy

MLGW has 2770 employees; 752 (27%) are women. Of the 752 women, 143 (19%) hold STEM positions. On the second Tuesday of every month, we will introduce you to a different woman working in STEM at MLGW.

Kerry Roy was born in Chicago, but has lived in Memphis since she was 12.  She went to Christian Brothers University and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Civil Engineering.  She began working at MLGW in July of 2007.

She says it took a lot of hard work, discipline and resiliency to earn her degree and later her professional engineering license. Kerry is an environmental engineer at MLGW. She examines our operations and thinks of ways to improve recycling, waste disposal and water pollution control efforts.  She gets to work on projects that promote energy conservation and focus on protecting human health and our environment. 

We asked Kerry a few questions to get to know her better.

What's interesting or cool about what you do?

I love my job because I get to learn something new every day.  I am involved in projects for all three utilities: gas, electric and water.  Some of our employees have been here for over twenty years and they have a wealth of knowledge and experience.  I love talking to them and learning about what they do, and in doing so, I can determine where existing environmental regulations could potentially impact their operations.  Not only are the environmental regulations always changing, but it is also important to be in tune with the concerns of the community that we serve.

Why would you encourage girls to pursue STEM careers?

STEM careers are exciting and they are constantly evolving.  There is also great job-security in STEM-related fields. 

What advice would you give your younger self?

I put a lot of pressure on myself so I would tell my younger self to relax.  Also, don't be afraid to take risks, fail, and then learn from your mistakes.    

Did you miss our other installments of #SheCanSTEM? Meet Arnisa Davis here, Kelsey Seiter here and Debra Higgins here.