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Worked at Louisville Water since 2014
For many people who end up at Louisville Water, what might’ve originally seemed like a steppingstone in their journey turned into their career.
Service Applications Supervisor Chelsey Whitfill was in college when she started at Louisville Water.
“This has been my one and only ‘big girl job’. I actually started in the call center as a co-op, so I worked 20 hours or less a week answering phones while I went to school full-time to get my bachelor’s (degree),” Whitfill shared.
She eventually moved from customer service to the Main Replacement and Rehabilitation Program as an engineering associate. The administrative experience Whitfill gained in that role led her to where she is now.
“There are so many cross-training things that you don’t think about. I utilize the engineering department in more day-to-day tasks than I do the call center. It’s really neat to see how it is interconnected. We really are one big team, ” Whitfill said.
She jumped in with both feet and bold ideas on how to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
“Monday.com has brought a lot of opportunities not just for my department and the distribution operations side but also other departments. Over the last three years, we were able to reduce our cycle time which is the average time it takes to process an application. We were looking at 14 business days when I started and now, we’re down to two.”
Sharing that success with her team has been fulfilling.
“I have thrown so much change their way the past four years and they’ve just picked up on it. Change is hard,” Whitfill said, adding that she is the lone extrovert in the group. “I needed to get them out of their shell, to emphasize the importance of teamwork, and boost morale within the group. I want them to know at the end of the day that I appreciate their hard work and value they bring to our team.”
Whitfill said participating in the 2024 Water Professionals Leadership Academy (through the American Water Works Association) has taught her new skills, helped her navigate conflict management, and instilled more confidence.
Louisville Water and MSD will co-host the KY/TN Water Professionals Conference September 8-11. Dozens of utilities will learn, collaborate, and connect on various issues in the water and wastewater industry. Whitfill will present on her Monday.com pilot project, but that’s not all she is looking forward to.
“I think one of the biggest takeaways for me is that we are able to promote Louisville Pure Tap®. I advocate for it all the time, but having people actually come here and taste it and enjoy it to see we’re not just bragging to brag.”
In addition to being Pure Tap Proud (as we call it), Whitfill can be proud of the life she’s built in her 10 years at Louisville Water. She has experienced life’s big moments with her work family – she landed a promotion, had a son, and got married. When she’s not working, she’s cheering on her six-year-old in travel baseball or glued to a book.
