Meet Deana Whipp, Public Affairs Administrative Assistant and one of the newest faces at PWSA. Hailing from the outskirts of D.C., Deana came to the region in 2016 to attend the University of Pittsburgh, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and, just recently, a master’s degree in public administration from their Graduate School of Public & International Affairs (GSPIA). Deana’s focus lies in urban sustainability, and she has a keen interest in stormwater management, environmental policy, and the cultivation of resilient communities.
Tell us more about your role. I help support the Public Affairs team by preparing monthly Board Meetings, processing departmental purchase orders, updating the PWSA website, and monitoring media reports. Additionally, I provide support to PWSA customers by answering online inquiries through our social media channels.
What made you decide to join PWSA? I admire the strides PWSA continues to make in providing customers with safe and reliable water services. I was ecstatic to join the Public Affairs team and put my passion for water governance to work at an organization with like-minded values.
What made you decide to pursue a career in your field?
My environmental background helped fuel my interest in water governance, specifically stormwater management and their related policies. I always imagined working within the public sector, but it wasn’t until my experience at the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce as a Government Affairs intern that I realized I enjoyed working in public relations.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I love cooking for friends – my guinea pigs when experimenting with new recipes! I also love attending concerts at Stage AE and Mr. Smalls.
What are your favorite challenges to tackle? For me, being able to educate the public and build connections and trust with them is the most rewarding, even if it can be challenging at times.
What’s an interesting fact we don’t know about you? I love metal music. An album I’ve had on repeat lately is The Fear of Fear by Spiritbox!
