As we close out National Volunteer Week, I’m thrilled to be able to spotlight Jenny Strobel, Manager of the Fleming Training Center in Tennessee’s Division of Water Resources. Jenny recently stepped into the position of Wastewater Division Director on WPI’s Board of Directors. During her months of service thus far, she has continuously shown up for WPI, leading with an infectious positive spirit. Jenny is always willing to assist WPI in any mode required of her. Her valuable expertise and adept learning skills are true assets, and we are lucky to have her on the Board.
I had the privilege of being able to interview Jenny this week as one of WPI’s esteemed volunteers. Read her interview below.
How did your path in the wastewater industry lead you to take on a volunteer leadership role?
I started in the wastewater industry almost by happenstance, and it ended up being the greatest chance I ever took. What began as an unexpected opportunity quickly turned into a career that I’m very passionate about because of the impact the work has on public health, the environment, and communities.
As my career progressed, I found myself becoming more involved in training, mentoring, and helping operators succeed. Through my work at the Fleming Training Center, I’ve had the chance to connect with people across Tennessee and see firsthand how important it is to support and develop the workforce.
That naturally led me to become more involved in professional associations and volunteer leadership opportunities. I saw it as a way to give back to the industry that has given me so much, while also helping shape the future of the profession on a larger scale. Being able to collaborate with people across the country, share ideas, and advocate for operators has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.
What drew you specifically to workforce development and operator certification as your area of focus, rather than other aspects of the wastewater profession?
What drew me to workforce development and operator certification is that people are really at the center of everything we do in this industry. You can have the best equipment, technology, and processes in place, but without knowledgeable, well-trained operators, none of it works the way it should.
I’ve always enjoyed helping people learn, grow, and gain confidence in their abilities. Through my work at the Fleming Training Center, I’ve seen how much of a difference good training and strong certification programs can make, not only for the operators themselves, but for their facilities, their communities, and the industry as a whole.
Workforce development is especially important right now because we’re facing retirements, staffing shortages, and the need to attract the next generation into the profession. Operator certification is a big part of that because it creates a clear pathway for people to build skills, advance their careers, and take pride in their profession. That combination of supporting individuals while also strengthening the industry is what really drew me to this area.
How does your day-to-day work at the Fleming Training Center inform the priorities you advocate for through WPI?
My day-to-day work at the Fleming Training Center gives me a very practical perspective on the issues operators and utilities are facing. I work directly with operators, managers, and utility leaders across Tennessee, so I hear firsthand about certification challenges, succession planning, training needs, and the pressures utilities face as experienced staff retire.
Because of that, the priorities I advocate for through WPI are grounded in real-world experience. I’m focused on making sure utilities have practical tools and resources that help them stay resilient and continue providing safe, reliable service to their communities.
Working at the training center also reminds me that solutions need to be flexible. What works for a large utility may not work for a small rural system. At the national level, I try to advocate for approaches that can be adapted to different communities and utility sizes, while still supporting the overall goal of strengthening the profession.
Workforce development is a major challenge across the water sector right now. From your unique position, both in Tennessee and at WPI, where do you see the biggest gaps, and how is volunteerism helping to fill them?
One of the biggest gaps I see is awareness. A lot of people still do not know that water and wastewater can be a rewarding, stable career path with opportunities for growth. We are competing with many other industries for talent, and if people do not know these careers exist, they are never going to consider them.
Another major gap is access to training and support, especially for smaller or rural utilities. Larger systems may have dedicated staff for onboarding, mentoring, and professional development, but smaller systems often do not have the same resources. That can make it harder to prepare new operators and preserve institutional knowledge.
I also think there is a gap in knowledge transfer as experienced operators retire. Many utilities are losing decades of institutional knowledge, and in some cases there is not a clear plan for how to pass that knowledge along.
From both my work in Tennessee and my involvement with WPI, I have seen how volunteerism can help fill those gaps. Volunteers are often the people creating mentorship opportunities, sharing best practices, speaking to students, supporting apprenticeships, and helping develop training resources. Volunteer leadership also creates a network where people can learn from one another instead of every utility trying to solve the same problems on its own.
That collaboration is incredibly valuable because these challenges are too big for any one utility or organization to solve alone.
Can you share a moment from your volunteer work with WPI where you felt like you were making a real difference for the profession?
One moment that stands out to me is being involved in the development of the new Excellence in Training certificate program through Water Professionals International and then participating in the first cohort. What makes that program so meaningful is that it is focused on improving the quality and consistency of training across the industry.
When trainers have stronger skills in how they teach, engage participants, and communicate technical information, operators receive better training. Better training helps operators feel more confident, better prepared, and more successful in their roles. In the long term, that strengthens utilities, improves workforce retention, and supports better service to communities.
Participating in the first cohort reinforced for me that this program has the potential to create a ripple effect throughout the profession. It is not just about one class or one certificate. It is about raising the standard for training and making sure operators across the country have access to the kind of instruction that helps them succeed.
You emphasize collaboration among water sector partners, why is that cross-sector cooperation so important, and what does it look like when it’s working well?
Cross-sector cooperation is so important because no single organization, utility, or association can solve the workforce challenges facing the water industry on its own. Workforce development, training, recruitment, retention, and certification all overlap, so it takes input from utilities, trainers, regulators, professional associations, community colleges, apprenticeship programs, and others to create real solutions.
When collaboration is working well, people are not duplicating efforts or working in silos. Instead, they are sharing ideas, resources, and best practices. One organization may have a strong recruitment strategy, another may have a successful apprenticeship model, and another may have effective training materials. When those groups work together, everyone benefits.
I have seen that through my work in Tennessee and through WPI. The best outcomes happen when people are willing to listen to one another, learn from different perspectives, and adapt ideas to fit their own communities. At the end of the day, cross-sector cooperation helps us build a stronger workforce and a stronger industry overall.
As a woman in a leadership role in the wastewater industry, what has your experience been, and is that something you think about in your advocacy work?
As a woman in a leadership role in the wastewater industry, it is definitely something I think about. This industry has traditionally been male-dominated, and there have been times when I have been one of the only women in the room. Early on, that could feel intimidating, but over time it has also shown me how important representation is.
I think it is important for people entering the industry to be able to see themselves in leadership roles. When women see other women succeeding in operations, training, management, and industry leadership, it helps make those career paths feel more accessible and achievable.
In my advocacy work, I try to focus on creating opportunities and making sure the industry is welcoming to people from different backgrounds and experiences. Workforce challenges are too big for us to limit ourselves to one traditional pipeline of talent. We need to attract and support the best people, regardless of gender, and make sure they have the training, mentorship, and opportunities they need to succeed.
I also think there is value in bringing different perspectives to the table. Diverse experiences make organizations stronger, and they help us better understand and respond to the needs of the industry.
What’s your vision for where the wastewater profession should be in ten years, and what role do you see WPI volunteers playing in getting there?
My vision for the wastewater profession in ten years is that it is more visible, more accessible, and better prepared for the future. I would like to see more people, especially younger people, recognize wastewater as a meaningful and rewarding career path with opportunities for growth, leadership, and long-term stability.
I also hope we continue building stronger pathways into the profession through training, apprenticeships, certification, and mentorship. As experienced operators retire, it is going to be critical that we preserve institutional knowledge and prepare future leaders to step into those roles with confidence.
I would like to see the profession continue embracing innovation as well, not only in technology, but also in how we recruit, train, and retain people. That means making learning more flexible, using different teaching methods, and helping people see that there are many different ways to build a successful career in this field.
WPI volunteers have an important role to play in that future because they are often the ones driving new ideas, building partnerships, mentoring others, and sharing resources across the industry. Volunteers help connect people and organizations that might not otherwise work together, and that collaboration is what will help move the profession forward over the next ten years.
What would you say to a wastewater professional, especially someone earlier in their career, about why volunteering with an organization like WPI is worth their time?
I would tell them that volunteering with an organization like WPI is absolutely worth it because you get back as much as you give. It is a chance to build relationships, learn from people across the country, and gain exposure to ideas and challenges that you may not see in your day-to-day job.
For someone earlier in their career, volunteering can also help build confidence and leadership skills. It gives you opportunities to serve on committees, contribute to projects, speak up in discussions, and connect with people who can become mentors and advocates.
It is also rewarding because you get to be part of something bigger than your own organization. You are helping strengthen the profession, improve training and workforce development, and make sure the next generation of operators has the support they need.
My experience has been that the more involved you become, the more you realize your voice matters, even early in your career.
National Volunteer Week is a moment to recognize people who give beyond their job description. What does volunteering mean to you, and why do you keep showing up?
Volunteering means giving back to an industry that has given so much to me. I started in wastewater almost by chance, but it has become a career that I care deeply about. Volunteering gives me an opportunity to contribute beyond my day-to-day job and help make the profession stronger for the people who are already in it and for those who will come after us.
I keep showing up because I believe the work matters. Whether it is helping improve training, mentoring others, sharing ideas, or supporting professional growth, I know those efforts can make a difference.
I also keep showing up because of the people. One of the best parts of volunteering is building relationships with others who care just as much about the profession as I do. It is rewarding to work alongside people who are committed to solving problems, supporting one another, and moving the industry forward.
At the end of the day, volunteering is not just about giving your time. It is about being part of something bigger than yourself.
Learn more about Jenny from Maddie Christensen, WPI’s Engagement Strategist and Volunteer Coordinator
Jenny truly embodies the qualities we hope to see in operators across this industry. Her passion for the work is clear in the way she talks about her role, the field as a whole, and the way she encourages and supports others in that same calling. She has a natural ability to lift people up and inspire pride in the work they do.
Through her work at the Fleming Training Center, Jenny helps keep high-quality training at the forefront, with a strong focus on preparing well-trained operators for the field. She also recently joined our Board of Directors as the Director of the Wastewater Division, where her insight and enthusiasm have already made a meaningful impact.
It says a lot about her love for this work that she even named her dogs Sludge and Vorticella (nicknamed Cella!) Jenny brings a sense of joy and energy to every space she enters, and we are so lucky to have her as a volunteer, collaborator, and friend.Â
Learn More about Volunteering at WPI
Volunteers are truly the heart of everything we do at WPI. We could not produce high-quality exams without their expertise, time, and passion for making the industry better. We are grateful for the many ways our volunteers share their knowledge, whether that is serving on an exam development committee, contributing in a leadership role on our Board of Directors or the Certification Commission for Environmental Professionals, or supporting our annual Innovation in Certification Conference.
We rely on professionals in the industry to help guide our work and ensure we are meeting the needs of the operators and members we serve. Their perspective and experience are essential to everything we do. Volunteering also creates meaningful opportunities to build connections across the industry, forming relationships that support and strengthen the work happening every day. This is a close-knit community, and we are committed to lifting each other up and supporting one another.
If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, please reach out to Maddie Christensen at [email protected] to learn more about available opportunities!
About our Contributor:
Jenny Strobel serves as the Wastewater Director on the Board of Directors for Water Professionals International. In this role, she represents wastewater professionals nationwide, advancing workforce development, professional standards, and certification excellence within the industry. Jenny is a Manager of the Fleming Training Center in Tennessee’s Division of Water Resources, where she oversees statewide training and certification programs for water and wastewater operators. She holds a Tennessee Grade IV Wastewater Treatment Operator certification and brings extensive experience in regulatory compliance, operator certification, and program development. She is committed to strengthening the wastewater profession through education, innovation, and strategic leadership. As Wastewater Director, Jenny advocates for high-quality training, modernized certification programs, and collaboration among water sector partners to ensure a resilient and skilled workforce for the future.
