SRP’s First Female Plant Manager Reaches Out to Mentor Other Women
When Sara McCoy graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in mechanical engineering, she was one of a handful of female graduates. When she was hired by Salt River Project 21 years ago, she was one of a few female trailblazers.
Today, Sara is the SRP’s first female power plant manager. Under her leadership, the Aqua Fria power plant provides reliable power to the more than one million customers in the Phoenix metropolitan area. And, during her tenure with the utility, Sara has made her mark as a pioneer and mentor to younger female engineers.
“I would have to say my biggest career leap came when being promoted to manager—leading people instead of managing projects,” said Sara. “I learned that people are much more dynamic.”
“Facts and information are interesting, but it’s people that make things happen.”
As SRP’s first female plant manager, Sara knows she has a unique opportunity to have a lasting impact, by giving employees opportunities to learn and by working with the next generation of employees as a steering committee member on two SRP internal groups—the Rotational Engineer Program and the Women’s Interest Network (WIN), which supports SRP women employees and fundraising for community nonprofits. She also participates in SRP’s mentoring program, which enables her to support development plans and provide learning opportunities for employees and college interns.
The Scottsdale resident, and working wife and mom, is also an active member of the company’s Employee Booster Association and a supporter of and participant in Adopt-a-Family, Christmas Angel, and other SRP community volunteer programs.
