Life@wood blog
Meet Belkis
Growing her small but mighty team of three into a thriving group of 30, Erin’s journey at Wood has been nothing short of remarkable. Her story is one of growth, resilience and passion, creating a special culture within her team along the way.
Erin was the very first project manager on Wood’s Project Development and Engineering team, which provides development and engineering services to renewable energy and battery energy storage system developers.
Her first few years were a period of intense growth and learning, supporting clients with early-stage de-risking assessments, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) services, site surveys, comprehensive environmental and permitting support, engineering and design and construction monitoring.
Reflecting on the start of her career in clean energy, she says "Wood invested in our team and allowed us to flex our muscles, grow organically, and learn on the job.”
With a keen interest in research and a drive to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and opportunities, Erin quickly became an expert within her team. “The clean energy space is constantly shifting. To remain experts, we have to adapt and learn at the pace that new technologies emerge," she explains.
By age 27, Erin was excelling as a leader. She not only kept up with the industry changes but also guided her team with a natural affinity for mentorship. Erin now manages a team of 14 that provides a range of renewable energy project development services across the Americas, including project management, environmental field surveys, interconnection and permitting support.
In this role, Erin found her true passion in management and communication – with both her clients and team.
Emphasising the importance of trust and communication, Erin says "at its core, my job is to communicate with our clients, ensuring we gain their trust and understand their needs, while also building strong connections within Wood."
"We have a work-hard/play-hard dynamic in our team," she says. "Our ability to collaborate seamlessly and maintain strong relationships within our team is one of the biggest reasons we have a great retention rate. I love the energy of our team – people choose to stay because we have a good team culture."
Part of this culture is Erin’s strong belief in diversity, especially in engineering. "I was the only woman on the team for a long time," Erin recalls. "It wasn’t the best feeling, so I started encouraging more female candidates to apply to work at Wood. Now, nearly half our team is women.”
A strong engineer, leader, advocate and mentor—how does Erin balance it all?
“I’m passionate about maintaining a healthy work-life balance for my team. When you don’t take time to unplug, you burn out," she says. "I make an effort to respect the work-life boundaries of my team so we can all show up at our best every day."
Taking her own advice, Erin unplugs by getting outdoors and loves hiking and snowshoeing in the mountains near Denver, Colorado where she recently moved to be closer to nature. She is passionate about education and the environment and, as a result, is hoping to become involved with Montessori schools when she retires.
Erin's drive and positive outlook on life are a testament to her dedication and ability to inspire others: "At the end of the day, I want to create a lasting impact on my team that helps them grow professionally and personally, while keeping it fun.”
