Kathy's Journey: From Environmental Engineer to Customer Success Manager
At QUBE, we take pride in our exceptional team of experts who bring unparalleled knowledge and passion to the field. In this edition of our Employee Spotlight series, we are thrilled to introduce Kathy, our dynamic Customer Success (CS) Manager. Her journey is a fascinating blend of engineering expertise, education, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Let us dive into our conversation and learn more about her journey to QUBE and her remarkable career path.
Question: Can you share a brief history of how you got to QUBE and who brought you on board?
Kathy: My journey has been anything but straightforward. I earned my bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from Montana Tech and interned at a major oil company before joining them full-time as a production engineer. I later became an environmental coordinator, helping my coworkers understand what is required in terms of the air permits as well as creating procedures for investigating and integrating newly acquired properties for health, safety, and environmental issues before leaving for graduate school. During my time at the company, I developed an environmental education program for the field operations team in Bakersfield, California.
After earning my master's in community and economic development from Penn State, I worked as a consultant in grant writing, funding identification for city economic development projects and injection wells permits. I also homeschooled my children while moving across states with my husband, who is also an engineer. One day, I vented my job-search frustrations to an old colleague, and he suggested QUBE. He sent my resume to Andrew, I got interviewed, and now I am here!
Question: Can you describe your current role and what a typical week looks like?
Kathy: I am a Customer Success Manager, and my job is to keep projects moving for newly deployed clients and making sure all clients are maximizing the value of their investment in us I work with different teams within QUBE to ensure clients receive their devices and deployment plans promptly. I arrange meetings so Matt can train clients on proper installation, while also monitoring their emission data.
I also conduct regular check-ins with clients, provide them with insights they might miss if they are not actively using the platform, and ensure they are getting value from our dashboard. My background in education helps me guide clients to understand the bigger picture rather than getting stuck on individual emissions data.
Question: Your educator background clearly influences your role here. How does that translate to working with clients and the team?
Kathy: It is about teaching clients to think differently. Some of our clients lack environmental science backgrounds, so I help them interpret emissions data in context. For instance, the wind flow is not straightforward—it swirls and creates eddies, which affects emissions. I guide clients to step back and consider the bigger picture, rather than fixating on individual sources.
My experience as a production engineer and working with regulators also helps me connect with field operators. They know I understand their challenges and can speak their language.
Question: What are some projects you are particularly proud of?
Kathy: One of my career highlights was developing the oil company's environmental education program in Bakersfield. Management recognized the value of integrating environmental concerns into safety meetings, and that was a significant achievement.
At QUBE, I presented at the Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) in Denver in 2023. We highlighted Birch's success in reducing emissions using QUBE's technology. It was a fast-paced project, but collaborating with Alex, Carol, and Andrew to write the paper and present it was exhilarating.
On a personal note, I am incredibly proud of my daughters. One is in graduate school and the other is doing her undergraduate, as a parent who homeschooled them, it is rewarding to see them thrive.
Question: What challenges do you encounter in your role, and how do you define success?
Kathy: A challenge is seeing a company embrace what compliance culture is starting to look like, and working with small teams that have a big job to do that is getting bigger.
Success for me is when sales teams feel supported, and clients find value in our platform. Seeing clients improve their emissions over time by adopting our technology and changing their culture feels like a win.
Question: What advice would you give to someone looking to break into this field?
Kathy: Research the field and stay agile. Environmental laws are changing constantly, so keep up to date with webinars and industry news. It can look like a big puzzle. Focus on the logic of rules and equipment and see how the puzzle pieces fit together. Do not stagnate—keep learning and stay curious.
Question: That is great advice. Lastly, could you share a fun fact and a personal interest?
Kathy: I love playing music! I play cello, handbells, steel drum, ukulele, and piano. My husband and I are adjusting to life as empty nesters. Our younger daughter is coming home for the summer, so we are excited to have her with us again for a bit.
Kathy’s story exemplifies QUBE's dedication to delivering exceptional expertise and customer success. Her diverse background and passion for continuous learning embody QUBE's values and commitment to excellence. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our Employee Spotlight series as we continue highlighting the expertise that makes QUBE stand out in the industry!