19366_Authority_August

62 The Authority │ August During my time as President of PMAA, I helped create the scholarship program, and it is one of my proudest accomplishments. I passionately believe, as leaders, we have a responsibility to educate the next generation and provide them with opportunity. Financial barriers should never be a reason why someone can’t be educated, and it fills my heart with pride to see how the scholarship program continues to flourish. The Future Leaders Committee has created fundraising initiatives to sustain the program to increase the number of people who can be helped each year, and I’m thrilled to continue supporting these initiatives as an associate member. At the end of the day, we are all just real people working towards positive experiences in our industries, and it’s the personal connections that make that possible. PMAA has created a warm and welcoming community where authorities, vendors and consultants can share knowledge and help each other advance. Throughout my career in the water/ wastewater industry, I have faced my share of challenges, but I never had to face them alone, thanks to PMAA. I always had someone I could call who’d been through it to provide guidance and reassurance. Membership in PMAA is one of the investments I’ve made in my career, and I’m incredibly grateful for the connections I’ve made. S Different Role article continued from page 15. About the Author Melissa Komar is a Client Development Manager at HRG, a consulting firm providing planning, engineering, and other infrastructure solutions to municipal authorities throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Prior to joining HRG, Melissa served as the Executive Director of the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority and is a past president of PMAA.