HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.b. Receive update of Mentorship Program Page 1 of 9
Item 9.b.
CENTRALSAN
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CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT
February 17, 2022
TO: HONORABLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FROM: CHRISTINA GEE, MANAGEMENT ANALYST
REVIEWED BY: TEJI O'MALLEY HUMAN RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
SUBJECT: RECEIVE UPDATE ON MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Since 2016, Central San has offered its BOOST Mentorship Program for full-time employees to be a
mentee or mentor in a cross-divisional, project-based staff development opportunity. The program is highly
interactive and unique in that mentees and mentors work together to successfully complete and present a
project to the Executive Team and Board Members. The delivery of the project provides a basis upon
which a relationship can be built and gives each mentee exposure to Central San's senior leadership, as
well as a chance to hone their presentation skills. In addition to the project and monthly mentorship
meetings, mentees have the ability to learn technical skills and job shadow within the mentor's division, and
explore other areas of Central San in which they may have an interest.
The Mentorship Program has been a successful and popular part of Central San's Organizational
Development and Talent Management program. Seven mentees recently"graduated" from the third cycle
of the program, bringing the total number of mentees who have participated in the program thus far to 17.
Over the years, the mentees have included entry-level and mid-management staff. The 17 mentors who
have participated in the program - some being repeat mentors in multiple cycles - have included mid-
management, management, and executive staff.
Each cycle, feedback from program participants has been used to continuously improve the program. The
recent cycle added a dedicated program coordinator; additional support and training tools for mentors and
mentees; longer, year-long mentorships with one "primary" mentor(from the Management or Executive
Team) and additional "technical skills" mentors as needed; performance measurement to gauge program
effectiveness; and stronger emphasis on the traditional aspects of mentorship, including coaching,
relationship development, soft skills, and learning about the mentor's realm of responsibility.
The Mentorship Program is designed to foster employee growth, break down silos within Central San, and
develop win-win outcomes between the District and its employees. Mentees and mentors develop
themselves professionally and personally, feel more valued and confident in the workplace, can explore lateral
and promotional career opportunities and advancements, have a greater understanding of Central San's
operations, and build lasting cross-divisional relationships.
February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 54 of 72
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The program also enhances succession planning efforts, encourages collaborative interdepartmental
relationships, emphasizes the value of developing people, develops leaders' coaching skills, and produces
projects -often optimizations -to enhance Central San's ability to deliver high-quality service to customers. The
program assists Central San in becoming a learning organization and in retaining and strengthening its greatest
asset: its people.
Cycle 3
On October 5, 2021, the third set of mentees "graduated" from the program by presenting on their
mentorships and their projects to their first-line supervisors, their fellow mentees, the mentors, the
Executive Team, and Board Members.As always, mentees and mentors were paired cross-divisionally
and based upon the mentee's interests. The mentees and mentors from Cycle 3 were as follows:
• Chathu Abeyrathna,Associate Engineer— Mentor: Roger Bailey, General Manager
• Blake Brown, Supervising Chemist— Mentor: Paul Seitz, Collection System Operations (CSO)
Division Manager
• Steve Diethelm, Utility Systems Engineer— Mentor:Alan Weer, Plant Operations Division (POD)
Manager
• Ashley Freeman,Administrative Assistant, CSO — Mentor Neil Meyer, Plant Maintenance (PM)
Division Manager
• Bryan McGloin, Management Analyst, Planning & Development Services (PDS) Division— Mentor:
John Huie, Information Technology Manager
• Velisa Parks,Administrative Services Assistant— Mentor: Kevin Mizuno, Finance Manager
• Lee Sutherland, Maintenance Supervisor, Machine Shop— Mentor: Danea Gemmell, PDS Division
Manager
Cycle 4
Four mentees were accepted into the program for its fourth cycle, which kicked off in January 2022. Year-
long mentorships will take place until December 2022, followed by an additional six months for the mentee
to complete their project, before presenting it in summer 2023.Another program update will be presented
to the Administration Committee and Board in fall/winter 2023.
The Administration Committee received this update at its January 18, 2022 meeting.
Strategic Plan Tie-In
GOAL FOUR: Workforce Development
Strategy 1—Proactively plan for future operational staffing needs, Strategy 2—Foster relationships across all levels of
Central San, Strategy 3—Inspire employee engagement
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Presentation
February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 55 of 72
Page 3 of 9
n
BOOST MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
UPDATE
Board Meeting
February 17, 2022
- ` Christina Gee, Management Analyst
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Build relationships
Offer your skills
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Own your career
Ac Share experiences
Transform
BOOST
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 56 of 72
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PROGRAM STRUCTURE
• One mentor paired with each mentee
• Mentors meet with mentees regularly
• Technical skills mentors are assigned as needed
• Quarterly check-in meetings
• 18-month mentorship
• Completion of a project
• Traditional mentorship in desired areas
• Focus on building relationships, providing exposure to
new functions, and soft and technical skills mentoring
3 '
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BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPANTS
• Professional and personal development
• Value and confidence in the workplace
• Project providing opportunity to suggest operational
improvements/optimizations to broad audiences
• Exposure to career advancements and opportunities
• Greater understanding of Central San's operations
• Lasting cross-divisional relationships
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 57 of 72
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BENEFITS FOR CENTRAL SAN
• Strengthens Central San's greatest asset: its people
• Aids in succession planning
• Emphasizes the value of coaching and developing employees
• Assists Central San in becoming a learning organization
• Breaks down silos and encourages more collaborative
interdepartmental relationships
• Optimization projects enhance ability to deliver high-quality
service to customers
5 '
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PROGRAM PARTICIPATION
Program
M Projects
Cycle 1 4 14
(FY 2016-17)
Cycle 2 6 12
(January 2018 — June 2019)
Cycle 3 7 7
(January 2020 — October 2021)
Cycle 4 4 4
I.(January 2022 —August 2023)
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 58 of 72
Page 6 of 9
CYCLES 1 & 2 PARTICIPANTS
06 Cycle I(IFY , .
Mentee(DEPT) Mentor#1(DEPT) Mentor#2(DEPT) Mentor#3(DEPT) Mentor#4(DEPT)
Rita Cheng(ENG) Jean-Marc Petit(ENG) Danea Gemmell(ENG) Elaine Boehme(ADM) Paul Seitz(OPS)
(joint w/Ian Morales)
Christina Gee(ADM) Danea Gemmell(ENG) Ann Sasaki(OPS) Alan Weer(OPS) Emily Barnett(ADM)
Ian Morales(ENG) John Huie(ADM) Jean-Marc Petit(ENG) Thea Vassallo(ADM) Ann Sasaki(OPS)
(joint w/Rita Cheng)
Oman Nwansi(OPS) Neil Meyer(OPS) (skipped) Ann Sasaki(OPS) (skipped)
I_L_ Cycle 2(January 2018—June 2019) nor,
Mentee(DEPT) Mentor#1(DEPT) Mentor#2(DEPT)
Michael Cunningham(ENG) Nate Morales(OPS) Roger Bailey(ADM)
Heather Fryman(OPS) Teji O'Malley(OPS) Jerry Ledbetter(OPS)
Matt Hart(ADM) Jean-Marc Petit(ENG) Melody LaBella(ENG)
Shenae Howard(ENG) Ann Sasaki(OPS) Teji O'Malley(OPS)
Jeff Skinner(ENG) Danea Gemmell(ENG) Paul Seitz(OPS)
Jim Wan(OPS) Starlin Jones(OPS) Neil Meyer(OPS)
7 1
CYCLE 3 PARTICIPANTS
Cycle 3(January 2020—October 2021)
Mentee(DEPT/DIV) Mentor(DEPT/DIV)
Project Technical Skills Mentor(s)
Chathu Abeyrathna(ENG/CP) Roger Bailey(ADM)
Treatment Plant Asset Handover Process Optimization
Blake Brown(ENG/LAB)*
Category One Sanitary Sewer Overflows Paul Seitz(OPS/CSO)
Lab Reporting Procedure
Steve Diethelm(OPS/PM)* Alan Weer(OPS/POD)
Retrofit of Electrical and Control Systems for
Service Air Compressor#2 Rob Linne and Mark Cavallero
Ashley Freeman(OPS/CSO) Neil Meyer(OPS/PM)
Digitized Operator Routes Nick Hansen and Ian Morales
Bryan McGloin(ENG/P&D) John Huie(ADM/IT)
Ransomware Audit Tim Hiteshew
Velisa Parks(ADM) Kevin Mizuno(ADM/FIN)
Budget Book and Integration with Todd Smithey
Enterprise Resource Planning Software
-. Lee Sutherland(OPS/PM) Danea Gemmell(ENG)
Asset Health Indicator Tool Nitin Goel and Khae Bohan
*promoted during the program 8 '
CFNTPAISAN
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 59 of 72
Page 7 of 9
PROGRAM FEEDBACK
SURVEY RATINGS OF OVERALL VALUE OF
of • • THE PROGRAM FOR PERSONAL AND
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PROGRAM FEEDBACK
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 60 of 72
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CYCLE 4 PARTICIPANTS
Mentee(DEPT/DIV) ' Mentor(DEPT/DIV)
Technical Skills Mentor(s)
Heather Ramamurthy(ENG/P&D) Kevin Mizuno(ADM/FIN)
TBD
Khae Bohan (ENG/P&D) Roger Bailey(ADM)
Greg St. John, Land Surveyor
Matthew Chambers (OPS/CSO) Lori Schectel (ENG/ERC)
TBD
Chad Jaschek(OPS/PM) Phil Leiber(ADM)
TBD
11 '
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CYCLE 4 TIMELINE AND MILESTONES
• January 2022 — December 2022: Mentorship meetings
• September 2022: Mid-Program Check-In
• January 2023 — June 2023: Project completion
• July 2023: Presentation to Executive Team
• August 2023: Celebration event
• Fall/Winter 2023: Report to Administration Committee and Board
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 61 of 72
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Questions?
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BOOST
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
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February 17, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 62 of 72