Welcome to the very first installment of our Employee Spotlight series! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Andrea “Dre” Balboa, Emissions Project Administrator II on our Operations Support Team, to learn more about her journey at Encino, her impressive talents, and the impact she’s making both inside and outside the office. From tackling complex client projects to creating stunning urban sketches in her free time, Andrea embodies the passion and versatility that define Encino’s culture. Join us as we dive into her story and celebrate her contributions to our team!

The Interview

Connie: Today is Monday, December 2nd and I am interviewing Andrea “Dre” Balboa for the very first Encino Employee Spotlight. Welcome Andrea!  Let’s get started with my first question; Ok, Andrea, when did you start at Encino?

Dre: I started last year, April 2023.

Connie: So that’ll be it’ll be two years this coming April.  What did you do before joining Encino?

Dre: The job I had before joining Encino was working at a place called Harris Rebar. They are a major corporate company that is a division of Nucore Corporation that manufactures steel and steel rebar. I loved working there. I was a branch administrator and helped with coordinating shipping, getting materials for jobs, having the tag ready for designs for our guys to fabricate the rebar, doing a lot of QA’s for like materials and what we have in, just a lot of different hats.

Connie:  How did you go from being a branch administrator at a steel manufacturing company to working in the Operations Support Team at Encino?

Dre: I just happened to see this position and I thought it looked very unique and cool. It was different from what I was doing.  I have the organizational skills and project management skills Encino was looking for.  And I knew that I could excel at whatever I do and adapt to any job environment, so I felt it was a great fit for me. What made me really excited to join Encino is when I met the team. Donna Ryals was the first person I met and then I met Elizabeth Salazar.  Their energy was just so positive, and it was just like a breath of fresh air for me. I immediately felt like this is going to be a good place for me and where I can be part of a great team. I want to be part of this group.

Connie:  What about a project or achievement that you’ve made at Encino that you’re particularly proud of?

Dre:  I help one of our major clients with engine inventory and scheduling. This project was a challenge trying to coordinate and find missing information.  This was a project where there wasn’t a lot of time to get me ramped-up beforehand, but I’ve been able to make huge strides for the company in gathering and organizing their information.  So much so, that they gave me a lot of praise for what I was able to achieve and for resolving a lot of the problems they were experiencing. While I was happy to get the praise, what was really satisfying to me was the impact I was able to make and how much I was able to help them. It’s a good feeling to know I am making a positive impact and doing my job well.

Connie: What is one skill that you have that might surprise your coworkers?

Dre: Some people at Encino know this already, I do urban sketching.  Urban sketching is going out and just drawing what you see, drawing the people, drawing the atmosphere, drawing the scene.  I also do realistic portraits in watercolor and pencils and have an associate’s degree in studio arts.  In addition, I have a bachelor’s degree in political science too. Lately I’ve been gravitating towards energy and regulatory policies. As part of my job here at Encino I work with a lot of regulatory agencies like New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana regulatory agencies. I’m also thinking about going for a master’s degree in public policy with a focus on energy public policy. Having real life experience has opened my eyes to a lot more about the industry, but I feel my degree has helped me excel in this position.

Connie: How do you like to spend time outside of work?

Dre: My favorite thing to do is just to drive around Houston and just look for something to draw. I’ll go downtown or to a restaurant and draw. I especially like the small, privately owned restaurants.  They tend to have lots of character and attract a diverse crowd of people. I’ve had several of these independently owned restaurants offer me free food and drinks just for my drawings.

Connie: I love that!  What a compliment to your talent!   Ok, this is our last question – What advice would you give someone new to the Operations Support Team?

Dre: Great question!  The number one piece of advice I would give them is that you have to be willing to learn.   There is so much in this industry that can’t be taught in schools, and you have to be able and willing to learn and research information. The other piece of advice I would give is that you must be “ok” with making mistakes. You’re going to make mistakes and that is how you learn, but the team is always there to support you in reviewing work and helping you learn. No one comes into this job being an expert on the first day, so being open to learning and taking feedback, as well as understanding that making mistakes is going to help you learn is the best advice I can give.

Connie: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you better, Andrea! The rest of Encino and our LinkedIn community is going to enjoy learning more about you too.  Thank you so much for taking the time to let me interview you and congratulations on being chosen as our first Employee Spotlight!

Dre: Thank you!  This is the first time I’ve worked for a company that is in this stage of growth, and it’s been exciting to observe the changes and evolution from the inside and be part of the growth.  It’s exciting and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in 2025!