Rhonda, Director, Community Relations, Outreach & Support at Sacramento Municipal Utility District: Advize Career Interview
A career journey that began with on-campus jobs in college blossomed into a 23-year run as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, followed by leadership at the Nehemiah Community Foundation, and currently thrives as Director, Community Relations, Outreach & Support at Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
This role involves leading a large team, fostering community engagement, and managing a complex budget, with daily life being anything but predictable.
Paramount skills include strong people and organizational abilities, along with a positive attitude, which is crucial for a role that involves working closely with people and managing resources effectively to give back to over a thousand nonprofits.
A particular draw of the role at Sacramento Municipal Utility District is the opportunity to connect with peers nationwide, adopting best practices from other industries and making utility's community engagement "something special." A key lesson learned is to avoid burning bridges and honor one's commitments, as connections matter and last impressions are remembered.
Early work experience, including internships and volunteering, plays a vital role in building a strong network – because network truly equals net worth.
Sac State provides a foundation for career and life, offering connections that can lead to long-term career opportunities, lifelong friendships, and personal relationships.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Rhonda Staley-Brooks
Director, Community Relations, Outreach & Support
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
California State University Sacramento
Executive Masters Business Administration
Psychology
Energy and Utilities
Communication and Marketing
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, Transfer Student
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Career Path of a Director Community Relations at Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Rhonda began career with on-campus jobs in college and then transitioned to Big Brothers Big Sisters in 1993, through Sac State's Career Center, where career progressed over 23 years to become the CEO. Later, career moved to the Nehemiah Community Foundation as an executive director for three and a half years before landing at SMUD "six years ago" in the community relations department.
Main Responsibilities Of A Director Of Community Relations, Outreach, And Support At Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Rhonda's main responsibilities as Director, Community Relations, Outreach & Support include leading a team of 33 people that handles "community engagement," trade shows, and graphics, while also ensuring the team has the necessary resources to "go out in the community and do great things." A key aspect of the role is budgeting and overseeing five direct reports to ensure the team can operate effectively.
A Day In The Life Of A Community Relations Director At Sacramento Municipal Utility District
A Director of Community Relations role at Sacramento Municipal Utility District is highly variable, with no two days being the same; "some days Rhonda is just in meetings all day," while others are spent engaging with the community at events ranging from nonprofit gatherings to tree planting, also working closely with the board of directors, CEO, and other executives and colleagues.
Most Important Skills for a Director Community Relations Outreach at Sacramento Utility
For a Director of Community Relations, Outreach & Support, "people skills" are paramount, enabling engagement with customers at community events; organizational skills are also crucial, especially in a director role, for keeping the team on track. Rhonda also noted that maintaining "a positive attitude" is a vital skillset, as working with the community can be challenging.
Favorite Parts of Being a Community Relations Director at Sacramento Utility District
Rhonda enjoys being a Director at Sacramento Municipal Utility District primarily because of "the people that [she gets] to work with every day," as she finds them to be amazing and their team is well-regarded. In addition, Rhonda loves the community engagement aspect of the role, including volunteering and donating to nonprofits, which allows [her] to "be a part of the fabric of Sacramento."
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Community Relations Director At Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Rhonda's biggest challenge as Director of Community Relations is balancing the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's resources among over a thousand nonprofits, facing difficult days when funding requests must be denied and struggling to "spread the love" while acknowledging they "can't help everyone." Another challenge stems from the volume of meetings, sometimes six in a day, which leads to an accumulation of emails and necessitates after-hours work to stay on top of communications.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Utility Industry As A Director Community Relations
Rhonda finds working at the utility both unique and intriguing, especially the opportunity to learn about electricity and its role in powering cities, a stark contrast to previous experience as a nonprofit executive. The most enjoyable aspect, however, is connecting with other corporate funders at conferences, allowing Rhonda to gather "best practices across the nation" from diverse industries and apply them to the utility world, making it "something special."
What type of person thrives in the utility industry, according to a Community Relations Director at SMUD
Rhonda believes people who thrive in community relations are "willing to go out and talk to people and meet new people" while making them feel "heard and seen." Success isn't about transactional relationships, but about possessing the knack for making each person feel like they are the professional's "best friend."
What a Community Relations Director at Sacramento Municipal Utility District wishes they had known before entering the Utilities industry
Rhonda, with a background in nonprofits, wishes someone had prepared her for the "slow decision making" process inherent in a government agency like Sacramento Municipal Utility District; coming from environments where speed was crucial for survival, navigating the more deliberate pace has been a learning curve, even six years into the role. Rhonda emphasizes the need to be able to "make decisions a little bit faster" despite potential imperfections, highlighting a key difference between the urgency of nonprofits and the more measured approach of government.
Entry-level positions for aspiring community relations specialists
Rhonda highlights that a utility like SMUD offers diverse entry-level opportunities beyond the obvious, including "corporate communications writers," media specialists, engineers, and economists, noting that SMUD's 2300 employees come from various backgrounds, and encourages students to explore internships at smud.org/careers to "start figuring out where you wanna take your career."
Significant Career Lesson From An Outreach Director At Sacramento Utility
Rhonda, a Director at SMUD, emphasizes the importance of not burning bridges, as "people have long memories" and will remember the last impression left. Completing commitments and providing adequate notice when leaving a job are crucial, because even after years of excellent work, people will remember "the last action that [was taken] with them."
College Experiences That Helped a Director of Community Relations and Outreach Support at Sacramento Municipal Utility District Succeed
Rhonda emphasizes that working early, even in high school, and especially during college to build a network is key, stating "your network is your net worth," and to supplement that by getting internships and volunteering. Sacramento Municipal Utility District's Director, Community Relations, Outreach & Support suggests gaining work experience is important, but if that is not possible, internships and volunteer work are excellent alternatives to building a resume and demonstrating dedication.
Director Community Relations Outreach And Support At SMUD Career Path
Sac State provided Rhonda with foundational elements for career and life, offering more than just academic degrees. Because of Sac State, Rhonda found a 23-year career through the job line, a lifelong sorority connection, and a husband of nearly 27 years, leading Rhonda to say, "Sac State gave me everything, my career, my husband and my friends."
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