There is a lot that can be said about Adele Rucker, although her leadership is clear to everyone she has worked with in the Rocky Mountain Water Quality Analyst’s Association (RMWQAA) for years. Adele has been the primary conference coordinator for over 13 years. Anyone who has worked closely with conference planning knows the grueling hours, emails, and brainpower it takes to host an event. Adele has led this effort with grace and patience providing at least 80 hours of learning to analysts all over the Rocky Mountain Region.
Adele’s leadership and coordination go well beyond conference planning. In addition to her duties as president of the RMWQAA for 7+ years, she has also been the sole certification exam coordinator. Adele proctored the exam for years, and still maintains registration for the event, works directly with the exam supplier, and now works with the testing centers to ensure all members who sign up for the exam make it through the full process. Under her direction, over 100 members have achieved various certifications.
When new training sessions are discussed, Adele is always on board to create a training module, providing knowledge to the membership. All of Adele’s purely volunteer efforts have kept the RMWQAA moving forward and maintaining a strong presence in the laboratory scene.
Adele’s contribution to the laboratory field extends beyond the RMWQAA. She also participates in two important events in a judging capacity. Adele has judged the Water Environment Federation’s Operations Challenge event at the local and national levels and also supports local Denver schools by judging science fairs through Community Resources, Inc. This work supports peers and the future generation of drinking water and wastewater workforce.
And of course, Adele’s success in the lab cannot be understated. After years working at the Aurora Water lab, South Platte Renew (SPR) Got lucky and hired her. She immediately hit the ground running, finding innovative ways to do things and bringing smiles to people’s faces. Adele has a vast skill set. She knows chemistry, is great at keeping things organized and on track, and works well with all the departments the lab serves. She is a graduate of SPR’s High Performance Leadership Program as well. Adele was recently hired as SPR Laboratory Services Manager. She is already busy innovating and positioning the lab to be a leader in low-level nutrient analysis.
