There was a time in my life when I had few worries. A solid job, good quality of life and sticking to a budget was something other people had to do in tough times. Great salaries and bonuses were the norm and “energy conservation” was part of some foreign language that no one I knew spoke.

That was my life until the market crash of 2007. With corporate layoffs in full swing, and the job market grinding to a halt, my world suddenly looked quite different. My employment wasn’t secure and suddenly the cost of utilities, something I’d never worried about before, became a big worry. How fortunate that at just that moment in my life, I had an opportunity to work for the Nevada Rural Housing Authority weatherization department.

The NRHA Weatherization Program provides services to low income homes to make them more energy efficient, lower the cost of household utilities, and enhance the quality of life of the residents. In my new career, I began a journey to understand how a house should work from the inside out, and not just look good. Through extensive training, not only in the classroom, but in the field testing and repairing, I have learned the best practices for improving home energy efficiency and come out with a new understanding and appreciation for that foreign word “energy conservation.”

Nothing fuels my passion for my career as much as the many heart-warming letters we receive from our clients. We are not only able to provide them with a positive experience and great customer service, but with real cost savings, too. At the end of each month, we are able to give hundreds of families a little more security and happiness in the form of more cash in their wallet.

Over the past two years, since joining NRHA, I have retrofitted my own home and trained my own family in energy conservation. In the process, we have reduced our utility bills by 30% freeing up valuable resources for other things. I have found a new love for energy efficiency and I am grateful that I get to share that passion with others in my daily work.