Rachael with her husband.

Please welcome Rachael Beam, our new Chief Engineering Officer, to PWSA! To help ensure the continued delivery of vital infrastructure improvements, Rachael will oversee the planning and execution of all PWSA engineering, design, and construction activities. 

Rachael brings a wealth of experience to PWSA, having served in various capacities, including senior project engineer, engineering project manager, and most recently, as an engineering manager, for the Pennsylvania American Water Company. In her most recent role there, she led a team of nine engineers, delivering $500 million in water and wastewater capital projects in southwestern Pennsylvania over five years.

What made you decide to join PWSA? I was thrilled to join the organization and Engineering team during this historic period of investment in critical infrastructure replacement and upgrade projects. This is an exciting time to join PWSA!

How does your role contribute to the delivery of safe, clean drinking water? The entire Engineering team is responsible for delivering essential capital replacements and upgrades to our infrastructure, without which the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water wouldn’t be possible. Clean drinking water should be a right, not a privilege, and has been part of my professional passion for many years.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard? Not so much advice but a familiar quote: “Being kind is more important than being right.” And sometimes, being kind also requires being honest, in a kind way of course.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I love traveling with my husband both inside and outside the U.S.

What’s the weirdest fact you know? According to the American Kennel Club, for 30 years in a row, the Labrador Retriever was the most popular dog in the U.S. Until 2022, that is, when it was overtaken by the French Bulldog. I’ll be interested to see the 2023 winner.