the road less traveled, or not any more?

Could you tell us briefly about your career path and how you ended up founding your own company?

I held a number of executive positions in federal contracting and commercial consulting culminating as Study Director with the Congressional Commission on Wartime Contracting. Toward the end of my ‘First Act’, I visited Peru on a humanitarian visit. 

After witnessing firsthand children deprived of clean water and its impact on their health, I became committed that one day I would help Peruvians and other water-deprived peoples around the globe. The next year, whether by chance, karma, or design; I married Kelly Rock, who at that time held 21 patents in automotive, medical, and water technologies. After expressing my commitment based on my Peruvian experience, Kelly shared his idea about how to clean water and his desire to help people and the environment. Micronic Technologies was born.

What is the rationale to start your own company versus working for a company you admire?

Always a natural self-starter, I preferred beginning new ventures; in school, business, and socially. My life is replete with this history, partaking or leading in the development of new projects or organizations along my federal and commercial career. Like many opportunities, pursuing a new technology business did not scare me if I had the passion, which of course, I did. Using my connections and knowledge of state and federal grant-making entities I was able to secure $4M in non-dilutive funding.  My friends, family, and other investors matched this $4M in seed capital. 

Like many opportunities, pursuing a new technology business did not scare me if I had the passion, which of course, I did

Now, after $8M in investment and grant funding, our patented wastewater concentration technology, the Tornadic One-Pass™ (TOP™) mechanically concentrates highly contaminated wastewater without the high cost and logistics supply chain of current evaporators. The TOP™ system injects contaminated water through the patented “pod” with sufficient force and velocity to create a miniature tornado and the conditions for near-instantaneous evaporation to remove contaminants and recapture of clean water through condensation.

Women are still underrepresented in the water sector. What is your experience as a woman and business founder in this sector?

In a word, difficult. Last year, just 2% of venture backed companies had female CEOs.  I have found this underrepresentation to carry over into the water sector and other STEM fields. That said, I am not one to let obstacles stand in my way.  I’m proud of the fact that we are female co-founded and led with a 60% female board.  The technology speaks for itself as our Tornadic One-Pass™ has proven its ability to clean wastewater more effectively and less costly than alternatives. Today the company has 11 patents and a partnership with the EPA where our first engineered unit is available at the EPA test facility in Cincinnati Ohio.  Just last quarter, Micronic and the EPA co-authored a peer reviewed scientific study that was published in the peer reviewed journal, Desalination. At this point I enjoy excellent male and female relationships with potential customers, partners, board members, and advisors.

As a business owner, what measures do you think would be effective to bridge the gender gap in the water sector?

Speak up! As I develop relationships in the sector, I engage in communication about this specific issue, gaining more and more acknowledgment of the general desire to fix it. Most just don’t know how.  I suggest woman speakers be sought out for events and panels on this subject at conferences to raise the awareness and that more women be recruited into engineering programs. Lastly, showcasing woman led companies in periodicals, such as Smart Water, also goes a long way toward increased awareness.