Estela Sauceda promoted to deputy director of Las Cruces utilities department
Estela Sauceda changed careers in 2009 and has moved up the ranks within the City of Las Cruces ever since.
After 13 years as the controller at Mesilla Valley Hospital, Sauceda joined the city's utilities customer service department in 2009.
An eagerness to learn and a well-rounded résumé through 15 years as a city employee has paid off for Sauceda, who was recently promoted to deputy director of business services for the Las Cruces Utilities Department under Domonique Rodriguez.
"It wasn't expected," Sauceda said. "I worked at the hospital and then spent 10 years in customer service with the city, but I was asking how to move up or how do I advance. I knew if I ever wanted to replace my boss, I have to get a background in finance to be more well rounded.
"I knew that moving from customer service to utilities, I would have more opportunity to advance. This position came open and I did an interim stint and was subsequently promoted."
Growth from within is encouraged in utilities, where it's not always possible in other departments, according to Rodriguez.
"Las Cruces Utilities Office of the Director promotes growth from within and provides access and opportunities for all staff for leadership, educational courses and encourages internal growth," Rodriguez wrote in an email to the Sun-News.
From 2009 to 2019, Sauceda was the customer service supervisor at the city, which included utilities. Utilities are comprised of gas, water, wastewater and solid waste.
"I'm so thankful for those 10 years," she said. "It was a huge learning process for me and it was wonderful to work with customers. If a customer was ever escalated to me, they weren't happy. ... I took pride in myself that I worked with them and was fair. When I worked with them, nine out of 10 times, they left satisfied."
With an accounting degree and experience in finance, Sauceda has been an economic analysis accountant in utilities since 2019. She managed and reconciled capital improvement projects and worked closely with project managers and city staff throughout the duration of projects.
"Estela has worked with the programs that report to the deputy director of business services previously," Rodriguez wrote in an email. "This made for a smooth transition for staff and operations. Estela is eager to learn and has a great foundation that will allow her to excel in everything she does."
Business services of utilities includes customer central, billing and receivables, new connections, utilities dispatch, field services, meter infrastructure, utilities building administration and rates and economic analysis.
"It's a matter of having a smooth transition," Sauceda said. "I want to keep it going. As a manager, I'm not one to come in and make changes right away. I want to see what is working and if it's working, I will leave it alone."
Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @jpgroves.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Sauceda promoted to deputy director of Las Cruces utilities department
