Nestled along the Connecticut shoreline is the city of Norwalk – a bustling coastal community that boasts more than just salt water and sea air, but a thriving local economy filled with arts, culture and entertainment. It’s where Marina Cenatiempo was born and raised, and she’s never strayed too far.  “There’s so much diversity here, and also in the cities that surround Norwalk,” said Cenatiempo. “I’m a daughter of Italian immigrants, and I’ve always enjoyed having the opportunity to connect with people from all different backgrounds and walks of life.”   Cenatiempo’s curiosity and enthusiasm for new experiences have been a driving force in her professional success story. From a young age, she always knew she wanted to work, leading her to study business management at Norwalk Community College. While enrolled, a neighbor told her about an opening as an administrative clerk for Eversource’s natural gas business, so she decided to apply. “I was the clerk who went above and beyond, but there was so much more that I wanted to do,” said Cenatiempo. “I’ve always tried to do things outside of my role. Helping others comes naturally to me, so I wanted to find a job where I could do just that.” Over the next nine years, Cenatiempo immersed herself in the energy company and eventually set her sights on her next move: becoming a construction technician responsible for safely connecting customers to natural gas.  “These are the people who design our natural gas infrastructure for residential and commercial properties,” Cenatiempo explained. “The position had a time-merit progression program, so you could learn and move on to bigger projects as you go. Plus, in my role, I was around the design process so much that I had a solid understanding of our mapping, our service cards and our infrastructure.”  While the career jump was unconventional, Cenatiempo had faith that her knowledge and willingness to learn were right for the job. She advocated for herself, landed the position, and her experience even led to the creation of a new career path within the union for women in administrative roles looking to become construction technicians.  “I felt so proud, especially doing all of this as a new mom,” said Cenatiempo. “I was 29 years old, I just had my son Enrico and I knew in my heart I wanted to be a great provider. I was fulfilling that desire and at the same time advancing my career, and I knew if I wanted more for myself, there had to be other women like me who felt the same. So, to help open doors in this industry – it was really empowering.”   From there, Cenatiempo climbed the ladder at Eversource, all while remaining dedicated to her number one job: being a mom. After having her daughter Stella, she rose through the ranks and became a supervisor for the gas construction group. Now, she oversees pipe replacement projects in the southern region of Connecticut, which covers Norwalk to Stamford and as far north as New Milford.  “We are consistently upgrading aging natural gas infrastructure to state-of-the-art plastic pipeline in the cities and towns we serve,” said Cenatiempo. “By replacing these pipes with more durable material, it not only increases the reliability of natural gas service for our customers, but it also makes the entire system safer.” These critical replacement projects are no small task. They involve months of outreach and planning, weeks of work involving heavy equipment, collaboration with local officials and strong communication with customers.  Marina Cenatiempo and family. Credit: Courtesy of Eversource “When we conduct outreach leading up to the start of a project, I always include my personal contact information,” Cenatiempo shared. “It helps build that level of trust when customers know they don’t have to call an automated number. They can call the appropriate supervisor directly, and we take care of it. In fact, I’ve had customers call me years after a project with other issues, and I find it rewarding to know that they trusted me enough to reach out again.”  Cenatiempo says it’s been her privilege to serve her customers and communities for the last 20 years, and she’s grateful to her colleagues for the support they’ve provided along the way. “Ultimately, I like to help people – it gives me such a sense of accomplishment,” said Cenatiempo. “And to those who have the same passion for service, I encourage them to never stop following their dreams!” Paid for by Eversource Energy.