In honor of Natural Gas Utility Workers' Day, we're tipping our hard hats to the many gas employees here at SDG&E, dedicated to maintaining our critical infrastructure while prioritizing public safety and service reliability.

Andy Phillips, Pipeline Operations Regulator Technician

Andy Phillips has been with SDG&E for 12 years, gaining a wide range of experience through several different positions in the company that have helped him succeed in his role today. Like other Regulator Technicians who are responsible for the maintenance and inspections of our critical assets such as regulator stations, valves, large meters, and critical plugging and tapping activities on our high-pressure distribution pipeline, the work that Andy and the other Reg Techs perform is highly specialized and varies each day.

“No two days are alike in my role as a Regulator Technician in Pipeline Operations. I come to the morning meeting to find out who I’m working with, what part of town I’ll be working in, and what my tasks for the day will be. You have to be ready for anything. Going home at the end of the day, I feel satisfied that I’ve contributed to the safety of the public, and the success of the company.”

Samuel Sanchez, Quality Assurance Technical Specialist

After nearly 18 years with the company, Samuel Sanchez has worn many different hats throughout SDG&E and just recently took on the position of QA Technical Specialist. He plays a key role in helping to ensure quality performance expectations and compliance to the many company standards and governmental regulations. Part of this includes conducting incident investigations, where he determines causal and contributing factors, identifies process gaps, and outlines the proposed improvement plan, as well as monitors improvement implementations.

“I wanted to work for a company that would provide opportunities for me to learn, grow, and build a career,” said Samuel. “SDG&E has exceeded my expectations in this regard.”

Before beginning his career at SDGE, Samuel worked for the U.S. Forest Service, as a Laguna Hotshot. “My last fire season with the Laguna Hotshots I was fortunate to travel to great distances to work as a proud Laguna Hotshot and work towards containment of large wildfires.”

Kimberly Stone, Field Utility Specialist

Kimberly Stone is a dedicated Field Utility Specialist within the High-Pressure Franchise group at SDG&E. A typical day for her is akin to managing controlled chaos. She navigates through a myriad of responsibilities, from handling complex conflict checks for gas and electric SDG&E utilities, to negotiating with multiple municipalities. Kimberly specializes in designing and managing a variety of gas projects such as city franchise relocations, high-pressure gas installations, large gas main new business installations, and gas removal from service.

Beyond the dynamic world of utility management, Kimberly finds comfort in the company of her loved ones. At home, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their cat, Rio.

Robert Norris, Cathodic Protection Electrician

Robert Norris, who has been with SDG&E for nearly 20 years, is on our Cathodic Protection team. This team is focused on inspecting, maintaining, and troubleshooting our steel gas systems to ensure all facilities are cathodically protected, mitigating risk of corrosion and leaks. When he’s not at work, Robert spends his free time lifting weights, watching anime or horror movies, and learning Jiu-Jitsu.

What does Robert’s typical day look like? “First, as many of you can relate, I drink too much coffee then fire up the mobile data terminal (MDT) to check emails and scheduled joint meets. If no joint meets require my attention, I direct my focus on finding troubles in the multiple cathodically protected stations I’m assigned. I like to compare finding a trouble to trying to find a specific needle in a stack of needles.”

Rick Whittle, Master Meter Customer Program Advisor

Rick Whittle supports our Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program as a Master Meter Customer Program Advisor. He routinely visits the mobile parks to ensure that the design and construction work being proposed and performed is consistent with all safety and regulatory requirements.

“As my father worked for 27 years at another utility (PG&E), I’ve watched over the years how SDG&E’s foundation has continued to be very strong in the industry,” said Rick. “I was interested in joining SDG&E because I knew that San Diego was the place I wanted to raise my family.”

Impressive fact about Rick: He was a second-team All-American football player from the University of Oregon and drafted in the 4th round of the NFL draft to the New Orleans Saints.

Leigh Ann Sapp, Project Manager - I

“I wanted to join SDG&E because it seemed like a company you could make a lifelong career from and a place that cared about its employees and their families,” says Leigh Ann Sapp.

Leigh Ann has now been with SDG&E for 9 years, has held a few different positions throughout her career and currently serves as a Project Manager I in Gas Operations. “I feel like every day is different in my role. Risk assessment and mitigation are key aspects, where we identify potential pitfalls and work closely with stakeholders and compliance groups. Communication and reporting play a huge role -- updating stakeholders on project progress, milestones, and deviations from the plan.”

Outside of work, you might find her at a dog park or out for a run enjoying beautiful San Diego! 

Matt Palmer, Welder – Gas Maintenance

“I like that working on our gas leak repairs directly supports our mission of being the cleanest, safest, most reliable energy company,” said Matt Palmer, a Welder in Gas Maintenance. “I also enjoy educating customers because oftentimes they’re scared that the gas line may explode from seeing videos online of what’s happened in other parts of the country. It’s nice to put them at ease by telling them about all the precautions we take.”

Prior to SDG&E, Matt served in the United States Marine Corps infantry for six years. “After my job application at SDG&E was accepted, I had the opportunity to volunteer for Marine deployment and was impressed with the way the company supported that gap and allowed me to return after the deployment.” 

Derek Reber, Gas Operations Training Instructor

Derek Reber spends his time making sure our employees on the gas side are prepared for their roles through hands-on and written training. Derek’s held his current position for the past seven years, but has been with SDG&E for 17. He started as a Laborer and also spent time working as a Traffic Control Specialist and Gas Technician A.

When asked how he spends time outside of work, Derek says: “I love to spend time watching my kids practice and compete in the sports they are involved in and traveling.”