El Paso Water spotlight's Elsa Ochoa

Elsa Ochoa Engineering Senior Technician, El Paso Water Elsa Ochoa says that if you love math, you are already on your way to becoming an engineer. For Elsa, this interest began as a child while she studied mathematics and binary numbers. However, it wasn’t until her children were grown that she was able to complete multiple engineering degrees. Elsa has not only received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Juarez, but also a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. Today, Elsa works on stormwater projects throughout El Paso keeping the community safe from flooding. “I like to see how things work on the job site, because in the field it is completely different than what we see on paper. The responsibility we have in the office is apparent when you witness the enormity of ponds, pipes and the amount of stormwater they collect.” Growing up in Juarez and later moving to El Paso, Elsa is a native of the region. She is a lifelong learner and is planning to obtain a master’s degree in construction management in the near future. You can often find her showing her grandkids the engineering wonders of El Paso. For those interested in becoming an engineer, Elsa says, “Go for it.”