Meet the Project Outreach Team

JEA's Project Outreach Team examines each construction project to anticipate, limit or eliminate potential customer impacts. They communicate relevant project information to customers in a timely manner, through project signage, website, mailers, door hangers, social media, face-to-face and neighborhood town meetings – whatever is needed. The team is also available throughout the project to identify issues, answer customer questions and handle any concerns. Keep reading to get to know each of the members of this very important team.

Greg - Manager, Community Involvement & Project Outreach

Greg is one of JEA’s best communicators. As the Manager of JEA’s Project Outreach, he works closely with JEA project managers, crews and Account Executives to ensure the utility’s water, sewer and electric construction projects run smoothly, causing as little disruption as possible to JEA commercial and residential customers.

“These construction projects are important,” Greg said. “We must continually upgrade and improve the safety, service and reliability of our systems for our customers.” 

“No one project is the same,” said Greg, who’s worked at JEA for 17 years. “My team also works collectively with our JEA Account Executives and Business Support Staff. They often have firsthand knowledge of the needs and requirements of individual businesses that will help us with project planning and customer communication.”

Case in point: JEA’s construction work over the past few years around Jacksonville’s downtown and the sports and entertainment complex. Greg, along with JEA Account Executives, worked closely with a host of stakeholders: SMG, which manages the stadium and the entire complex, the City of Jacksonville and local businesses. The objective was to ensure the construction projects had minimal impacts to event-goers. 

“You’d be surprised at what a delicate balancing act this can be between all the events at EverBank Field, The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, Metro Park, Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville Fairgrounds and the many venues downtown,” he said. “We want to make the construction experience as painless as possible.”

Greg is careful to add that JEA doesn’t just communicate and coordinate with large corporations like SMG. “It’s also about making sure we keep the driveway passable at a small independent sandwich shop during a pipe installation or coordinating the right time for a water or electric outage with a local beauty shop,” Corcoran said. “Every customer and every business is important to us.”

Leslie - Project Outreach Coordinator

As a Coordinator for the Project Outreach Team, Leslie is in the know, especially when it comes to JEA construction projects. Not only does she help communicate upcoming projects, she serves as a direct point of contact for customers when it comes to complaint handling and resolution.

“While construction work outside your home or business is never convenient, most customers understand the work is necessary in order to maintain reliable electric, water and sewer service,” Leslie said. “It’s important to communicate information proactively when possible so customers know what kind of work will be performed and what they can expect before, during and after the project. It’s equally as important to be a voice for the customer when they have concerns about how our work is impacting them.”

Leslie uses postcards, flyers and door hangers to notify the community of upcoming projects, as well as JEA’s website, jea.com/construction, which she keeps updated with the latest on JEA projects, traffic detours and alerts. And she’s often the person to answer the phone when a customer calls with questions about construction work. “It’s one of the most important aspects of my job - being there for the customer,” she said.

Leslie began her JEA career talking with customers in JEA’s Business Support Center. There, she developed an affinity for commercial customers. “Our commercial customers are very near and dear to me,” she said. “I understand that business customers have a unique set of challenges to meet in order to keep their businesses running smoothly.”

Lisa - Project Outreach Program Manager

Lisa has a passion for JEA's construction projects. She takes quality care of the customers she serves by effectively communicating upcoming projects, and quickly taking action in handling complaints and finding amicable resolutions. "I try to put myself in the customer's position and relate with them as best I can," Lisa said. "I know firsthand that construction work can be disruptive and cumbersome at times, but it's necessary for improving our city's infrastructure, and that makes it all worthwhile."

Lisa, a Jacksonville native, takes an active role in volunteering in the community. She especially has a heart for our city's waterways and taking action to preserve our pristine Floridan aquifer. She participates in river and beach clean-ups, tree planting, and much more. "It's so important to keep our beaches and waterways clean, and leave only our footprints when we enjoy them," she said. "Our beaches and waterways are what make Jacksonville such a beautiful and unique city."

For Lisa one of the most rewarding parts of her job is assisting with the community coordination efforts for the newest Septic Tank Phaseout program. This program features JEA in partnership with the City of Jacksonville to eliminate many of the failing septic tanks and wells in the City. "Not only will this help improve the cleanliness of our waterways by eliminating failing septic tanks, but it will also help improve the quality of life for our customers by offering improved drinking water," Lisa said.

In the end, Lisa says she's grateful to be part of JEA and the Project Outreach Team. "It is so fulfilling to have the opportunity to make a positive impact in our community," she said.

Chris - Project Outreach Coordinator

Chris handles outreach activities for JEA’s Project Outreach Team whenever JEA is called in to help with COJ’s Septic Tank Phase Out program.

Chris knows a thing or two about the importance of improving our waterways. In addition to supporting the Project Outreach Team by proactively communicating planned construction projects, he communicates with JEA customers as part of the Jacksonville Stormwater Utility septic tank phase out program, a joint project between JEA and COJ. 

As a JEA Project Outreach Coordinator, Chris helps coordinate the joint project by assisting with the research required to identify eligible properties. He also arranges meetings with the homeowners of those properties, and uses a database to keep track of all the necessary documents. Once Chris meets with the eligible homeowners, he is the primary point of contact so they know what to expect before, during and after their septic tank is phased out and they are connected to JEA’s sewer system.

Chris says the most rewarding part of his job is being able to help customers while making a positive impact to our environment. Chris, who is also an electrical engineering student at UNF, recalls one case in particular. “An elderly customer was having a terrible time with her septic tank, but couldn’t afford to fix it.” 

After Chris took the necessary steps to verify the property qualified for the program, he got to work coordinating the many other moving parts needed to facilitate a connection to the JEA sewer line. “We are glad not only to help improve our river by abandoning another failing septic tank, but also really happy to help a customer in real need,” he said.