Jessica West, U.S.
“Our technical experts can, to an extent, shape their portfolios. There’s a lot of freedom. No prospective client or project is automatically discounted, which encourages innovation and keeps Tetra Tech at the forefront of our fields.”
Jessica West has 25 years of international development experience serving as a home office employee as well as a project adviser in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Thailand, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Jessica first entered the international development industry in 1993 as an intern at Hagler Bailly, an energy consulting and research firm. This group of energy pioneers she was a part of ultimately made their way through acquisitions from Hagler Bailly to PA Consulting Group, and then home to Tetra Tech in 2010. Now, in her 25th year of international development work, Jessica is the Director of Business Development and Marketing for Tetra Tech’s international energy services.
Jessica admires Tetra Tech’s holistic approach to development problems. “During program design and implementation, we work with everyone — all types of public and private stakeholder groups with whom we share information and learn from one another to ensure reliable access to electricity. From my experience working in developing countries, I learned how solutions need to be adaptable to local conditions, and Western technologies weren’t always the answer.” Tetra Tech’s inclusive, two-way approach to developing solutions also helps to secure community buy-in. “In the energy sector, recipients of foreign aid are in large part communities in need of transparency and a strong regulator to protect the public’s assets and interests. These populations are just as resourceful and capable as Westerners, but when their institutions are broken. They don’t know who to trust,” she said.
Since joining Tetra Tech, winning the USAID Power Africa Transactions and Reform Program (PATRP) is one of her fondest memories and most proud accomplishment. “Winning PATRP was an effort that solidified Tetra Tech’s role as the leading provider of energy services in Africa, and we proved our team’s excellence in developing winning proposals. I am very competitive and the joy of winning a large contract is amazing but short-lived. The lasting inspiration comes from the realization that our eclectic group, who at times resembles the Bad News Bears, is the best in the business. Our team’s understanding of development complexities and their commitment to helping others encompasses so much more than their degrees and experience.”
Tetra Tech’s flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit has enabled Jessica to have a very successful career. “Our technical experts can, to an extent, shape their portfolios. There’s a lot of freedom. No prospective client or project is automatically discounted, which encourages innovation and keeps Tetra Tech at the forefront of our fields.”
Working at one company for over 25 years was not her career goal when she joined the firm. However, after receiving her graduate degree, consulting on numerous project teams, living abroad as a resident adviser, supporting large energy programs, and leading a talented business development and marketing team, Jessica feels fortunate to have been given so many unique leadership opportunities. Her philosophy to success is that over promising and overachieving is overrated. “Loyalty, strong communication skills, dedication to delivering high-quality services, and a positive attitude is everything. Also, taking a moment each day to enjoy your mini accomplishments and appreciate the talented colleagues that you surround yourself with is the key.”
