Employee Spotlight: Barney Santiago
Distilling Knowledge. Building People
For more than two decades, Barney Santiago has been helping communities across the Pacific Northwest deliver safe, reliable drinking water. Within RH2, he's just as well known for something else: his willingness to educate and mentor others.
In many ways, Barney's career has been about distilling complexity into something clearer. Early on, that meant learning the ins and outs of water treatment. Today, it often means helping newer staff navigate unfamiliar challenges, connect the dots, and build confidence in their careers.
When Barney joined RH2 as a chemical engineer, he was looking for an opportunity to be involved in projects from start to finish. On his first day, he found himself in the field helping develop an arsenic treatment pilot plant. It was an experience that catalyzed a long and rewarding career in drinking water treatment.
If you ask him what stands out most when he reflects on those early years, it isn't a specific project. It's the people. "I thought everyone in the office was so smart and busy but also extremely helpful," he recalls. That willingness to share time and knowledge left a lasting impression. As Barney learned the municipal consulting world, colleagues and mentors helped him navigate challenges, answered questions, and provided guidance along the way.
Today, Barney strives to do the same for others. "I remember what it was like as a newbie," he says. "There is a lot to figure out in the municipal world. I try to break down roadblocks for junior staff, help them see the bigger picture, and make connections."
Whether he's explaining a treatment process, offering project advice, or answering a quick question between meetings, Barney believes mentorship often happens in small, everyday moments.
Just as others shared their experience and helped him find his way, he now enjoys helping the next generation of engineers and professionals grow their own expertise.
While conducting a pilot study for Highline Water District in 2008, Barney was gaining the real-world experience that now helps him guide and support the next generation of RH2 professionals.
For Barney, teaching is more than part of the job. From mentoring RH2 staff to volunteering in local classrooms, he is passionate about sharing knowledge and helping others grow.
Over the years, Barney has become a recognized leader in drinking water treatment across the Pacific Northwest, contributing to projects that improve public health and quality of life throughout the region. What keeps the work interesting, he says, is that no two days look quite the same. One day might involve solving a treatment challenge. The next could mean researching something completely unexpected, such as migratory bird nesting patterns that affect a construction schedule. "There's always something new to learn," Barney says. Curiosity may have drawn Barney into the profession, but RH2's culture of mentorship is what has kept him here.
Throughout his career, colleagues took the time to distill years of experience into lessons, advice, and encouragement. Now, Barney aims to do the same for the next generation of staff.
For Barney, RH2 succeeds because people genuinely invest in one another. Knowledge is shared, questions are encouraged, and experienced staff make themselves available to help others develop.
"I am the product of RH2's culture and community, and I am so happy to share what I have learned throughout my career."
After more than two decades, Barney continues to embody that spirit, helping distill knowledge, build connections, and create for others the same supportive experience that helped shape his own career.
Looking for a place where you can learn from experienced colleagues, share your own knowledge, and grow professionally? Explore our current career opportunities and see what it's like to be part of the RH2 team.
