Engineers Week Spotlight: Erica Belton is Living the Dream

WASHINGTON – Erica Belton, environmental engineer and clean air program manager, is representing Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington for Engineers Week. She serves Naval Support Activity Washington in Washington D.C.

Belton has served with NAVFAC Washington for the last six years. She has served in different capacities in addition to her current roles, including as Tank Program Manager. One of her many responsibilities is to get NAVFAC facilities permitted with the Washington D.C. Department of Energy & Environment, so that operations can run efficiently.

Belton was raised in Bowie, Md., and attended college at The North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. She originally planned to study agri-business but took a second look at engineering at the behest of her family.

“My aunt majored in architectural engineering at A&T a few years prior to me starting college, so I was aware of the international recognition of their engineering department,” Belton said. “I visited the biological engineering department and fell in love, plus I received a scholarship all in one day. They not only gave me a first-class education, but they afforded us the opportunity to be competitive with other premiere Universities.”

After graduation, Belton received 12 different job offers and chose to serve at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Her goal was always to return home to the Washington D.C. area to make it in government in the National Capital Region, which joining NAVFAC Washington allowed.

“I enjoy working with others and learning new things to create a complete process for a project or task at hand. A true engineer does not puff their chest out having this degree, but in fact joins the team to learn and bring something tangible and to make the magic happen.”

Belton’s mantra is to live your dream and make the best of life. With that in mind, she recommends engineering to anyone who will listen.

“I would tell anyone to join the field. Why not stretch your brain and become the person who is able to bring technical ideas to life? Dreaming of a remedy to cumbersome situations is what we’re trained to do.”