Parrish Helps Make Projects A Reality for City of San Antonio

Rachel Parrish wasn’t planning to work in the building safety industry.

After launching her career in offshore oil and gas, she knew she found her home when the City of San Antonio, Texas, hired her eight years ago as a senior engineering associate.

“I love helping people understand the rules and processes that need to be followed and why they’re in place,” said Parrish, PE, now Development Services Engineer, Field Services, for the City of San Antonio, Development Services.

“I want to give people a way to make their projects happen when getting permits and inspections,” she continued. “It’s fulfilling when customers finish a project and knowing I was a small part in making that happen.”

Building Teams and Boosting Confidence

Parrish emphasizes team building as an opportunity for professional growth.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned through a lot of trial and error is how to build teams,” she said. “People are so different in skillsets and personalities, and I enjoy bringing them together to appreciate where each of them excels.”

“When my direct reports start asking each other questions to generate solutions and begin leaning on me less, I know that this group of people has become a successful team,” she continued. “I love laughing at work. Having a team that can both work and laugh with each other is the best feeling.”

Her advice for those entering the building safety industry? Just start.

“You aren’t confined to one job,” said Parrish. “I’ve taken on roles throughout the city, and each brought a new set of challenges and learning opportunities. It’s OK to start a job with little to no knowledge of how to do it. You just need the confidence to know that you will gain the knowledge and the drive to find the people who can teach you.”

Parrish also does management training when possible.

“Being a Code Official includes more than just enforcing codes, it generally involves running a team,” she said. “I saw the opportunity to bring education in this field that is often overlooked and will continue to share my industry knowledge and experience.”

Mentors Matter

Along the way, Parrish said she has had more mentors than she can count—first and foremost her husband, Brad, her biggest mentor, cheerleader and sounding board.

“He has been incredibly supportive and helps guide me through the toughest of decisions,” she said.

Parrish said that most of her teachers are the people who report to her. She recommends not letting pride get in the way of acquiring the necessary information to help make a decision.

“There are people who work for me who know more about their trade than I ever will,” she said. “They get the respect that knowledge deserves, and in return, they will help me understand a complex situation.”

Moreover, Parrish extols their candid feedback and grounding when needed.

“I lean on Amin Tohmaz (Deputy Director of Development Services) when I need professional input or a viewpoint I haven’t thought of,” she said. “He makes me defend my decisions verbally, which I struggle with, to make sure that I’ve thought through everything.”

“I lean on Crystal Gonzales (Assistant Director of Development Services) when I need someone to ground me,” she continued. “She will let me know when I’ve done something wrong, when others may not, and keeps me levelheaded when I need to think through a decision.”

The mentor she depends on most is Jason Gray, the Affordable Housing Team’s Project Manager.

“He was one of my team members, but his willingness to disagree with me, debate with me and share his knowledge with me made him someone I rely on daily,” she said.

Career Highlights and Leadership

Parrish is proud of her many accomplishments to date. Over her tenure with the City of San Antonio, she has held seven different positions, and each provided countless moments of learning and growth – especially when leading teams.

“Many seem small, but I am incredibly lucky to have experienced them,” she said. “As a leader, I get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each of my team members and help them develop professionally.”

She cites individuals who have struggled with writing but have improved a great deal over time.

“Improvements come through repetition, so I give them memos and information bulletins that need to be written, redline drafts and send them back,” said Parrish. “There’s a lot of pride in us both when they start giving me these items back for the first time and very little needs to be adjusted.”

Parrish is especially proud of the City of San Antono’s Affordable Housing Team’s work on housing projects.

“From this, we developed a team that does both plan reviews and inspections for affordable projects, works closely with our Neighborhood and Housing Services Department, engages with engineers, architects, contractors and homeowners and has yet to miss a funding deadline that needed to be met. This team has been recognized nationally by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and continues to impress me even after I changed roles to another division.”

International Code Council Roles and Rewards

Parrish became involved in the International Code Council as a governing member in the Building Membership Council (BMC). After her first year, she ran for secretary to help with the Staff Liaison workload.

“When I found out that CP#9-04 was being developed, I jumped at the chance to be involved,” she explained. “This Council Policy created the Membership Council Steering Committee (MCSC). I was thrilled to serve as the first secretary on the MCSC and help develop the joint annual report. This year, I was elected as the chair of the BMC and look forward to continuing to serve our membership in this role in addition to being on the MCSC and Codes and Standards Council.”

Parrish emphasizes Code Council participation as one of her most rewarding experiences and encourages anyone to get involved regardless of their experience.

“You don’t need to be an expert or be in the industry for 20 years to get involved,” she said. “I’ve grown so much since I joined the Code Council and I’ve made so many connections I hold dear. Through Code Council membership, I have more resources to reach out to with questions or to bounce an idea off of, more chances to share knowledge with others and more enjoyment out of my career.”

A Welcome Voice and Growing Opportunities

As a woman in the industry, Parrish has a unique double identity.

“I am both a female engineer and a female in the building safety industry,” said Parrish. “Being a rarity has become my normal. Women have historically generated less respect as a whole in both industries, but I feel that viewpoints have changed drastically. Most are accepting of, if not happy to have, a different point of view in the room now.”

Although there are still challenges, Parrish said they now manifest at the individual level instead of the industry level.

“These individual issues are best dealt with by direct conversations outlining my expectations,” she continued. “I have spent the past eight years generating respect based on my work, and that respect transfers between divisions. I am lucky in that I work for a city that has a culture very accepting of individual differences.”

Parrish praises her employer as one of the most forward-thinking building safety departments in the country.

“When a department is as innovative and dynamic as the City of San Antonio, it doesn’t have room to discriminate,” she said. “Our department looks for the best people for the job, and that leads to a wonderfully diverse set of individuals who work well together.”

She advises women entering the industry to demonstrate self-respect.

“Respect yourself, and you will generate respect,” she emphasized. “This includes knowing where your boundaries are, your strengths lie and when you need help. People don’t respect leaders because they know everything. They respect leaders who know they don’t.”

Parrish does not think many women—or career changers—realize that building safety is an option and encourages women to change careers if they are not happy where they are.

“The building safety industry is full of opportunities to learn, opportunities to go into the field, opportunities to lead teams and opportunities to give back to the community. If more women knew what they could get out of this career, they would see it as a viable option.”

To learn more about careers in the building safety industry and access resources to expand your industry knowledge, visit the Code Council’s Safety 2.0 webpage here.