People of Xylem: Driving impact in the water sector with authenticity

At Xylem, authenticity is more than a personal value, it unifies our teams and empowers our people to innovate, lead and deliver for our customers. Authenticity is about feeling comfortable to be yourself and bring your best. In the workplace, it shows up in everyday moments: someone owning a mistake, speaking up with a bold idea, or asking for help and being met with support.

As we celebrate Pride month, three Xylem colleagues share their thoughts on what authenticity means to them and how it powers our work to create a more water-secure world.

Nicholas Herrera
Associate Sales Representative
Houston, Texas

How do you help customers solve their toughest water challenges?

I coordinate emergency response for customers in the gas, oil, paper, pulp and power sectors. I work closely with field operators to deploy temporary systems that keep water flowing and provide critical support. We don't live in a perfect world. Whether it’s extreme heat, sudden freezes, or planned outages driving the demand for energy, I'm the go-to contact for getting backup systems up and running fast.

What does being authentic at work mean to you?

I can’t hide who I am, and I don’t have to at Xylem. I am very expressive —the way I talk, the way I speak, the way I work, the way I carry myself. I am a gay, Latino man working in heavy industry. There’s this stereotype that people are looking for someone very macho in my role, but I haven’t experienced that.

Customers focus on my work ethic and the fact that I am giving my all to solve their problems.

Across my sales territory, I work with people in Virginia, Florida and Mississippi — they are all very different. But everyone is kind. It's all about professionalism. I feel supported by my customers, managers and colleagues at Xylem, especially my manager and sales director, McKinley Schroeder.

What gave you the confidence to be your authentic self? 

I feel very fortunate because I was hired through the Talent Accelerator Program, a sales excellence program at Xylem. My cohort included six colleagues all just out of college. I was mentored by people who have worked in heavy industry for decades. Having their support, and hearing about their experiences, really helped me become comfortable expressing myself in the professional world.

How does honesty or vulnerability shape workplace culture?

I work with people who've been in this industry forever. I also work with a lot of early-career talent  entering the water sector. People from different backgrounds and generations. I always feel included, because our culture embraces trust and respect. People feel comfortable being their authentic self and being vulnerable when we need to. We’re there for each other. In turn, that helps us be there for our customers – especially when they need us the most.

Diana Little
Principal Software Engineer
Morrisville, North Carolina

How do you help customers solve their toughest water challenges?

I am a software engineer currently working on our Regional Network Interface (RNI)™ 5.0 project. RNI is the nerve center of our FlexNet® AMI communication network. The network transmits raw data from utility meters and turns it into meaningful insights for billing, information for work orders, and performance analytics to optimize system management. We’re rearchitecting the headend system to transform the customer experience for hundreds of utilities that, in turn, serve millions of people. It’s the most impactful project I’ve worked on at Xylem.

What does being authentic at work mean to you?

Authenticity to me means that, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I can talk about my family in the same way that everyone else talks about their family. My identity is multifaceted. I am a Gen X white woman who grew up in a multiracial household, a rarity in software engineering. I also identify as queer – which is the frosting on top.

In the workplace, if you can't be yourself, if you are afraid, you can't free your mind to generate ideas.

We need everyone's voices and ideas. When people bring their lived experiences to the workplace, it makes the products 1,000 times better. A product designed by a monoculture doesn’t have the dimensionality it needs, especially in a complex sector like water.

How do you help younger colleagues develop their confidence?

I've served as a mentor to more than 12 junior engineers. As a team and culture leader, I keep myself open to answering all kinds of career questions. I usually start with, “What do you like doing right now and, what do you not like doing?” A lot of the time, junior people don't know what the options are. By getting to know people and tapping into my life experience, I can help my mentees navigate work/life balance and other issues.

How does honesty or vulnerability shape workplace culture?

In the RNI 5.0 project, we’ve been adopting new agile acceleration training, in particular an exercise called a failure bow. We all fail all the time. The worst thing we can do is gloss over it. When you cover up or don't tell people you made a mistake, then no one gets to learn. Now we have a culture where if we make a mistake, we acknowledge it and say, “I'd like to take a failure bow.” Then explain the situation and everyone claps. One of the things I love about Xylem is that we do have these training exercises and development programs. Last year, I participated in Xylem’s Strategic Leadership Development program, which was a fantastic experience. There’s always more to learn and more to share.

Guillaume Bellmont
Senior Director and Associate General Counsel, Treatment
London, UK

How do you help customers solve their toughest water challenges?

As part of Xylem’s legal team, I lead legal support for the Treatment segment of our Water Infrastructure business, aligning with strategic priorities and guiding a global team of contract managers. I’m also the go-to legal partner for operations in the UK, Ireland, France and Belgium. While it’s hard to fit that all on one business card, I love having a multi-faceted job that helps my colleagues on the frontlines serve our customers.

What does being authentic at work mean to you?

Every day, I navigate complex transactions, disputes and confidential projects. One of the most important parts of my job is staying ahead of risks and spotting opportunities early – and that is directly linked to the quality of the often-confidential information I receive.

Trust is the foundation of these exchanges. To me, one of the best ways to build trust is to be your authentic self both inside and outside of the workplace.

My journey as a gay man taught me that showing up fully, with honesty and intention, helps me build stronger relationships and lead with purpose. Since joining Xylem, I’ve felt respect in action every day, and I’ve always felt safe being exactly who I am.

How does honesty or vulnerability shape workplace culture?

I believe encouraging authenticity in the workplace is contagious in the best way possible. When people feel empowered to be themselves, they’re more likely to speak up, discuss challenges and collaborate openly.  That kind of openness is powerful – it helps us serve our customers better and deliver on our mission to safeguard water and the environment.

Learn more about the colleagues shaping Xylem’s authentic culture – and how authenticity drives impact.