Meet the team – Sophia Gump, Environmental SME

It’s National Women’s Month, and we feel so fortunate to have an incredible team of women here at Novva. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than by bringing back our Meet the Team series, starting with Environmental Subject Matter Expert Sophia Gump.

 

What does a typical day look like for you?

Working on our new air permit applications or ensuring that we are in compliance with the regulatory agencies (UDAQ, Clark County DES, BAAQMD, etc.).

 

What is your favorite part of being on the Novva team?

My team is a really fantastic group that constantly brings solid ideas, teamwork, and communication to the table. They are always willing to help solve any problems that are brought to the table or even just have a conversation with. 

 

If you could trade roles with someone else at Novva for the day, who would it be and why?

I would definitely trade roles with Julius Tremble, who is a mission critical project manager. He is always running around left and right, trying to put fires out, and always seems to be in the know about the status of sites. It is a tedious task that I find challenging and, therefore, intriguing. 

 

What trend in the industry are you most excited about?

Hands down, the growth. It is absolutely insane how fast the data center industry is expanding across the United States and the direct ties it has with growth in every other industry, such as data, research, construction, health, technology, and so on. Every single industry in the modern US relies on data centers in some way, so it is really inspiring to know I am contributing to a larger project than just my own. 

 

Outside of work, what’s something you’re passionate about?

As cliche as it sounds (being the environmental SME), I am a pretty hardcore yogi. I was introduced to hot yoga by my mother when I was a junior in high school, and I try to practice at least once a week. It hasn’t always been a consistent activity, especially through college, but I finally got back into it when I moved to the Salt Lake area in July 2024. 

 

I attend a yoga studio downtown that is a really amazing community that constantly encourages me to push myself, both physically and mentally, which reflects back onto my work and goal progress. Now, practicing on my mom’s old yoga mat, I also think it is a way to connect with my mom and thank her for showing me this incredible space. 

 

What would you be doing if you weren’t working in the data center/tech/telecom industry?

When I first moved to the SLC area, I was interviewing with multiple different sectors along with Novva. This included the power utilities, warehouse/food line, and the construction/engineering industries. I knew I wanted to work for Novva as soon as I finished the first-round interview, but it is always funny to think about where I would have ended up if I hadn’t gotten my position here. 

 

What is something that you think would surprise people to hear about you?

I started my career on the regulatory side of environmental, followed by the petroleum industry. Before Novva, I worked for Marathon Petroleum at their Galveston Bay Refinery down in Texas. I think people are always surprised to hear that, as it is such a pivot to go from refining to data centers. However, the skills I learned from those previous industries have been extremely impactful on my knowledge and project actions here. I would not be where I am today without these previous positions teaching me extremely valuable things that I have brought with me to the table here at Novva. 

 

What is the one thing you would bring with you to a desert island?

I would bring my dog with me. Mainly because I lived on an island down off the Gulf Coast before moving to SLC, and one of our favorite activities was weekends on the beach, playing in the water and hanging out in the sand. It is one of my favorite memories of last year. 

 

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“A measure of a life is its service.” 

It was the motto of the college I went to, and I originally thought it was rather unimportant before actually thinking about what it meant. Servitude is often thought of in a negative connotation, but viewing it as the ability to help people changes the perspective drastically. Working on projects with goals to ultimately help my community and progress the industry is something I find extremely inspiring and definitely pushes me to achieve those goals. 

Connect with Sophia and the rest of the Novva team today.