When the city of Hastings set out to modernize its aging phone system, Rebecca C. stepped forward to lead the way. As Director of Technology at Kidwell, She took on the challenge of upgrading telecommunications across multiple municipal buildings—an effort that would improve how the city’s employees connect with each other and the public every day.

Rebecca had one goal: deliver a seamless transition that would strengthen communication without disrupting essential city services. “The project replaced the city’s aging phone system across multiple existing municipal buildings, providing employees with a modern, reliable communications platform that improved internal collaboration and enhanced the city’s ability to serve the public,” she said.

Leading the Charge

From the start, Rebecca served as both lead engineer and project manager for the citywide upgrade. She designed the new solution, coordinated with city staff and department representatives, and managed the technical migration. “I was responsible for designing the solution, coordinating with the city staff and department representatives, configuring and deploying the system, managing the migration from the previous phone system, and ensuring the transition was completed with minimal disruption to daily operations,” she said.

Her responsibilities didn’t end with installation. Rebecca also oversaw system testing, user training, and post-implementation support to ensure every department could make the most of the new tools.

Solving Problems in Real Time

One of the project’s biggest challenges was keeping city services running smoothly while swapping out the old system for the new. With so many departments depending on phone communications, Rebecca knew the migration had to be carefully timed. “One of the biggest challenges was replacing the city’s phone system while keeping essential services available,” she said.

The solution was a phased rollout. “We developed a phased implementation plan, coordinated closely with each department, thoroughly tested the system before each cutover, and completed the migration with minimal impact to city operations,” She explained. That careful planning paid off, allowing city staff to continue serving residents without interruption.

For Rebecca, the most rewarding part of the project was seeing the city embrace the new technology. “I’m most proud of delivering a successful migration that modernized the city’s communications without significantly disrupting employees or the public,” she said. “It was satisfying to provide the city with a reliable communications platform that will support its operations for years to come.”

Her leadership not only modernized Hastings’ communications but also set a new standard for how the city serves its community—one call at a time.”