When Becky Dobbins spotted a woman delivering mail one day in the late 1960s, she decided that she could do a job like that, too.
“I was amazed to see a female letter carrier,” said Dobbins, product classification manager at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC. “I asked her how she got her job, and decided being outside and carrying the mail was the job for me.”
Dobbins, who recently marked her 50th year of postal employment, began her career at the Riverside, CA, Post Office, where she broke barriers as the facility’s first woman city letter carrier and later, the first woman supervisor.
“I was considered a novelty for several years,” she said.
Although her routes were tough, Dobbins never gave up.
“I had customers who supported me, and I learned the key to success is to treat everyone with dignity and respect,” she said.
Dobbins has spent 32 years working in a variety of Postal Career Executive Services (PCES) positions, including roles in marketing, finance, communications, service measurement and operations.
In her current job, Dobbins and her team support the Domestic Mail Manual, International Mail Manual, a hazardous materials manual (known as Publication 52), Postal Explorer and Rate Engine.
Dobbins said she has learned a lot about the diversity of the postal workforce.
“Each of us brings something unique to the work equation,” she said. “Cherish that uniqueness and embrace it.”
Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan praised Dobbins for her service.
“Becky has been part of our organization for 50 years, working in a variety of jobs. We value her dedication and loyalty, and our customers appreciate the knowledge and expertise she brings to her work,” Brennan said.
Dobbins is “an outstanding leader,” according to Marketing Vice President Steve Monteith.
“She’s an advocate for her employees and customers alike. Becky is adept at developing creative solutions to complicated problems that meet customer needs and protect the interests of the Postal Service,” he said.
Dobbins enjoys sharing some of the advice her supervisors have given her through the years.
“The key to happiness at work is to learn something new every day and enjoy those ‘oh my heavens’ moments of inspiration,” she said.