From Day One to Year Twenty-One: Ask An Expert with Tiffany Bergsjo

“Building software wasn’t just part of my job; it was survival. In the early days, we didn’t have the tools we needed, so we created them. And somehow, they’re still going strong 25 years later.”

Meet Tiffany Bergsjo

In honor of our 25th anniversary, we are celebrating our most tenured Utility Expert: Tiffany Bergsjo. As Director of Engineering, she’s been part of Conservice since nearly the beginning, joining in August 2003. From coding in the first office with just a handful of people to leading development teams that shape our technology today, Tiffany has not just seen it all – she’s been fundamental to its creation. 

How did you get your start at Conservice
AND WHAT’S KEPT YOU HERE FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES?

“I answered a newspaper ad, believe it or not. That’s how I found Conservice. I met with the founder, Dave Jenkins, showed him some printed-out code (which sounds wild now), and the rest is history.

I never expected to stay this long, but it’s the people who have kept me here. Dave’s vision, Rich’s leadership, my incredible team—their support, innovation, and passion make this a place worth staying.”

What was it like in the early days of Conservice
BEFORE THE TECH, BEFORE THE GROWTH?

“It was small. I think there were maybe four or five of us in the office. I always joke that I was like the guy from Office Space—they kept moving my desk around as we grew. First here, then across the hall, and eventually, I worked from home.

But it was also exciting. We didn’t have all the systems we needed, so we created them. We reverse-engineered our older software, figured out how it worked, and built our newest software with it. At the time, it wasn’t meant to last decades, but it evolved and worked.”

You’ve been instrumental in building our technology.
WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THOSE FIRST DAYS?

“Oh, everything. Back then, I was doing networking, setting up servers, writing code… we did it all. Now, we’ve evolved into web development, cloud platforms, and we’re looking at how AI can shape our future.

The pace of innovation is incredible, but at its core, the goal hasn’t changed: building tools that make our teams’ jobs and our clients’ experiences better.”

What has Conservice meant to you
BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY?

“Conservice has let me have both a fulfilling career and time with my family. I started when my daughter was eight months old. Working from home gave me the flexibility to be the mom I wanted to be without sacrificing my career.

And Conservice has always been about growth. I’ve been able to stretch myself, learn, lead, and build something that matters.”

What’s your leadership style
AND HOW DO YOU SUPPORT YOUR TEAM?

“I believe in growing people. I want to challenge my team, give them the tools to succeed, whether they stay on the software engineering path or move into leadership. My goal is to help them build careers they’re proud of, just like I’ve been able to do here.”

Conservice is known for promoting from within.
WHAT DOES THAT CULTURE MEAN TO YOU?

“It’s huge. You can look across the company and see people who started as billing managers or entry-level developers now leading teams and departments.

Matt Miller and Amiee Wood are great examples. They both started in billing and now hold key leadership roles. That’s the Conservice way: if you put in the work, the opportunity is here.”

You’ve been here since basically the beginning, but
WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE NEXT 25 YEARS OF CONSERVICE?

“AI. It’s going to change everything. I don’t believe it’ll take jobs, but it will change them. The potential to innovate, automate, and improve how we serve clients and support teams is enormous. I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Awesome. We offer a complicated service.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING THEIR CONSERVICE JOURNEY?

“Be patient and give it a chance. It might feel overwhelming at first, but once you learn the processes and get to know the people, you’ll see what makes this place special.

If you lean in, there’s so much opportunity to grow, learn, and build something meaningful.”

Outside of work,
WHAT KEEPS YOU BUSY?

“Running. Lots of running. I love to be outdoors hiking, walking, anything active. I’ve done Ragnar Relays with Conservice a few times, and you’ll definitely see me at the Conservice 5K in September.”

Follow Tiffany on LinkedIn

Hear from more experts in tech and utility management at Conservice.

Kellianne Gammill

Copywriter

Kellianne Gammill is an experienced wordsmith and Copywriter at Conservice. More importantly, she is a big fan of taxidermy and Pitbull.