How did you get into the environmental space? A passion / fell into it?

I majored in Environmental Science at Purdue. It’s been a passion of mine since I was younger - I made my family start recycling after joining the Sierra Club in high school.

Did you have any mentors along the way? Anyone you looked up to? Other women in your field or at the company you work for?

I have met a lot of talented, smart women along the way. Many of them have turned into friends and some of them I still get to work with at Encamp.

If you have one trait that makes you excel in your position, what is it?

I would have to say it’s my desire to learn more. Every job after college, I’ve always asked for more responsibility so that I could learn more aspects of the job, learn more about the company, and learn more about the regulatory landscape.

Any challenges you’ve faced? How did you overcome them … or are they still a challenge?

In previous jobs, I have felt like my opinions and feedback weren’t taken seriously because of my age, gender, and years of experience. When you know you’re not being taken seriously, it’s disheartening at first. But after some time passes, this generally motivates me to work harder and encourages me to be louder when I know I should have a seat at the table.

What are your thoughts on the future of EHS? Technology or tools … challenges?

I think the EHS industry could benefit immensely from technology. Now that I’m at Encamp, I can see a real potential for technology to really help EHS managers balance workload, improve their data, and keep their employees safe and their facilities in compliance.

How can the EHS space improve for women?

We need to make sure that women have a seat at the table when decisions are being made. The more input we get from a diverse background, the better the company will do, the better the industry will do, and so on.

If you could give another woman advice on how to get  where you are today, what would it be?

Work hard and persevere - when someone says you can’t do that or you don’t know enough about a certain topic, prove them wrong.

If you could give your “past self” advice, what would it be?

Stick to your gut.