ENVIROlocity™

As environmental professionals, we fight to protect diversity in ecosystems across the globe — from our seas to the soil to the sky. And as important as diversity is in our work, it is just as important in the people we work with.  

Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community while working in STEM is no easy feat. In honor of Pride Month, we wanted to share stories of LGBTQIA+ people in the environmental field who have inspired us. If you are a queer individual interested in working with nature, know that these people have paved the path to a more inclusive environmental field. But unfortunately, the work is far from over. If you would like to support LGBTQIA+ people in the environmental field, following these environmental heroes and learning more about their stories and struggles is a great place to start.

JD Reinbott (he/him)

JD Reinbott, an openly gay marine conservationist has worked as a coral restoration practitioner, boat captain, and dive instructor for 5+ years....

This week, I am responding to a question I received through LinkedIn: “What differentiates a great CEO from ordinary people? Why only a few people get promoted and become a senior executive?”

First of all, these are great questions and a good observation to make as you enter the workforce. It is true, not many people rise to the levels of senior management and even less to the top positions like CEO or Executive Director.  I think it is important for people in environmental careers to have an idea where they see themselves in the future and even toward the end of their careers. When we do the visioning exercise in coaching, people are often leery of writing anything specific for an end career goal which is understandable. However, you can easily set yourself up to be labeled a field person when you'd rather be progressing and gaining leadership experience, just as it is easy to be pulled in to management when you'd rather be working closely with your...

As a student, you’re understandably focused on grades and trudging through classes your not even sure why you have to take them. The problem is that your university might also only be concerned with your grades and not your post-graduation success.

The number one thing that people looking for their first environmental career tell me is that they don’t feel qualified to work, even in the entry-level jobs they are applying to. It's also very common for recent grads to turn to coaching after the pressure to get a job increases or they’ve gotten a job only to discover it isn’t going to lead to their dream career and there is a lot more paper pushing than they had expected. The best thing you can do for yourself while you are still in school and to make sure to protect the investment you’ve made in time, energy, and money to get that degree is to start figuring things out now!

Here are five simple things you can do before you graduate to...