Stories

What is your current role? How long have you worked for Loureiro?

I was recently promoted to VP of Environmental Assessment, but I started at Loureiro back in June of 2020 as a Director of Environmental Assessment. While the roles are fairly similar day-to-day, I’ve taken on more responsibility as part of the leadership team, which includes all of the division heads at Loureiro.

I oversee the Environmental Assessment division of Loureiro Engineering Associates (LEA) — this involves direct responsibility for all staff and project operations and  financial and strategic planning, and client satisfaction across the division, and also allows me to collaborate with   divisions across the company. 

Our industry isn’t known for an abundance of female leaders — something that is starting to change, fortunately!

Can you share some insights about your career journey in Engineering Consulting?

A lot of people ask me what it’s like being a woman in this industry, and the truth is, I don’t really think about it. Even in my previous consulting role, I was often in meetings filled with men, but the people around me have never made it an issue or treated me differently. You just do your job and keep moving forward, which is what I’ve always done.

The idea to go into consulting came to me late in my undergrad at Cornell. I went into school thinking I wanted to be in environmental law — I loved science and policy and was inspired by movies like A Civil Action with John Travolta and activists like Erin Brockovich. But advocacy just wasn’t quite my calling, and after some exposure to it, I realized law wasn’t either.

I had the opportunity to meet some environmental consultants in the Ithaca area — one of which eventually became my mentor — and I just knew it was the right fit for me. I feel lucky I found my direction so early on because it allowed me to frame my coursework and research for my PhD in a way that really jump started my career.

What is the most interesting / rewarding aspect of your job?

I truly enjoy watching people develop. This especially includes opportunities to see the early-careerstaff gain more experience with client interactions and become more comfortable with regulations and project financials — I love when they start to think more independently. I benefited from some really great mentorship early on in my career, and having the ability to pass that along is the best part of what I do.

What has been your favorite win or project moment to-date?

For me, the best successes come from a high-pressure deadline for a client you really want to impress or a big proposal that you really want to win. It’s always a great feeling when you pull everyone together and all pieces align to produce a great product. I can name so many similar experiences over my career, but in general, coming up with that finished product that you’re deeply proud of in which everyone took ownership in is why we do consulting. 

What do you like to do outside of work?

My three-and-a-half-year old son, Alex, is definitely the biggest part of what I do! Watching his personality bloom and hearing his vocabulary develop has been so fun.

We love to cook together. Ironically enough, I’m a scientist who hates to follow a recipe (it’s the reason I’ll never be a baker)! But I have a vegetable garden and enjoy cooking shows and magazines, like Food and Wine. Alex will help me pick the veggies and cook them up — but we’ll also be boiling water for his mac and cheese at the same time.

Up until very recently, we had a three-legged Border Collie, Gizzy, who we loved spending time with. He was 14 and a half and such a great dog. I also really enjoy hiking and cross country skiing when we have snow, so I’ve been getting Alex into those activities more too.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I received that I actually follow came from my PhD advisor: say yes to as much as you can. As a woman in Chemistry her whole career, she told me to just be the best person I can be, get the most experience I can, and the rest will take care of itself. Her words and actions played an important role in framing how I looked at everything, which helped me get exposure to a lot of different types of projects — and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Another great piece of advice I try to follow is: it’s ok to say no to things. I still haven’t mastered this one yet, but it’s something I constantly try to remind myself and others at Loureiro too. As we grow and advance in both our careers and personal lives, you have so many more responsibilities. It’s important to know your limits and what’s best for you.

What is the most surprising thing about you?

If you solely look at my highly technical resume or even my title, you may assume I’m more introverted or not approachable, but that’s far from true. I love talking to people! Of course, I have that “nerdy” side to my personality, but I truly enjoy working with or just being around other people and really getting to know them.

I also don’t think many people know about my background in environmental toxicology and risk assessment; it’s unique for a consultant in this industry. And it’s been a huge advantage to me. I understand how to ensure all the elements of cleaning up a site work together — starting with the client’s overall vision for the site and working backwards to developing an assessment and remediation plan that will meet their goals and satisfy regulatory requirements. It’s just how my brain thinks naturally with everything I do.