Podcasts

S2|E17: Christa Rogers – Don’t pigeonhole yourself by taking on administrative duties just because people assume you will take them

By Tom Davidson

Christa Rogers is the Natural Resources Manager for Mecklenburg County North Carolina, the most populous county in the state, which also includes the urban center of Charlotte, NC. In her current role, Christa manages a staff of 12 and eight thousand acres of natural preserve, primarily for clean water protection. She is also a fire […]

S2|E16: Susan Lacy – On following her own path and noting that discrimination of women sometimes comes from other women

By Tom Davidson

Susan Lacy is the Executive Director at the five-state Allegheny Society of American Foresters. She holds a BS in Forest Management from Colorado State University, a MS in Forest Resources from the University of New Hampshire, and a MBA from Villanova University. Among her achievements, Susan earned the SAF Outstanding Thesis Award for Forest Economics. […]

S2|E15: Jada Jackson – Tolerated but not welcomed is a framing a lot of people have about minorities in forestry

By Tom Davidson

Jada Jackson is Forest Legacy Program Manager for the Northeastern Area of the USDA Forest Service. A NASA Fellow Scholarship winner, Jada explains that her fascination with biology and agriculture began with her parents, and she persisted in professional success from vet school to biotech and into forestry. Along the way, she earned a BS […]

S2|E14: Shawna Legarza – What can I do to give back to the people where I came from?

By Tom Davidson

Shawna Legarza is the National Director of Fire and Aviation Management for the U.S. Forest Service. She has been working in the wildland fire service since 1989 when she started out as a Hotshot crew member in Carson City, NV, and a Hotshot superintendent in Durango, CO. In addition to District and Forest Fire Management […]

S2|E13: Brittany VanderWall – Leaders have a strong vision and aren’t afraid to fail

By Tom Davidson

Brittany VanderWall is the District Forester at Presque Isle Conservation District in Michigan. The very first people who shaped Brittany’s view on leadership were mentors from school. Brittany draws the connection between good leaders and good music directors; both need to paint a very clear vision for their teams so that everyone can work together […]