What does a green career actually look like? Meet 24 professionals who are using their interests, skills, and experiences to make a difference. Careers are organized into three Career Areas:
- Science & Stewardship - Understand, protect and sustain the natural and human systems that support life.
- People & Policy - Work with people, communities, organizations and governments to create change.
- Innovation & Sustainability - Use technology, design, engineering, skilled trades, business and other expertise to create and support solutions.
Note: these recordings were captured at a live event held in February 2026.
Not sure where to start?
Science & Stewardship
AQUATIC SPECIES RECOVERY COORDINATOR
Trevor Starks | Kansas Dept of Wildlife & Parks (Kansas)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE:
wildlife • rivers • outdoor adventure • technology
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Trevor Starks, Aquatic Species Recovery Coordinator for the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, shares how a college summer job studying fish completely changed his career path and led him into the world of aquatic conservation. Learn more about Trevor's career journey and what it's like to be an Aquatic Species Recovery Coordinator.
ARBORIST
Amanda Westendorf | Rivus Arboriculture (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
trees • climbing • plants • hands-on work
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine having a career where you spend your days climbing trees, solving plant mysteries with magnifying lenses, helping cool down entire cities, and teaching communities how trees can actually make neighborhoods safer and healthier. Amanda Westendorf, certified arborist with The Park People, shares how she discovered her passion for trees after realizing traditional office jobs were not the right fit for her. Learn more about Amanda's career journey and what it's like to be an Arborist.
GAME WARDEN
Matthew Cook | Missouri Dept of Conservation (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
water • math • engineering • problem-solving
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine having a career where your office could be a fishing lake one day, a patrol boat the next, and a drone search-and-rescue mission the day after that. Lieutenant Matthew Cook shares how his passion for wildlife and the outdoors led him from studying Wildlife Biology at Kansas State University to becoming a Game Warden. Learn more about Matthew's career journey and what it's like to be a Game Warden.
STORMWATER ENGINEER
Judah Gaioni | Burns & McDonnell (Kansas)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
maps • technology • data • exploring
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future career helped protect rivers, prevent flooding, and keep pollution out of local waterways—all by using math, science, engineering, and problem-solving? Judah Gaioni, Stormwater Engineer and Director of the Colorado Stormwater Center at Colorado State University, explains how stormwater engineers protect water quality in cities. Learn more about Judah's career journey and what it's like to be a Stormwater Engineer.
STREAM MONITORING SCIENTIST
Clint Goodrich | KC Water (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
design • building • waste reduction • sustainability
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine getting paid to explore rivers, collect aquatic insects, study fish populations, and uncover what's happening beneath the surface of streams and lakes. Clint Goodrich, Stream Monitoring Scientist with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, shares how his childhood fascination with creatures hidden beneath the water eventually led to more than 30 years working in outdoor science. Learn more about Clint's career journey and what it's like to be a Stream Monitoring Scientist.
TRAIL CREW FIELD COORDINATOR
Andrew Birks | Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
wildlife • teaching • recreation • community
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if a summer trail crew job could completely change the direction of your life? Andrew Birks, a Field Coordinator partnering with organizations like the Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Department of Natural Resources, shares how joining a trail crew opened the door to a career filled with adventure, travel, teamwork, and purpose. Learn more about Andrew's career journey and what it's like to be a Trail Crew Field Coordinator.
WATER QUALITY & ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
Traci Lichtenberg | Missouri American Water (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
water • chemistry • fieldwork • problem-solving
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine having a career where you help protect the water people use every single day to drink, cook, shower, swim, boat, and explore the outdoors. Traci Lichtenberg, Water Quality & Environmental Compliance Manager at Missouri American Water, shares how a love for science and environmental issues led her into a career she never originally planned for — and now can’t imagine leaving. Learn more about Traci's career journey and what it's like to be a Water Quality and Environmental Compliance Manager.
WILDFIRE FIREFIGHTING
Kent Maxwell | Colorado Firecamp (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
fire • forests • physical work • adventure
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future career challenged you physically and mentally, gave you opportunities to travel and work in incredible places, and allowed you to protect communities and natural landscapes when they need help the most? Kent Maxwell, founder of Colorado Firecamp, shares how a volunteer firefighter experience at age 20 completely changed the direction of his life and eventually led him to create a nationally recognized wildland firefighter training program. Learn more about Kent's career journey and what it's like to be a Wildland Firefighter.
People & Policy
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Crystal Medrano | Great Outdoors Colorado (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
writing • photography • video • storytelling
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future career combined creativity, storytelling, journalism, graphic design, marketing, outdoor adventure, and environmental impact all in one job? Crystal Medrano, Communications Officer at GOCO, shares how she turned her background in journalism, media, public speaking, and storytelling into a career helping protect Colorado’s outdoors. Learn more about Crystal's career journey and what it's like to be a Communications Officer.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
Beth Gutzler | United Congregations of Metro-East (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
community issues • leadership • communication • organizing
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future job combined leadership, activism, communication, science, and community action to create real environmental change? In this presentation, Beth Gutzler, Environmental Justice Lead Organizer with United Congregations of Metro-East, shares how her career path blended psychology, business, leadership training, environmental justice, and community organizing into meaningful work focused on helping communities advocate for cleaner air, healthier neighborhoods, and environmental equity. Learn more about Beth's career journey and what it's like to be a Community Organizer.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER
Edward Heisel | Heisel Law (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
law • debate • research • conservation
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Environmental lawyer Ted Heisel shares how a childhood spent exploring the forests and farm fields outside St. Louis inspired a nearly 30-year career protecting natural resources. Learn more about Ted's career journey and what it's like to be an Environmental Lawyer.
ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBYIST
Mandy Frank | Kansas Wildlife Federation (Kansas)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
government • debate • leadership • environmental issues
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine helping shape real laws about water, wildlife, renewable energy, and conservation — then traveling across Kansas meeting ranchers, lawmakers, scientists, and community leaders to turn those ideas into action. Mandy Frank, Public Policy Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, shares how she combines environmental science, communication, government, and problem-solving to help create policies that protect both people and nature. Learn more about Mandy's career journey and what it's like to be an Environmental Lobbyist.
PARK RANGER
Ashley Jacobson | Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
wildlife • history • science • outdoors
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future job included hiking through the Rocky Mountains, spotting wildlife like black bears and mountain lions, exploring alpine tundra ecosystems, and sharing incredible stories with visitors from around the world? Park Ranger Ashley Jacobson from Rocky Mountain National Park gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to work for the National Park Service. Learn more about Ashley's career journey and what it's like to be a National Park Ranger.
URBAN PARK RANGER
Isis Rivera Lopez | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
cities • maps • design • community problem-solving
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine having a career where one day you’re leading wildlife field trips, the next you’re tracking endangered black-footed ferrets at night, teaching archery, helping fight wildfires, or releasing endangered animals back into the wild. Isis Rivera Lopez, Urban Park Ranger with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, shares how growing up exploring rivers and climbing trees on her grandparents’ farm in Mexico inspired her passion for nature and eventually led her to a career at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Denver. Learn more about Isis's career journey and what it's like to be an Urban Park Ranger.
Innovation & Sustainability
CIRCULAR ECONOMY & ZERO WASTE
Elizabeth Baudler | GreenBlue (Virginia)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
renewable energy • tools • math • hands-on work
ABOUT THIS VIDEO DDid you know construction projects create nearly 23% of the entire waste stream—and that up to 95% of building materials can be reused or recycled instead of ending up in a landfill? Elizabeth Baudler, Zero Waste Brand Founder of Le Cercle Brands, shares how she transformed her background in architecture and design into a career built around the circular economy—the idea that waste still has value. Learn more about Elizabeth's career journey and what it's like to be found a Zero Waste Company.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT & SMART BUILDINGS
Chris Ruth | CLEAResult (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
hiking • building • travel • teamwork
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future career combined technology, problem-solving, teamwork, and making schools, hospitals, and large buildings smarter and healthier? Chris Ruth from Integrated Facility Services shares how he turned an interest in graphic design and technology into a 20-year career in building automation. Learn more about Chris's career journey and what it's like to work in Energy Efficient and Smart Buildings.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR
Tim Hill | City of Independence (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
coding • technology • buildings • design
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Did you know Northwest Missouri State University composted 58 TONS of food waste in a single year instead of sending it to a landfill? Imagine having a career where you help turn campus food waste into usable soil, reduce energy use with solar power, create pollinator gardens for bees and butterflies, and help an entire university become more sustainable. Tim Hill, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator at Northwest Missouri State University, shares what it’s really like to work in sustainability and why this career field is growing so quickly. Learn more about Tim's career journey and what it's like to be an Environmental Sustainability Coordinator.
GIS ANALYST
Hannah Walters | Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (Oregon)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
sustainability • energy • waste • education
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine yourself using the same technology behind Google Maps, Pokémon Go, and social media location tags to help track wildfires, protect drinking water, and solve real environmental problems. Hannah Walters, a GIS Analyst at Denver Water, shares how her love for hiking, maps, science, and exploring Colorado’s mountains turned into a career using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to solve environmental problems. Learn more about Hannah's career journey and what it's like to be a GIS Analyst.
GREEN CITY PLANNER
Chauncie Bigler | Denver Dept of Transportation & Infrastructure (Colorado)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
plants • food • entrepreneurship • community
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Imagine helping redesign entire neighborhoods so they're cooler, greener, safer, and healthier for everyone who lives there. Chauncie Bigler shares how a high school environmental science teacher and the creation of her school's Green Team sparked a passion that eventually led her to a career in city planning. Learn more about Chauncie's career journey and what it's like to be a Green City Planner.
REGENERATIVE FARMING
Nick Cucchetti | Working Dog Farm (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
water • insects • science • field investigation
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if the solution to climate change, cleaner water, healthier wildlife habitats, and our food system was hiding right beneath your feet? Nick Cucchetti with Oaklee Rose Farms/Show Me Pastures shares how his work in regenerative agriculture is helping rebuild soil health while producing food. Learn more about Nick's career journey and what it's like to be a Regenerative Farmer.
SOLAR CONSTRUCTION
Jan Scott | Tribal Energy Alternatives (Kansas)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
wildlife • technology • investigation • outdoors
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Jan Scott's journey into solar started with what she calls a "literal lightbulb moment" at age 14 when she flipped the switch in her grandparents' newly solar-powered home. Today, that moment has grown into a career that has taken her across the country installing solar systems and helping communities create clean energy solutions. Learn more about Jan's career journey and what it's like to be a Solar Construction Manager.
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECT
Arathi Gowda | ZGF Architects (Washington D.C.)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
art • design • buildings • science
ABOUT THIS VIDEO Could you see yourself designing spaces that inspire people while helping solve some of the world's biggest environmental challenges? Arathi Gowda, Sustainable Architect with ZGF Architects in Washington, D.C., shares how she transformed from what she describes as "an evolution of an introvert" into a leader in sustainable design. Learn more about Arathi's career journey and what it's like to be a Sustainable Architect.
SUSTAINABLE FASHION
Camille Carbajal | Lululemon (Oregon)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
fashion • business • creativity • sustainability
ABOUT THIS VIDEO What if your future career helped solve one of the world's fastest-growing environmental problems - discarded clothing - while working with some of the biggest brands on the planet like Lululemon? Camille Carbajal shares how reading a book about Ben & Jerry's ice cream completely changed the direction of her life and introduced her to the growing field of corporate sustainability. Learn more about Camille's career journey and what it's like to be a Sustainable Fashion Leader.
URBAN FARMING
Tyrean “Heru” Lewis | Heru Urban Farming (Missouri)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IF YOU LIKE
soil • farming • ecology • innovation
ABOUT THIS VIDEO "I want to liberate people through food." That's the mission behind Tyrean "Heru" Lewis's work as a fifth-generation farmer in St. Louis. Heru shares how his 102-year-old great-grandmother inspired his love for growing food and how noticing a lack of fresh produce in his neighborhood motivated him to take action. Learn more about Heru's career journey and what it's like to be an Urban Farmer.