Claire: U.S. Forest Service; Bachelors degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Masters degree and Ph.D in Ecology

Gitte: Chief Operating Officer (COO), General Counsel, Degrees in Law in Germany

Gitte has worked across a wide variety of industries in multiple countries around the world.  Listening to her story, you will hear about someone who strives to push herself to try new things and accept new challenges, often in a new country!  As a young person, Gitte experienced watching the fall of the Berlin wall in her home country of Germany. That experience, as well as watching her own father’s enjoyable legal career, led her to want to pursue an education in law.  Gitte’s experience is incredibly varied through each of her professional experiences, and yet all of the threads weave well together in her story to lead her to where she is today.  I have no doubt she has more exciting adventures ahead, too!  Don't miss her story and the lessons she has learned along her path.

Katie: Museum Professional in Washington, D.C., Federal Worker, Educator, Private Security; Bachelors Degree in History, Masters Degree in Cultural Anthropology, Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies

Growing up in the Washington, D.C area with two parents working for the Federal government, it’s not surprising that Katie was raised to love history and eventually work in the Federal Government and the rich museum culture her city is famous for.  How does her love of music and theater lead her down this path?  Listen to hear about how Katie has woven together her multiple interests and experiences to form her career path, and like many of us, it’s still a Path in Progress!

Urmi: Financial Professional, Published Author, Public Speaker, Blogger, YouTuber; Bachelors Degree in Finance, CFA and CAIA professional designations

Growing up in Italy, Urmi thought she may want to study either psychology or pursue her interest in languages. After moving to Canada to begin college, she started to pursue International Business, but soon discovered that Finance is what truly sparked her interest.  Urmi’s love of learning and devoted discipline have helped her to flourish within her career, as well as within the pursuit of her personal interests. Join us to hear about how Urmi has already reached many significant goals on her path and why Finance is the industry she chose for her career.  You can follow Urmi on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@urmihossain

Jenni Rebecca: Nonprofit Leader, Performing Artist; Bachelors Degree in Vocal Performance, Master of Fine Arts in Theater Directing

As a leader in nonprofit organizations, Jenni Rebecca has used talents and skills she has developed along her path–but has also made sure to be aware of what she doesn’t know, and seek learning opportunities to fill those gaps.  If you have interest in the nonprofit space, Jenni Rebecca speaks at length about her experience in different nonprofit organizations, both within and outside the arts, to give us some insight into what is involved in that career path.  Jenni Rebecca’s story is another example of using transferable skills across your career, genuine networking, and how participation in the arts can teach us some of the most valuable lessons for our professional careers.

Claire: U.S. Forest Service; Bachelors degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Masters degree and Ph.D in Ecology

How do you choose an educational path when you are interested in several subjects, and then one you choose first ends up not being the right path for you? You keep your options open, take classes in as many areas as you can within your degree, talk to a lot of people, ask a lot of questions, and try things out until you find your way.  That’s what Claire did, and it led her to some incredible opportunities that helped her build a meaningful career in a field she loves.  In this episode, you will hear about several opportunities for career paths within our federal government, and Claire will describe the fellowship she received, a Presidential Management Fellowship, and why she recommends applying for fellowships like this if you are interested in federal service. We talk about networking and how many of Claire’s opportunities resulted from conversations she had with people she didn’t initially know. If you have an interest in Ecology, mission driven work, and the preservation of our National Forests and resources, don’t miss this episode! For information about the Presidential Management Fellowship, look here: https://www.pmf.gov/ To learn about the Resource Assistants Program, go here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/careers/resource-assistants-program [https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/careers/resource-assistants-program]