Thank you for the opportunities Women in Environment (WIE)!

I love science and being outside, I always have. When I was a kid, I would spend every free minute at the top of the trees in our backyard. When trying to identify a career for myself, however, I thought, the only things you could do with a science degree was to be a doctor or to teach and neither of those options appealed to me. It wasn’t until I arrived at college and met a professor doing field biology research on frogs that I found my niche.For the last 15 years I have worked as an ecologist, first for the City of Gresham, and now for the City of Portland. I am usually the only female-identified person consulting on the ecological impacts of a City project and it has taken me a long time to be comfortable speaking my truth in those situations. I remember how hesitant I was at first to request city planners and engineers to adapt their projects around state and local wildlife laws. I vividly remember being SO surprised when they simply said “ok” and did it. Over the past 15yrs I have slowly accepted that my skills and ideas are valuable and should hold just as much weight as anyone else in the room. This newfound power has allowed me to speak up in many different uncomfortable situations, including confronting a high-ranking City official on some racist remarks they had made.I have only recently found Women in the Environment (WIE), but I am already using the resources from it to advance myself as a professional and as a woman. I signed up to be a group mentor and have 8 mentees looking to me for guidance over the next year. Additionally, I have joined another group as a mentee, as I am always in search of guidance, especially as I embark on my new journey towards getting a PhD. Finally, I am so grateful for WIE’s professional development grant. In my field, I need to maintain several professional certifications, including being an ISA Certified Arborist and maintaining my NOLS Wilderness First Responder card. This year, WIE helped me to recertify for both of these licenses. Thank you WIE. I look forward to being more involved in the future and in sharing my skills and experiences with the community!Laura-Laura Guderyahn currently works as a Natural Area Ecologist for Portland Parks and Rec. She actively works to improve the ecological health of 19 natural areas around the City. Working with community members, local and state jurisdictions, and other environmental professionals, she conducts wildlife surveys, implements restoration and strives to be a leader in her field.  This past Fall, she decided to return to school to get a PhD in the Earth, Environment and Society Program at PSU.