An Entrepreneurial Spirit
As the Thought Provoker, I acted as a caring and creative professional with over 40 years of business experience, team leadership, and an inquisitive nature for understanding the underlying human emotion creating outcomes. I have extensive knowledge of business strategy and have perfected business development techniques to systematize operational performance and I have a proven ability to build teams through organizational culture.
I developed a One Day-One Page Strategic Plan, Referral-Centric Marketing, and a proprietary leadership development curriculum called the Five Circles of Leadership.
I am a facilitator, strategic thinker, an engaging presenter, a problem-solver, and an inspiring questioner.
My story starts with the desire to understand and work in the world of environmental science and ecology. My education coupled with practical internships and the co-authorship of the Stewardship Master Plan for the Lower Table Rock Preserve under the management of The Nature Conservancy of Oregon poised me for the professional workplace after graduating college with two degrees. However, with the economic conditions of the times, there were no jobs. As a result, I partnered with a colleague in a landscaping company and another associate to independently perform contracts for the US Forest Service throughout the Pacific Northwest. My ability to generate work gave birth to my entrepreneurial spirit.
Recruited to an environmental science consulting firm I honed my environmental science background to become a recognized a regional wetland expert. Serving clients in the private and public sectors I utilized my problem-solving and creative capabilities to obtain challenging federal, state, and local permits for public infrastructure and private development projects.
My reputation and experience were put to work as an expert witness for private attorneys and the Washington State AG Office on controversial and legally challenged situations. With this experience, I was recruited by a growing engineering firm – one of my clients – and it is here where my entrepreneurial spirit blossomed.
While I was given the title of Director of Natural Resources, I was the first biologist hired by this engineering and surveying company. My opportunity – risky as it was – relied on my “sink or swim” entrepreneurial spirit.
Within a couple of years, I had grown the Natural Resources Department to over 25 professionals in three offices, expanded the company’s engineering into a new office, and had won multi-million dollar contracts with US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Department of Transportation, and the private development arm of Burlington Northern Railroad.
My success and company-wide recognition were rewarded with increased responsibility and promotion to Senior Vice President. While serving as a Senior Vice President with this $100 million design and consulting firm, my passion for teaching and coaching was discovered.