WRA has a number of staff who will mark their 1-year work anniversary at the company in 2023. To help celebrate these milestones, we have invited some of our team members to share insights and positive experiences from their first year at WRA in the form of an employee spotlight. We will add to this post throughout 2023, so check back often!

We appreciate each of our interviewees for sharing their stories and helping to make a positive lasting impression through their professional work. We are grateful you are part of the team and look forward to watching your careers thrive at WRA!

What does WRA’s tagline “Make a positive lasting impression™” mean to you in your work?

Naté: After working more and more with everyone at the company, I find that this is true. I always feel acceptance and being around a judgment free zone. It is nice to work in an open and calm environment.

Do you have a favorite project you are working on?

Naté: Billing invoices would be my favorite at the moment. I get to interact with a lot of different people in the company that I would probably never get to interact with, seeing that we are all in different fields of the company.

What do you enjoy about working at WRA so far?

Naté: All of the positive vibes. It has been a big change from my last company to here and I am loving it. I have great mentors [Karen Morfin and Bianca McCarron] and they really have been able to show me all of the tricks and trades of this company. Accounting is such a great team and have great communication!

Why did you decide to join the WRA team?

Kevin: WRA has a well respected reputation for its work with clients and agencies and bringing them together to create practical, feasible, and good solutions.

Having joined WRA, I can say we work hard on meaningful projects, while also trying hard to maintain a good work and life balance for all the employees.

Do you have a favorite project you are working on?

Kevin: I am working with a client to restore, enhance, and expand over 3 acres of channelized and degraded wetlands on a privately owned property. This is in exchange for developing a parcel with a very small amount of wetland impacts and another parcel with no habitat value or wetlands. The development will provide low income housing which is in very short supply in the area. This is the type of sustainable future WRA envisions where people and the environment can both thrive. 

What is one fun fact we should know about you?

Kevin: I try to spend as much time outside as possible. I guide outdoor and birding adventures, including: backpacking, bicycling, winter wilderness exploration, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing, National Park tours, rafting, sea kayaking, climbing, and birding trips.

What do you enjoy about working at WRA so far?

Natalie: All the people at WRA are so welcoming and fun to work with. It also feels great to work for a company which prioritizes conservation and the protection of our planet.

What is meaningful to you about WRA’s company culture?

Natalie: It’s so rare to work for a company which offers the flexibility that WRA does. Being able to go into the office when needed, yet also having the opportunity to work from home is such a blessing. Anyone who has ever been in a Zoom call with me can attest to my cats crawling all over me, and I am so thankful for that valuable time I get to spend with them. It’s also so nice when I do find myself in the office and interact with co-workers because it is clear that WRA values quality people. Everyone is so pleasant to be around and work with!

What does WRA’s tagline “Make a positive lasting impression™” mean to you in your work?

Natalie: Being in People Operations, this means showing up each day with a positive attitude and an open mind. You never know what someone is going through and each interaction, big or small, can leave a lasting impression, so why now make it a positive one!

What does WRA’s Vision, “Cultivating a sustainable future where people and the environment thrive” mean to you?

Robin: With my focus on outdoor recreation, I envision a world where native habitats are interwoven into the urban fabric, connecting previously isolated tracts of habitat and providing recreation opportunities within neighborhoods.

What is your favorite part about working at WRA?

Robin: The company culture. My colleagues are smart, dedicated and collaborative, and they support and encourage one another. Leadership at WRA actively work on fostering a supportive atmosphere, create processes and programs that support and encourage employees, make themselves accessible to staff, and offer and transparency.

What would your current self tell your past self when you first started at WRA?

Robin: I would tell her to stay curious and ask questions. There is an apparent culture of non-judgement and asking questions at WRA which is so wonderful!

What does WRA’s tagline “Make a positive lasting impression™” mean to you in your work?

Chris: To me, it means ensuring we will be recognized for our passion and expertise in our work and that our clients will look to us to collaborate on solutions to the hard climate change and environmental problems.

Who is your biggest inspiration and how do you connect them to your work at WRA?

Chris: I’m inspired by the scientists, journalists, and communicators that work towards understanding the way the world works and make information digestible to anyone. I try to put the same emphasis on my own work in order to let anybody follow what I’m trying to do.

What project have you worked on at WRA that is most memorable (so far) and why?

Chris: I’m currently working on a coastal mitigation bank project. It’s the first large-scale project I’ve worked on and requires interteam coordination. There are lots of learning opportunities for me as a restoration engineer and the sites are located in gorgeous natural habitats!

About Us

To learn more about WRA’s company culture, we invite you to read more about us on our Culture & Careers page. If you’re interested in a career in environmental consulting or are already in the industry and have wondered what a more connected type of workplace might feel like, check out our job postings.