Come join us for an environmental career panel with four women in various fields of environmentalism and sustainability!
Date & time: April 5th, 4:00-5:00pm
Location: CCM 233
Open to: current students, faculty, and staff
Learn more about our panelists below!
Tatum Robinson, 1% for the Planet, Champlain Alum
Tatum Robinson graduated from Champlain in 2020 with a degree in Environmental Policy. She now manages the Communications Team at 1% for the Planet, focusing on content creation, network storytelling and tracking success of digital marketing initiatives. During college she was an Education Intern at ECHO, and studied abroad in Auckland, NZ where she held an internship at a conservation-focused nonprofit.
Johanna Palmer, Atlas Technical Consultants
“I grew up in upstate NY on a dairy farm, went to St. Lawrence University with major in geology and anthropology, and got my Masters at UVM in geology. I then went to work for an environmental consulting company called The Johnson Company (now part of VHB), was there for 4.5 years and have been at Atlas Technical Consultants (though the name has changed a few times) since 2017. I am a Senior Project Manager, and I am responsible for managing all aspects of environmental projects, including writing proposals and work plans/cost estimates, performing environmental site investigations, O&M of recovery/treatment systems, technical report writing and review, preparation of regulatory submittals, data compilation, etc. Report writing includes everything from long-term monitoring reports to remedial alternative analyses and corrective action plans. I interact with clients and regulators, and prepare and manage project budgets and profitability. I manage and oversee field activities with particular attention to the safety of technicians and subcontractors, and coordinate personnel, resources and technical aspects of projects. I am also a certified (Class 2) water operator for several public water systems in Vermont (a nice alternative to the majority of my work which is on hazardous waste sites). Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and playing outside with my husband, Erik, and 8-yr old kid, Forrest, and dog Mojito, including canoe-camping trips, hiking and snowshoeing, gardening and foraging in my woods. I also love cooking and baking, and coaching Forrest’s Little League Baseball Team.”
Lara Bonn, Efficiency Vermont
Lara Bonn is the Director of Efficiency Vermont’s Emerging Technology and Engineering at Efficiency Vermont. Her teams determine and facilitate new and disruptive opportunities for energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gases as well as provide technical assistance and reduce the cost of energy for all customers across Vermont. In the past, she led strategy and planning teams for multiple areas, including Efficient Products, by creating the strategic vision, designing new program approaches, and running research and development pilots for the lighting, appliances, and consumer electronics programs. Prior to working for Efficiency Vermont and VEIC, Lara worked as a consultant with Optimal Energy and as a senior consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton working exclusively for the U.S. EPA.
Ariel Burgess, Champlain College
Ariel K. McKnight Burgess’ expertise include climate and ecological psychology, eco empathy, environmental humanities, eco art, and international environmental policy. Her interdisciplinary ecological career fits well into the Core curriculum at Champlain College where she teaches as an adjunct professor. Through teaching, she hopes to help students build a holistic, nuanced understanding about the interconnections between themselves, the more-than-human world, and different facets of human society like psychology, policy, economics, justice, ethics, science, art, and history. Outside of Champlain, Burgess facilitates eco-grief and eco-empathy workshops, and hosts monthly Eco-Resiliency Gatherings. She is also polishing up a chapter exploring “eco empathy” for the up-coming Ecological Feelings: A Rhetorical Compendium. Burgess is earning a doctorate in ecopsychology, and holds a BA in environmental studies and studio art, and an MA in international environmental policy.
