Environmental Professionals Radio (EPR)

Nic Frederick and Laura Thorne

EPR is Connecting Environmental Professionals through Conversation! Our show is brought to you by the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) and follows environmental professionals at all levels of their career in a variety of industries to bring you a nuanced and informed discussion on what it’s like to work in the environmental arena. Hear us talk through failures, struggles, and successes of the typical environmental professional. We will also highlight news, updates, and fun facts from the scientific community. With over 80 episodes and counting, we are excited to provide this podcast as a way to reach environmental professionals, students, and educators who have one thing in common: we spend our time working to protect the environment.

  1. Leadership Rooted in the Ground, Community-Led Conservation, and Connection Across Landscape and People with Teresa Martinez

    5D AGO

    Leadership Rooted in the Ground, Community-Led Conservation, and Connection Across Landscape and People with Teresa Martinez

    Share your Field Stories! Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!  On today’s episode, we talk with Teresa Martinez, Executive Director and Co-founder of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition about Leadership Rooted in the Ground, Community-Led Conservation, and Connection Across Landscape and People.   Read her full bio below. Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form  Showtimes:  2:35 - Hiking the Appalachian Trail 10:36 - Interview with Teresa Martinez Starts! 19:03 - Personal Goals in the Workplace 27:45 - Challenges of Community Input 42:49 - #FieldNotes with Teresa Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.  This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org. Guest Bio:  Teresa Martinez is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, the lead national and lead partner working with the USFS, BLM, National Park Service, State Agencies, Indigenous Communities and Tribal Nations to cooperatively steward the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. For over 30 years, Teresa has worked professionally to increase awareness, engagement, access, and stewardship of our entire National Trails System. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Teresa holds a B.S. and M.S from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in the College of Natural Resources. From 1987- 2007 she worked for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, from 2007 to 2012 she worked for the Continental Divide Trail Alliance and since 2012 she has been the Executive Director (and co-founder) of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. Formerly a Board member, today she serves on the Trail Leadership Council of the Partnership for the National Trails System and has served as the Chair of the Federal Advisory Committee to aid the USFS in the development of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Teresa also serves on the Board of Directors for Leave No Trace and has also served on the advisory committee for the Salazar Center for North American Conservation.  Teresa is actively involved in the creation of equitable spaces for all people in the outdoors and in 2015, was part of the inaugural group of conservation leaders assembling in Washington DC to launch a new vision for the next 100 years of stewardship of our nation’s parks, forests, waters, oceans, and trails which led to the formation of the Next 100 Coalition and the Next 100 Coalition Colorado.  Today, Teresa serves as the Chair of the National Board for the Next 100 Coalition. In 2019, Teresa was honored by the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources as the recipient of the Gerald Cross Alumni Leadership Award. When not working one of these heart driven endeavors, Teresa can be found perfecting her sourdough and puff pastry bakes, or spending her time exploring the mountains, mesas and arroyos of the landscapes around her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her rescue dog Riley and hosting discadas with friends while watching the sunrise and sunset over the beautiful terrain of the Land of Enc Support the show Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

    53 min
  2. Forced Job Transition, Career Reinvention, and Purpose Under Pressure with Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome

    DEC 12

    Forced Job Transition, Career Reinvention, and Purpose Under Pressure with Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome

    Share your Field Stories! Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!  On today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, Associate Professor in the Environmental Justice Specialization at the University of Michigan about Forced Job Transition, Career Reinvention, and Purpose Under Pressure.  Read her full bio below. Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form  Showtimes:  2:12 - Learning a New Job 8:37 - Interview with Jalonne White-Newsome Starts 16:37 - Key factors to continue moving forward 31:34 - How to engage communities in today political climate 42:11 - #Fieldnotes with Dr. White-Newsome! Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.  This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org. Connect with Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjalonne/ Guest Bio:  Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome is an Associate Professor in the Environmental Justice Specialization.  Building on her multi-faceted, multi-sectoral and diverse areas of passion, practice, service and scholarship, Dr. White-Newsome’s areas of research include: environmental and climate justice policy and practice; finding solutions to address the social, economic and public health impacts of climate change – specifically, extreme heat, extreme flooding, and specific health impacts on the elderly and children; examining how to integrate justice, equity and corporate social responsibility; and advancing justice-centered leadership across the environmental sector. Music Credits Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller Support the show Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

    51 min
  3. Media-Powered Advocacy, Persistent Policy Leadership, and Place-Based Inspiration with Carissa Cabrera

    DEC 5

    Media-Powered Advocacy, Persistent Policy Leadership, and Place-Based Inspiration with Carissa Cabrera

    Share your Field Stories! Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!  On today’s episode, we talk with Carissa Cabrera, Founder of Futureswell an ocean conservation consultancy scaling solutions for planet ocean about Media-Powered Advocacy, Persistent Policy Leadership, and Place-Based Inspiration.   Read her full bio below. Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form  Showtimes:  2:02 - Carbon Footprints of Travlers 8:55 - Interview with Carissa Cabrera begin 21:40 - Something I learned as an Advocate 29:35 - What kind of stories do you share? 41:45 - Carissas Hobbies; Bookclub! Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.  This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org. Connect with Carissa Cabrera https://www.linkedin.com/in/carissa-cabrera-b14a6a13a/ Guest Bio:  Carissa Cabrera is an ocean climate advocate, Harvard-recognized content creator, and has dedicated her career to conserving planet ocean. For the past 10 years, she has focused on ocean recovery efforts—working with endangered species, ecosystem restoration, conservation financing, community outreach, and environmental literacy. She founded Futureswell in 2020, a conservation consultancy and storytelling firm dedicated to advancing community-based ocean climate solutions through partnerships with NGOs, coalitions, and accessible media. Specifically, she works on the development strategy of innovative ocean climate solutions that serve Hawai'i and the broader ocean community. For example, she developed the first coral restoration training program in the Pacific specifically dedicated to training Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders on diving restoration, and recently was the long-standing community organizer for passing the first visitor green fee legislation in the United States. She has been recognized as Ocean Influencer of the Year by Coral Reef Alliance, is an established educator under National Geographic Society, and was one of the inaugural Climate Creators to Watch by Harvard. Carissa's work, company, and media projects share one mission: to expand pathways for ocean climate action and accelerate collective conservation solutions globally. Music Credits Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller Support the show Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

    46 min
  4. Zero Waste, Sustainability Job Types, and Trash Walkers with Ushma Pandya

    NOV 21

    Zero Waste, Sustainability Job Types, and Trash Walkers with Ushma Pandya

    Share your Field Stories! Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!  On today’s episode, we talk with Ushma Pandya, co-founder and partner at Think Zero about Zero Waste, Sustainability Job Types, and Trash Walkers.  Read her full bio below. Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form  Showtimes:  1:58 - Nic & Laura talk Scams 8:48 - Interview with Ushma Pandya Starts 17:48 - Different type of Partnerships 29:14 - Sustainability as a growing field 34:20 - Fieldnotes with Ushma! Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.  This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org. Connect with Ushma Pandya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ushmapandya/  Guest Bio: Ushma is a co founder and Partner at Think Zero LLC, a zero waste advisory firm that works with companies on their sustainability goals related to waste.   Ushma has had a lifelong interest in sustainability and waste reduction. Before the term "zero waste" was coined, she was raising awareness about consumption and waste with her schoolmates and work colleagues.   Prior to launching Think Zero, Ushma held senior management roles with American Express, Booz & Co., and Katzenbach Partners. She has worked on environmental issues with organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund, the Department of Environment of the City of Chicago, and Acumen.       Ushma is a board member of the Sanitation Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the NYC DSNY, the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (MSWAB) and the NYC chapter of the New York League of Conservation Voters. She was previously on the Board of Sustainable South Bronx, where she oversaw the for-profit subsidiary Cool Roofs that worked on cooling and greening roofs throughout NYC.   In addition, she sits on the Environmental Protection Committee of Community Board 1, Manhattan. Ushma holds degrees from Georgetown University, Columbia University and Harvard University. She is certified as a TRUE Zero Waste Business Associate by GBCI and a LEED Green Associate. Music Credits Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller Support the show Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

    44 min
  5. Resilient Leadership, Interconnected Stewardship, and Integrated Science Communication with Dr. Letise LaFeir

    NOV 14

    Resilient Leadership, Interconnected Stewardship, and Integrated Science Communication with Dr. Letise LaFeir

    Share your Field Stories! Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!  On today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Letise LaFeir, Chief of Conservation and Stewardship at the New England Aquarium about Resilient Leadership, Interconnected Stewardship, and Integrated Science Communication.  Read her full bio below. Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form  Showtimes:  1:55 - Friends in adulthood 10:37 - Interview with Letise LaFeir starts 21:45 - LaFeir's Career Path  34:50 - Policy Work  41:09 - Field Notes with LaFeir Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.  This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org. Connect with Dr. Letise LaFeir https://www.linkedin.com/in/letise-houser-lafeir/ Guest Bio:  Dr. Letise LaFeir serves as the Chief of Conservation and Stewardship at New England Aquarium, overseeing Animal Care, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Conservation Learning, Conservation Policy, and Community Engagement. LaFeir most recently served as a day-one Biden-Harris Administration appointee in the role of Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Before holding that position, LaFeir was a Program Officer and later Director of Federal Policy at Resources Legacy Fund; California Ocean Policy Manager at Monterey Bay Aquarium; Policy Analyst and later National Outreach Coordinator for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries; and Director of Government Relations and Education Program Coordinator at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. She also spent one year as a Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow for now-retired Congressman Sam Farr of California. In 2014, LaFeir founded and still co-owns Upwelling Consulting, LLC. During her career, she has been honored with several awards, has had countless public speaking engagements, and has served on several professional advisory boards. In addition to authoring or co-authoring several scientific publications and a book of poetry, she is a certified scuba diver (Advanced and Nitrox) and has traveled to all seven continents and the seafloor. LaFeir holds a B.S. in Aquatic Biology and a B.A. in English (with Honors in Creative Writing) from Brown University, and a Ph.D. in Marine Biology from the University of Delaware-College of Marine Studies. Music Credits Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller Support the show Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

    53 min
  6. Establishing Trust, Rediscovering Humanity, and Planet Pragmatism with Mark Coleman

    NOV 7

    Establishing Trust, Rediscovering Humanity, and Planet Pragmatism with Mark Coleman

    Share your Field Stories! Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick!  On today’s episode, we talk with Mark Coleman, Author, Planet Pragmatism and Director of Advanced Energy Advisory and Innovation with TRC Companies about Establishing Trust, Rediscovering Humanity, and Planet Pragmatism.  Read his full bio below. Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form  Showtimes:   2:45 - Delightful things 10:08 - Interview with Mark Coleman 20:32 - How to work through all the Noise 29:22 - How do you build Trust with doubtful people 47:06 - Fieldnotes with Mark! Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review.  This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org. Connect with Mark Coleman at https://www.markcolemaninsights.com/ Guest  Bio: Mark C. Coleman is an award-winning author and recognized voice as a business and leadership advisor, entrepreneur, and educator specializing in sustainable change management and enterprise development. With over 25 years of experience, he inspires both current and future leaders to embrace principled leadership founded on pragmatism, dignity, trust, and accountability. He has served as a strategic advisor to numerous leading organizations across academia, industry, emerging enterprises, and government, focusing on the intersection of societal change, environmental risk, and sustainable innovation.  Mr. Coleman currently serves as Director of Advisory and Innovation within TRC’s Advanced Energy (AE) business segment where he works with leaders across the organization and with partners and clients to strategically advance best-in-class integrated solutions to complex energy and business challenges. His work is focused on the nexus of energy and environmental innovation and the emergent sustainable economy, marked by solutions which are decarbonized, digital, decentralized, and which also embody social impact, environmental justice, and economic equity at their foundation. As the founder of Convergence Mitigation Management (CMM), a high-impact business intelligence, strategy, and management consultancy, Mr. Coleman provides custom advisory services to entrepreneurs, small and medium sized businesses, government, applied research, and non-governmental organizations. In July 2025 Mr. Coleman published his 4th book, Planet Pragmatism: The New Path to Prosperity. Mark currently serves as a Board Member of Ecology Prime, a global platform catalyzing ecologic education, outreach, and communications. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Cayuga Community College and as an adjunct instructor of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprise at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in Sustainable Enterprise. Mr. Coleman resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York with his wife and two sons.  Music Credits Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Mu Support the show Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

    53 min
4.9
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

EPR is Connecting Environmental Professionals through Conversation! Our show is brought to you by the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) and follows environmental professionals at all levels of their career in a variety of industries to bring you a nuanced and informed discussion on what it’s like to work in the environmental arena. Hear us talk through failures, struggles, and successes of the typical environmental professional. We will also highlight news, updates, and fun facts from the scientific community. With over 80 episodes and counting, we are excited to provide this podcast as a way to reach environmental professionals, students, and educators who have one thing in common: we spend our time working to protect the environment.

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