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. 1D AGO

    Environmental Psychology, Climate Anxiety, and Behavior Change with Dr. Renée Lertzman

    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. Renee Lertzman, environmental psychologist and founder of Project InsideOut about Environmental Psychology, Climate Anxiety, and Behavior Change.   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:  Time - NAEP Member Shoutouts Time - Nic and Laura dive into marketing yourself Time - Interview starts Time -  Time -  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. Renee Lertzman at reneelertzman.com Guest Bio:  Dr. Renée Lertzman is a founder, psychologist, researcher, and strategist who has spent three decades investigating one of the most pressing questions of our time: why do people struggle to act on what they care most deeply about—and what does it actually take to change that? Her answer challenges everything we think we know about motivation, resistance, and human behavior. The problem, she has found, is never lack of care. It's that care gets buried under anxiety, unprocessed grief, and the weight of impossible-feeling choices, and the strategies we use to overcome that tend to make it worse. Her work, spanning corporations, governments, nonprofits, and communities across the globe—is built on a simple but radical premise: the capacity for change already exists in people. Our job is to unlock it.  Renée has advised senior leaders and leadership teams at Google, IKEA, Johnson & Johnson, WWF, Live Nation, and the White House, and her TED Talk, How to Turn Climate Anxiety into Action, has been viewed over two million times. She is the author of Environmental Melancholia and the founder of the acclaimed Project InsideOut, seed funded by the 11th Hour Project and KR Foundation. Her forthcoming book, So You Want to Change the World? Creating the Future You Want from the Inside Out (Viking 2027), is the culmination of thirty years of practice and research  at the intersection of psychology and planetary change. 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
  2. Regenerative Farming, Food Systems, and Non-Linear Career Paths with Kimberlee Chambers

    MAR 27

    Regenerative Farming, Food Systems, and Non-Linear Career Paths with Kimberlee Chambers

    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 Kimberlee Chambers, Agriculture Program Manager at Earthworm Foundation about Regenerative Farming, Food Systems, and Non-Linear Career Paths.  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:  1:30 - Earthworm facts! 7:22 - Interview with Kimberlee Chambers Starts 13:11 - Regenerative Agriculture 19:16 - Navigating consumer acceptance 26:27 - #Fieldnotes adventures! 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 Kimberlee Chambers at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlee-chambers-7b4a958  Guest Bio: Dr. Kimberlee Chambers is an Agriculture Program Manager at Earthworm Foundation, an international nonprofit. She works throughout food system supply chains to support farm viability and sustainability initiatives. Kimberlee’s roots in agriculture and conservation run deep — since growing up on a family farm in Ontario, Canada, she has conducted multiple applied agricultural research projects with farmers, Tribes, and First Nation communities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Kimberlee serves as a Board Member for Sustainable Northwest and the Oregon Agricultural Trust. She has a PhD in geography from the University of California, Davis, and an MSc in ethnoecology from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. 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.

    40 min
  3. Rockets, Environmental Compliance at NASA, and Space Mission Planning with Irene Jorden Romero

    MAR 20

    Rockets, Environmental Compliance at NASA, and Space Mission Planning with Irene Jorden Romero

    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 Irene Jorden Romero, NASA Goddard NEPA Manager and Cultural Resource Manager about Rockets, Environmental Compliance at NASA, and Space Mission Planning.  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:  1:41- The Roman Telescope! 6:03- Interview with Irene starts 13:59- Irene's path to NASA and career evolution 18:57 - Navigating environmental compliance for NASA's space missions 31:45 - #FieldNotes 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 Irene Jorden Romero at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ireneromero/ Guest Bio: Irene Jorden Romero is an Environmental Planner at NASA leading the Goddard NEPA and Cultural Resources Programs. She will be celebrating 14 years at NASA April 1st, with previous career work in sustainable architecture and construction management. Outside of work she enjoys Girl Scouts, outdoor activities and reading alongside her 2 kids and husband. She resides near Annapolis, Maryland.  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.

    38 min
  4. Environmental Permitting Reform, NEPA Assignment, and the Future of Environmental Policy with Eric Beightel

    MAR 13

    Environmental Permitting Reform, NEPA Assignment, and the Future of Environmental Policy with Eric Beightel

    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 Eric Beightel, Federal Strategy Director at Environmental Science Associates about Environmental Permitting Reform, NEPA Assignment, and the Future of Environmental Policy.  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:  0:19 - Right Whale Facts! 7:18 - Interview with Eric Beightel starts 18:38- The bureaucracy and challenges of environmental permitting 36:55 - The benefits and futures of NEPA Assignment for states 45:12 - #FieldNotes 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 Eric Beightel at www.linkedin.com/in/ericbeightel Guest Bio: As Federal Strategy Director, Eric serves as an advisor to ESA’s clients on the full range of regulatory challenges, helping navigate the ever-evolving changes to federal policies, processes, and funding requirements. A seasoned practitioner with a career spanning 25 years in federal, state, and private sector positions, Eric Beightel is a nationally recognized expert on environmental policy, NEPA, and the federal permitting process. Throughout his career, he has continually played a leading role in driving the national effort to streamline the environmental permitting process for major infrastructure projects. Before joining ESA, Eric was the Presidentially appointed Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) where he was responsible for overseeing a portfolio of more than $75 billion in large-scale infrastructure projects, supporting federal agencies and project sponsors through expedited federal environmental review and permitting that advanced dozens of critical projects to completion, realizing their economic and environmental benefits for the nation. Eric previously served under prior federal administrations as a Senior Environmental Policy Advisor at the Department of Transportation and as a subject matter expert to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition to his public sector positions, he also has held national infrastructure and environmental policy and strategy roles with national and global consulting firms, bringing hands-on experience with project implementation and delivery for complex infrastructure projects. Eric Beightel holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas and a Master of Public Policy degree from George Mason University. 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
  5. The Endangerments Clause, Updates to ESA, and the Future of WOTUS with Fred Wagner

    MAR 6

    The Endangerments Clause, Updates to ESA, and the Future of WOTUS with Fred Wagner

    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 Fred Wager, Principal Environmental Regulatory Advisor with Jacobs about The Endangerments Clause, Updates to ESA, and the Future of WOTUS.   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:  0:29 - Cute animal facts! 1:28 - Navigating travel chaos 10:39 - Interview with Fred Wagner starts 16:15 - Unpacking the Endangerment Clause and Major Questions Doctrine  27:47 - The future of WOTUS and endangered species act interpretations 37:44 - Examining Section 106 and historic preservation challenges 40:53 - Optimism, regulatory resilience, and concluding thoughts 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 Fred Wagner at linkedin.com/in/fred-wagner-59043019 Guest Bio: Fred Wagner focuses on environmental and natural resources issues concerning major infrastructure, including surface transportation, energy, mining, and commercial project development. Fred advises clients on environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act or equivalent state statutes. He also helps secure permits and approvals from regulators under a variety of federal programs, including Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. Fred provides strategic counseling regarding implementation of the full spectrum of federal environmental programs, as well as U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) surface transportation grant management and safety regulations.  Prior to joining Jacobs, Fred represented a wide variety of developers, public entities, and businesses in environmental, land use, and natural resources litigation in federal trial and appellate courts across the country, from citizen suits to government enforcement actions and Administration Procedure Act (APA) challenges. Most recently, Fred was counsel of record in the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition NEPA case before the U.S. Supreme Court. 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. Wetland Restoration, Agricultural Water Quality, and Chesapeake Bay Conservation with Amy Jacobs

    FEB 27

    Wetland Restoration, Agricultural Water Quality, and Chesapeake Bay Conservation with Amy Jacobs

    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 Amy Jacobs, The Nature Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Director, about Wetland Restoration, Agricultural Water Quality, and Chesapeake Bay Conservation.  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: 1:40 - Our favorite Airbnb experiences 6:10 - Interview with Amy Jacobs Starts! 12:39 - Jacobs Conservation Efforts 20:02 - Approaches to the Watershed 26:32 - Jacobs paddle boarding hobby 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 Amy Jacobs at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-jacobs-a945041a7/ Guest Bio: Amy brings over 30 years of experience in conservation, dedicating her career to making a significant impact in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding landscapes. She began her journey with The Nature Conservancy, assessing the condition of wetlands in the Nanticoke Watershed. Amy then took a position with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, where she built a Wetland Assessment and Monitoring Program. In 2012, she returned to The Nature Conservancy for the mission and to advance restoration in the Chesapeake Bay.  Amy has a proven track record of leading large-scale conservation programs, securing funding, and fostering impactful partnerships. From working to restore over 3,500 acres of floodplains along the Pocomoke River to working with private agribusiness to establish the MidAtlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association that has advanced over 150,000 acres of improved farmland management in the Chesapeake region, she is passionate about driving impact on the ground. Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry and wildlife from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in Environmental Forest Biology from the State University of New York and Syracuse University. In her free time Amy enjoys traveling with her family, standup paddleboarding, yoga, raising funds for local food pantries, and being a groupie to her husband’s band. 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.

    30 min
  7. Indigenous Land Stewardship, Conservation Reform, and Land Return with Lee Clauss

    FEB 20

    Indigenous Land Stewardship, Conservation Reform, and Land Return with Lee Clauss

    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 Lee Clauss, Southern California Project Manager with The Trust for Public Land and Principal Consultant at LSC Consulting, specializing in Indigenous land stewardship, sovereignty, and cultural resource management. 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:  1:31 - Nic's New Job! 7:13 - Interview with Lee Clauss Starts 22:37 - What needs to Change? 33:03 - What is the Process of Giving Land Back? 40:36- #Fieldnotes with Lee! 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 Lee Clauss at Lee Clauss | LinkedIn  Guest Bio: Lee Clauss currently serves as a Project Manager on the Trust for Public Land’s California Land Protection team.  She is an applied anthropologist/archaeologist and advocate for Native American communities' sovereignty. She has 25 years of experience in historic preservation and environmental law, regulatory compliance and public policy analysis. Her background includes Indigenous lands and cultural stewardship, curation, and community-based planning and research. Clauss regularly provides training on land return pathways, repatriation, Indigenous science, Tribal consultation, environmental justice, and data sovereignty.  Prior to her time at TPL, Lee worked for and with multiple Tribal governments in Arizona, North Carolina, and California. 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. 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.

    54 min
  8. Climate Anxiety, Resilience, and Community Support with Sarah Newman

    FEB 13

    Climate Anxiety, Resilience, and Community Support with Sarah Newman

    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 Sarah Newman, Founder and Executive Director of the Climate Mental Health Network about Climate Anxiety, Resilience, and Community Support.   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:  1:30 - Environmental Challenges  8:15 - Interview with Sarah Newman Starts 12:30 - How do we help 25:19 - Connecting to the Climate movement  30:16 - Living on a Sailboat! 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 Sarah Newman at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarnew/ Guest Bio:  Sarah Newman is the founder and executive director of Climate Mental Health Network, addressing the mental health consequences of climate change. The organization is the largest in this emerging sector, reaching young people, parents and educators with research-informed programs and resources. In 2025 she was named a Grist 50 Fixer. She previously worked in the media impact sector and at nonprofits as an outreach director and community organizer. 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.

    35 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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