Stories of Mountain Town professionals, Kate Projects & Events Coordinator

Meet Kate, Projects & Events Coordinator – Eagle River Watershed Council (Vail Valley, CO)

Tell us about your current position…

Having a career history in corporate, for profit entities Eagle River Watershed Council has been a refreshing change for me. We work tirelessly to protect our precious water supply, aquatic life, riparian vegetation and other aspects of this beloved ecosystem. Working towards these goals gives me a great sense of accomplishment and I am proud to be a part of team and involved with partners who care so deeply for our natural world.

How has your career evolved…

My career path has been quite a journey. While in college I worked for dental offices in several different job capacities to help pay the bills. After graduating with a business degree I worked in administration for several different types of industries (auto body businesses, vision and dental offices, newspaper and media to name a few). My area of focus in school was in Marketing and I used this knowledge particularly in the media industry where I also learned and put to use graphic design skills. Throughout the years however, there was always something in my gut telling me I wasn’t in the right field. I have a passion for environmental conservation and began to realize that is what I wanted to spend my life working towards. After taking some environmental studies courses, further educating myself on our local natural resources, countless job applications and several years I was able to find a position that allowed me an ‘in’ with my field of passion. Now working for the Eagle River Watershed Council I continue to learn about the challenges facing our natural resources.

When did you move to the mountains?

After growing up outside of Philadelphia and attending college in Boulder I felt a draw to the more peaceful regions of Colorado. Like many people in the mountains the recreational opportunities was a big draw for me to move here. Backpacking, snowboarding, rock climbing, and hiking were how I preferred to spend my time and the mountain valleys provided ample opportunity to pursue these fun, healthy activities. After just a short time I knew in my heart the mountains is where I wanted to be for the long run.

Why do you love living here?

There are so many wonderful parts about living in the mountains. The access to outdoor recreation and relationships with like minded folks who also enjoy these activities is fantastic. Our county’s natural aesthetic beauty and opportunities for relaxing in and appreciating these features is unparalleled. We do have an increasing population, but due to geographical constraints there is a limit to the growth and compared to larger areas such as Denver the traffic, competition for resources, and general overcrowding is low.

Advice for someone looking to make the move?

My best advice is follow your heart and pursue your passions. If you are like me, you never know how you will feel about a certain career path until you try it. Spend some time on introspective work to know what is most important to you and your lifestyle then seek positions that support those preferences. Living in the mountains can call for some sacrifice but it provides an outstanding quality of life. Work hard, don’t give up and you can cement your place in our amazing community.