Welcome aboard- Ellen Snyder

GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Ellen Snyder is our newest AmeriCorps State member through Arizona Serve.
 
Ellen grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, but after graduating from Monmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science she lived in several different states. She loves being outdoors, especially hiking and camping (and identifying plants along the way), baking, gardening, and playing board games. Ellen believes ecology, sustainability, and all parts of STEM are essential for the future leaders to appreciate and grow to love. Welcome to the team, Ellen!

Ellen has previously worked as a landscape crew supervisor, laboratory technician at a medical facility, and soil analyst at an agricultural soil testing center. Before graduating college, she worked seasonally in the field performing habitat restoration - removing invasive plant species and reintroducing native plants. She is interested in sustainability, agriculture, and how humans interact with their environment.
 
Ellen hopes to learn how to be a positive influence on students and show them that the STEM fields are interesting and accessible to anyone who wants to pursue them. She also plans to learn more about the southwest region and how she can be a force for change while working with GEM.
 
Ellen's overarching career goal is to join a team that works to help both people and the environment thrive! She would love to become involved with the Forest Service, National Park Service, non-profit that works to address food security, organic agriculture, or alternative medicine.
 
Currently, Ellen is considering earning certifications or attending seminars to learn more about education, agriculture, natural resource management, or another applicable skills that will help move my career forward. She had two internship opportunities while attending college, and both benefited Ellen by connecting her to a large network of professionals within the environmental restoration field. She still uses those coworkers as references for applications and consults them when she has questions concerning field questions along with as general social contacts. Internships gave her confidence and valuable skills in her field of study as well.
 
To learn more about Ellen click here.