WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

I am currently the director of sustainability at an independent senior living community. My role focuses on blending the built-environment sustainability initiatives with resident engagement and sustainable community building.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING?

I mainly worked in the business world. I started with administrative/assistant work, moved to managing several start ups for a serial entrepreneur, grew to running the business office for a mid-sized company, and then landed as a director of sustainability for the same mid-sized company.

WHY DID YOU CHANGE?

I changed because it was what I really wanted to do. I had inched closer and closer with many projects, using finance and cost-savings as the means to gain access to sustainability focused projects.

HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT MAKING THE SHIFT?

As I continued to add sustainability-focused projects to my plate, I was able to show the CEO and investors that there was a positive outcome for them. I was particular, and I only took projects with a positive financial end. While it was less fun, it showed the company that it was a necessary change. Eventually, we worked together to create a role that focused on driving sustainability in each of the operational departments (business, HR, maintenance, programs, restaurant and bar, housekeeping, resident services).

WHAT HELP DID YOU GET?

Staying present online and finding others in similar roles was helpful to me. I'm still looking for a cohort that I can continue to grow with, but I actively engage with the #opendoorclimate initiative. I enjoy being both the mentee and the mentor, as it helps me to feel supported and remind me that my work is important even when I'm the only one fighting of it in my organization.

WHAT RESOURCES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

I'd highly recommend the #opendoorclimate, as well as staying active and engaged in any cohort you can find. Don't stop learning - this field changes without pause, and you should too.

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING YOU FACED?

The most difficult thing about changing is, and has been, getting stakeholder buy-in. Much of my role is change-making. Leaders are inherently afraid of change. It was very important to work with each leader of the departments to ensure they felt guided and safe throughout the changes I was leading into their departments. Secondly, it was difficult to keep projects moving as a team of one. Other departments play an important part, but I knew sustainability was not their priority.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT IN THE PROCESS

I've learned a lot about effective change-making and stakeholder buy-in. I have learned that this field is mainly about convincing others of something that I already believe in, but finding reasons they should back it too. I've learned to compromise on every project, because a bit better is better than not at all. And lastly, I've learned that most companies don't know what they're looking for in a "sustainability professional" quite yet.

WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO THOSE LOOKING TO MAKE A TRANSITION THEMSELVES?

Stay patient. Find things that inspire you so you don't lose your mind when you're frustrating. Take the process in stride. When you do finally land your role, try to remember that it's going to consist of a bunch of projects you think are boring - these projects are probably the ones that will be most helpful to you down the line.