Heather Slayton has a B.S. in Forestry from Virginia Tech in 2002 and is currently working on her Master’s at the University of Tennessee. After graduating, Heather worked as a forester in Virginia and North Carolina before moving to Tennessee. Right now, Heather works as the Forester Health and Sustainability Unit Leader with the Tennessee Division of Forestry. On the show, Heather discusses what is holding us back from reaching a younger audience and emphasizes the importance of getting experience while you’re still in school and why it’s important to get out of your comfort zone.
Key Takeaways:
[1:15] A quick intro about Heather’s background.
[2:15] How did Heather first get started in forestry?
[4:50] When Heather found out you can major in forestry, she went and changed her major from psychology to forestry right then and there!
[5:25] Heather studied abroad for a year in Australia and she highly encourages new students to do that if they can. She learned a lot about the different types of trees while she was over there.
[5:55] How did she find a study-abroad program?
[7:50] What kinds of things did Heather learn while she was overseas?
[9:55] Why does Heather love what she does?
[10:10] Heather has experience in about every sector there is in the forestry industry. She really explored a lot before settling into the position she has now.
[12:10] What kind of mentors has Heather had over the years?
[17:45] Heather’s grandmother was a very inspirational woman who did not know what a glass ceiling was. She just kept going up!
[20:45] How can young career professionals land that first job?
[24:10] Go shadow a forester one day to see the ins and outs of what they do in a typical day.
[27:05] What kinds of leadership roles has Heather had?
[30:35] How did SAF help Heather’s career?
[37:10] Where is the forestry profession headed in the next few years?
[42:30] Heather believes many foresters struggle with technology and that also hurts them from reaching out to a younger generation.
[45:35] What’s Heather’s favorite book about management?
[50:40] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time, webinar by Rory Vaden
Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time, by Rory Vaden
Andy Van Dyke recently became the Chairman of Michigan Society of American Foresters in January of 2017. Prior to being the state chair, Andy served as the Upper Peninsula Chapter Chair for the Michigan Society of American Foresters. Andy is also currently employed at J.M. Longyear as Forest Operations Supervisor. On this week’s show, Andy discusses the subtle differences between working with an older generation, vs. working with millennials. He also discusses some of the top qualities in what makes a great leader.
Key Takeaways:
[1:05] A quick intro about Andy’s background.
[3:35] How did Andy first get started in forestry?
[4:10] Although both Andy’s parents were foresters, they told Andy not to pursue the career.
[5:35] What was Andy’s very first field forestry position like?
[7:45] What has been the most fun/interesting thing Andy had done so far in his career?
[9:00] What was it like making the transition from forester to supervisor?
[10:30] What advice did Andy wish he had received when he first became a supervisor?
[11:35] What kinds of mentors has Andy had over the years?
[15:00] What makes a good leader? Being positive! Sounds obvious but it can be hard to do while under stress.
[18:25] What advice does Andy have for young professionals just getting started?
[21:25] What can the industry do better to attract more young professionals into the field?
[24:00] Andy likes working at SAF because he gets to learn from an older generation that tends to have a very different perspective from the Millennial generation.
[25:45] What kinds of differences has Andy spotted when it comes to working with millennials? What makes them different compared to other generations?
[27:55] Andy recommends everybody read the Boy Scout Handbook.
[31:30] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Jeremy Douse is a certified Forester at Tanana Chiefs Conference in Anchorage, Alaska. Jeremy provides consulting services for Native land owners, corporations, villages, tribal entities, and municipal governments in Alaska. Jeremy first started his career as a seasonal firefighter on the Pike National Forest in Colorado. On today’s show, Jeremy discusses why he loves the tribal work he does in Alaska, how he first got started in this industry and shares some key examples of what makes a good leader.
Key Takeaways:
[1:05] A quick intro about Jeremy’s background.
[2:40] How did Jeremy first get started in forestry?
[7:00] How did Jeremy find himself in Alaska?
[8:25] What does Tanana Chiefs Conference do and whom do they serve?
[11:40] How does someone find work at a tribal council?
[12:45] What has been the best part, and the most challenging parts, of working for a tribal council?
[15:20] What does Jeremy wish he learned sooner in his career?
[17:10] What kind of leadership lessons has Jeremy learned over the years?
[21:15] Don’t get stuck on trying to collect the data. Good leaders have to make decisions with imperfect data.
[22:00] What kind of mentors has Jeremy had over the years?
[27:00] Why are states not doing more certification programs?
[28:45] What kinds of books is Jeremy reading right now?
[33:20] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Whitney Schimke is a graduate of Humboldt State University and currently works for CD Lumber in Southern Oregon. Whitney’s parents were both foresters, but growing up, she wanted nothing to do with the profession! Overtime, the forest kept calling her back, and now in her adult years she believes she has the perfect dream job. On the show, Whitney discusses her experience as a young forester, the types of relationships she’s built (good and bad), and why you should always be open minded to new opportunities that cross your path!
Key Takeaways:
[1:05] A quick intro about Whitney’s background.
[2:55] How did Whitney first get started in forestry?
[7:35] Whitney is working her dream job right now and loves it!
[8:00] What has been the most fun aspect of Whitney’s career so far?
[10:35] What has Whitney learned about the workplace, working as a team, and leadership?
[12:30] If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough!
[14:30] What kind of volunteer work has Whitney been apart of?
[17:20] How welcoming is the forestry industry to young professionals?
[20:20] How did Whitney find her mentors?
[25:40] Always say yes to new opportunities! Fantastic things can happen in your career!
[26:35] What advice does Whitney have for young forestry professionals?
[30:15] Whitney shares her favorite quote about leadership!
[32:15] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
From Receptionist to Boss: Real-Life Advice for Getting Ahead at Work, by Nicole Smartt