Laura D.

Technical Skills: -Environmental Engineering -Water Resources Engineering -Bioremediation and Hydrogeology -CERCLA and RCRA Compliance -Groundwater and Soil Sampling -PFAS Investigations -Air Quality Monitoring (Indoor Air and Vapor Sampling) -Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Analysis -Stormwater Sampling and Best Management Practices (BMPs) Project Management and Writing: -Environmental Data Management -Research and Technical Report Writing -Contract and Project Management -Consumer Confidence Reports (Water Quality) -Phase I Environmental Site Assessments Agricultural and Sustainability Expertise: -Regenerative Agriculture Practices -Permaculture Design and Implementation -Irrigation Planning (Gravity-based Systems) -Integrated Pest Management -Sustainable Farming and Renewable Energy Solutions Creative and Educational Skills -Curriculum Development -Product Design and Problem-Solving Entrepreneurial and Business Skills: -Ethical Sourcing and Fair Trade Product Development -Direct Trade Relationship Management -Market Research for Specialty Products -Branding and Marketing Software and Tools -Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) -Environmental Data Analysis Tools -AutoCAD and GIS I obtained a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of California San Diego in 2017 and a Master's of Engineering with a focus in Water Resources Engineering from Colorado State University in 2021. My professional background includes 9 years of environmental consulting on multi-million dollar restoration contracts, with both design and field work experience. I worked as an engineer on CERCLA projects for Department of Defense installations, ranging from early stage investigations such as preliminary assessments and site inspections to pilot studies and remedial action completion reports. This includes data management and research projects. I have a variety of field experience including groundwater monitoring and well installation, borehole logging and soil sampling, and indoor air and subslab sampling. I specialized in PFAS investigations to asses water quality and threats to human health and the environment. I also conduct a variety of project management and contract management activities. My passion for permaculture has led me to over 30 countries studying regenerative practices around the world, ranging from family gardens to full-scale farms. My most recent projects included implementing an irrigation plan for a community farm in Portugal, which allowed crops to be watered using gravity based trenches. My technical knowledge includes bioremediation, geology, hydrogeology, soil lithology and classification, groundwater and surface water flow, stormwater best management practices management, climate, and ecology. I completed farm school at Wild Willow Farm in San Diego, California in 2022 and studied integrated pest management, the ecology of cultivation, the food web, soil microbes, irrigation, and agricultural sustainability. In 2023, I began working with both the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and local California farmers to conduct energy audits. I analyzed existing energy inputs and the cost-benefits of renewable energy options to support USDA grant funding.