Jessica M.

Jessica M. has a diverse range of work experience in the environmental and water resources field. Jessica started their career as a Lab Assistant at UC Santa Cruz from 2008 to 2011. Jessica then joined the Conservation Corps North Bay as an Americorps Member, where they promoted sustainability and stewardship while organizing civic engagement and habitat restoration projects from 2011 to 2012. Jessica also worked as a Restoration and Ecosystem Management Technician at the Marin Municipal Water District, where they conducted data analysis and interpretation, implemented restoration projects, and educated various audiences in watershed science and conservation from 2011 to 2012.

From 2012 to 2013, Jessica served as an Americorps Member at the Watershed Stewards Project, focusing on conservation and enhancement of anadromous watersheds. During this time, they conducted watershed assessments, participated in restoration activities, and educated community members and schoolchildren in watershed stewardship. Jessica also worked as a Watershed Steward at the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, where they conducted watershed restoration and coordinated volunteers for various projects in the region from 2012 to 2013.

In 2013, Jessica joined the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County as an Access Plan Coordinator, responsible for coordinating public access planning for the San Vicente Redwoods Preserve. Jessica engaged stakeholders, conducted interviews, and drafted reports and informative maps for the development of a public access plan.

Jessica's most recent work experience is with the City of Santa Cruz, where they held multiple roles. From 2014 to 2015, they served as a Water Resources Technician, collecting data and preparing reports for environmental requirements and conducting monitoring activities. Jessica then worked as an Environmental Projects Analyst from 2015 to 2018, where they conducted environmental monitoring and reporting for water department compliance, developed water outreach and education programs, and analyzed data. Currently, they are an Associate Planner II in Water Engineering, responsible for conducting environmental planning and permitting for the City of Santa Cruz Water Department, managing multiple projects, and providing environmental support on capital improvement projects.

Jessica M. has an educational background in the field of science and natural resources. Jessica earned a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Watershed Science from California State University- Monterey Bay, where they studied from 2013 to 2015. Prior to that, they completed their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Physics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, from 2007 to 2011.

In addition to their formal education, Jessica has obtained several certifications. In December 2020, they became certified as a Procore Certified Project Manager (Core Tools) through Procore Technologies. In February 2018, they completed the City of Santa Cruz Employee & Leadership Development Program. In June 2017, they achieved the certification of California Naturalist from the University of California.