Kellie Heiden

Background

About Kellie Heiden

Tree hugger, activist, hippie, conservationalist, peace, love, and save the whales. However you want to say it, I'm proud to be it. Growing up in rural Michigan, I knew early on that keeping the world around us clean and healthy was important. This continued to reflect itself in my days at school, where I excelled in my math and science classes. Especially in high school, when I had my first opportunity to take an environmental science class, where I was first exposed to how interconnected we are, from the decomposing leaf on the ground to a humpback whale in the Pacific Ocean. This made choosing my career path pretty simple- Environmental Engineering- help save the planet, but make it practical. And once I visited Michigan Technological University's campus, that choice was easy too. There I was able to apply the course subjects I excelled at to a topic that I loved in a place that was as inviting as it was challenging. I was able to gain skills in time management and interpersonal relationships, while I balanced a full course load, extra curricular activities, and a job in a graduate laboratory. When I graduated and and began my career, I gravitated toward consulting. While I haven't been making the massive impact I had dreamed about when I was in college, I've fallen in love with the small ways I've been able to protect human health and the environment. As a consultant, I work closely with my clients to deliver practical, tailored solutions to the problems they face at their facilities. Expanding my professional skills in all forms of communication, from texts to closure reports and facility response plans. And expanding my technical skills, whether it's cleaning up petroleum or solvent contamination, or ensuring chemical storage drums are labeled and in good condition. I look forward to the rest of my career, and to see how I can continue to create a cleaner and healthier environment for us to live.