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Environmental Leadership Chronicles

Environmental Leadership Chronicles

AEP 68 episodes Latest Jun 4, 2026

Environmental Leadership Chronicles is brought to you by the California Association of Environmental Professionals. We interview leaders in the environmental industry to share information about their career development beyond the technical work. This podcast is for anyone who is interested in any and all things within the environmental profession.

Episodes

Live from the AEP State Conference: The Abundance Agenda: What Part Does CEQA Really Play, ft. Corinne Lytle Bonine, Mindy Fogg & Matt Klopfenstein Jun 4, 2026 5166 What part does CEQA really play in why we can't have nice things? Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson makes the case that systemic barriers, not lack of resources or will, prevent progress on ambitious projects. Environmental regulations, including CEQA and NEPA, are part of that conversation. In this live panel recording from the 2026 AEP Conference, we are joined by environmental professi
Protecting California's Wild Places ft. Armando Quintero, California State Parks May 20, 2026 3392 In this episode, we are joined by Armando Quintero – Director of California State Parks.  Armando spent more than two decades with the National Park Service, serving as a park ranger at Sequoia, Point Reyes, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. He later led the Sierra Nevada Research Institute at UC Merced, served on the California Water Commission, including as its chair, and was elected
Expanding Equitable Access to California's Parks ft. Kindley Walsh Lawlor, Parks California Mar 23, 2026 2447 California's state parks belong to all of us, and protecting them, funding them, and making sure everyone feels welcome in them takes intentional leadership. In this episode we're speaking with Kindley Walsh Lawlor, the inaugural President and CEO of Parks California, the nonprofit partner to California State Parks. Since joining in 2018, Kindley has built an organization focused on designing inno
CEQA Series: Fair Argument Standard, ft. Corinne Lytle Bonine, Kristin Blackson, and Matt Klopfenstein Mar 9, 2026 2058 In this episode, we have a panel of environmental policy and planning experts joining to discuss the CEQA fair argument standard.  Corinne Lytle Bonine has over 18 years of environmental permitting experience and serves as the Director of Environmental Permitting  for the Western Region and Wind nationwide at AES. She also serves as the Administrative Vice President for AEP's State Board of Direct
Leading with Kindness and Joy, ft. Florentina Craciun, LSA Feb 19, 2026 2782 Florentina Craciun is an urban planner with over 16 years of experience in environmental compliance. As a Senior Planner at LSA , she guides agencies and private clients through CEQA for projects like housing and commercial developments, historic building adaptive reuse, and public infrastructure.  Florentina earned her Master's in Urban Planning from UCLA with an emphasis on environmental plannin
Advancing California's Climate Agenda, ft. Senator Catherine S. Blakespear, California Senate District 38 Jan 28, 2026 2716 Senator Catherine Blakespear represents California's 38th Senate District, covering northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. Senator Blakespear is a lawyer and former journalist with local government experience and elected the State Senate 2022. She currently chairs the Senate Environmental Quality Committee— a committee that covers legislation related to environmental quality, air qu
Championing Coastal Resiliency and Environmental Policy, ft. Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, California District 77 Jan 20, 2026 2874 We're honored to welcome Assemblymember Tasha Burner, who represents California's 77th Assembly District, encompassing coastal communities from Carlsbad and Encinitas south through La Jolla to Coronado.   Assemblymember Boerner has served in the State Assembly since 2018 and currently chairs both the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Ri
Bridging Sectors for Sustainable Solutions, ft. Anne Middleton, WILDCOAST Dec 16, 2025 2994 In this episode, we feature Anne Middleton, a conservation professional whose career has taken her from Montana to Cameroon and now to California, bridging the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. From investigating international wildlife crime with the Environmental Investigation Agency to procuring sustainable ebony wood in Cameroon for Taylor Guitars, Anne's journey reflects her commitment t
Amplifying Student Voices in Environmental Leadership, ft. Xela Brainin Godinez, CSU Channel Islands Student Nov 20, 2025 2453 In this episode, we feature Xela Brainin Godinez, a student at CSU Channel Islands studying Environmental Science and Resource Management with a marine and coastal emphasis. Having served as a AEP Student Council Member and participant on the People & Culture Committee, Xela brings a fresh perspective on entering the environmental profession.  From hands-on conservation work with white abalone
Connecting People with Nature through Regenerative Design: ft. Andrea Doonan horticulture + design Nov 14, 2025 2298 In this episode, we're excited to feature Andrea Doonan, an ecological landscape designer based in San Diego who is transforming how we think about residential landscapes. Andrea specializes in designing spaces that connect people with nature while incorporating regenerative and sustainable practices.  Her award-winning landscapes have been featured on garden tours and in publications throughout C
Building Partnerships for Regional Innovation, ft. Josh Metz, Monterey Bay DART Oct 28, 2025 2207 In this episode, we welcome Josh Metz, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Monterey Bay DART Initiative. Josh shares his winding career path from environmental biology and landscape architecture to leading regional economic development at the Fort Ord Reuse Authority and co-founding Monterey Bay DART. Topics covered include the origins of MB DART (Drones, Automation, and Robotics Technology),
Launching a Community-Powered Climate Week ft. Erika Rodriguez, Nadi Marketing + San Diego Climate Week Aug 14, 2025 2370 In this episode, we meet with Erika Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of Nadi Marketing and Chair of the first-ever San Diego Climate Week. Erika shares her life-changing experience surviving a Category 4 cyclone in Fiji, how that moment shifted her career toward climate advocacy, and the story behind launching a partnership-focused marketing agency that serves sustainable and purpose-driven organization

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