Aundrea Romero
Environmental Scientist
Aundrea Romero was drawn to the industry because she wanted nothing more than to bridge the divide between business operations and the impact they have on the environment. With one of her degrees in sustainable development with a focus on business, she had the ability to understand both sides of the coin.
“I wanted to be someone that either offered alternatives or was able to encourage companies to be more environmentally friendly,” recalls Aundrea. “When I was younger, I wasn’t sure what that would look like, but compliance is a great way to combine my interest for the environment and business.”
Getting started in her career early on at 15 years old, she began working with the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) with the local forest service office. “I spent that summer sweating more than I ever have in my life, doing more labor than I ever had in my life, and learning more about the area I had grown up in – in a way I had never had the chance to before.”
It was a career she hadn’t known existed and once she did, she never forgot about it.
“I worked different seasonal jobs in the summer throughout college to get experience and find a niche to work in like so many others, but I really love being a jack of all trades and learning new things too much to ever really settle into one niche role.”
Aundrea joined the Transcon Environmental team (now our environmental division) in July 2023 and began working on a project that was close to home. Not only the proximity being an attractive quality for the job, but also getting an opportunity to see a project from another perspective. “I had worked with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service for some projects like this before, so getting to see both sides has been very interesting. The work I do ensures that the project is able to continue and that there is someone keeping an eye out and representing the land and animals.”
Aundrea’s favorite part of her job is the independence she’s afforded and a manager and team who support her when she needs it.
Aundrea’s manager sees Aundrea as someone who exemplifies a dynamic blend of qualities. “She promotes critical thinking and humor through her stories and observations during our morning tailgates and group chats, while also showing a strong willingness to learn new skills – particularly when stepping up to take over much of a project for me. Her adaptability – moving from project to project as needed and coordinating efforts with impressive independence – has further highlighted her leadership potential.”
For much of her job, Aundrea is working independently to build relationships with the crews or other team members, but being able to make initial decisions and being trusted to do so makes all the difference to her. “I feel supported in my role but also allowed to grow, learn, and work on my own. The thing that most makes me excited for work is how different every day is. I work in the same 60 mile stretch of project (for the most part), but it doesn’t feel monotonous. There’s such a difference in wildlife, seasonal shifts, and even public interaction. I really feel satisfied going to work each day and get excited for the next.”
Aundrea says she loves sharing her knowledge and passion for the environment with others too. “Whether that’s crew members who haven’t ever worked in the area and have questions about wildlife (reptiles especially it seems) or plant life (jumping cholla has been my favorite to explain). As someone who has grown up in the desert, it’s often seen as desolate and, to some, useless or up for grabs. But that’s because they don’t get to sit and see the quiet beauty in it.”
When asked about her future, Aundrea states, “I have a great manager who encourages me to think about my future and gives me opportunities to try new things I might enjoy. Right now, I feel like I’m busy learning about the position I have now and what it takes to be truly good at it. It’s also been a great experience to work with a company that encourages you to think about your career path but doesn’t force you into any specific one or to move faster than you are comfortable with.”
When asked about the company’s future, Aundrea states, “Eocene excites me because of the wide variety of projects and opportunities that it offers. There always seems to be something new coming up or something that needs a little bit of support and the opportunity to travel, meet new people, and learn about new regulations or project specific topics is always exciting to me.”