Korissa Troxel
GIS Supervisor
“From a young age, I felt a deep connection to the natural world and found peace and excitement in exploring the outdoors,” recalls Korissa Troxel. “My love for nature ignited a curiosity about ecosystems and their intricate relationships. Environmental science was a field that fed that sense of adventure, and I later came to find geographic information system (GIS) as a way to bridge my ‘logically creative side’ with my passion for conservation.”
Korissa Troxel got her career start in environmental science as a docent for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, while studying as an undergraduate. Her undergraduate capstone project involved using GIS to analyze the spatial relationship between rockfish populations and benthic habitats to propose the location of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Monterey Bay.
“That project was my “ah ha” moment,” Korissa recalls. “And one that would drive my future educational and professional pursuits. My eyes were opened to the power of GIS and the role that spatial patterns play in ecology and resource management in large. I was hooked!”
Upon graduation with her Bachelor of Science degree from CSU Monterey Bay in environmental science, technology and policy with an emphasis in marine and coastal ecology, she got a job with a natural history museum running a citizen science program focused on introducing school-aged children to intertidal ecosystems and conservation.
Her fascination with the power of GIS brought her back to school and to eventually earn her Master of Science degree in environmental science and policy, in tandem with a graduate certificate in GIS, both from Johns Hopkins University.
“I began searching for career opportunities that would allow me not only to exercise and grow my technical understanding, but that would also allow me to continue to participate in the field efforts that were driving my analyses. Yes, I was looking for the best of both worlds! I was hired on with a small biological consulting firm in California where I was able to do just that.”
This was Korissa’s first taste of environmental consulting, and it solidified her hunch that this was the career path for her.
“As I grew in that position, I realized that I was motivated by the variety of opportunities with the world of consulting and began to search for a larger organization that would allow me to explore my options in the field more fully. That is what lead me to apply and begin working at Transcon Environmental (now our environmental division) in 2019.
When asked what initially drew her to the company, she notes that the size of the company and the variety of work opportunities offered were appealing.
“After having met some of the team, I was quickly impressed with the level of dedication and the variety of skillsets they possessed but more importantly that they were willing to share with me. I quickly felt a valued piece of a close, supportive and like-minded group of peers. The motivators behind the company’s work aligned comfortably with my own, and it was an easy decision to make.”
Korissa enjoys the people that she gets to work with every day. “I am grateful to get to pursue my passions while working alongside some amazing individuals. Finding a company that encourages my professional growth while also supporting my personal interests and love for the field and technology is a unique privilege.”
A fun fact about Korissa: she recently learned to fly fish and on a camping trip to Sequioa, she caught 23 fish over the span of seven days.