Emily Arthur

I attribute my success to the mentors who have guided me throughout my journey, including professors and professionals who inspired me through both academic and real-world environmental work. I also draw motivation from firsthand experiences, especially observing the impacts of harmful algal blooms on local communities and businesses. These experiences strengthened my commitment to protecting water resources and advocating for meaningful change.

The best career advice I’ve received is to stay confident in my knowledge, trust my training, and never be afraid to speak up. I’ve learned that having a strong foundation in your work allows you to stand firm even when facing differing perspectives or challenges.

I would say keep a strong voice and be confident in yourself. In my role managing relationships between agriculture and environmental sectors, there are a lot of different narratives that can come out or get you down or seem to create doubt in your mind. When you have a strong background in what you're doing, you should trust your gut and stay true to yourself. Having confidence and staying true to your trainings is so important. Never be afraid to speak up in any room. You have to advocate for yourself first, because how can you advocate for sustainability or the environment if you don't know how to advocate for yourself? The environment can't advocate for itself either, so we have to give them a voice.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is balancing the differing perspectives between agricultural stakeholders and environmental priorities, especially when addressing issues like water quality and harmful algal blooms. Another challenge is maintaining balance and preventing burnout in a deeply passionate field. At the same time, there are strong opportunities in collaborative water policy, local restoration projects, and expanding community engagement in environmental protection.

Staying true to my message is incredibly important to me. Being in the agriculture room one day and then being in an environmental room the next can bring a lot of different issues and perspectives. I make sure to hear them all out, but I understand that the message I'm trying to pursue down the middle is what matters. I've also learned not to be too hard on myself. I pushed myself for years thinking I wouldn't be successful or wouldn't reach my goals, but it just takes one step in front of the other. You can't rush success or the time it takes to get there. I've really slowed myself down to appreciate the now, because you can't go back in time, so you've got to soak it all up. Taking time to reset and rebalance is essential. I take about 30 minutes or more almost every day after meetings to walk along the lake or around the neighborhood to reset and be able to carry all the roles and responsibilities that come with multiple hats.