Influential Woman · Environmental Consulting

Michele Floam

Env Manager, Coastal Resources, Inc.

Annapolis, MD

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's Degree in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University (1988) Degree Master's Degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University (2002) Cert Licensed Landscape Architect in Maryland Cert Licensed Landscape Architect in Virginia Cert Licensed Landscape Architect in Delaware Cert Licensed Landscape Architect in D.C. Cert Licensed Landscape Architect in Pennsylvania

Her Story

About Michele

I started my career 38 years ago with an undergraduate degree in landscape architecture, working for an engineering firm doing site development work. In 1991, during the recession, I got laid off and ended up getting a job with an environmental consulting firm, and that's where I really learned a lot and took off. Throughout my career, I've moved on to other positions where I started and developed groups and professionals. I started departments where they didn't have one, brought in work, and developed professionals under me to do the work. I've been doing environmental consulting and landscape architecture ever since, but more on the natural resources side. I was Director of the Water Resources Department at Coastal Resources for 20 years, and this year I transitioned to a more reduced schedule of 24 to 30 hours a week as Director of Special Projects and Business Development. In my current position, every day is very busy. I work on very large projects, work on proposals to bring in work, and provide input, technical assistance, and quality reviews of all the design plans. I provide guidance on different projects and review all plans before they're submitted, providing quality checks. I plan to retire after 40 years, giving it another 2 years.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Michele

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to a lot of years of experience, but I feel like I've developed a lot of professionals over the years. I've taught a lot of people and worked on some really large projects in the state of Maryland that have been very successful. So my staff, my work, and my projects are my success. I love seeing people come out of school, and then 10 years later, seeing the change in them professionally and watching them continue to grow and develop. That, to me, is my biggest success, but also all the accomplishments on all the large projects that I've worked on. When asked about my most notable professional achievement, I would say it's all the people that I've trained and taught over the years - the growth of the next generation.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

I had great mentors growing up on my way up who were generous and helped me develop and become the professional I am today. The best advice I had was really learning your trade and being very technically sound - honing your technical skills and your technical abilities before you start managing projects and things like that. The more technically sound you are, the better a professional you'll be. I know there's a lot of managers out there that manage people, and they don't really know how to do what they do, but I think understanding what it's like to be in the trenches in my career, and then growing above that, is important. Learning how to be technically sound in your profession is, I think, the best advice, because everybody wants to be the top dog, they want to be a manager from the day they graduate from college, and they want all this responsibility, and it's like, no, learn how to do what you need to do first, and then all that will fall into place.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say don't be intimidated by a male-dominated field. Don't let people talk down to you and that kind of thing. Build your confidence, build your skills, and own it.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The biggest challenge in my field is too much work, juggling lots of projects, and training staff to take over. I am going to retire after 40 years - I've given it another 2 years, and then I'm going to retire.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Integrity, honesty, and building relationships built on that are most important to me. Another part of my success is that the folks that I work with, the regulatory community that I work with, they know that I am trustworthy, and I won't try and pull stuff on them. They can believe what I say, and I've developed those relationships of trust.

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