Victoria Louise Tow

Rooted in Strength: A Woman’s Journey in Arboriculture

From utility clearance to tree health care, one arborist shares how resilience, passion, family, friends and colleagues shaped her decade-long career among the trees.

Victoria grew up in a large family she has twin brother, an older sister and three other older brothers who kept life full of energy and competition. Her dad worked in the logging industry, and many of her earliest memories are of spending time with him in the woods as she was a daddy’s girl, where she developed both a respect for hard work and a love for the outdoors. Her mom, a stay-at-home mother, also played a big role in shaping her resourcefulness—gathering grapevines from the trees, crafting them into wreaths and other items, which she would sell to bring in extra income. Surrounded by this mix of grit, creativity, and connection to the nature, Victoria’s path toward arboriculture was rooted long ago. She has three children two daughters and a son, her son also worked in utility line clearance for about a year after graduating high school, before enlisting in the Marine Corps. Her oldest daughter has a degree in social services and currently works in a nursing facility. Her other daughter works in the utility vegetation management industry with ACRT as a contractor for Duke Energy, following in her mother’s footsteps. She also has a 3 year old grandson who is the apple of her eye.

She first began working in arboriculture through the utility line clearance industry. Her husband was a general foreman working with line clearance crews, and she originally stepped in just to assist him. At the time she was also working on finishing up and obtaining a degree in the medical field, which she did obtain but never used. What started as helping out quickly became something more—she fell in love with the work, the challenges, and the sense of purpose it carried. From there, she began building her own path in the industry and eventually pursued becoming an ISA Certified Arborist, setting the stage for what would become a decade-long career rooted in growth and resilience.

Building a Foundation in Utility Clearance

Her career began in utility clearance, a side of arboriculture that doesn’t often make headlines but touches nearly everyone’s life. It’s the work that keeps the lights on by keeping the powerlines clear, prevents outages, and restores communities after storms.

The job demanded stamina, technical skill, and a deep respect for safety. It wasn’t easy, but it gave her a solid foundation. Along the way, she earned her ISA Arborist Certification, Utility Specialist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ), and obtained her Indiana pesticide license in Industrial Weed Management (Category 6). She is currently pursuing her 3A Ornamental license to expand her focus on tree and plant health care.

One of her proudest moments was introducing her daughter to the industry. She’s now entering her second year in utility vegetation management and she is doing great. She’ll never forget the time they shared in the field together and getting to help train her. Once while on a Duke Energy distribution circuit in Bean Blossom, Indiana. The terrain was rough, the heat unrelenting, and snakes weren’t uncommon. She was skittish about entering the overgrown rights of way, but she told her, “This is what I do, first I take a moment to pray to God for guidance and protection and then I put that fear out of my mind, don’t let it control you, just focus on the work at hand and push forward.” She must have taken her mother’s advice as she is now thriving in the industry and takes a lot of pride in her work.

Recognition and Respect

Working in arboriculture as a woman hasn’t always been easy. The industry is still male-dominated, Victoria has faced skepticism , fears and expectations to prove herself. But those challenges have also opened doors—for growth, leadership, and influence. Over time, she has earned respect through her knowledge and skill, while also creating opportunities for others. By leading teams, mentoring new professionals, and sharing her journey, Victoria is showing that success in arboriculture comes not from gender, but from passion, expertise, and resilience.


In 2019, while working with Townsend Tree Service as a contractor for Duke Energy, she was honored with two public recognitions. In March, she was featured in their International Women’s Day campaign, alongside a Coco Chanel quote: “A woman should be two things: who and what she wants.” Then in May, she was highlighted in their Employee Spotlight.

That second feature drew dozens of comments from team members, friends, and family. One colleague’s words still stick with her: “Victoria is the best! I most definitely love my job doing utility line clearance, and mostly because of how good she is to all of us.”

For Victoria, those moments underscored what mattered most: not just the work itself, but the impact she had on the people around her.


On the Ground After Hurricane Helene

Utility work also carried her into high-stakes situations. Last year, she traveled to North Carolina for storm response after Hurricane Helene. The devastation was sobering: Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina with record rainfall, widespread flooding, and mudslides that washed out roads and triggered power outages for hundreds of thousands of Duke Energy customers, including many in mountainous areas. As a Duke Energy storm response worker, her experience was defined by the immense logistical challenge of safely accessing damaged communities, helping to restore the heavily impacted power grid, and dealing with damaged infrastructure, such as washed-out roads and hundreds of destroyed substations, all while navigating a landscape where traditional navigation tools were unreliable.  

The work was grueling, but meaningful. Every tree cleared and every line restored helped bring a community one step closer to recovery. That experience reminded her that arboriculture isn’t just about trees—it’s about people, safety, and resilience.

Branching Into Residential Tree Care

For much of her career, she thought she would remain in utility clearance until she retired. It was her passion, and she took pride in the work. But sometimes life takes unexpected turns. Her path in utility clearance ended abruptly, not by choice but due to workplace dynamics that had little to do with her performance or dedication. The experience was difficult, but it ultimately opened a door she hadn’t considered before: residential tree care.

What began as an unplanned shift became a new chapter of growth. She joined GE Tree Service, a small, family-owned company serving Southern Indiana since 1993. Known as a reputable leader in the region, GE Tree Service combines decades of experience with advanced equipment to provide professional, reliable tree care.

Being part of GE Tree Service has been especially meaningful. “It feels great to know that I am part of a team and that I can help makes a difference,” she explain. Instead of only managing vegetation for utility safety, she now has the chance to restore tree health and add years to their lives. What first felt like a setback became a redirection, one that expanded her skills and deepened her love for this profession.

A Focus on Tree Health

She is thrilled to be training on the Arborjet QUIK-jet system because it's a sophisticated and effective way to protect trees by delivering treatments directly where they're needed most.
Today, much of her work centers on health care and treatments. One example is emerald ash borer, a destructive insect that has devastated ash populations across the country. Through trunk injections and targeted treatments, She has helped homeowners preserve ash trees that might otherwise have been lost. She also manages common threats like aphids and scale, but at its core, the work is about giving trees the chance to thrive in often challenging environments.

This focus combines science, precision, and care. It allows her to protect not just individual trees but the shade, beauty, and ecological benefits they bring to entire communities.

Navigating Arboriculture as a woman

Visibility matters. When women see other women succeeding in this industry, it opens doors. She takes pride in showing that arboriculture is defined not by gender but by passion, skill, and dedication.

Looking Ahead

As she looks forward, she sees arboriculture not just as a career but as a calling. Trees are central to our environment, our health, and our quality of life. Whether she is treating a single backyard tree or helping communities recover after storms, she knows this work contributes to something larger: resilience, sustainability, and growth.

Just like the trees she cares for, she has learned to adapt, put down strong roots, and keep reaching higher. And she hopes to leave a path for the next generation to grow even stronger.


Credentials at a Glance
• ISA Certified Arborist IN-3668AU
• ISA Utility Specialist
• ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ)
• Indiana Pesticide License – Industrial Weed Management, Category 6
• Currently pursuing 3A Ornamental License (tree & plant health care focus)

• ISA Certified Arborist

• Ultimate Medical Academy

• ISA
• UAA