Through my placement at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, CivicSpark catalyzed my career in California climate policy and grant programming. My service year provided me the knowledge, relevant experience, and professional network that led me to my current position as a Program Analyst at the Strategic Growth Council. This role gives me the incredible opportunity to support communities across the state to plan and implement climate equity projects.

CivicSpark allowed me to spend my gap year before going back to school by working directly with the communities I grew up in and advancing the tenets of sustainability, equity, and access to structurally disempowered neighborhoods. It cemented my decision to work within the local and municipal government space and assist local bodies in ensuring they are doing their part to comprehensively and intentionally address climate change on a local and tangible level, whether in the realm of public utilities, housing, or information governance for small businesses.

CivicSpark helped launch my career in water, pairing with me an excellent site supervisor during my service year. I have been able to turn to him for advice and guidance ever since my service year ended. Working with the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority on their Disadvantaged Communities Involvement (DCI) Program, allowed me to jump straight into another region’s Disadvantaged Community program with plenty of experience and insights to share. I have had the privilege to work with a fellow CivicSpark alumnus for the last several years on this program and our shared experience has made us a great team!

Knowing that the CivicSpark cohort and the LGC staff are applying themselves wholeheartedly and putting in long hours is constant motivation for me to do my best work as a fellow…Without [CivicSpark], myself and others would have missed out on this opportunity to fight against climate change and help local communities.

CivicSpark gave me incredible opportunities to build my professional skills and solidify some of my career goals. The work I accomplished was beyond what I ever imagined I would have the opportunity to do right out of college, and my success with those projects has given me confidence to pursue the next steps in my career.

Serving as a CivicSpark AmeriCorps fellow has shown me that we have the power to make an impact in the communities around us. Helping staff members of water agencies master leak detection in underground pipeline is just one project I’ve been involved in, and just one project will result in a very large amount of water and energy savings.