Ascent

Ascent is expanding our Natural Resources team in Southern California! We are seeking highly motivated individuals to assist in conducting field surveys, including assessments and impact evaluations for botanical, wildlife, and aquatic resources. If you enjoy using your biological expertise to solve challenging environmental issues and thrive in both independent and team settings, we want to hear from you! Please apply for our Biologist position here: https://lnkd.in/ggqFPdye Please apply for our Sr. Biologist position here: https://lnkd.in/gEcK-tfr

A group of Ascentians took a quick, two-stop ride on the San Diego Trolley to experience the Comic Con buzz at the Convention Center. We spotted Deadpool roaming the streets and were awestruck by the Marvel Contest of Champions Ferris Wheel, adorned with characters from across the Marvel universe. For lunch, we tried the new Baja Rick's Cantina, savoring both the food and the vibrant Comic Con energy surrounding us.   We're grateful to be part of a community that offers such rich experiences right at our office doorstep!

San Diego Ascentians had an extraordinary adventure at the 50th anniversary of San Diego Pride! Our day began unexpectedly when we found ourselves joining the parade, turning a mix-up into an unforgettable experience. As volunteers guiding some of the 350,000+ attendees, we witnessed the incredible energy of one of the nation's largest Pride celebrations. One of our team members, Adriana Alba, summed it up perfectly: "It fills my heart with joy to see people being their authentic selves without fear of judgment."   This marks our second year volunteering at San Diego Pride, and we're honored to be part of this landmark event. Here's to 50 years of Pride in San Diego and to many more years of fostering equality and embracing diversity!

Ascent is thrilled to be part of the 3rd annual Environmental, Engineering, and Planning Internship and Charrette (EEPIC) program! Our intern, along with those from five partner firms (Dudek, Environmental Science Associates, Fehr & Peers, PlaceWorks, and Rincon Consultants, Inc.), is currently participating in an intensive two-week charrette in Sacramento. Last week, we had the honor of hosting the first week of the charrette at our office. This week, the program continues at Environmental Science Associates, where the interns are collaborating on an exciting project with the City of Elk Grove.   We're inspired by the fresh perspectives and enthusiasm these future leaders bring to environmental and planning challenges. After the charrette, all interns will return to their respective firms to finish their summer of learning, growth, and hands-on experience.   We can't wait to see the innovative solutions they develop for Elk Grove and the valuable insights they'll bring back to their teams!

Ascent welcomes Rid Hollands, ENV SP as a Senior Environmental Planner/Project Manager in our San Diego office. With over 13 years of experience in the environmental sector, Rid is a high-achieving and approachable sustainability professional who has managed multidisciplinary teams on a variety of environmental analysis and documentation efforts. In addition to being a skilled technical writer, he is adept in identifying environmental impacts and mitigation measures and in developing pragmatic solutions. Welcome to Ascent! Learn more about Rid at ascent.inc/rid-hollands

Marlie Long has joined Ascent’s San Diego office as member of the Environmental Practice Group. She brings over 9 years of experience leading and working on interdisciplinary consultant teams for a variety of projects—master plan communities, large flood control and water infrastructure, urban development, long-range plans such as general, master, and specific plans and housing elements, and more. Marlie specializes in the management and preparation of programmatic analyses to help clients build strong CEQA foundations to facilitate future streamlining as well as projects that combine urban planning and CEQA. Welcome to the team!   Learn more about Marlie at ascent.inc/marlie-long.

At Ascent, we're thrilled to celebrate Greta Brownlow, PhD, our Senior Environmental Director, for receiving the Outstanding Service Award from UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education.   Greta's enriching curriculum development and deep knowledge of CEQA make complex topics accessible to students. Her commitment to teaching in the Planning and Sustainability Program exemplifies our firm's dedication to advancing the profession through open knowledge sharing. This multidisciplinary program, the largest of its kind in the western U.S., equips professionals with holistic knowledge to address California's diverse planning and land use challenges.   Join us in congratulating Greta on this well-deserved recognition!

Kathy Tang has joined Ascent's San Diego office as an Environmental Planner. Kathy has an educational background in environmental studies and geography from UC Berkeley. She is excited to be working on environmental review for a variety of project types—with a focus on improving public engagement and accessibility. Welcome to Ascent, Kathy!

We're pleased to share that Christy Ryan, CPSM, Ascent’s marketing director, has been named the 2024 Marketer of the Year by the Sacramento Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS). This honor recognizes excellence in marketing leadership and contributions to SMPS's mission. Notably, our marketing manager, Christine Kenney, CPSM, received the same award last year. We're fortunate to have such accomplished professionals driving our marketing initiatives at Ascent. Both Christy and Christine actively volunteer as co-leaders of the Senior Leadership Pathways program, underscoring our commitment to SMPS and the resources it offers marketing professionals in the A/E/C industry. 🎉Congratulations, Christy, on this well-deserved acknowledgment!

Ascent is proud to sponsor and attend the 15th Annual California Climate and Energy Collaborative (CCEC) Forum to be held June 25–26 in Palm Springs. This pivotal event brings together local government staff, elected officials, and community organizations to advance fair and equitable climate change and energy practices. Under the theme "Collective Innovation: Cultivating Collaboration for Equitable Climate Action," the forum will explore innovative ideas and best practices for collaboration, increasing accessibility for disadvantaged communities, and implementing cross-sector climate action. Four members of our Climate Action and Adaptation Planning team—Poonam Boparai; Hannah Kornfeld, AICP; Brenda Hom; and Fred Hochberg—look forward to engaging in meaningful discussions and sharing insights with fellow climate and energy leaders.