Q&A with 2023 Conservation Interns Reveals Passion, Curiosity, and Innovation

The autumn season always ushers in much excitement and activity at Highstead. Fall foliage begins to blanket Highstead’s grounds as we enter the final stretch of planning and preparing for the RCP Network Gathering. Our team welcomes the change and transition the season brings, as it marks the beginning of the Fall Internship Program. Since 2004, Highstead has maintained its goal of committing to the future of conservation by investing in aspiring conservationists, students, and recent graduates and cultivating an environment of curiosity, ambition, and growth. The program provides opportunities for each intern to pursue their professional development goals, through hands-on conservation experience.

Bringing in a wave of fresh energy, innovation, and diverse thinking, Highstead’s 2023 Fall Conservation Communications and Events Interns, Renee Comings and Katie Vartenigian, sat down for a Q&A to share a bit about their backgrounds, goals for the internship, aspirations, and more. 

Tell us a little about your background.

I was born and raised in Rockaway, New Jersey and went to Ithaca College in upstate New York, where I graduated with a BS in Cinema in 2020.

What drew you to Highstead’s Internship Program and what do you hope to gain from your time here?

I want to use my skills in digital media and marketing to deliver relevant and important information to people who need it. I care deeply about the environment and working to mitigate climate change, and the internship at Highstead is a great opportunity to act on my values in a way that truly makes a difference.

What skills and experiences do you hope to bring to the Highstead team?

Interestingly enough, I originally wanted to be a film director in Hollywood, but two months before I was supposed to graduate, COVID hit New York and a lot of my plans were put on a shelf. The pandemic was a time of hostile division, and it felt like political communication issues were actively pulling the humanity of our country apart at the seams. I knew there had to be a better way to represent data and research; a way that transcends differences and bias. So I shifted my plans and began to build my career in the direction of science communications. I spent about two years creating videos and content for Cornell University, before I started working as a communications professional at a medical non-profit. I gained a lot of experience using social media to market public health campaigns and writing educational material. 

My marketing experience, eye for video development and writing, and my endless empathy are the traits I’m bringing to Highstead. It will be really rewarding to contribute my skills to this team, connecting environmentalists together at the RCP Network Gathering and delivering impactful messages to those who are actively working toward land conservation in New England.

Tell us about some of your passions and hobbies.

Outside of work, I love to forage for natural edibles, watch movies with friends, lift weights, play music in my band, “Mushroom House,” and cook healthy, delicious meals. 

Do you have any future goals or aspirations you’re working toward right now?

I would love to continue to contribute toward environmental goals and the mitigation of climate change. And aside from work, I cannot wait to get married and start a family. I look forward to teaching my children about the wonders and beauty of our natural world. 

Tell us a little about your background.

I was born and raised in Glastonbury, Connecticut, so I’m a Connecticut local! I graduated from the University of Maryland, where I got a degree in biology. After college I started doing seasonal conservation work to gain some field experience, heading off first to join a backcountry trail crew in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. The next summer I returned to California to do a season of spotted owl research for University of Wisconsin – Madison, then spent the fall working on an organic farm in Oregon. This past summer I did a season with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service down in Chincoteague, Virginia, working with endangered shorebirds, sea turtles, and anything else wildlife-related on the refuge. In between seasonal jobs I’ve been bartending/waiting tables to save as much money as possible, and traveling to see friends. 

What drew you to Highstead’s Internship Program and what do you hope to gain from your time here?

Highstead’s Internship Program sounded like a good fit for me because I was looking to develop some of my communication skills in the conservation industry. I’ve gained a lot of awesome experience with the hands-on part of conservation, but that’s only half of it – a lot of the important work conservationists do is in the office. Highstead really wants to foster our growth, and has been a new challenge for me that I know I’ll gain a lot from. 

What skills and experiences do you hope to bring to the Highstead team?

I’ve had some pretty varied work experiences, which I think helps me to understand the interests and needs of a lot of the different stakeholders that make up RCPs. I also love writing, which is definitely a useful skill in a job like this that requires a lot of writing and communication skills!

Tell us about some of your passions and hobbies.

I enjoy creative writing, reading, birding, lots of little craft projects, seeing live music, and spending time with friends and family.

Do you have any future goals or aspirations you’re working toward right now?

In general, I’m interested in land management. I could see myself working on a refuge or with conservation easements – helping to steward and maintain the land, engage the local community in nature, and protect a part of New England, my home. But I’m not too worried about having it figured out down to the letter. I feel like I’m headed in the right direction, and Highstead is part of that!