Jessie L. Scott III, Urban Connections Coordinator

An urban connections coordinator works with underrepresented and underserved communities in urban areas.

The skill that contributes most is critical thinking. I develop partnerships that empower people to foster personal, meaningful connections to the natural world that benefit themselves and their children. This requires listening, understanding Government policies, and collaborating with partners.

It can be challenging to coordinate activities for groups. One activity was a weekend exploration for kids and their families on a national forest 170 miles away. We coordinated transportation, lodging, and meals to ensure wonderful learning experiences.

The most useful technology I use is the telephone. Communicating with partners is critical to my work and the effectiveness of the programs and activities we help sponsor for the public.

Seeing the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona and helping conserve old-growth Douglas-fir in Oregon was amazing. The most exciting project was working on a wildfire near the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, accomplishing challenging work, learning a lot about leadership, and helping communities.

My career began with an urban forestry summer internship in Atlanta, Georgia. I learned about an incredible number of career paths within the agency and that I could change paths to achieve my goals. This is when I knew I wanted to pursue becoming a permanent employee.