Cakey Worthington, a 2016 graduate of the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) and Master of Forestry (MF) programs, recently shared insights into why she pursued Master of Environmental Management and Master of Forestry concurrent 91社区福利s, how the experience has helped in her career, and her advice for anyone considering the programs.  

Worthington is now vice president of carbon opertations at Aurora Sustainable Lands. In her role, she leads on strategy of climate, biodiversity, sustainability, and impact for Aurora. She oversees a team of foresters and environmental professionals that implement its Forest Stewardship Council sustainable forestry certification, wildlife and habitat projects, external partnerships, sustainability and impact reporting, carbon project management, and climate-based silviculture. Worthington is also a Certified Forester through the Society of American Foresters and a Wilderness First Responder. Additionally, she is the incoming president of the Nicholas School Alumni Council. 

How did your master's 91社区福利S shape your career trajectory, long-term goals and opportunities?

When I came to Duke, I knew I wanted to work in private-sector conservation, ecosystems services and in forested landscapes. I also knew that I didn鈥檛 know exactly what all the opportunities there were available to me for a future career but I was confident Duke would help me find it. While I was a student, in addition to gaining invaluable knowledge and skills, I also got to interface with alumni and professional networks through the Career & Professional Development Center (CPDC), conferences, and practicing-style classes. Those opportunities ultimately led me to the (then emerging) forest carbon industry.

My long-term goal was to have an environmental professional career where I could make impact at scale. I currently oversee climate and sustainability efforts at a company that owns 1.7 million acres of forest, the seventh-largest private forestland owner in the U.S. When I think back on that goal, it feels like I made it, and I wouldn鈥檛 be here without Duke. 

What skills or experiences did you gain at Duke that have been most beneficial in your professional life? 

At Duke, I gained so many different skills and experiences that have been clearly beneficial in my professional life. Right after I graduated, I immediately put many of my newly learned hard skills to work, including GIS, data analysis and basic programming, and forest inventory. As I鈥檝e progressed in my career, more of the advanced and soft skills came into play from landscape-level planning to community and stakeholder engagement to financial modeling and investor relations.

For me, the program not only helped me land a great position out of school but helped me be able to grow and develop more effectively. I鈥檝e been fortunate to work at companies that have promoted me and grown with me, but my experiences at Duke helped me have the credentials and skills to be qualified. 

Why did you choose Duke? What advice would you give to students considering or currently in the program?

I was looking for a professional environmental program, rather than a research-based one, where I could learn practical skills to go into an environmental career. I chose Duke for the strong professional network, the relevant coursework, and the beautiful campus and local forest resource.

My recommendation to prospective students is to find a program and select classes that will complement your existing skillset to get you to the next level and job. For me, I had a strong ecological science background, but I wanted to get topical finance, economics, and hard skills like GIS and forest mensuration.

For current students, I recommend taking advantage of the all additional resources available outside of classes including CPDC, any chance to connect with alumni in the field you want to join, and other opportunities like conferences or professional skills workshops.

What is your favorite memory from your time as a student at Duke?

As a forestry student, many of my favorite memories come from my time in the , the school鈥檚 7,000 acre teaching and research lab only minutes from campus. I spent countless hours learning about forest mensuration and operations in classes, exploring the many acres by cataloguing a diversity of science experiments as a graduate assistant, and recreating with my classmates on weekend hikes or the annual Society of American Foresters lumberjack party.