Meet Caitlin Bryan, Principal Environmental Scientist

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I have been in the Pacific Northwest since 2012, and I live in Washington. I previously hailed from the Rockies (New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming) and spent much of my childhood in Ohio.

What do you do at MFA?

I am an environmental scientist. I assist clients with studies to assess the potential presence of and toxicological risk to receptors from environmental contaminants. I am also active in the field of reclamation.

What’s rewarding about your job?

I enjoy working with different industries—mining, forestry, manufacturing, or transportation, for example. They provide services and resources that we rely on. As a consultant, it is rewarding to contribute positively to their business. I also enjoy helping clients make informed business decisions, often through obtaining a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment prior to the purchase of a property.

Why is what you do important?

It is important to be aware of contamination and to clean it up, but it is also important to use sound science and strategy so that the cleanup efforts are maximized. What I do is important because I work to achieve a positive environmental benefit while also assisting clients with navigating the path of liability and regulatory agency overlay.

What do you like to do off the clock?

I am a homesteader and live off-grid with my husband and two kiddos. Luckily, I am also an avid DIYer. I enjoy tackling building projects, tending to our animals, and going rock hounding.

What’s the best advice you’ve received from a work colleague?

The best advice I received from a work colleague is to rely on or seek out advice from your coworkers. It is great to be part of such an excellent team!

If you were not an senior environmental scientist, what would you be?

If I were not a senior environmental scientist, I would be a naturopathic doctor.

What’s on your bucket list?

I would like to finish the house we are building. It is a very artsy and special space but will take many years of work. I am incorporating permaculture into the property and hope someday to have a successful food forest.

What was your favorite childhood movie/TV show?

My favorite movies as a child were The Sound of Music and Dances with Wolves. Now these are two of my daughters’ favorite movies.