Meet Julie Nania | Conservation Program Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Nania and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Julie, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
I am a program director for High Country Conservation Advocates, a conservation group that has been working to eliminate the threat of a large-scale mine in our headwaters. I think that those outside of the industry may underestimate the importance of collaboration and relationship building in conservation work. We’ve been able to tackle huge environmental issues through creating unique and unlikely partnerships looking to find win-win solutions. A number of our successes have been derived from complex, multi-year stakeholders processes. Currently, we’re working with local governments, partners in the environmental field, and a large mining company to resolve a long-standing mining issue in our community.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have benefited from incredible mentors who have taken their own time to coach me and introduce me to opportunities in my field. I’ve also put in countless hours of volunteer work in my field, serving on boards, offering guidance to colleagues, and working with young professionals new to the field. It has been hard work but also incredibly rewarding to grow in my expertise and meet others passionate about the future of our natural resources. I’ve sought to work with stakeholders representing diverse interests from mine- this has deepened my own understanding of the areas I work in and has helped me develop a more holistic perspective on my field.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Crested Butte backcountry is incredible. If it were winter I’d take them backcountry skiing on Red Lady, a local mountain we’re working to protect. We might also nordic ski out to the Magic Meadows yurt and enjoy brunch with a view. In our valley there’s an abundance of charismatic characters- it’s impossible to avoid running into our funky local friends on main street or the ski mountain. We might go to a show at the Public House- we get great funk music there.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Sue Navy, one of our founders- she’s dedicated her entire life to protecting the heath of our local environment and community.
Website: hccacb.org
Image Credits
Forest Woodward