Meet our New Directors Series: A short interview with Kristina Braun

1. You have been part of the ALGA volunteering family for some years. Can you highlight some of the work you have done with us over the years and what you find most rewarding as a volunteer?

I attended my first ALGA event almost 11 years ago shortly after migrating to Australia from the US, and through the years have found ALGA to be invaluable in my development as a professional in Australia.

In 2020 I joined the Melbourne Branch Board of Directors (Co-chair 2021-23), and shortly after Melbourne was swept into the challenges of COVID lockdowns. It was a time when Melbourne professionals were feeling disconnected, and I am proud of the work the Melbourne Branch did to keep our members connected to each other and the industry. Whilst on the Melbourne Branch Board I have had a particular focus on diversity, developing and delivering events both in the areas of indigenous involvement and women in the industry. The positive response to these events has certainly made it a rewarding endeavour.

In 2022 I joined the National Awards Committee (Committee Chair 2022). It was an exciting time as Melbourne emerged from the haze of COVID lockdown and we hosted one of the first large industry events in Melbourne – the 2022 ALGA Excellence Awards Dinner. It was a fantastic celebration of the work our industry has done across Australia and New Zealand.

I continue to enjoy serving on both committees while taking on a position on the National ALGA Board of Directors. What I find most rewarding at this point in my journey with ALGA is helping other members fully experience the benefits and value that I have from ALGA, including increasing technical knowledge, both giving and receiving mentorship, and connecting our members to help drive the industry forward together.

2. Congratulations on your appointment to the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA) Board of Directors at the recent Annual General Meeting. Can you share with me what drew you to putting your hand up as a Board Director for ALGA?

Thank you – it is an honour to be elected. ALGA fulfills many important functions in our industry and I am excited to play a role in helping ALGA implement strategies around knowledge sharing to take on the challenges of our changing environment. As an independent party who brings all parts of the industry together, ALGA is in a unique position to collaboratively make change and advance the state of our industry. Additionally, ALGA has supported my passion around connecting people, providing mentorship, and driving diversity; and I am looking forward to continuing working with my counterparts in this space on the National Board of Directors.

3. Given you have worked in the sector for almost 20 years, can you share what attracted you to the contaminated land and groundwater sector and what part of your current role at Kleinfelder you are most passionate about?

Growing up, my father worked in the sciences and always supported my interests in tinkering and experimenting. I have also always had a love of nature – so combined, the contaminated land and groundwater industry made sense for me.

Following work with USDA NRCS as a soil conservationist (2004-2005) and employment with REACT Environmental as an environmental scientist (2005-2007) I had the opportunity to join Kleinfelder in 2007 as an environmental scientist. It has been an incredible 17-year journey that has allowed me to work in the US, Australia, and the Pacific Islands in both the areas of contaminated land/groundwater and sustainability. The technical and logistical challenges, interesting people and places, realised environmental benefits, and supportive teams I have had the honor of working with has kept me engaged and eager to continue to be part of our industry.

My passion now, without a doubt, is the people in our industry. I love sharing knowledge, learning from others, and building teams to solve the evolving challenges we face. I take immense pride in connecting people in order to develop solutions which benefit our environment and the communities we live in.

4. I note you have been involved in a number of programs supporting diversity and women working in our sector, both within your workplace and also through ALGA. Can you share with our readers what some of these initiatives have been and why they have been so successful?

I have been a member of Kleinfelder’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee (Spectrum) since its inception. Over the past several years there has been a large range of Spectrum initiatives including internal training, supporting managers in developing diverse teams, and focusing on minority involvement/inclusion. While there has been a wide spread of initiatives, I attribute the success of these primarily to one overarching key - leadership support. Don’t get me wrong – these initiatives absolutely needed the tireless efforts of those on the Spectrum Committee, but without leadership support they would not have brought the benefits they have.

Similarly, the support received from ALGA leadership has enabled me to develop and deliver successful events around indigenous involvement and women in the contaminated land and groundwater industry. While these events were focused on knowledge sharing, the connection and mentorship elements of the events have had the most significant impact. Specifically, at the Women in the Contaminated Land and Groundwater Event (Melbourne, Sept 2023) connection/mentorship cards were provided to all attendees with the aim of connecting individuals and starting conversations. To hear over the past 6 months of the growth and development of the connections made at the event is very rewarding.

I am also involved with the Professional Environmental Women's Association (PEWA) and provide mentorship to other women in the contaminated land and groundwater industry. There is no doubt that having diverse teams creates the best outcomes and will drive advancement in the industry – and for me it’s about connecting people to ensure mentorship and support exists for all.

Article Published on 28/03/2024

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