Staff Spotlight: Gia Landis
As our Central Washington Program Manager, Gia coordinates partners across the region to collaboratively tackle forest health challenges and create lasting solutions.
““At Sustainable Northwest, we have the opportunity to be innovative, bring new solutions to the table, and help guide people towards new ways of thinking, and I really value that.” ”
How did your childhood influence your decision to work in sustainability?
I grew up in a small, old coal mining town called Black Diamond (WA), and my roots run deep there. I am a fourth-generation coal miner’s granddaughter. When coal mining began declining, we shifted to selling landscape materials and doing forest land management. As a kid, I worked in the “Mine Office” weighing trucks in and out, and was always surrounded by people who worked in natural resources. Growing up, and still today, we manage forest lands, my uncle owns and runs a lumber yard and mill, and my cousins, aunt, and uncle own and run a regenerative agriculture farm. This plus my own professional experiences – raising pigs, being a farmhand, working in wildland fire and forest operations – have fostered a deep connection and desire to sustainability work with the land and ecosystems that surround me.
How did your educational and career path lead you to Sustainable Northwest?
Throughout high school and the early stages of my undergraduate degree, my plan was to go into the medical field. I took an EMT class and I applied to the paramedicine program at Central Washington University (CWU), all with the goal of becoming a PA. While on a hunting trip with my cousins, they told me, "You're a good and fast hiker. You should try wildland fire!" I didn’t know what that was, but I thought it sounded cool so I applied. After my first week on the hand crew, I was shocked and had no clue what I had gotten myself into, but I ended up really enjoying it.
After finishing my first fire season, I took an environmental science class. It was the first time I felt a true overlap between what I was learning and the work I was doing. It didn’t feel like school anymore—it felt like I was genuinely enjoying both the work and the learning. CWU didn’t offer a forestry or fire program, so I decided to change my major to something close – environmental science. My love for forestry continued to grow through working in the private and public forest sectors and earning a graduate degree. While I was in graduate school, I became involved with the Forestry Graduate Student Association. As a result, I found a true passion at the intersection of forest management, science, and people. I view these pieces as a big puzzle, and when they all fit together, it’s a really beautiful thing.
What do you like most about your position at Sustainable Northwest?
What I love most about my position is bringing people together to collectively problem solve and create strategic plans that allow us to be more effective and efficient – and having that work be backed by science. At Sustainable Northwest, we have the opportunity to be innovative, bring new solutions to the table, and help guide people toward new ways of thinking, and I really value that.
Passions outside of work: I love being outdoors! I like to run, ski, climb, bike, and paddle board. I also love gathering friends and family, seeing live music, playing cribbage, baking, and doing arts and crafts.
One thing you think is overrated: Money. We need it to survive, but if I have enough to live and do all the things I love, that’s enough! And in a similar vein, work-life balance is underrated. 🙂 Take time off and get outside! It’s cliche, but life really is too short.
Favorite thing to do on a day off: Get outside and enjoy one of my outdoor activities!
Favorite place in the PNW: Central Washington is definitely my favorite landscape, but if I had to choose one place, which is really hard to do… probably the North Cascades… or one of the volcanoes, Mount Shuksan or Mount Hood – ideally touring up and skiing down.
Book recommendation: Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. It’s the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. So good.
Cats or dogs? Neither! I don't mind animals. I just hate all the fur!
