Janet Guinn, Principal Planning Team LeadCongratulations to Janet Guinn, Principal Planning Team Lead out of our Albuquerque office, on being named the Lawrence S. Semo Scientific Achievement Award winner for the third quarter of 2024.
Since joining SWCA in 2003, Janet has exemplified our core values by being a trusted advisor to colleagues and clients alike. She effectively leads NEPA projects across New Mexico with a deep expertise in analysis methodologies and planning science, and an excellence for applying creative solutions. Janet’s dedication to excellence, strategic approach to planning, and commitment to mentorship and team development highlight her outstanding contributions. #OneSWCA
SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP
Janet has been the lead author and reviewer for dozens of planning documents such as Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Environmental Assessments, and other technical reports. Janet is action-oriented and proficient in planning science as a methodical thinker with a deep understanding of analysis methodologies and analytical techniques. She possesses strong organizational skills, enabling her to design and implement NEPA analysis efforts effectively. Her expertise includes creating detailed project timelines, resource and section assignments and tracking, and schedule and budget risk management strategies.
Some notable examples of Janet’s leadership and career favorites are her roles working on a contract with the BLM New Mexico to update and create new analysis related to water usage and water volumes from oil and gas production, serving as the project manager for the long-term contract for the BLM Carlsbad New Mexico Resource Management Plan Revision, and as NEPA lead for multiple EIS projects including the Cross-Tie Transmission Line EIS. Janet’s diligence is well known, and her methodical and careful approach to identifying root issues of planning challenges and producing solutions is a fitting example of #NeverSettle.
TEAM BUILDING
Janet has worked across offices with time spent reporting to Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and currently New Mexico-Four Corners. She is a model of collaboration, seamlessly communicating with interdisciplinary teams, sharing scientific concepts clearly to stakeholders and ensuring alignment with overarching client or agency goals. She works to stay updated on the latest developments in NEPA laws, regulations, guidance, and policies of the agencies we work with most closely and works as well to integrate new knowledge into the planning team’s processes. #AlwaysLearning
Janet also engages in large-scale public comment analysis, particularly in the context of projects requiring compliance with frameworks like NEPA. She is adept at systematically gathering, categorizing, and analyzing public input from diverse stakeholders, ensuring that community concerns and suggestions are brought forward, considered, and documented. Comment analysis of this scale involves employing qualitative and quantitative methods to identify trends, sentiments, and key themes within the comments while managing a team of coders with various backgrounds and skill sets. Her ability to communicate effectively translating these findings to both technical teams and the public is crucial in aligning project objectives with planning and environmental considerations and instilling trust with our clients.
In her first role at SWCA, Janet took a shine to technical writing and was given an opportunity to assist with the development of Phase I ESA reports. When she moved over to the SLC office, she quickly became a key member of the public involvement (PI) team.
“Most of my work was related to NEPA projects (BLM resource management plans and airport EISs and airport projects), and those projects really interested me. I supported several NEPA projects as a coordinator, a PI lead, and then as APM and PM. As an umbrella law, NEPA touches on many types of projects and resource issues. I especially love projects with complex planning issues that require careful thought to develop sound analysis approaches and creative process management strategies. The idea of being a “trusted advisor” to our clients resonates very strongly with me and is my goal with every project,” said Janet.
Janet advises those pursuing a technical career to not be scared and give everything a shot. Ask all the questions and reach out to peers and mentors for input. I also encourage developing a proposed approach or answer to your question or concern first and then running it by others – you may have just produced the best solution yet! Own your deliverables and be your own best reviewer and editor. My goal is to have zero comments on my work from my SMEs and editors. I do not think I have ever achieved that – we have a team quality control process for a reason, but it is a good goal.
The quarterly Lawrence S. Semo Scientific Achievement Award rewards individuals for demonstrating passion, creativity, and scientific excellence in a manner that advances SWCA’s purpose, mission, vision, and values. The award is in honor of Larry Semo, who began working as a biologist for SWCA in Austin in 1993 and transferred to Denver in 1999. A respected and widely published ornithologist and all-around naturalist, Larry had an insatiable desire to learn and a great love for the outdoors until his untimely passing in 2011.