Written By:
Mentorship leads to opportunities for growth, and nowhere is that more evident than the career path of Lindsey Woolridge, who was recently promoted to Due Diligence Manager in the Environmental Department.
Lindsey joined WithersRavenel in 2017 as a Staff Environmental Scientist. In 2019 she participated in the Environmental Data Resources (EDR) Developing Leaders program. Since completing the program, she has continued to seek out guidance from more experienced professionals both at WithersRavenel and in industry organizations. These experiences gave her the skills and confidence to take on a leadership role.
I reached out to Lindsey to find out more about her career and mentorship journey.
Caitlyn Myers: Congratulations on your promotion Lindsey! As the first woman in a management position in the Environmental Department, this is an exciting milestone for WithersRavenel as well for you personally. Can you tell us more about the role of the Due Diligence Manager?
Lindsey Woolridge: I am responsible for the completion of Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and other environmental due diligence reports such as Transaction Screen Assessments and Desktop Reviews. This includes proposals, site inspections, NC DEQ file reviews, site research, and report writing.
CM: How does the Due Diligence Manager interface with other WithersRavenel staff and with clients?
LW: A large part of my role is managing communication between the client, property owners, and any other entities like WithersRavenel project managers from other departments to ensure everyone is on the same page about the environmental due diligence aspect of the project. Our goal is to make sure we are providing our clients with high quality reports to protect them from any potential liability and/or other headaches from environmental issues at a property.
CM: That’s a big responsibility, especially considering how time-consuming and costly it can be to address unexpected issues. How do you feel your mentorship experiences have prepared you for these challenges?
LW: Various mentors, both here at WithersRavenel and from outside of the organization, have been invaluable in the last few years, but especially in the last few months during this recent transition. These mentors have all been safe spaces to ask questions, suggest changes, and get feedback, which is very helpful when most of them have previously done this job themselves or are at least very familiar with the environmental due diligence process.
These conversations have helped me step into the Environmental Due Diligence Manager role relatively smoothly, with confidence to put new procedures into place and make changes where necessary to make the process more efficient.
CM: Can you give an example of the changes you’ve implemented?
LW: To further ensure we are providing a quality product, the Environmental Department has recently switched to an online report writing software to increase our efficiency and make our reports more consistent. It has taken quite a bit of teamwork to implement, but it is proving to be a worthwhile investment of our time and resources.
CM: It certainly sounds like it will pay dividends over the long term! Do you have any other exciting projects on the horizon, either internal or external?
LW: There’s never a dull moment. I’ve done up to 10 site visits in one week on sites ranging from a quarter-acre to 800+ acres. Each one is a little different and requires specific skill sets and knowledge, whether it’s industrial, wooded, agricultural, etc.
CM: It’s a fast-paced environment I’m glad I was able to squeeze in some time with you. Before I let you go, is there any other advice you received from your mentors that you’d like to pass along?
LW: All of my mentors both formal and informal are big on professional development through groups such as Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW) and the Environmental Bankers Association (EBA). They also remind me frequently to maintain a healthy work/life balance.
CM: That’s great advice no matter where you are in your career. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, and we look forward to seeing you thrive in your new role in the coming year!
Readers, please join me in congratulating Lindsey on her promotion. If you’re considering a land development project, it’s always a good idea to think about environmental due diligence before you start. Reach out to Lindsey at (919) 535-5210 or lwoolridge@withersravenel.com to find out what you need to know.