Jaime Blakesley

Jaime Blakesley has more than 20 years of experience as an environmental scientist in both the public and private sectors. Since graduating from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) with an MSc in Conservation Biology in 2001, she has worked in private consulting, a nonprofit organization, and both local and federal government agencies. She currently works for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development as a Field Environmental Officer.

Jaime remains an active member of the Kent alumni community and is currently serving as President of the University of Kent in America Board.

Tell us about your career path since graduation.

I’ve worked in private consulting, a nonprofit organization, and both local and federal government agencies. Currently, I’m working for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a Field Environmental Officer (an Environmental Protection Specialist).

What does a typical workday look like for you?

One of my primary tasks is to provide technical guidance on federal environmental regulations to both internal colleagues of mine and external members of the public (mostly to local municipalities) so on any given day this involves meetings via Teams or Zoom, and occasionally in person.

I receive a lot of requests over email, so a good portion of my day is spent responding to messages. I also review proposals for new construction or developments that apply to receive HUD funding to determine if there are potential environmental impacts. 

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

I joined HUD last year, so I am enjoying working on a larger scale, with national policy and projects that are located all over the Great Lakes region including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.

Prior to joining HUD, I worked for the City of Chicago, primarily with the early planning stages and environmental due diligence for brownfield redevelopment projects.

A particular highlight since I’ve been at HUD is being part of the working group that helped update our agency’s Environmental Justice Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan, in part, will emphasize HUD's efforts, programs, and initiatives related to advancing environmental equity for communities experiencing disproportionate impacts related to climate change.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

DICE is world renowned, so having an advanced degree from there helped set my CV apart from other candidates. Honing my scientific research and writing skills in Conservation Biology from my time at Kent continues to help me craft the reports I draft to this day.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

Don’t hesitate to reach out to alumni, through LinkedIn, or even asking the Kent Alumni Relations team to help you locate alumni in the same line of work. You’ll find that many have great advice and even connections to help you on your career path, for that first job out of school and throughout your career journey.

I’d also advise any current students who will be based in the US or are interested in moving to the States after uni, to reach out to the University of Kent in America (UKA) alumni organization. UKA has chapters in some of the larger cities in the US and host fun events for alumni, for both camaraderie and networking.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

I have several memories; it is hard to narrow them down!

One of my favourites is when my neighbour and fellow American student, Rasa, co-hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for our course mates and housemates. We didn’t find a turkey, it was chicken, and several friends brought a national dish of their own. It ended up being a fun night of sharing and shenanigans.

We even had people make “hand turkey” decorations - where one traces their hand on a piece of paper and draws it to look like a turkey. The artwork hung in my kitchen for months afterwards!

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

I’m tempted to say “choose a different field research project location” because mine, located on Belize, did not go well and encountered numerous logistical challenges that interfered with my research.

But, as my thesis supervisor, the late, great Dr. Mike Walkey, reiterated to me: the identification of research gaps and errors can, in and of itself, be beneficial information.

He stressed to let the data lead to whatever the conclusion is, not the other way around. There are no failures in science, just more experiments.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Yes, quite a few, including my husband, Gareth Blakesley, who is a fellow Kent DICE alum!

I’m currently the President of the University of Kent in America Board, which I have been active with as a board member for years, and prior to that was the Chicago Chapter Chairperson, so I am fortunate to meet and stay in touch with many Kent alumni and academics.

One of my course mates from DICE and Farthings Court neighbour, Rasa, is still one of my dearest friends. Several of us are on a DICE alumni Whatsapp chat group, with members from all over the world. I am also still in touch with three of my housemates who live in Canada, England, and Algeria.

Kent is very much woven into the fabric of my personal and professional lives.

What are your future ambitions?

I only joined HUD fairly recently, about a year and a half ago. I plan on staying with my agency for the foreseeable future and continue to help protect public health and our shared natural resources in whatever way I can.