Julie Smoak, Environmental Manager; Toyota Tsusho America Inc.

This month we introduce you to Julie Smoak, Environmental Manager at Toyota Tsusho America Inc., one of the members who helps make our network so unique.

Why did you join NAEM? I am transitioning to the private sector after having worked in civil service for 18 years, and was looking for ways to accelerate my learning curve.   What are currently working on? Among many other projects, I am working on building Toyota Tsusho’s ISO 14001 program into a more comprehensive environmental management system.   What career accomplishment are you most proud of? During my tenure with the Kentucky Division of Water, I helped develop a drinking water small system assistance program, which directs significant federal funding to the neediest public water utilities in Kentucky.   What advice would you have for someone entering the field today? Keep learning. Utilize your peers, mentors, electronic resources, professional organizations etc. We have so much available to us these days.   What aspect to the natural world/environment interests you the most? Water availability concerns me the most. As I’ve heard it expressed, “we are not making more water.” We have a finite amount of water available, in various forms, and any activities which produce wastewater that cannot be recovered destroys a portion of this resource.   What do you like to do during your free time? Enjoying the natural beauty of the Bluegrass, anything to do with horses, photography.