Executive Director of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Heather White, stopped by Catawba College to discuss her life, road to success, and the opportunities available to college graduates last week in the Center for the Environment. The discussion covered a number of topics ranging from the work and research of EWG, the number of paths White took which led to her position within the organization, and her thoughts on the future of environmentalism within politics, business, and media relations.
Throughout her talk, White makes it clear to students that there is no recipe for success and that it was her ability and passion that led her to numerous high-profile jobs in and around Washington, DC. White serves as a testament of how experiences and connections can help pinpoint you in the right direction when it comes to finding your niche.
It seems as though there is rarely a dull moment for Heather White. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, White developed a love for her natural surroundings which prompted her to study Environmental Science at The University of Virginia where she was an Echols Scholar. During her time studying Conservation Biology at the University of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, she decided to study law. A year later, she would attend the University of Tennessee College of Law where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. After graduate school, White went on to work for a private law firm in Nashville, Tennessee in 2000 where she was contacted by then Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore’s campaign. Thinking about her time working on Capital Hill, White says confidently, “You gotta go where the action is!” She managed to stay true to this mantra hopping on a plane back to Washington to help Gore during the Florida election recount where she dealt with women’s outreach.
Her years in Washington and connections would lead her to meet the Founder of the Environmental Working Group, Ken Cook. A non-profit organization from Iowa, EWG is one of the leading environmental advocacy groups in the United States and beyond. Their work ranges from toxicology testing of drinking water, research on children’s health, rating foods and products for harmful chemicals, and empowering everyday citizens to become more conscious of how our actions can affect the environment and ourselves. White joined the organization in 2009 as Chief of Staff and Counsel for EWG. In 2012, she was appointed Executive Director with duties ranging from managing policy, strategic and communication plans, serving as a media correspondent on major news networks, and advocating for stronger changes and regulations within our government.
Ms. White serves as a true inspiration to anyone aspiring to be happy and successful in the field of their choosing. As she gets ready to hop aboard her afternoon flight back to Washington, DC, White imparts another nugget of wisdom for Catawba students, “Be patient and don’t stress yourself,” she says with a big smile. Through the number of experiences she had (many of them unexpected) to the connections she has built from working within the government and various organizations, Heather White has found herself in a career with purpose and influence. This should serve as a lesson to all students that it does not matter where you start as long as you, as stated before, go where the action is!
