Client Spotlight: April McGuire, Project Engineer for Roux

For April McGuire, Project Engineer for Roux, a leading environmental consulting, engineering, and project management firm and valued REGENESIS client, a career in environmental remediation is doubly satisfying. By working with various teams to design and complete projects that help reduce a development’s impact on the environment, and by producing results that exceed client expectations, McGuire receives a “double dose” of satisfaction from her work. She begins, “Working with other intelligent and passionate people in the Roux Long Beach office on complex sites, delivering on projects, and making clients happy is what it’s all about. I love being involved in a project from start to finish, and being part of a redevelopment project where I can help with the design of the mitigation and/or remediation and see the project come to fruition—it’s all very rewarding.”

McGuire joined Roux two years ago after spending nearly four years as a Project Manager with another environmental services firm, where she worked in the firm’s Due Diligence and Site Mitigation departments. She began her professional career after earning her BS in Chemical Engineering from UCLA in 2014. In her current role, she manages various types of projects, including remediation, site investigations, vapor intrusion mitigation systems (VIMS) designs, and litigation support. “I enjoy solving technical problems and figuring out how to present a complex environmental situation in a report so that anyone can understand it. I also enjoy and value developing strong relationships with the project teams I work with, including clients, coworkers, contractors, and regulators,” April shares.

Her interest in helping to address environmental remediation and mitigation stems from the unique combination of principles that must work together to achieve a positive outcome. She continues, “Engineering, geology, biology, and chemistry are all necessary to solve complex environmental problems. At Roux, we work to control and mitigate contamination, clean up impacted areas, and monitor the progress of various remediation projects. Cleaning up the environment and protecting the public is a necessity, and for me, the science behind it is fascinating.”

To stay current with emerging trends and new technology, McGuire routinely seeks out continuing education opportunities. These include webinars from REGENESIS and ITRC, among others. “I have found the REGENESIS webinars to be an excellent resource for remediation topics. Our office also does a lot of internal continuing education, including monthly technical training,” she remarks. When asked what she enjoys most about working with REGENESIS, McGuire points to the company’s impressive responsiveness and thorough knowledge base, especially regarding complex or technical questions. She continues, “REGENESIS has been fantastic to work with. I know when I have a technical or logistical question, the team I’m working with will have an answer and refer me to the right technical expert. On a recent project, the team got on the phone and walked us through their process on how all of their numbers and design assumptions were determined. Then, they worked with us to fine-tune the remedial design to suit our site’s specific needs.”

With regard to specific REGENESIS products, Roux uses S-MicroZVI® and PlumeStop® for remediation of chlorinated VOC plumes. She adds, “We know these products have proven to be extremely effective at other sites, and we like that REGENESIS is always able to provide relevant case studies or examples from similar projects to back up claims that their products are effective.”

McGuire works out of the Roux’s Long Beach, California office, just a short commute from her home. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family and friends in the outdoors—hiking, backpacking, and climbing. “I also love yoga and reading—anything from Tolkien to Dostoevsky.” Additionally, April routinely attends charity or “corporate social responsibility” events organized by Roux. Most recently, these events have raised funds for Relay for Life, Best Buddies (an organization that works with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities), Autism Speaks, and Heal the Bay.

When asked how she’s seen the industry change, she feels technology has provided a catalyst for addressing particularly challenging sites. She continues, “Sites that were previously left empty because they would be too costly to clean up and/or redevelop are now becoming viable projects, because land is in higher demand and the efficacy and accessibility of remediation technologies are improving.” But while advancements in technology continue to help pave the way for positive outcomes in her work, she realizes there are still work-related challenges. “With consulting,” she says, “I am constantly encountering new projects and being pushed out of my comfort zone to take on new challenges. On the plus side, it is exciting and helps me grow as a consultant. I am incredibly grateful to the rest of the awesome Roux team for supporting me when I’m working on complex projects.”

When asked what she feels the future holds for environmental remediation, McGuire feels strict screening levels and emerging contaminants will continue to drive the industry forward. She shares, “Environmental remediation is an important sector of the economy and infrastructure. Whether contaminated through years of industrial activity or by inadvertent releases of contaminants, land areas and bodies of water must be remediated to restore them to their natural state or to make them suitable for redevelopment. As screening levels become more stringent and more contaminants of concern emerge, the need for remediation and mitigation is going to become more widespread.” She also realizes this increased need for environmental remediation can be advantageous for Roux and their long-term objectives. She explains, “The environmental consulting industry is undergoing a period of consolidation. Roux is committed to staying privately held and investing in the next generation of leaders and owners, while continuing to provide exceptional service to clients and solving their most complex environmental issues.”

How would April encourage others to join her field of study? She concludes, “There is never a dull moment in environmental consulting. Every single project is unique and presents its own challenges, so if you have a love for problem-solving and constant learning, it is a wonderful field.”

REGENESIS is proud to have April McGuire, Project Engineer for Roux, as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates her exceptional experience and commitment in providing successful remediation outcomes for REGENESIS and our clients.