The Importance of Internships and Networking

Session 1 of 4: 2026 River Careers Series Description: Join us to hear from recent graduates of the River Studies and Leadership Certificate (RSLC) program! Given the challenges related to the evolving nature and increased competitiveness of job-seeking, people are finding jobs that align with their interests and experience. We are excited to host a discussion about approaches to seeking and applying for jobs from those who are indeed working as river professionals. They will share their stories and experiences related to internships and permanent positions they have landed and and factors that they feel 1) have helped them rise to the top of applicant lists and progressed along in their professions and 2) their advice for students and fellow early career colleagues to approach to matching interests, expertise and a rewarding professional path. Speakers Bruce Cudkowicz, Utah Department of Natural Resources Bruce graduated from Western Washington University with a BS in Environmental Science where he participated in the River Studies and Leadership Certificate. He now works as a river ranger for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, & State Lands in Moab! Katie Guetz, American Rivers Katie supports dam removal efforts for the Northwest Dam Removal Program at American Rivers. She worked previously for a local land trust in Teton Valley, Idaho where she contributed to restoration efforts, as well as the protection of critical landscapes, in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. With various natural resource roles in the fields of hydrology, landscape ecology, and botany in her background and an interest in merging scientific study with policy and management decisions, Katie pursued a graduate degree in Environmental Sciences in Policy, where her research focused on restoring and enhancing river connectivity through dam removal. Katie is an alumna of the River Studies and Leadership Certificate program! James Major, River Management Society James Major is leading the development of RMS' National River Recreation Database, a blossoming compilation of geospatial information for rivers across the U.S. He's also managing how the data supports the way viewers can begin planning a river trip on our National Rivers Project website by searching for a river by state, river name, put in or managing agency. James holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Oregon as well as a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy from Northern Arizona University. He is one of 25 students who have completed the RMS River Studies and Leadership Certificate (RSLC) since 2014 and has already experienced working with RMS through this program. His technical experience includes geographic information systems (GIS), Structure from Motion modeling and geospatial coding, and he is well-versed in Wild and Scenic Rivers history and policies. Dr. John McLaughlin, Western Washington University John is a Professor in the Environmental Sciences Department at College of the Environment. His teaching and research interests span population ecology, wildlife ecology, conservation biology, and ecological restoration. He teaches courses in ecology, natural history, population biology, conservation biology, biostatistics, wildlife ecology, and riparian conservation. His research interests include carnivore-habitat relationships, dynamics of animal populations, predator-prey interactions, wildlife conservation, and wildlife roles in restoration. He has worked with populations of mammals, birds, lizards, and butterflies. Before coming to WWU, John was an adjunct assistant professor at Utah State University and the Director of Research at the Teton Science School, in Grand Teton National Park. He did postdoctoral research at the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University, and at the Environmental Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He completed his Ph.D. and M.S. in biological sciences at Stanford University. Before doing graduate work, he worked as a wilderness guide in the Adirondack mountains, New York. He earned undergraduate degrees at Northwestern University (B.A. in integrated science; ecology and evolutionary biology; biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology).