"I found talking with my mentor, Urban Forestry Consultant John McNeil,
was way easier than I expected. We quickly developed trust, respect,
and open communication. It was comforting talking with someone
who could relate to me and my role, and someone I could bounce ideas
off of. John strongly encouraged me to apply to the 2024 Municipal
Forestry Institute (MFI); I'm hoping to be accepted and get funding
from my supervisor so I can attend. I went into the mentorship
program with an open mind and came out making a lifelong friend."
—Luke Killoran, City Forester, City of Lakewood, Colorado
Michelle Cole
also found it interesting hearing about aspects of
Arango's job that are so different from her own. "On
behalf of the city, Carolina can fine people who
do harm to trees," Cole says. "It's a form of imme-
diate professional gratification, I would imagine."
I asked Cole about any funny moments from their
Zoom sessions. "Carolina's son was in the room at
times, playing with his ball," she says. "He popped in
and out of view and Carolina would sometimes toss
the ball back to him, while she never missed a beat of
our conversation." Cole's kids are grown now, but she
was reminded of times when she had to bring them to
work with her when they were little and couldn't go to
school on a given day. "You do what you have to do as a
working parent trying to strike that balance," she says.
Arango says the best tip she would give to someone
signing up as a mentee is to do it when you are ready to
be open-minded. "The will to listen and try new things
must be there for the relationship to work," she says.
Cole says, "It was a great experience for me, too. Anyone
who is considering this program, whether as a mentor
or mentee, I say let go of your fears and just do it." >>
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