Meet our new team member: Caitlin Admire
We’re pleased to introduce you to Caitlin Admire, a new Environmental Program Coordinator in our office. We asked her a few get-to-know you questions so you can learn more about her and her background.
Q: Where are you from?
A: I moved around a lot growing up (Texas three times, Oklahoma twice, Colorado, and even Alaska for a stint), but consider Denver to be “home”. However, I was born in Dallas and have spent more time living in Texas than any other state at this point, so I claim both titles of Coloradan and Texan.
Q: What is your educational background?
A: I graduated in 2011 with a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Kansas State University. (EMAW!) They have a unique automatic master’s program, so I technically don’t have an undergraduate degree.
Q: Where did you work before joining our office?
A: I’ve spent my career in the private design consulting world — everything from a one-person architecture shop where I worked out of a home office to one of the largest international design firms in the world. My projects have run the gamut from residential communities to university campus master plans to large-scale urban infill developments. My focus has always been in the landscape architecture and urban design realm, so sustainability has been an important and inherent aspect of my work from the beginning.
Q: What will you be working on for the Office of Sustainability?
A: As an Environmental Program Coordinator I will be working on a variety of initiatives around climate action, resilience, green building, and green infrastructure. Sustainability and resilience are really dynamic fields so I expect the focus of my work will change frequently to address whatever the current need is for our City. I hope that my work here will help Austin become a model of sustainable practices for other cities and our own community.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do in Austin?
A: I grew up riding horses and still ride a couple times a week. I also serve as the board president of a local therapeutic horseback riding facility. So, I’d say that being out at the barn with the horses in either of those capacities is my favorite thing to do. My barn time is sacred to me and is important for both my physical and mental health. When not at the barn, you will find me with my husband DIY renovating our 1970’s bungalow in South Austin or on the patio of a local brewery or restaurant. (In the photo below, Caitlin is pictured riding a horse in Colorado. She is on the far left.)
Q: What is the most recent (or your most favorite) sustainable thing you do in your personal life?
A: Eating local. We love supporting small, local farms and businesses and get most of our groceries from a service that provides food sourced from Texas farmers using “beyond” organic and sustainable practices. Finding ways to cook with local, seasonal produce has become a thing that my husband and I enjoy doing together and it forces us to get creative. On that note, if you have any great recipes to use eggplant please send them my way!
Q: Are you a dog person or cat person?
A: Dog person. We have two rescue pups, a husky mix named Dany that we adopted back in Denver and a yellow lab named Stella that we adopted from Austin Animal Center. They absolutely run the house at this point.