SVP John Dietler Featured on ‘Environmental Leadership Chronicles’ Podcast

The California Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) recently featured John Dietler, Ph.D., senior vice president of operations for the West region at SWCA, on an episode of its “Environmental Leadership Chronicles” podcast to discuss his storied career path from field archaeologist to a key leader overseeing operations across ten Western states.

With years of experience in cultural resources, environmental compliance, and multidisciplinary team leadership, Dr. Dietler offers an insightful discussion on bridging technical work with business development. The episode, titled “Bridging Science and Strategy,” delves into guidance for up-and-coming professionals on growing careers in environmental consulting and the transferrable skillsets from the field to leading teams and building client relationships.

He also sheds light on SWCA’s employee ownership model, emphasizing its impact on the company’s growth and operations.

“Employee ownership is a way to directly benefit from your own hard work and to feel like you have a seat at the table in a way that I don’t think is probably possible in other forms of company ownership,” says Dr. Dietler.

This episode is a deep dive into the evolving landscape of environmental consulting, as he elaborates on how disciplines like archaeology can heavily influence and guide modern developmental practices while respecting the voices of local Tribes and nearby communities.

About AEP

The Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) is a non-profit organization of over 2000 professionals who work in serving the principles underlying the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which is California’s state-level environmental laws roughly based upon the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The AEP and its members are committed to the implementation of environmental assessment, technical studies analyses, public disclosures, report and overall improvement of these processes. Multiple SWCA employees are members within local chapters of the AEP serving in various capacities such as speakers at the annual conference and positions on boards of directors.