Member of the Month: Amber Gable
Q: Where do you work and what is your current role?
A: I am a Landscape Designer at Bolton & Menk in Ames, Iowa. We are a multi-disciplinary Engineering firm working in both the public and private realms on projects that include transportation corridors and downtown streetscapes, park facility design, private residential development, and stormwater management infrastructure. Currently, I’m involved in master planning for a Cultural Center for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in Minnesota. Next week, I might be assisting with construction documents or helping out with design development. I love the diversity in work and the fast paced environment– it really keeps me on my toes!
Q: Why did you choose the design/construction field?
A: To be honest, I often wonder how I landed where I’m at. I believe everything happens for a reason and somehow along the journey I stumbled into Landscape Architecture and never looked back. Growing up on a farm in Northwest Iowa gave me a certain appreciation for the outdoors, the Midwest, and the value of a connection to the land. I knew from a very young age that I had to find something that would allow me to share this appreciation with others, so working with clients to creatively solve problems and bring a landscape to life is truly rewarding.
Q: What motivates you to further progress in your career?
A: People like YOU! It can be so easy to get caught up in a day-to-day routine and forget the importance of the decisions we make and the impact we have on the world around us. Professional organizations that provide encouragement and educational opportunities really help us re-focus our thinking to what really matters. Surrounding yourself with other professionals that are interested in making a difference and taking advantage of opportunities is the best thing you can do to stay motivated and keep progressing.
Q: What is the best advice you have received?
A: Slow down, cherish every moment of every day and soak it all in. Life goes by too fast to wish it all away, so even on the craziest of days, we really have to embrace the chaos.
Q: How has Iowa Women in Architecture influenced you?
A: Being part of a group where you can take a time-out from your crazy schedules to sit down with other women in the design profession – of all ages and walks of life - who are going through some of the same challenges as you is a total breath of fresh air. As a recent graduate and relative new-comer to the ‘working world’, receiving advice from and building connections with such strong and influential women was so inspiring. It really makes you realize that we’re all in this together and, with the support of one another, we can take on whatever we set our minds to!