In this episode of Path Found, Monica sits down with Katie Drexhage, a senior environmental scientist whose career spans federal wildlife regulation, county public works, and California State Parks.

Katie traces her path from a sheltered high school student fascinated by insects and biology to a leader managing conservation programs across 20,000 acres of coastline, forests, and public lands. Along the way, she shares what college fieldwork really looks like, how burnout shaped her career decisions, and why understanding why we do the work matters just as much as the work itself.

This conversation explores the realities of environmental careers—from permits and regulations to restoration and stewardship—along with practical advice for young professionals navigating competitive job markets. Katie also reflects on mentorship, leadership, and how small moments can completely change how you see your work.

If you’re figuring out your path, questioning whether you’re “doing it right,” or wondering what conservation work actually looks like day to day, this episode offers clarity, honesty, and perspective.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

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This week on Path Found, Monica speaks with Vikki Yaller Radow—a tech leader who built a career by jumping in, speaking up, and tearing down barriers long before diversity in tech was a conversation.

Raised by hardworking parents who never attended college, Vikki began her journey rolling out personal computers at Northrop Grumman. She learned to troubleshoot hardware, embraced early‑era startup chaos, helped build GeoCities and FrontBridge, and ultimately contributed to the technology that would become Microsoft’s Office 365.

Today, she leads the largest business unit at Upland Software, overseeing customer success, engineering teams, and strategic growth.

Vikki shares her three foundational principles:

• Find what interests you and what you're good at.

• Work harder than anyone around you.

• Be a positive influence.

She speaks candidly about navigating male‑dominated spaces, building confidence, raising daughters with resilience, and why your worth depends on the rooms you choose to be in.

It’s an inspiring conversation about grit, curiosity, and creating opportunities—especially when none are handed to you.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
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Sierra Emrick’s journey is a powerful story of resilience, growth, and rediscovering what “success” really means. From studying marine biology to working in Sri Lanka and Panama, Sierra chased meaning across the world—only to realize her purpose was right where she started. Today, as Executive Director of the Central Coast State Parks Association, she shares how failure, sensitivity, and persistence shaped her path toward leadership and peace.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
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In this episode of Path Found, Monica talks with Sal Medina—an immigrant, former ESL student, educator, small business owner, and former mayor of Claremont, California.

Sal shares candid stories from his childhood growing up poor in Azusa, wearing hand-me-down clothes, learning English as a second language, and navigating daily bullying at school. He describes his “day-to-day origin story”: not dreaming about careers and titles, but simply trying to survive week to week.

From there, Sal talks about accidentally stumbling into teaching, discovering he loved being in the classroom, and eventually opening a wine shop that became a community hub. He explains why he decided to run for city council and later serve as mayor—especially during a political moment when immigrants and minorities were being described as “criminals” and “negative elements” of society. For Sal, public service is about showing that minorities are a positive force in the community and that small businesses and working families deserve to be seen and appreciated.

Today, Sal represents one of the most diverse and economically vital districts in Claremont. He shares how speaking Spanish with residents, meeting people on their own ground, and putting a human face to city hall changed how people—especially first-gen families—see local government and their own power. This episode is about resilience, representation, and redefining what leadership looks like when you come from the “misfit” side of town.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
📷Instagram: @pathfoundpodcast

In this episode of Path Found, I talk with Clay Sandidge, whose journey from sealing driveways in a Kentucky summer to leading major environmental projects at Arcadis is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of mentorship.

Clay shares how one mentor’s simple driveway project set him on a new path — leading to his first company at sixteen, a college degree in geology, and a lifelong career that blended entrepreneurship, leadership, and risk-taking. Along the way, he built businesses, worked for global firms, got fired (and learned from it), and raised kids who inherited his entrepreneurial spirit.

This is a story about taking chances, trusting people, learning through failure, and finding purpose in every pivot.

And don't forget to check out our work at keystonenetwork.org

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
📷Instagram: @pathfoundpodcast

In this episode of Path Found, Monica talks with Renée Kavanagh, a licensed clinical social worker and leader in school-based mental health. From her early ambitions of becoming an ER doctor to her transformative years working in London hospitals, Renée’s path is anything but linear. She shares how her global experiences—from supporting mothers battling addiction to traveling the world for a year—shaped her empathetic approach to leadership and life.

Now overseeing mental health programs for elementary schools, Renée opens up about the rising tide of anxiety in young people, the power of connection, and why believing in our own strengths can change everything. This conversation is a testament to courage, adaptability, and the quiet strength of helping others heal.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
📷Instagram: @pathfoundpodcast

In this episode of Path Found, environmental scientist John Sayers shares how a winding journey — from sports and firefighting to running a struggling plant nursery — eventually led him to a career protecting California’s coastlines and ecosystems. John reflects on the challenges of starting over, the lessons learned from failure, and the power of networks and mentors in shaping opportunities.

Whether you’re a student figuring out your next step, or a professional wondering if it’s too late to pivot, this conversation will inspire you to see detours not as mistakes, but as meaningful parts of the journey.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
📷Instagram: @pathfoundpodcast

Hi everyone, I’m Monica Argandoña, and welcome back to Path Found.
Today’s guest, Kristina Marler, shows us that sometimes the path forward starts with cleaning out more than a closet — it starts with clearing space for a new chapter.

Kristina’s story begins with a dream of teaching, a homemade fortune cookie she once mailed to Martha Stewart, and a whirlwind career in New York’s high-end event world. But after becoming a mother and stepping away from the workforce, she faced the question so many women do: how do I start again — on my own terms?

What began as helping a friend unpack during the pandemic turned into a thriving business, Neat Freak SoCal, where Kristina helps people simplify their homes — and often, their lives.

We talk about creativity, courage, and how taking chances (and even stepping back) can open doors you didn’t know existed. Kristina reminds us that you’re never starting over — you’re just bringing all your experiences forward into something new.

🎧 Listen to “Path Found Podcast”
Real stories of pivots, side quests, and scenic routes that inspire new possibilities.

📅 New episodes drop every Thursday, starting October 2, 2025.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: https://www.youtube.com/@PathFoundPodcast

★ Follow, rate, and share if you’ve ever taken the scenic route.

Get Involved:
🌐 See the work we’re doing at Keystone Network - Web: https://keystonenetwork.org
💬 Submit your comments, questions for guests, or suggest new guests you’d love to hear from!
📷Instagram: @pathfoundpodcast