60 seconds with Rachael

Meet Rachael, the newest member of our team and our new Impact Manager. We caught up with Rachael to chat about her career so far and learn more about her experience.

What's your career been like up to this point?

Very squiggly! I started as a primary teacher, spending 5 years entirely in the classroom before dividing my time between teaching and social value consultancy within infrastructure. 

After five years doing both, I then solely focused on Social Value, delivering multiple major infrastructure projects, before moving into Social Value and Sustainability Leadership within a large Nuclear Engineering Company. 

If you had told me that I would end up in Nuclear Engineering when I first graduated from university with my Theatre Studies degree, I would not have believed you, and it has made me a huge advocate for recognising the value in essential, transferable skills. 

What’s your biggest professional achievement?

Creating, launching, and scaling the Jacobs' Butterfly Effect Programme. The idea for the programme came out of an informal, Covid-era Team's calla colleague and I as a way of providing young people with the information, experience and understanding they need to put sustainability at the heart of every decision they make, and seeing it grow from concept, to launch at COP26, and eventually into a global initiative available to young people across the world was an incredible experience. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

"Bring solutions, not problems". This wise advice was given by a colleague over 15 years ago, and since then I have always consider whatever contributions I make through this lens.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I have always had a passion for fitness, covering everything from CrossFit to Marathons, Powerlifting to Swimming. More recently, I have also discovered the joy of creating abstract art; I love that you can really have fun with it because there is no wrong answer!

What’s your life motto?

"Enjoy the journey". I try to enjoy each step of the journey rather than await the destination.