Bay Area Power Women: 5 Questions With ESA's Leslie Moulton-Post
This limited series profiles Bay Area Power Women who have helped shape Bay Area cities, neighborhoods, businesses and lifestyles. These women will be honored at Bisnow's Bay Area Power Women event in San Francisco on May 30.
Leslie Moulton-Post is president and CEO of Environmental Science Associates, where she also sits on the board of directors for the employee-owned environmental science and planning firm. Moulton-Post has been with ESA for 35 years and was named president and CEO in 2016. She is a member of the Association of California Water Agencies, Association of Environmental Professionals, Water Environment Federation, California Water Environment Association, California Association of Sanitation Agencies, CalDesal and the WateReuse Association.
Bisnow: How do you describe your job to people who are not in the industry?
Moulton-Post: At ESA, we reduce the environmental impact of development and infrastructure projects and help get them completed (via impact assessment, permitting, monitoring and mitigation). We plan to advance a more sustainable and resilient world: communities, airports, parks, water resources, and natural and cultural resources stewardship. We restore wetlands, rivers, shorelines, oak woodlands and uplands.
Bisnow: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career and how did you achieve it?
Moulton-Post: Building a fun and high-performing team within ESA’s Water Practice and now watching it grow and thrive on its own. I am committed to investing in teams: collaborative problem-solving and decision-making, mutual respect, trust, innovation and shared work in the trenches.
Bisnow: How have you seen companies change the way they address wage and gender inequality in recent years?
Moulton-Post: Yes, making conscious efforts to address the conscious and unconscious bias that has allowed this inequality. More carefully monitoring and seeing the inequality and more proactive responses.
Bisnow: What piece of advice do you give others entering the industry?
Moulton-Post: Invest in and build relationships everywhere you go; assess how your career goals align with your company’s objectives and add value; act with integrity and don’t accept anything less from others.
Bisnow: What do you do to unwind when you’re not working?
Moulton-Post: Dog adventures with my partner, Jennifer, Henry (beagle) and Turner (retriever). Sing in a rock band (with my college mates, still!).
Meet ESA President and CEO Leslie Moulton-Post at Bisnow's Bay Area Power Women event May 30 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco.
