ALASKA – As of June 2021, not one or two, but three This is Who We Are regional employee engagement sessions will be complete. This moves the Alaska Region closer to its goal of ensuring all permanent R10 employees participate in a full-day conversation about the Forest Service and its intent to be a values-based, purpose-driven and relationship-focused organization.

Before an official rollout of the R10 effort, nearly two dozen Alaska Region employees stepped up and volunteered to join two scheduled pilot sessions to help organizers and ambassadors set the stage for a more robust year-long, monthly offering. Here’s some insight from a few of those participants:

Jon Gellings, a contract specialist working from Juneau, shared that he felt it was valuable to gain knowledge on key concepts so he could be a positive advocate. He was also happy to help R10 ambassadors work through a pilot session and smooth out any IT issues so that there would be fewer surprises during implementation.   

He said he took away quite a bit from the pilot session. “Every one of us should be conceptualizing and acting with the Forest Service code and commitments in mind, and the This is Who We Are engagement helps bring our values to the forefront during scenario-based, decision-making exercises.”

Gellings reported he is more mindful of his interactions with others. “Many of us are striving for perfection and maximum production, while others may feel a little more hesitant to do so, given the totality of current circumstances,” he added. “Sometimes taking yourself a little less seriously can help bridge this gap and foster beneficial working relationships while bringing others along well beyond the current emergency or urgent requirement.”

Gelling encourages all regional employees to register for the course. “The project that you are working on can likely wait another few hours, whereas if you take to heart and learn the concepts included in this session, you will be able to successfully lead others for many years to come.”

Tchelet Segev is a project engineer from Anchorage. She is another one of nearly two dozen employees who attended one of two regional pilot sessions. Segev shared that she heard a lot about This is Who We Are, read through the booklet and heard leadership reference it a lot, so she was excited to see what it was all about and to share any feedback. As the chair of the R10 Employee Advisory Group, Segev said continuing to improve the workplace environment is very important to her.

“I see This is Who We Are as another pillar in the agency’s effort to build an inclusive and welcoming culture,” she continued. “There are many individuals who care a lot about really trying to make this agency and the region the best it can be, but we need to work together and communicate clearly to get there!”

Segev said she is usually very vocal with feedback, “but this session inspired me to speak up even more when I see something at work that isn’t quite right.” For those scheduled to take the regional training, Segev shared some advice. “I think it’s really important that you go into the training with an open mind and ready to engage,” she pondered.  

“For some employees, this training will be another tool in their toolkit, for some it will be eye-opening, for some, it may be reinforcing what you’ve previously understood, and some may have other takeaways.” Segev offered that what is most important is understanding that employees are taking this training for two reasons: for themselves and for the people around them who may need someone to lean on for support in the future.

Heidi Lombard, a fisheries biologist in Petersburg, said she attended a regional pilot session because she was curious about what This is Who We Are training involved. “If we do right in our treatment of one another then great things will happen,” she added.

Lombard reminisced about the code and commitments portion of the training which she said resonated with her. “If we truly followed those then everyone wins.”

For those registered for upcoming sessions, Lombard added that it’s a good reminder for employees who have been with the Forest Service for a while, and important for new employees who are just starting in the agency.