Finding a Passion for Environmental Preparedness and Response: Kenzie’s EMAP Story

By Sofia Rosales, 11/25/2025

At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Region 8 Emergency Management Branch, Kenzie King (EMAP ’23) plays a vital role in preparing for and responding to environmental emergencies across six western states. As an emergency planner and equipment coordinator, she ensures that the Region’s Emergency Management Readiness Center (EMRC) and its specialized instruments, ranging from mercury vapor analyzers and multi-gas detectors to handheld XRFs, are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. Her work also involves close collaboration with state partners to strengthen response readiness and coordination. “No two days look the same for me,” King explains. “One day I might be overseeing our readiness center to make sure everything is response-ready, and the next I’m working with our state counterparts to ensure they’re prepared to respond to emergencies or know when to call us for help.”

King’s path to EPA began with Georgetown University’s Environmental Metrology and Policy (EMAP) program, which she credits with expanding both her technical foundation and professional network. “As a first-generation student from a rural community, Georgetown and EMAP gave me access to things I had never had access to before,” she says. “Between the amazing staff and professors, ambitious and diverse classmates, and the location, EMAP was an easy choice for me.” The program’s supportive community proved instrumental in helping her identify career opportunities. “The staff and professors were incredible in guiding me toward my first job and connecting me with people to explore my options. As someone who felt lost about how to get a foot in the door, having that support made me never regret choosing EMAP.”

After graduating, King began her EPA career as a forensic chemist in the Agency’s criminal and civil enforcement programs, where she relied heavily on the technical precision emphasized in EMAP. “My knowledge of metrology and traceability from EMAP was absolutely invaluable,” she notes. “It was eye opening to realize how critical traceability is in all the technical work done at EPA.” Even after transitioning into emergency management, she continues to apply those principles daily. “Traceability and accuracy of our results are vital to making effective decisions during responses. EMAP shaped how I think about data, especially the importance of verifying that we can trust what our instruments are telling us.” King is now developing field instrument guides to help ensure response teams maintain the highest data quality standards in the field.

She also credits EMAP for broadening her perspective on environmental challenges and the interconnected nature of the work. “I’ve learned so much from my classmates and professors about their specific areas of expertise, and that’s helped me make more holistic decisions at work,” she says. “It’s also given me a network of people I can reach out to whenever I encounter a question outside of my expertise.”

Looking ahead, King is committed to strengthening EPA’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities across the Region. “In the next five to ten years, I hope to continue building our readiness programs and start playing a larger role on the ground during responses,” she says. “Emergency management wasn’t something I ever imagined myself doing, but I’ve found it’s exactly where I want to be.”

For current and prospective EMAP students, King emphasizes the importance of curiosity and connection. “Ask for feedback, make genuine connections with the people around you, and say yes to every opportunity, no matter how small it may seem,” she advises. “Those three things will help you more than anything else to become a more effective leader in the environmental field.”

Reflecting on her time at Georgetown, King says the biggest lesson she’s learned is not to limit herself. “I wish I knew during my first semester not to box myself into one area of interest,” she says. “Venturing outside your comfort zone can lead to paths you never expected. Emergency management wasn’t even on my radar at the time, but putting myself out there led me to a career I can see myself doing forever.”

From forensic chemistry to environmental emergency management, Kenzie King’s career demonstrates how the EMAP program equips its graduates to adapt, innovate, and lead in diverse roles that protect public health and the environment.