Please include details about your educational background and what sparked your interest in atmospheric or related sciences.

I was first introduced to meteorology in middle school during a summer science camp. I always liked science, but never loved any specific discipline of science. Meteorology seemed like a really cool application of a broad range of topics, so it really appealed to me. I started my undergraduate degree the University of Northern Iowa. I worked on a research project with the one meteorology professor they had before transferring to Iowa State University, where I continued working on the research project for my undergraduate thesis. At ISU, I was able to graduate with a BS in meteorology, minors in math and chemistry, and a long-term plan to become a researcher. I went to graduate school at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to study atmospheric modeling. Even though I liked what I was doing, I also had a life-long love of teaching. I realized that I would not be a very good professor if I didn’t also improve my understanding of education. So, I finished my MS in Atmospheric Science and went back to Iowa to get my PhD in Science Education at the University of Iowa. While unorthodox, my decision to do research in science education significantly changed my perspective on the world. My understanding of how people learn not only made me a better teacher, it also gave me a deeper understanding of the scientific process, which also made me a better scientist and a better researcher. I really enjoyed my education journey!

What was your first job in the field and how did you end up in the job you are in now?

I had several jobs throughout graduate school that I consider my first jobs. I worked as a Research Assistant on several projects, a Teaching Assistant, and was an NSF fellow for a year. It wasn’t until I finished my PhD that I started looking for that first long-term position in the career I wanted. But things didn’t quite go how I expected them to. Due to family circumstances, I wasn’t able to move away from Eastern Iowa, which put severe limitations on the jobs that were available to me. In our field, most jobs are clustered around very specific parts of the US or they require frequent moving. Since my partner had a full-time job that he loved and we had to schedule our lives around our two very little kids, finding the right fit for me seemed impossible. Yet, I knew I wanted to be a working meteorologist and I wasn’t ready to give that up. So, I had to make my own opportunities. I started looking for random short-term projects that paid by the hour, mostly to keep me busy. Eventually, I found myself working enough hours that it seemed reasonable to create a business entity for myself, thus I became the founder and owner of Yarker Consulting. Over time, we developed a separate product to support the services offered at Yarker Consulting, so I also became CEO of Ycomm, LLC.

What opportunities did you pursue that you knew would be beneficial to securing a job in the profession?

I had no idea I would end up where I am, so I spent the last 5 years scrambling to find any possible support/resources to help me make this insane transition from academic researcher to business owner. A lot of stuff ended up not being very helpful, but there were a couple things that made a huge difference.

The first thing I did was work towards becoming a Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM). This extra credential was another way to validate my knowledge and experience as a professional and connected me with a network of meteorologists who do the same kind of work I do, which was incredibly valuable.

I connected with my local Small Business Development Center (SBDC), an organization that offers free business counseling for small business owners. There are centers located all over the country, so you can usually find one nearby. The counselor I worked with changed everything because he introduced me to a network of small business owners in my area and recommended me for the local Venture School program.

Finally, the Venture School Program gave me the education about business ownership that I was sorely lacking. It is a 6-week, intensive course that will guide you through the process of starting up a new business, from idea to a viable business product. Venture Schools are generally grant funded and supported by academic institutions, so they are low-cost and designed for working adults. It was exactly what I needed at the time!

What other courses/skills beyond the required math and science courses do you think would be the most helpful to individuals wanting a career in your profession?

Verbal and written communication skills are how you interface with clients, so it is imperative that you present yourself as both knowledgeable and professional. Project management is another essential skill. It is the only way to keep track of multiple projects when they are all in different stages as well as keep up with the day-to-day tasks required to keep a functioning business.

Given the opportunity, I definitely would have taken a few introductory business classes. It’s not necessary to be an expert but understanding the basic principals about how successfully startup and run a business is essential. The rest of the details (like how to file taxes, what business entity to form, how to manage a budget, etc.) can be picked up as needed. Or, you can outsource the work by hire people who are experts in that area, like a CPA, marketing specialist, or website designer.

Other community resources to consider are:
1. The Small Business Development Center offers free counseling for small business owners. are centers all over the nation, so you can find one close to you: https://americassbdc.org/

2. Venture School is like a short-term, mini course that is both educational and practical. There are venture schools all over the country, it’s just a matter of finding one close to you.

What is your typical day on the job like?

It varies a lot from day to day. I work from home and I have to work around my family’s schedules, so I have to find blocks of time each day where I can sit down and work on the tasks I need to get done.

Most days, I have a conference call scheduled with a business partner, client, or a volunteer board/committee. Everything else is ranked by priority. Client projects always rank highest, but I am often in a period of waiting with those (i.e., I submitted my report to the attorney and now we are waiting for the courts to schedule and announce the next steps). So most days, I am working on other business necessities:

1. Marketing (i.e., social media, blogging, and networking events)
2. Writing research papers (another form on marketing)
3. Writing proposals (i.e., looking for new projects)
4. Prototyping (developing new products/services for additional income)
5. Market research (talking to potential customers)

The hardest to keep up with are the day-to-day business tasks, like budgeting, filing, emails, etc. It is really easy to push them aside for another day, but once you get behind it will take forever to get caught up, which can cause problems for other aspects of your business, including potential clients! So, setting aside time for this every day is essential

What do you like most about your job? What is the most challenging thing about your job?

The most challenging thing is that, as a business owner (especially one that works from home) I am constantly bouncing back and forth between my personal and professional mindset. One minute, I will be helping my kids get ready for school, then will have a couple hours to myself to focus on work projects. Suddenly, I’m back into another family commitment and my work project is set aside until later in the day. Even my email inbox is a constant barrage of personal and professional correspondence that frequently leads to intermingling of professional/personal headspace. There are times when I wish I had a job where I could go to work and just be a meteorologist for a few hours every day (without the constant distractions from my personal life), so when I come home I can focus on being mom/partner (without the constant distractions from my professional life).

What I like best about the job is the freedom! I get to decide what projects I take on and I can turn down any that I am not excited about. I even get to create my own projects whenever inspiration strikes. Every day I get to work on something that I am super passionate about. I also get to decide when I collaborate on a project and who I collaborate with. I am really lucky in that regard because I have met some amazing colleagues over the years, and together we have created some really cool and innovative stuff!

Does your job allow for a good work/life balance? If not, why?

Yes and no.

YES, it can be. Because I get to decide what projects I take on, when I work, where I work, and for how long I work. This allows me to have a super flexible schedule to work around my family’s schedule and be available for my kids during the day when emergencies arise. This flexibility is so incredibly rare in our field, so I feel very fortunate to be able to do this as a career. Truly, this flexibility is the reason I became a consultant and opened my own business.

Sometimes, NO. No matter how hard I plan, deadlines inevitably overlap, and that’s when I struggle to keep up with projects as well as the required business tasks. Since I have family commitments during the day, I end up working a lot of late nights and weekends which makes it extremely difficult to schedule the necessary “me time” to take a break and recharge. I’m still trying to figure this balance out.

Over the course of your career what is the most exciting thing that has happened to you?

One of the most daunting tasks is the innovation and development of a new product/service. Once you have an idea, a lot of effort goes into customer research, market research, evaluation, prototyping, revising, testing, more revising, and phased release. You can be as thorough with the research as possible and be certain that there is a need for your product/service, but at the end of the day it is still scary to put yourself out there and not *really* know how your idea will be received.

That is why when my colleagues and I recently rolled out a brand new service, and the immediate feedback was support and appreciation… I felt so incredibly proud of myself and my team. It really is the best feeling in the world!

Is there anything you wish you had done differently in your career?

I wish I would have reached out to my local small-business community much sooner than I did. I had this idea in my head that no one around me could possibly understand what I am doing, because they aren’t consulting meteorologists and are not creating meteorology products. But I learned that my community is full of people who have a variety of experiences and expertise and can provide support for my business in ways that I never even considered. And the best part was that I discovered my strengths as a business owner, because I was able to lend support others as well. It was a fantastic, untapped resource that was hiding right under my nose the whole time!

What are some ‘must haves’’ on a resume if a person wants to gain employment in your field?

I strongly recommend the CCM. Potential clients see that certification and feel confident that I am a legitimate, trustworthy, and professional meteorologist.

Leadership experience. It can be leading a project, but also could be as simple as volunteering on local and/or professional boards. BE ACTIVE. Make it obvious that you can get work done, especially in a group setting. Clients want to know that you will be a good person to work with.

Communication skills. Make sure your CV has a list of presentations, whether they are national meetings or smaller, local conferences. Reference any videos/podcasts of yourself. List publications and any other professional writing you have done.