Jennifer Gillen

The fact that I’ve found a profession where I’m able to use my environmental expertise to fulfill my passion for both ecological conservation and brownfield revitalization is enough to make me happy in my career. Add in LaBella’s leadership development focus and opportunities to empower my team to pursue their passions, and I can truly say I love my job.

Jennifer joined LaBella as an intern in 2009 and rose through the ranks from Phase I Environmental Analyst to Phase II Analyst/Scientist to Brownfield Project Manager to Environmental Operations Manager, leading a team of more than 240 professionals. In 2023, Jennifer was promoted to Director of Environmental, a role in which she oversees the firm’s environmental consulting and construction projects and personnel, as well as focuses on building client partnerships, developing new service offerings, and expanding into new geographic areas.

She is deeply passionate about her work in remediating and redeveloping brownfield properties and has successfully managed numerous brownfield and state Superfund projects, enabling redevelopment for affordable housing. Additionally, she runs LaBella’s Affordable Housing Committee, a multi-disciplinary team of professionals that empowers LaBella to assist our partners in creating affordable and supportive housing. Jennifer is a founding member of LaBella’s Inclusion Council, a Vice President of the firm, and an active member of LINC (LaBella in the Community), an employee-led organization that seeks opportunities to participate in charitable community activities.

Jennifer earned BA and MS degrees in Geological Sciences from SUNY Albany and is a licensed Professional Geologist in the state of New York. She serves as a member of the Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast (BCONE) and as a Board Member/Vice President on the Carbon Forestry Trust. Additionally, Jennifer is active in the Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity’s Rochester Women Build program.