Alumni in Sustainability Careers Panel – Making Connections and Taking Risks
In a recent virtual panel hosted by the University of St Andrews Careers Centre, Communications, and Development teams, four alumni shared how their St Andrews experiences shaped diverse and meaningful careers in sustainability. The key takeaway: embracing opportunities that align with your values can lead you to a fulfilling and impactful career.
Held on April 23, the panel featured Salvatore Coppolla-Finegan (MA Hons 2008) Charlie Davis (MA Hons 2017), Rachael Everard (MA Hons 2012), and Arabella Willing (BSc 2009), with Amy Kinsman and Sharon Cant from the careers team serving as moderators. Each panelist brought a unique perspective on sustainability, reflecting the vast range of paths this field now offers.
Rachael Everard, now Director of Sustainability at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), began her academic journey in Geography but switched to Sustainable Development and Management. A pivotal internship with an oil and gas company helped her realize the power of working on sustainability from within business.
“When I started out, there were very few sustainability careers,” she said. “I joined a general graduate programme at Rolls-Royce and, after several years, became Manager of Sustainability—the highest sustainability role in the company at the time.”
During her tenure, she led the company’s climate policy and strategy. At RSSB, she now leads a team of environmental experts supporting the rail industry in meeting ambitious sustainability goals. Reflecting on her time at university, she said, “Taking advantage of opportunities at St Andrews helped me define what I wanted—to combine my interest in sustainability with corporate impact. I’m really glad I explored all the options available.”
Arabella Willing followed a more international path. After graduating with a degree in Marine Biology, she took a teaching position in the Maldives. There, she discovered that many resorts employed resident marine biologists. One email to an outgoing biologist led to her first major role at the Park Hyatt in the Maldives as resident marine biologist before transferring to the Park Hyatt in Abu Dhabi where she launched a programme of citizen science outreach initiatives.
In this role she cultivated a vibrant network of scientists, participated in local natural history groups, and spearheaded community programs—including beach patrols during turtle nesting season, which are still active today.
This passion for public engagement eventually led to her current role as Head of Conservation Outreach and Citizen Science at Emirates Nature- WWF where she leads on numerous outreach opportunities engaging individuals, schools, and organizations to mobilize for environmental protection. In 2023, she won Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Award in the Environmental Initiator category.
“Find your community—even outside your day job,” she advised. “Boldly ask how you can get involved. That’s how I ended up where I am now.”
Salvatore Coppolla-Finegan, who earned a degree in Ancient History and Foreign Languages, began his career in the steel industry in Central America before moving into the public sector. He went on to obtain several postgraduate degrees in a number of different areas including Engineering, Planetary Health, and Geography and Spatial Planning.
Speaking of how his studies at St Andrews prepared him for further degrees, Salvatore said: “The interdisciplinary education at St Andrews really prepared me for postgraduate studies.
“It taught me to connect ideas across time and cultures—an essential skill in policy advocacy.”
Today, he is a board member of EcoCitizen, a sustainability-focused non-profit he co-founded that uses data-driven research to inform policy. He is also a research affiliate at the University of Oxford.
Salvatore emphasized the importance of active participation: “Looking back, I wish I’d taken advantage of more opportunities. Once you’re in the real world, being engaged and creating value is usually a net good.”
Charlie Davis now works as a rural surveyor at Sylvestris Land Management, a consultancy she co-founded which provides strategic and financial advice to clients ranging from private estate owners to non-governmental organisations. She was also instrumental in developing a long-term partnership between the University and Corrour Estate in the Scottish Highlands—a 57,000-acre landscape dedicated to regenerative land management and peatland restoration.
Speaking of her time at St Andrews, Charlie started in English and Philosophy, ultimately leaving with a degree in Sustainable Development and Social Anthropology. Charlie credits taking advantage of opportunities at the University which aligned with her values with helping her discover her true passions. At a time when many in her cohort were taking summer corporate internships, she chose to remain in St Andrews, supporting several Transition environment initiatives.
Upon graduation she worked in several roles, eventually working as a volunteer and ultimately in the role of ranger at the National Park. This experience led her to develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of land management, and the impact climate has on the land itself. She quickly came to realise that the most effective approach to regenerative land management was to work within the land-owning community, before taking a masters degree in land management at Aberdeen University.
Charlie acknowledged that entering the male-dominated land management field was a risk. “I didn’t look like a typical land manager, but what got me in—and what keeps me here—is a genuine passion for the land and working with good people,” she said. “I used to worry I wasn’t driven enough, but the activities I enjoyed most helped shape my values and direction. I didn’t do the high-powered internships. I just followed what I loved.”
All four panelists echoed a shared message: take risks, explore widely, and build relationships.
“St Andrews gave me a strong foundation,” Arabella said. “But I do wish I’d knocked on more doors while I was there.”
“Find what you enjoy so that it doesn’t feel like work,” added Charlie.
The session highlighted the growing diversity and opportunity in sustainability careers—from corporate ESG strategy and scientific outreach to land management and policy research. These alumni prove that there’s no one path to making a difference—just the willingness to follow your passion, stay curious, and connect with others who care.