Tracy Yenolevich: The green machine

To quote the wise and scholarly musings of Kermit the Frog, it’s not easy being green.
But Tracy Yenolevich would beg to differ.

LVEDC’s administrative assistant is an enthusiastic environmentalist who doesn’t view her interest in saving the planet as a burden like the sometimes downtrodden and laconic Muppet A-lister. But don’t reduce her interest in saving the environment strictly to hugging trees or wearing Birkenstocks, dude.  The woman owns some serious intellectual chops on the issue and has the pedigree to prove it.

 “I think it’s important that you look at the big picture when you think about environmentalism and in particular sustainability,” she says during our interview in a soft-spoken tone.

Yes, she’s done a term paper on sprawl in the Lehigh Valley as a graduate student at Lehigh University where she is pursuing a Master’s Degree on how our public health has deteriorated because of it.

“I cited a great book for that paper called ‘Urban Sprawl, Public Health” that goes over the major points of why sprawl is bad. Like obesity and how we become such an auto dependent society.”

And her favorite football team? The Philadelphia Eagles.

Go Green!

Smart growth and a great future
Tracy Yenolevich’s journey to LVEDC began on the serene campus of Elizabethtown College during her junior year at a seminar that focused on environmentalism and development issues, particularly internationally.

With sheepskin in hand Yenolevich became more interested in a career in economic development, landing at LVEDC in 2008. Starting as a receptionist, Yenolevich eventually moved up to become an administrative assistant, providing support for several LVEDC departments.

“I work pretty much for everyone in the office,” Yenolevich notes. “I usually work on Investor Reports and handle the Real Estate, Legislative and Governmental Relations (LGR) and Lehigh Valley Land Recycling Initiative (LVLRI) committee.”

It’s her work with LVLRI that holds most of her interest. LVLRI of course is focused on facilitating the redevelopment of abandoned or underutilized industrial and commercial properties (Brownfields) throughout the Lehigh Valley.  The Initiative is a project of LVEDC and is funded primarily by Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Yenolevich’s said LVLRI Coordinator Holly Edinger has been helpful.

“Because of my passion for the environment I work with Holly and she’s really taught me a lot about what she does and I’ve become very interested in that,” Yenolevich says.
LVEDC’s commitment to the environment is evident in the Five-Year Strategic Plan, which is designated prominently in Priority B under the heading of Advancing Sustainable Development Themes.

“The future of economic development is in smart growth,” she says. “And what LVLRI does with brownfields redevelopment is an integral part of that. The grants that LVLRI provides to these properties are really keys to making them economically viable again and creating a better quality of life for Lehigh Valley residents.”

Her long-term goals in sustainability are not only ambitious, but eminently attainable.
“I want to become a leader when it comes to sustainable development,” she notes. “Whether it’s on a city, county or regional level, I think there’s a lot of room for LVEDC to be moving in that direction whether it’s in 5 or even 10 years.”

Smart Growth and regionalism are keys to the Lehigh Valley - and the nation’s – future, Yenolevich explains.

“A lot of environmental degradation happens because of sprawl,” she says. “And when you take growth that is inevitable and you do it smartly and regionally you end up with a better end product.”

When the question of what defines success is posed to Yenolevich, she responds with vim and vigor.

“Making people’s lives better and alleviating poverty,” were her top two responses. “And of course saving the environment.”

So for Tracy Yenolevich it is easy being green.