Employee Appreciation: Jennifer Torrance

By Greta Engel

Phipps is well-known for our beautiful gardens, seasonal flower shows, pioneering sustainability initiative, informative educational programs and community outreach. None of our work would be possible without the knowledge and dedication of our employees. There is a wide array of departments at Phipps, each playing an integral role in creating a wonderful experience for our guests. In this series of profiles, we meet some of our employees and get a glimpse into what they do to make Phipps possible. 

After graduating from college, Youth Climate Advocacy Coordinator Jennifer Torrance applied to every open internship available at Phipps. Her valuable experience as a Science Education intern inspired her to apply to a full-time position which eventually led Jennifer to her current role. Jennifer’s position is unique because she coordinates the Youth Climate Advocacy Committee (YCAC) and the Climate Toolkit Youth Network (CTYN). As Jennifer describes it, “YCAC is a youth-driven committee of people between the ages of 16 and 23 who are passionate about the environment and helping their communities.” Jennifer empowers the members of YCAC to take meaningful action through the programming she creates. The CTYN is a larger group of youth and staff at museums, gardens and zoos around the world that enables “youth and staff to collaborate, share resources and celebrate each other’s work.”

In her role as the Youth Climate Advocacy Coordinator, Jennifer spends her workdays “contacting guest speakers, developing collaborative partnerships, coordinating events and opportunities, organizing YCAC and CTYN meetings and providing support for youth-led climate initiatives.” Her favorite part of the job is the incredible people that she gets to work with, describing the staff at Phipps as kind, genuine and knowledgeable. She also loves working with the youth who inspire her and make her laugh every day! “We have an amazing community and working with people who care so much gives me a lot of hope for the future. They make my work feel meaningful and make me so proud to work here alongside them,” says Jennifer.

As a child, Jennifer’s dad owned a landscaping business which led her to develop a love of plants and nature. During her first visit to the Conservatory in college, Jennifer recalls being fascinated by the variety of plants, especially the different kinds of magnolia trees. When asked about her favorite memory while working at Phipps, Jennifer remembers the two times she witnessed the corpse flowers bloom. Corpse flowers only bloom every few years, so it was a momentous occasion for Phipps and plant lovers throughout Pittsburgh. The first time, when the corpse flower named “Romero” bloomed, Jennifer had just started as an intern. She was able to teach the public about corpse flowers and stay at the Conservatory into the night for the special occasion. The second time, when “Barbara” bloomed, Jennifer came back at night to see the spectacular sight!

Through her work at Phipps, Jennifer was also granted the amazing opportunity to travel to Dubai with YCAC youth leader Anna Bagwell for the global climate conference, COP28. Jennifer and Anna sat in negotiation rooms and made connections with negotiators through YOUNGO, the United Nations’ official youth and children observer constituency. Although the conference included long days and hard work, they were able to participate in exciting opportunities, like helping draft text about Action for Climate Empowerment initiatives. Reflecting on the trip, Jennifer says, “It was amazing to hear the text we drafted being negotiated by parties! It made me feel like we were part of something so much bigger than ourselves. As a bonus, we started off every morning by joining the YOUNGO crowd in singing a parody of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” about climate action!”

Outside of work, Jennifer has many hobbies! She loves being outdoors through horseback riding, hiking with her dogs and gardening. Jennifer also enjoys engaging in creative outlets like crafting and DIY home improvements. She is very passionate about roller coasters and knows a lot about different models and theme parks. Jennifer loves sharing her passion with others and is a wonderful role model for young climate activists through her work at Phipps!