Meet Christina Johnson, Senior Geologist

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I would call myself a California transplant, with deep roots in Vancouver, Washington. I call Idaho home now.

What do you do at MFA?

I mostly contribute to the Coeur d’Alene Trust work in the Silver Valley, Idaho, by managing investigation of sites impacted by historical mining activities and evaluating how remedial actions affect water quality. I also get to support engineering projects by conducting drone flights to gather data needed for the designs.

What’s rewarding about your job?

I have the pleasure of working with great people—you know the kind? The kind of people who genuinely care about their colleagues, their clients, their home, and the high quality of their work. An added bonus is that our clients at the Coeur d’Alene Trust are good people who care about their community and the work we do to support a cleaner living environment.

Why is what you do important?

The scale of the work MFA does is massive—for example, we are helping to literally build a mountain while remediating historical mine and mill sites. The direct impacts of this work are improved human and ecological health.

What’s your favorite restaurant/place to go in your area?

It depends on my mood. I really enjoy Kaiju or Sushi I in Coeur d’Alene when craving sushi. If it is American pub food for dinner, I default to City Limits in Wallace or Radio Brewing in Kellogg.

What skills do you bring to your work?

I value integrity above all else, and I work to reflect that in my work. Whether I’m interacting with clients or working alongside fellow staff in the field, I maintain transparency to ensure that my work benefits the team and our clients.

What do you like to do off the clock?

Puttering around in my garden is my thing. There is something so therapeutic about getting my hands in some dirt and helping things grow. I also have a weird obsession with composting, which appeals to my aversion to wastefulness.

What’s the best advice you’ve received from a work colleague?

My all-time favorite piece of advice is “less is more.”

If you were not a project chemist/environmental scientist, what would you be?

I would be a holistic health practitioner.

What’s on your bucket list?

How many items am I allowed to list? I want to weave a blanket on my loom, go adventure driving for a few months, hike the Pacific Crest Trail, and successfully distill a spirit.

What was your favorite childhood movie/TV show?

I watched Anne of Green Gables until the tape broke. I currently watch it on DVD.

Learn more about Christina