In this article, National Brownfields Director Kelly Schmitt reflects on her brownfields journey and how community-centered approaches transform environmental challenges into opportunities for economic revitalization, cultural preservation and lasting community change.
Kelly Schmitt
National Brownfields Director
Some careers are just jobs. Mine has been a calling. From the very first brownfields grant I supported to the work I lead today at ҰƵapp, the focus has remained the same: helping communities reclaim their past to build a more sustainable future.
When I started my brownfields journey, I had no idea how deeply it would shape my perspective. One of the earliest and most memorable projects I was involved in was in Miles City, Montana, where we supported the cleanup of the Old Holy Rosary Hospital, an aging, shuttered building that had outlived its original purpose. Working alongside the local housing authority to secure funding, the vision was transformative: convert an urban blight into affordable housing that families desperately needed.
The day I left Montana, I heard a story on the radio about the grand opening of that very housing project. It was a full-circle moment that encapsulates why this work is so important. I didn’t get to see the ribbon-cutting or witness the first family move in, but I knew I had played a small part in making it possible. In brownfields work, we don’t always get to witness the end result, but that doesn’t make the job any less rewarding.
Another project I worked on that exemplifies the broader potential of brownfields work is the Garden of Surging Waves in Astoria, Oregon, a public park and cultural heritage site celebrating Chinese American history. It’s a beautiful, meaningful space rooted in community pride and cultural healing, and it exists in part because brownfields funding helped clear the way. These projects highlight the power of brownfields work to not only improve environmental conditions but also help communities tell their stories and shape their identities.
“We help create housing where there was once hazard, parks where there was once pollution and hope where there was once disinvestment. Even when our names aren’t on plaques, we know our efforts made those moments possible.”
— Kelly Schmitt, National Brownfields Director, ҰƵapp
Like many professionals, my path hasn’t been linear. I left consulting temporarily, but I continued writing brownfields grants because the work kept calling me back. During that hiatus, I worked for a nonprofit social services organization in Milwaukee, helping secure funding for youth programs, housing initiatives and mental health services. That experience was eye-opening. It introduced me to challenges I had never directly encountered and deepened my empathy for communities we serve.
When I returned to brownfields work, I brought a broader, more compassionate perspective, recognizing that our efforts extend far beyond land reuse to encompass the lives that are fundamentally shaped by environmental and economic conditions.
My role at ҰƵapp allows me to bring all this experience together — technical expertise, grant writing and a passion for community impact. I’m part of a team that shares these values and commits to helping local governments, regional agencies and nonprofits transform uncertainty into opportunity. We approach each project understanding that environmental sustainability, economic revitalization and community development are all interconnected.
Brownfields work is rarely fast-paced or glamorous, and its impact often remains invisible to the broader public. But the patience required is worth it. Each successful project becomes a catalyst that ripples through generations, creating opportunities for families and businesses that might never have existed otherwise.
That legacy is a privilege to be part of, and it’s why ҰƵapp remains committed to this essential work.
Kelly Schmitt
National Brownfields Director
Kelly Schmitt leads ҰƵapp’ nationwide brownfields initiative, bringing over two decades of experience in brownfields redevelopment, environmental assessment, remediation, and grant writing. Her expertise spans everything from conducting Phase I ESAs to writing Records of Decision for complex state superfund sites. Kelly has written multiple EPA-approved QAPPs and has navigated regulatory frameworks like RCRA to achieve critical outcomes, including contained-out determinations.
She has overseen work on a wide range of sites, including former mine lands, landfills, sawmills, and commercial buildings with asbestos. As Brownfields Director, she works closely with local governments and nonprofits to secure and manage EPA, EDA, and USDA funding. Kelly has solely secured 27 EPA brownfields grants and assisted with hundreds more.