Inspired by nature, guided by purpose

When people hear that Tenaya is from California, they often picture beaches, palm trees, and sunshine. From the snowy Tahoe mountains of her native California to studies and work in Montana and New Zealand: Tenaya has combined her love of science, adventure and the great outdoors, developing a life and career that is anything but conventional.

Taking a leap into the unknown

Tenaya always knew she would experience life beyond the United States. 

After completing a Bachelor of Science degree at Montana State University-Bozeman, she considered several overseas opportunities. When a professor offered her the chance to conduct research and pursue a Ph.D. in New Zealand, she accepted without delay. The decision was an easy one since she had already fallen in love with the country when visiting as a competitive skier. Initially considered just a temporary adventure, New Zealand became a permanent home and the scene for her life’s next chapter. 

Still in her early twenties, relocating halfway around the world required courage and adaptability. A big challenge was learning to navigate life and take responsibility for herself since family now lived thousands of miles away. 

Over time, those challenges helped Tenaya become more confident, self-reliant and open to new experiences. The transition taught her that growth often begins where one’s comfort zone ends – a lesson that still influences her personally and professionally.

A life lived outdoors

She also loves mountain biking, hiking, trail running and surfing. Whether climbing mountains, exploring backcountry huts or planning the next adventure, nature remains her preferred place to recharge. 

Search and rescue: finding purpose through service

One of the most unique aspects of Tenaya’s story is her involvement in volunteer Land Search and Rescue New Zealand.

The organization supports people who become lost or injured in remote areas. When helicopters cannot reach those in need, specially trained volunteers, like Tenaya, step in. Members learn navigation, tracking, wilderness safety, first aid and how to carry out rescue operations.

While helping people is rewarding in itself, the experience has provided some unexpected benefits. Through search and rescue, Tenaya meets people from very different walks of life – hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, retirees and other local community members – quite different from the circle of engineers she works with.

The community aspect became especially important after moving abroad. Far from family, she built relationships with people of different ages and backgrounds who offered support, perspective and friendship.

The search and rescue experience also taught her about the importance of confidence, which is equally valuable in professional life. 

Turning engineering into tangible impact

Tenaya switched majors several times before discovering a passion for collaborative problem-solving. After initial forays in biology, chemistry and even architecture, she found her tribe in engineering. 

And at GEA, she found exactly what she was looking for: Engineering that delivers tangible results.

The same curiosity that once encouraged her to move across the world now drives her approach to engineering. What excites her most is seeing ideas move beyond drawings and calculations to up and running plants.

She enjoys working on projects that improve existing facilities; where every challenge is unique and each solution has a visible impact. Seeing equipment come to life and working directly with plant operators allows her to continuously learn and grow as an engineer.

Particularly motivating is the opportunity to improve efficiency and support more sustainable industrial operations. While she acknowledges that no single project can eliminate global challenges like climate change, she believes meaningful progress happens through many smaller improvements: optimizing a process, reducing waste, or making someone’s job a little easier – one project at a time.

That mindset aligns strongly with GEA’s purpose: Engineering for a better world.

Learning at every step

Ask Tenaya what success means, and her answer is refreshingly simple: “Success means that you’ve learned something and had fun along the way.”

That philosophy has guided every stage of her journey – from California to Montana, from New Zealand research labs and dairy factories, and ultimately to GEA.

Rather than following a rigid career plan, she embraced opportunities as they appeared, trusting that each new experience would teach her something valuable. Looking back, she describes her path as a series of open doors, each leading to unexpected adventures and personal growth.

Her advice to others: Say “yes” to something new.