From Mentee to Mentor: Hilary Kane's Inspiring Path in Environmental Science

Hilary Kane joined Terracon’s Sacramento team in 2019 as a staff scientist, with a bachelor’s degree in environmental chemistry from UC Davis and a deep-rooted passion for STEM. In her time with Terracon, she has spearheaded the growth of California’s regulatory compliance services and served as a mentor to young professionals just starting their careers. She is committed to giving back and eager to extend the same support she received early in her own career journey.

Q: What’s an interesting project you worked on at Terracon?

I love anything associated with manufacturing facilities, especially getting to see the behind–the–scenes and learn how things are made. It’s an opportunity to learn something new while assisting our clients in navigating regulatory compliance in California.

Q: What do you like about your role at Terracon?

I have a fantastic team and a supportive leadership group that encourages me to take on new challenges. After four years of honing my skills on our due diligence team, I recognized the need for a new challenge. I had done a little regulatory compliance over the years and started talking with our leaders about expanding the service in California — a region where regulations differ significantly from the rest of the country.

Since 2023, it has been a challenging yet tremendously rewarding journey. I’ve grown a network of Terracon mentors throughout the country who have shared their vast knowledge, allowing me to increase our services and capabilities. Since April, I’ve hired two people to join our regulatory compliance team in California. It is super exciting to see our growth and success!

Q: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in your field?

My mom and grandpa recognized early on that I had a knack for math and science, and they encouraged me to pursue a college degree in a related field. At first, I majored in political science, with plans to go into law. In my second semester, I took calculus as an elective – I thought the rest of my classes were boring. My advisor suggested I reconsider my major if I was taking upper-level math courses for fun! During my second year, I really enjoyed my organic chemistry classes and decided to pursue my Bachelor of Science in environmental chemistry.

Q: Are you involved with any professional organizations?

I joined Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Sacramento about a month after joining Terracon and am now in my fourth year serving as a board member. I have really enjoyed building my own network within the industry while participating in community outreach to give back to the greater Sacramento area. I’m excited to be in a new role this year as Director of Foundation / Next Gen, where I’m responsible for establishing a mentorship program with local colleges for young women interested in getting into the commercial real estate field and raising funds for our scholarship program.