Behind the scenes – Arya Jemal
Born and raised in the US, Arya Jemal’s journey led her to Armenia, where she joined Civitta as a Consultant. With a background in greenhouse gas emissions modelling, climate adaptation, and agriculture, Arya has become a key contributor to the most impactful climate projects.
What does your current role at Civitta look like, and what excites you most about it?
I’m part of the team focused on sustainability projects. The projects span a wide range – climate change mitigation, circular economy, waste management, food security, agricultural development. Most are based in Armenia, but we also take on international work.
What excites me most is the variety of people and expertise you get to work with. My colleagues in the US are definitely envious that I’m not limited to one country or one type of project. Being able to collaborate with international organisations, different governments, and specialists from so many fields is something that’s hard to find.
What has been your most significant project so far?
Without a doubt Armenia’s Nationally Determined Contributions – the document that sets the country’s greenhouse gas emissions targets for the next 10 years. It covers both climate mitigation and adaptation targets and involves working with basically every relevant body in the Armenian government as well as international organisations.
For me personally, doing emissions modelling on a national scale was both challenging and deeply rewarding. I’m genuinely proud to have been part of it. It’s a critical climate document for Armenia and I feel lucky I got to contribute to it.
How has your education shaped the way you work today?
I studied sustainability at Columbia University which is connected to the Climate School and the Earth Institute. The programme was very much geared towards building specific, practical skills – greenhouse gas emissions accounting, GIS, life cycle analysis, solar modelling, sustainable finance, forestry management.
My graduate tenure at Columbia as well as my undergraduate time at Swarthmore College both gave me a solid analytical foundation that I can apply across a large range of projects and geographies. Whether I’m working on an emissions inventory, a renewable energy project, or an agriculture training, I know I have the tools to back them up.
Which Civitta’s value resonates with you most?
“Explorers at heart” – certainly. I came to Armenia through a Fulbright research fellowship and never originally planned to stay. But I found a role I’m genuinely excited about and a team I really love working with. I think people underestimate how much the quality of your colleagues matters. Many of my friends in the US would love to work with people they actually enjoy being around – and I have that here.
Being open to unexpected paths, working in environments I never anticipated is very much how I’ve approached my career.
What advice would you give to people just starting their careers?
Take every opportunity – even the imperfect ones. A lot of people wait for the perfect role or project and in doing so they miss chances to grow. I’ve always tried to say yes and gain as much experience as possible from every opportunity.
And never stop learning – not just from experts but from everyone around you. The most experienced consultants I’ve worked with are the ones that are the most eager to learn something new.