Our Young Professional for this week is Physical Planner ii in the Town and Country Planning unit of the Virgin Islands Mr Dylan J. Penn. Photo: Provided

One of the many things our Young Professional loves doing is singing as he does in church and with several bands in the territory. Photo: Provided

Mr Dylan J. Penn's love for the arts sees him also doing a lot of drumming. Photo: Provided

With his deep love for nature, Mr Dylan J. Penn spends quality time in the waters surrounding the Virgin Islands. Photo: Provided

Mr Dylan J. Penn sometimes finds peace just sitting all alone on the beach and enjoying the sunset. Photo: Provided

Dylan is a person that stands out in a crowd. He carries a smile wherever he goes, is never droopy, and there is never a dull moment with him because one of his life's mottos is “Never let a dull moment get you down. Life if short and how you treat it is just what it will do for you.”

Despite his light side, Dylan is always focused regardless of what the activity may be. "Whether it's being actively engaged in youth affairs in the territory or in my local church, whatever task is before me, I put my all into it.”

His persona can be confirmed by his lone sibling, parents, workmates and brothers and sisters of the Apostolic Faith Church and most of all by his wife of three years. 

He also has very strong family values and credits his marriage as an important step of his manhood.

Mr Penn holds a Master's in Environmental Management, which he obtained through a year of hard work, dedication and some level of fun at the University of Brighton, United Kingdom and a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Management from the Florida International University, USA.

Mr Dylan J. Penn currently holds the position of Physical Planner II, in the Town and Country Planning Unit of the Virgin Islands, a position he has held since 2007 following his return from university overseas. “I approach my work with passion, with commitment,” he said of his work.

Growing up, our young professional always had a passion and love for the environment with a special attraction to water. He said from an early age he had no trouble recognizing where his career path would have taken him.

“I started out working in Conservation and Fisheries in the Environmental Section there. When I got my bachelors, I start working in Town and Country Planning and it was there I got a first-hand view of what planning is all about, it was more than just the environment but also all the aspects.”

“I love nature, I particularly love the water. I grew up around the water, around boats, swimming, so it just blossomed from there into high school. Anything with the environment and water you could have and still count on me I am there, it’s my life, it’s what I love bone marrow deep,” Mr Penn said.

“Seeing how the different parts of the environment interact, how the hillside development have an impact on the coast line,if you develop a house uphill, erosion could cause the coast line to degrade. Really looking at the linkages in the environment and how sensitive the ecosystem is but how complex it is and we don’t really understand, that’s what really drove me to seek to understand it more through advanced studies and my place of work,” Mr Penn added.

When he is not at work for his daily bread and to support his family, it’s very easy to tell what he is doing- music. “I really don’t like to keep still, that's me I just don’t like to keep still.” He has a passion for the art of music and is a percussionist, singer and more.

“I play in the College Jazz Ensemble. I also play with bands throughout the territory, I am involved in music in my church as well as other churches. I sing as well and have a bond with youth activities in my church and other churches,” said our young professional.

When he is not with the youth groups or around the drums or singing, just check the open sea because that’s where you are sure to find him. Mr Penn has a love for sailing, kyaking, scuba diving and also snorkeling. “If I am not doing those I am doing some other thing that catches my fancy at a particular time.”

Asked if one should go looking for him in another five years what would he most likely would be found doing, there was no surprise when he said he would still be doing most of the things he is doing today. Professionally, however, Mr Penn will be seeking to do further studies to advance his knowledge and skill.

“Knowledge is always on the increase in the world and you have to ensure that you are always on the cutting edge to keep yourself in line and informed,” he added.

Suffice to say, like many others, Mr Penn has other career interests including being in the marine industry. “But I certainly want to develop my skills in the planning field,” he noted.

Turning to the topic of youth, our young professional said it is a sad thing that ever so often persons can be heard speaking of the negative aspects of youth as opposed to their positive sides and how much an important role they are playing in the development of society.

He said with the limited number of professions that are viable and available in the Virgin Islands, the youth should be encouraged to think out of the box and the borders of the Virgin Islands. “This is only a very small corner of the world and I think that we could do with a lot more expansion in our thinking and about our perspective about what we really could do,” advised Mr Penn.

“If you put limits on ourselves and the society puts limits on youths, that is severely going to hamper them from being the best that they could be,” he shared. “So I think it is a problem with the youths in themselves and the wider society in terms of how they view the youths.”

“Widen your horizons, don’t stick within existing walls, seek to expand your horizons and don’t let anyone build the walls for you, set your own dreams and aspirations and go after them," Mr Dylan J. Penn further advised.