As a member of the women's cross country team at UW-La Crosse, I had the pleasure of running through the River Marsh and Hixon Forest. During this experience, I learned how to observe the environment around me, including the location of tree roots, and the connections between nature, health, and companionship.

I earned a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and while on summer breaks, I had the opportunity to travel to various places, including Denali National Park and the Adirondack Mountains. I often had an EOS film camera with me to capture the beauty of the experience. Later, during the film development process, I realized that the photographs containing only a handful of wildflowers were just as noteworthy as the photographs containing highlights of grand, vast views.

These days, I often stay closer to home, hiking and playing outdoors with my family, identifying wildflowers, and reading a good book. I am honored to work as a Marketing and Communications Associate at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, where I can continue to explore the connections between stewardship of our daily surroundings, our relationships, and ourselves.