As a member of the women's cross country team at UW-La Crosse, I often ran through the River Marsh and Hixon Forest. This experience helped me realize the important connection between nature, health, and companionship. Being under the open sky while running alongside teammates taught me to take mental notes of the environment around me, including tree roots, and how to be a good steward of myself, my environment, and my relationships.

I pursued a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and during my summer breaks, I had the opportunity to travel to various places, including Denali National Park and the Adirondack Mountains. I had an EOS film camera with me, and while hiking, I tried 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.