I grew up just outside of Portland, Oregon. Despite living in one of the most beautiful and accessible places to nature, I didn’t get into my hobbies of hiking, backpacking, and road tripping until I was a young adult. I decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail when I was 22, feeling like I needed to shake things up and explore the beauty of the West Coast. I ended up staying on the trail for just 3 months, and it changed my life. Learning just how much power and purity remains in nature, right in our backyards taught me the importance of caring for the world we live in.

I attended school at Portland State University with the intent of becoming a teacher. My degree in child, youth and family studies gave me a broad lens when looking at education and youth work. I found that I was eager to combine my knowledge of working with children and getting outdoors. That is what brought me to the Public Lands Stewards program. I am really looking forward to joining a program that allows me to facilitate teaching the importance of the outdoors and being stewards to our land with kids in the community. I can’t wait to see all that the kids have to teach me, too!