- M.S. Outdoor and Environmental Education, Alaska Pacific University, expected December 2023
- K-8 Teacher Certificate, Alaska Pacific University, expected December 2023
- B.A. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Ecogastronomy, University of New Hampshire
I grew up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, on the traditional homelands of the Abenaki Penacook and other Wabanaki peoples. My childhood gave me a love for cold, clean rivers, sweet blueberries, tall pines, and working outside. My passion for good food and being out in nature led me to study sustainable agriculture and ecogastronomy in college. Later, I worked for the Forest Service for many seasons in both Montana and New Hampshire. Now, I am lucky enough to call Southcentral Alaska my home.
At work with my Alaska Resilience Farms partners, I gather interested parties, such as Tribal Conservation Districts, farmers, subsistence users, home gardeners – food producers of all kinds – together for knowledge exchange events and workshops that promote food security and food sovereignty in Alaska. We develop and facilitate place-appropriate agricultural trainings, and collaborate with innovative federal, state and local partners in adaptive, cold-region agriculture. Alongside our tribal partners, we explore culturally appropriate approaches for the stewardship and cultivation of the traditional foods of Alaska Native peoples.
I enjoy traveling around Alaska, meeting with people in their home villages, and discussing their unique successes and challenges around growing and storing fresh food. Being able to visit with people on their homeland provides an opportunity to develop on-the-ground plans and put some of those plans into action directly. It is a privilege to lend a hand, gather and share knowledge, and connect people to helpful partners and resources.
When I’m not working, I enjoy helping out on APU’s Spring Creek Farm, exploring the Talkeetnas and the rivers of the Susitna Valley, and reading a good book in the sun.
Current Project:
https://www.alaskaresiliencefarms.org/