The Evolving Story

About

We often present different versions of ourselves to the world given certain settings, but this is where I try to give you more details on who I am, where I come from, and how my experiences have shaped me and tie into the work I do now.

Where are you from?

This has forever been a hard question for me to answer, but over the years I've come to appreciate the winding way my life has unfolded.

I was born in Colorado and I am multi-racial. My roots stem from Dutch and European descent on my mother's side, and from Hispanic and Native American (Sioux Tribe) on my father's side. My family is large and we span regions between South Dakota down to Arizona and stretch all the way to South Carolina and Florida.

I moved 5 different times until I finally found my place here in Alaska

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure
as long as life lasts..."
- Rachel Carson

I am a forever traveler - seeking out various experiences, diverse perspectives, and individual stories to help shape how we perceive the world. Only by immersing ourselves into the unknown and uncomfortable can we begin to learn to adapt, find common-ground, and inspiration for new tools, strategies, and/or partnerships.

My research, travel, and education have taken me to four continents,

eight countries and

twenty-eight US states.

Never under-estimate your power of influence to inspire others around you...

I left home at the age of sixteen after a family friend planted a seed to seek out greater opportunities for my education.

I applied and got excepted to attend the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey where I had amazing opportunities to travel to Peru for ecology research and Cambodian for cultural studies.

After completing my high school education, I moved to Tennessee to study Environmental Studies and Sustainability with a minor in Anthropology at the University of the South, Sewanee (BA, 2019). During my undergraduate studies, I worked with Dr. Russell Fielding on research related to traditional whaling in St. Vincent and Grenadines. During my time at Sewanee, I also attended SEA Semester where I spent 6-weeks out on the ocean off the coast of New Zealand studying oceanography and maritime history.

“There are two things that interest me:
the relation of people to each other, and the relation of people to land.”
- Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work.

After Tennessee, I moved to Delaware where I completed my master's degree in Marine Policy at the University of Delaware (MPP, 2021) under Dr. Jeremy Firestone where I worked to improve tribal engagement strategies employed by the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) in the development of offshore wind power.

With all the education I've been fortunate to receive and the guidance of many mentors, I have steeped myself in the literatures of sustainability, anthropology, environmental science, marine policy, costal resource management, environmental economics, and social science in preparation for my current efforts in citizen science program creation, research, and outreach.

My Values

I ground my being and work in the understanding that there is always something bigger than myself:

In my work, I ground myself in the

First Alaskans Institutes Agreements which are meant to center individuals in effective communication during complex conversations:

In every chair, a leader
Speak to be understood; Listen to Understand
Be Present; Be Engaged
Value our time together
Create a safe space for meaningful conversation
Challenges --> Solutions
Takest Thou Hats Off (bring your whole self into a space; not just your job title)
Our value of humor helps us
We are responsible for our experience
Take care of yourself; Take care of each other

"You are only free when you realize you belong no place—you belong every place—no place at all.
The price is high. The reward is great."
- Maya Angelou (1973)