Growing up in New England, I spent a lot of time hiking and skiing, and going out on the lake at my dad’s house in New Hampshire. I grew an appreciation for nature and wilderness through several family trips all around the country. We had visited Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, etc, but we had never been to California. I had never been to the Sierra Nevada before I accepted this position and I knew very little of Lake Tahoe before moving here, but it may have been the best decision I ever made.

I remember caring about environmental issues most of my life. My dad and I used to watch Planet Earth together and marvel at the biodiversity and species that we had never seen or heard of. I decided to bring that interest in wildlife and nature with me into college at the University of Colorado Boulder through my studies of ecology and biology. As I developed my understanding of ecological processes and learned how they’re being impacted by human driven climate change, I formulated a lifelong goal to do my part in protecting the environment and the native species that have existed long before humans.

In my senior year of college, I completed an honors thesis on how green roofs can benefit city environments and promote habitat restoration and biodiversity. I was awarded Summa cum laude for my work and I consider it to be one of my greatest accomplishments. I then worked in Atlanta, GA for a year at a green roof installation and maintenance company, where I gained technical maintenance skills as well as knowledge about the construction industry and project management. 

Atlanta was an amazing experience and I enjoyed the big city life for a while, but I missed the mountains, the cold, the snow, the accessibility to the outdoors, and the outdoorsy community that I got a taste of in Colorado. So when I was offered a position with Sierra Business Council, I packed everything I owned in my car and drove across the country within a month of accepting the position. The first thing I did when I got here was ski, and that’s when I knew this environment was where I was meant to be. 

I am so grateful that I get to live here and experience Tahoe life while also contributing to local climate and energy improvements. Most of the time I feel like I’m on a working vacation, and I have to take a step back and think about how lucky I am to have fallen into this position and lifestyle. I am so excited to continue my journey in environmental stewardship and climate resiliency.