I was born and raised at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I found my love and appreciation of our environment through many trips as a child canoeing and camping in the Rocky Mountains and the great lakes region. Over the years I have watched as many of the places that I love have been permanently altered by human growth. This fueled my desire to pursue ecology as a vocation, to help change the way we affect our world.
I have been involved in several nonprofits that support local involvement in the management of our local lands and also support local community development and youth involvement. I participated in the founding of a local chapter of the Backcountry Snowsports Alliance. This organization has sense merged with the Colorado Mountain Club and provides a local voice for management of 'quite' recreation values. Another organization, the Geller Center, where I served as a program director while in graduate school and subsequently served on the board of directors, has been highly involved in the Fort Collins community. The Geller Center has helped establish many other non-profit organizations in the Fort Collins area and has provided an environment for students to identify their own meaning in life.
In addition to my local community involvement I also enjoy traveling and have traveled to Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Scandinavia. These trips have broadened my perspective and encouraged me to look beyond my normal daily routines. I am also an active canyoneer, river runner, backcountry skier, archery hunter and just love being outside.