Journalism

&

Current Occupation

I worked at Outside magazine as a fact checker and reporter. I worked at Bugle magazine as a writer and reporter. I worked for the Blue Mesa Review as an editor. I've had work featured in national, regional, and local outlets, and I'm always looking to hear a good story.

My work has recently been published Outside, Bugle, and Big Sky Journal. I taught elementary school at the Birch Creek Hutterite Colony on the Rocky Mountain Front in spring 2018 and lead a trail crew in Wrangell St Elias National Park through November. My blog is on this website link - From the Field.

Currently, I’m freelancing and working on a book about Montana.

Department of the Interior

2010-'18

I've worked as a member of Glacier National Park's trail crew since 2010. We have a lot of different responsibilites, and there are a lot of personalities. We do basic upkeep of the trails in Glacier. We clear trees from every mile of trail, we make sure water drains off of the trail well, and we dig the earth like our dinner depends on it. We also build bridges, rock walls, cement retaining walls, outhouses, backcountry benches and backcountry food hangs. We blast avalanches off the paths every year, and use stock (horses and mules) to get our gear to our backcountry camps.

We spend a lot of time together, we camp, work, and eat 60-70 days with the same crew of people, and have to conduct ourselves well. I've led crews in hazardous, stressful, and intense weather conditions (sometimes all three), and have followed other leaders when they've been in charge of me. We have always managed to stay safe and get our job done. I've loved this job.   

Education

University of Montana, May 2016

M.A., Natural Resource & Wildlife Science Journalism

University of New Mexico, December 2012

B.A., English – Professional Writing – Business Management

Wildlife Conservation and Technical Writing curriculum

Granted the Bodhi McDowell Scholarhip from Outdoor Writers Association of America