Born in Boulder, Colorado, I got bitten by the outdoor bug early in life. As a tomboy growing up in western Pennsylvania, I barely remember seeing the inside of my house, since I was so busy climbing (and falling out of) trees, playing in streams, building forts, and fending off poison ivy. Girl Scouts offered an opportunity for me to really get hooked, as a result of a dedicated leader (my “second mom”) and amazing trips such as recreating the French Voyageur trips canoeing and portaging through Canada. Hiking and cross-country skiing became my passions, including traversing a good chunk of the Appalachian Trail.

Something inside me wanted to get back out and see the land of my birthplace. I overshot it a little and ended up in Utah for graduate school, where in 1982 I picked up an M.A. in Recreation Management with an emphasis in Outdoor Recreation. It was official – I could finally get “paid to play”! I had my first encounters with southern Utah during this time. I’ve never forgotten seeing red rock and Zion the very first time. It was a good thing I wasn’t driving, since I would have ended up in a ditch.

My husband, Jon, and I met on a winter wilderness trip to Yellowstone in 1983. Since then, we’ve enjoyed many years in the outdoors together. We got hooked on southern Utah and have had the privilege of living here since 1985. We have four wonderful children and live 5 minutes from the north end of Zion National Park.

I’ve spent many years working in the outdoor recreation and education business, sharing my passion for the outdoors with all ages. I’ve developed programs for universities and colleges, taught classes, served as a project manager for a climbing wall and Challenge Course, and enjoyed working in other outdoor-related positions with higher education, private camps and treatment facilities. At Southern Utah University, I currently teach an Introduction to Outdoor Recreation class, a freshman orientation class on Developing a Sense of Place through the Outdoors, and serve as the Coordinator for the Outdoor Education Series (OES).

Some of my other passions are books, art, cooking and lifetime learning. Most of all, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the canyons and high country of southern Utah – its natural history of plants, animals, geology, people and places -  and sharing what a truly special corner of this world this really is.