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BIO

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Value Chain Coordinator, naturalist, culinary artist and place-based educator, with a passion for ecology, exploration, environmental ethics, community, and stewardship.

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RECENT WORK EXPERIENCE

 

  • Iowa Food Hub - Farm to School and Wholesale Coordinator, August 2020 - Present

    • Coordinates procurement, logistics, and delivery of local produce between local farmers and wholesale customers including colleges, K-12 schools, early childcare centers, independent grocers, and restaurants. 

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  • Naturebridge Olympic - Environmental Science Educator, January 2019 - November 2019

    • Lead groups of 10-15 students through weeklong explorations of Olympic National Park (ONP)

    • Developed unique programs dictated by the needs of students and teachers each week

    • Programs range from independent scientific inquiry projects to team building to personal growth

 

  • Scattergood Friends School - Biology Teacher, August 2018 - December 2018

    • Taught Intro and Advanced Biology courses

    • Taught a farm-based soil history and ecology course

    • Acted as academic advisor to three students

    • Provided residential life supervision

 

  • The Conserve School - Environmental Stewardship Teaching Fellow, August 2017 - June 2018

    • Taught a section of Environmental Stewardship

    • Acted as academic advisor for two students

    • Provided residential life supervision

    • Lead after-school seminars, community service projects, and outdoor recreation activities, and multi-day wilderness recreation trips in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  

 

  • Driftless Sourdough - Owner and Operator, October 2015 - February 2017

    • Provided fresh bread to 4 locations

    • Offered sourdough bread baking classes 

 

  • Goranson Farm - Pick and Field Crews, April 2016 - March 2017

 A certified organic farm, produces wholesome, delicious food using           environmentally healthy farming practices. Located in Dresden, Maine

  • Worked on a team of farmworkers harvesting, transplanting, seeding, and weeding vegetables

 

  • Holden Village – Lead Cook, Assistant Cross-country Coach, August 2012 – May 2013, October 2013- May 2014

 Holden Village is a remote, Lutheran retreat center located in the North             Cascades of Washington. Holden's kitchen serves primarily vegetarian, wholesome   meals to guests and staff.  

  • Taught and managed teams of volunteers and prepared daily meals for 60 to 500 people.

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

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Oneota Community Food Co-op. Taught adult culinary education classes. Classes taught include: 

  • “Wildcrafted Pestos and Salad”, “Beyond the Basics with Sourdough”, “Cool Summer Soups”, “Homemade Whole-grain Pasta”, “Fun with Flavors and Fizz”

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Conserve School, Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin.  Worked as a Stewardship Teaching Fellow.   

Classes taught include:

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  • “Environmental Stewardship”: a core academic (3 credit) semester-long course emphasizing leadership, ecology, and environmental responsibility

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After-school and weekend seminars led include:

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  • “Sourdough Bread Baking,” “Mycology,” “Rock Climbing,” “Vegetable Fermentation and Preservation,” “The Future of Food and Farming,” “Traveling as an Environmental Steward,” “Wild Ricing,” “Trail Maintenance” “Maple Sugaring”    

 

FARMS (Focus on Agriculture in Rural Maine Schools) Community Kitchen, Damariscotta, Maine. Served as a volunteer educator.  Classes taught include:

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  • “Creative Spins on Thanksgiving Sides” (one section, primarily adults)

  • “Cooking with Sea Vegetables” (8th graders)

  • “Sourdough Bread Basics” (three sections, primarily adults)

  • “Making Leftovers Count” (one section, primarily adults)

 

The Morris Farm Community Kitchen, Wiscasset, Maine.  Served as a board member and volunteer educator.  Classes taught include:

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  • “Whole Grain Holiday Baking” (one section, primarily adults)

  • “Making Soup from Leftover”s (one section, primarily adults)

  • “Sourdough Bread Basics” (two sections, primarily adults)

  • “Seasonal and Simple Fall Meals” (one section, primarily adults)

 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

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  • Ceramics Independent Study: Luther College Arts Dept, Fall-Spring 2011-2012

  • Explored techniques for integrating hand-built with altered Wheel-thrown pottery

  • Provided assistance with an “Empty Bowls” fundraising event

  • Biology Senior Project: Luther College Biology Dept, Summer 2011- Spring 2012

  • A  follow up study comparing summer insect drift patterns in a Northeast Iowa trout stream before and after a native habitat and stream restoration initiative

  • Entomology Internship: Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, Summer 2010

  • Monitored for Emerald Ash Borer for a Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS)

  • Carried out field research for the Montana Wood-boring Insect Project

  • Ecology of the Southwest Research Project: Luther College Biology Dept, Santa Rita Experimental Range, Arizona, January 2010

  • Developed a research project based on field observations of ants and barrel cacti interactions

  • Luther College Summer Research: Luther College Biology Department, Summer 2009

  • Surveyed benthic macroinvertebrate populations in Northeast Iowa trout streams

 

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

 

  • Rising Tide Community Market Board of Directors - Elected October 2016

  • The Morris Farm Board of Directors - Appointed July 2016

 

INTERESTS

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Trail running        Rock climbing        Fermentation        Ethnobotany

Backpacking and hiking        Cross-country skiing        Learning languages and Travel   

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