University of Denver, BA, Geography & International Studies Major (2014)
University of Denver Sturm College of Law (2020)

What experiences stood out to you the most during your time as an SBFC Fellow?

I most valued spending time with such wonderful people. The SBFC staff, organizational partners, and the other fellows are the best! At some point during the summer, I told my hitch partner, Erica Patterson, that we didn’t spend every waking moment together, we spent every moment together. Not only did we work together (we named our crosscut saw “Tinkerbell”), but we also shared a bedroom in Stevensville and explored Montana and Idaho in Erica’s van when we were not working. The fact that we were still singing together at the top of our lungs on our last hitch now seems pretty miraculous.

What was the most important lesson you learned during your time with SBFC?

That access to our wild places is not to be taken for granted! From on-the-ground work maintaining our existing wilderness areas to advocacy in an effort to protect more wild places, we all have our part to play.

What has been your career path since your time with SBFC?

After I finished working with SBFC, I made my way to Paonia, Colorado where I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer with a local conservation group. There, I managed projects and grants to improve the Paonia River Park, a former instream gravel mine, and also gained more experience with the issues surrounding water in the west—particularly those related to agriculture. My experience with SBFC and in Paonia led me to law school at the University of Denver, where I focused on natural resource and water law. Currently, I work at the New Mexico Supreme Court as a law clerk for Justice C. Shannon Bacon, and I plan to stay in New Mexico after finishing my clerkship in September.

How has what you learned while being a Fellow informed your current position?

I had a bit of a Legally Blonde moment when I was a fellow. I was cleaning out a campfire in the Bitterroot, and as I hid the coals behind a bush, I thought to myself, “I think I’ll go to law school.” As I have taken my first steps into, and now out of, law school, the on-the-ground experience that SBFC provides gave me insight and understanding about the dynamics and complexities of resource management in the west. My time as a fellow also helped fuel my commitment to western places and people.

Any advice for people who want to get involved within this industry?

A good attitude, interest in learning, and willingness to work hard goes a long way.