- How did you first hear about the CWC?
I first heard about the Colorado Wildlife Council when I started working for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
- What is your role on the CWC?
I’m the Colorado Parks and Wildlife representative
- Tell us about your background when it comes to conservation.
I grew up in rural NW Pennsylvania and am proud to be Onödowá’ga (Seneca Nation of Indians). My culture is built upon a prideful history of agriculture and wildlife management that was made for a sustainable way of life for thousands of years. Moreso, I have worked for many years in government/nonprofits and prior to working for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, I worked for a municipal Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department.
- Why are you so involved with conservation?
I care very deeply about preserving, caring for and protecting our natural resources so that current and future generations can enjoy our unparalleled Colorado landscapes, wildlife and outdoor recreation. I also want to help work toward creating better avenues to equitable access to our outdoor spaces.
- What is your favorite wildlife species and why?
I will always and forever say bats. They are often misunderstood as being “scary,” but are so vital to pest management, pollination and seed disbursement.
- What is your favorite thing about living in Colorado?
I love all the beauty that Colorado holds, and all of its diversity, from the eastern plains to the western slope down to the southwest. I often say, “Wow, I’ll never get sick of that view,” and I don’t think I’ll find myself not saying that.
- What do you wish Coloradoans knew about the council or wildlife?
I want more Coloradans to know about the importance of hunting and fishing for wildlife management.
- What types of outdoor recreation do you partake in?
Hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, biking, and landscape and wildlife photography. Every time I travel, my husband and I seek out outdoor adventures to partake in, like hiking, cave tubing, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, etc.
- What is your most memorable story about wildlife or being out in the wild?
I have a lot, but I’ll share a recent one. I was in Golden Gate Canyon State Park recently (alone I may add), taking photos for our CPW social media content and was driving down a road early in the morning. As I was driving, a moose appeared out of the corner of my right eye and I had to slam on my brakes. There, in front of my car, a bull moose stood. It walked very slowly and began eating some leaves. I had never been that close to a moose in my life, and I felt so excited my hands were shaking. It was probably only 20 feet away from my car. I tried to take a photo on my camera but, because my hands were shaking, the photo turned out blurry. Once the moose had its fill of the leaves, it wandered off to the other side of the road.
