My deep reverence for nature began as a child. I found solace in the small woods behind my home in Rochester, NY and felt most like myself during family trips to the ocean. Diving beneath the waves and being immersed within its fluid embrace made me felt safe and held. It felt like true belonging.
I pursued this love for the natural world as the Host and Associate Producer of the Emmy Award-winning television show Aqua Kids, a nationally syndicated series geared towards educating youth about marine and aquatic ecosystems. Highlights from the show include bottle-feeding a baby walrus in Alaska, learning how to surf on Waikiki Beach, and scuba diving with sharks in the Bahamas. I was inspired by the work being done by scientists and field staff around the country, and was equally encouraged by young fans writing in to express their interest in following a similar path.
During my time with the show, I was also completing a BS in Public Relations from Fredonia State University. This helped me develop strong writing, speaking, and media relations skills that have proven instrumental throughout my career. I was also awarded 1st place in a campus-wide public speaking competition for my talk on shark conservation and received the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence upon graduation.
In 2017 I completed an MA in Marine Conservation and Policy from Stony Brook University. During this time I also worked as a Graduate Assistant at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. Here, I managed The Flame Challenge, an international science communication competition where kids judged entries submitted by scientists from around the world, culminating at The World Science Festival. I later received the 40 Under Forty Award from Stony Brook in 2022 for my environmental work.
I spent five years in various environmental activist roles, from the local level at Save the Sound, to the national level at The Surfrider Foundation, to the international level at The Ocean Project. I participated in everything from writing blogs and public speaking to supporting volunteers and engaging in policy campaigns. I gravitated towards empowering and supporting youth efforts and building a sense of community among activists. I was also the Keynote Speaker for CommOCEAN 2018 and presented at dozens of other conferences and events.
Three things became clear.
(1) Climate change and other environmental issues are multifaceted and require an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach.
(2) These issues disproportionately impact BIPOC communities; social justice must be a top priority for sustainability goals.
(3) The climate crisis creates trauma; mental health awareness and support are essential for continued action, burnout prevention, and resilience cultivation. We must become more adaptable and empathetic as a species if we hope to navigate these challenging times.
Understanding that the problems we face today are human-caused made me realize that we must heal and reconnect humanity with the rest of nature in order to heal the planet. This realization inspired me to pursue an MA in Psychology at Seattle University which I completed in June 2024. During this time I interned as a therapist at Pacific Mental Health and specialized in existentialism and ecopsychology.
Similar to the work of therapy, I believe what the environmental movement needs now is a safe and vulnerable space to be with the emotional aspects of the work, to process our fear and grief surrounding the already devastating impacts of the climate crisis, and to emerge stronger, more resilient, and with an increased capacity for love.
My Mission
To support the wellness of activists, sustainability professionals, and nature lovers everywhere by offering the space and tools to address the mental health impact of the climate crisis. To support planetary healing through reconnecting humanity with nature.
My Intention
The goal is not to fix, but to facilitate healing. To try and stay with the complicated truth, courageously, together. We’re creating an opening between knowing and doing where we can just be.
Resilience happens when we increase our capacity to be with difficult situations and feelings. This works best when we feel supported by our communities, places of work, and families.
We aren’t solving, we’re adapting.
