Where did you move from and what made you make the move to Maine?

I moved from Seattle, WA. I really started to learn about Maine when I was in grad school learning about aquaculture and I just new I had to visit Maine. The moment I crossed the NH-ME border I knew I had to live here, so I began to look around for aquaculture related jobs, and here I am!

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How do you spend your time here in Maine?

I love to explore all the different trails, preserves, and other outdoor spaces in Maine! Skiing, biking, hiking, you name it. I also like to explore all coastal towns up and down route 1!

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What do you love about working in Maine?

Everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming. The role I am currently in is perhaps my favorite job I've ever had.. which is saying a lot because I've loved every job I have worked at thus far. People are really looking out for your overall well being and not solely focused on only the work.

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What do you love about living in Maine?

I love the outdoors, the water, the trees, everything about the coast and woods, but I knew that I would already love that part... something I knew little about before moving here was the community and the people and boy are they nice! People always ask me how my transition from the west coast to the east coast is going and I honestly don't even feel like there was a transition. It's as if I just plopped down in Maine and hit the ground running and I truly that's because friends, co-workers, and strangers have been so welcoming.

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Tell us a bit about your story!

I grew up in Golden, CO where I spent most of my time doing outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, mountain biking and trail running, and playing with my twin sister. I moved to Seattle, WA at first for my undergrad but ended up sticking around for 10 years. I got my bachelor of science in biology Seattle University and then worked for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, an environmental non-profit in Washington State doing regional ecological restoration work. I then went on to obtain my master’s degree from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington followed by a one-year Sea Grant Fellowship working on Equity Guidebook about incorporating environmental justice into ecosystem monitoring. Currently, I work for the Aquaculture Research Institute in Walpole as their communications specialist and LOVE it. In my free time, I definitely spend tons of time outside, but I also enjoy tapping into my creative side by embroidering, playing piano and guitar,  painting, and creative writing. I'm also in the process of writing a cookbook!

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