7 years ago I quit every indoor job I had and began mentoring at LA Nature Kids (LANK) where I was able to immerse children in nature to experience the vibrant beauty that lives just beyond our doorsteps. Their time spent experiencing these magical moments in the wild were few and far between.

After working a handful of PE-like jobs in the city I quickly realized how little access children had to nature. When I moved to Los Angeles I frequently fled the bustling city to seek solitude in the Santa Monica Mountains exploring hidden trails, skating the canyon roads, and driving the coast in search of swell to surf. So, I went to SUNY Cortland and received a Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Education, received my NYS Teaching credential, and completed a few outdoor education courses including a master's class in Inclusive Outdoor Education. I quickly realized I loved getting others to play, specifically outside. I didn’t exactly love doing school but I loved Phys. What I did know was that I wanted to continue to play outside. How was I supposed to know already? I was still figuring out who I was. When I grew a bit older I was told (in 9th grade) that I needed to start thinking about a career path. Nature was always magical to me and I just wanted to be completely surrounded by it. I would climb to my roof, lay on my back, hold my hands like binoculars to my eyes, and imagine that I was floating in space with all of those twinkling stars. In the evenings I would watch the sunset from my back porch and wait for the “heat lightning” to dance across the sky. I have vivid memories of falling backward into fields of dandelions and watching the clouds move slowly overhead.

I spent my childhood alongside thick New England pines and glowing birch trees just south of the Adirondack Mountains.

Everwild stables