I've been fortunate to have a long history of work in environmental education and collaborative problem-solving. I have almost 30 years of experience working to create, support, and present innovative and vibrant sustainability solutions to students, leaders, and the general public. 

 

I began my career as a student activist at Northwestern University, where I was eventually hired as Northwestern University’s first Recycling Coordinator in 1990. What an incredible first job! I jumped right in and began learning about introducing cultural change in an institutional setting, and was in charge of budgeting, advertising, communicating, and coordinating the physical hauling of massive amounts of material. In the process, I was immersed in interesting psychological interplays between intention and action, the role of "nudges," and the inspiring power of collective and coordinated action.

 

At the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, I learned a great deal about the communication of complex scientific information.  I researched, wrote, and designed the "Mercury Sourcebook for Municipalities," a 750+ page working document that was crafted to assist wastewater treatment plants, environmental groups, and local governments in organizing and implementing a mercury reduction plan for 19 sectors of their community.  

 

I received my PhD from the University of Minnesota in 2004, studying cultural worldviews and the policies of Minnesota wolf management. I have taught both lecture-based and experiential learning courses on sustainability, environmental ethics, ecological integrity, resilience theory, adaptive management, environmental psychology, social movement history, and transformational learning at the University of Minnesota, The Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs, and Hamline University.

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Currently, I am the researcher, author, and graphic designer of a 200+ page sourcebook that introduces sustainability to high school students and teachers. This work was developed for the Department of Applied Economics at The University of Minnesota, and funded through the Minnesota State Legislature. This project focuses on decision-making and value creation from a variety of perspectives. Much of the material on this website was developed for that project. 

 

My life is wonderfully busy with three kind, gorgeous children, two overly enthusiastic dogs, and a small personal chef business on the side!