Shaver’s Creek allowed me to say with sincerity, for the first time, ‘I have found my people.’
Years at Shaver’s Creek: 2013–2016
Positions Held: Intern, Outdoor School, Summer Camp
Current Company/Organization: National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions, Freeflow Institute, and the Raptor Research Foundation
My life is a collage of what Shaver’s Creek taught me to value most—connecting people to people and people to nature. It was there that I learned to develop lesson plans, track a deer, make up games on the fly, identify birdsong, act in front of crowds, train raptors, recite stories, cure homesickness, build a real fire, tan a hide, play the fiddle, conduct a migration count, tap a tree, clean a trail. I made friends there that shaped my outlook on human connection. I return every year because you, Shaver’s Creek, are still family to me. Today, I work on National Geographic ships as a naturalist, boat driver, field educator, and bird lecturer. I help run outdoor writing workshops with Freeflow Institute, and serve as the science writer for the Raptor Research Foundation. I am the compiler for the North American section of the IUCN’s vulture conservation newsletter and will soon become a birding guide with Wild Latitudes. Shaver’s Creek helped me develop an environmental ethic, which has been a north star in this pursuit of fulfilling work. Thank you to all who created and continue to nurture such a meaningful place. The creek enriches lives.