After falling in love with Shaver’s Creek as a teenager attending Conservation Leadership School more than 30 years ago, I came back as an intern for not one, but two seasons at Shaver’s Creek!
Years at Shaver’s Creek: 1995–2003
Positions Held: Intern, Summer Camp
Current Company/Organization: The Ohio State University
I currently work in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University, where I have been for most of the past 16 years. I have a number of roles here including coordinating the state’s Bird Conservation Initiative and co-directing the upcoming Ohio Bird Atlas 3, and I am on the faculty here in the school where I co-teach a wildlife ecology field methods class for students in Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife. I also serve on the board of the Erie Bird Observatory and as president of the Association of Field Ornithologists.
Shaver’s Creek helped me realize that I love teaching and community, and it set me on a path trying to create roles where I could bridge research with outreach. I don’t think I would be where I am today without my experiences there.