— from Orcas Island School District —
Do you have pets?
I have a very fluffy cat named Nyah. Eventually, I will have a rescue dog, too.
Any favorite hobbies or interests outside of work?
I like to make nature illustrations and relief prints. I like plant walks and watching birds, making herbal medicine and doing community service. But mostly I love sleeping.
What kind of music do you like?
Mostly Appalachian folk music, but all folk music is great, and anything from the Alan Lomax archives.
What lessons has your work life taught you?
Nothing can get done effectively without solid communication skills.
If you could do anything now, what would you do? Why?
I’d like to go on an adventure to visit the stump of the Golden Spruce at Port Clements, Haida Gwaii, because it’s a key aspect of Haida stories and was highly venerated by that First Nation tribe.
Do you have any favorite stories from your work life?
Yes, they mostly revolve around my time in AmeriCorps and all the cool and unusual adventures I experienced.
Did you enjoy school?
Yes, I am completely done with college, but I am always reading and learning new things, specifically about plants and nature.
Do you have any favorite stories from school?
Yes. My favorite is probably the time in third grade when we were asked what we wanted to be when we grow up and I couldn’t think of anything really, so I said I wanted to be the first person to live on Neptune.
What do like the most about living on Orcas?
I love the deep quiet winters, the windstorms and warm tea in cozy sweaters, but I really, really miss the summertime thunderstorms, lightning and fireflies of Southern Appalachia. We do have aquatic bioluminescence here though, which feels as magical as fireflies.
Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on your life? Tell me about them.
Yes, my 9th grade English teacher Mrs. Maumos. She encouraged me to keep reading poetry beyond my grade level, which I loved (and still do) and to never stop writing (which I also still do). She was eccentric and amazing and I loved her.
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