Board member since May 2012
Please tell us what your involvement with the Quetico Superior Foundation means to you:
Some of my most formative experiences growing up came from canoe trips in the Quetico-Superior region. By working with the Foundation and the grant program, I hope to not only help protect the region but also introduce people of all ages and backgrounds to the rich history and power of the wilderness experience.
What other ways have you been active in the Quetico-Superior region?
I was eight years old when I went on my first Boundary Waters trip. I’ll never forget the lessons my parents taught me as we ventured along the Number Chain. From there I began participating on and guiding trips with YMCA Camp Warren. Currently, I have the privilege of serving as the executive director of Camp Warren, where we continue to provide transformational Boundary Waters trips for kids. I also make it a priority to take a canoe trip at least once a year with friends or family.
What is the most pressing issue you see in the region today?
I see the proposed sulfide mining operations as the greatest threat to the region right now. I also think that broader efforts are needed to get kids to wilderness areas. Current Boundary Waters and Quetico visitors do not reflect the general U.S. population. If we’re not careful, we will have a dramatic shortage of wilderness stewards in future generations.
What’s one of your favorite memories from the Quetico-Superior region?
There are too many to count but I really enjoyed taking one of our international staff members (who was from Australia) up to Lac la Croix a few years ago. From my youth, I have a distinct memory of a trip up to Beaverhouse Lake in the Quetico. It was the first time in my life I’d gone a week without seeing other people.
What’s your favorite spot or way to see the Quetico-Superior region?
I would say Winchell is my favorite lake but nothing beats a snowshoe into Hegman in the winter time.
This article appeared in the Spring 2013 issue of Wilderness News