I am the Soil Health Specialist / Agricultural Educator for my home county in northeastern Wisconsin. I only recently started in my role (2024), but prior to this I studied sustainable agriculture in Latin America and worked at several small farms. My work now is largely education and technical support for farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, and interested community members, supporting them in their sustainability goals. Sometimes I’m at a desk, sometimes I’m in the field, and sometimes I’m at folks’ kitchen tables, chatting and learning with them.

SFS changed the trajectory of my career. When I went to the center in Atenas, I was an International Studies and Drama major, intending to immerse myself in the culture and spend some time outside. By the time I left, I had completely changed my major to Environmental Studies and started pursuing work and internships in agricultural sustainability. The program at SFS challenged me physically and mentally, and the staff and faculty at the Center created a perfectly supportive environment for us all to learn and grow.

Favorite SFS Memory: My favorite memory from SFS is being in a research group with Professor Cambronero, hiking through the Quebrada Matias. We were hot, tired, hungry, bruised, and occasionally damp, pursued by ants, bats, snakes, and mosquitos, and singing “happy birthday” over and over again to keep ourselves going. I don’t think I’d ever had so much fun.