Kellen grew up in the Northwoods of Bemidji, Minnesota, where she cultivated her love of the outdoors, fishing, camping, and hiking among the beautiful paper birch trees and melodic love songs of the Common Loon. She moved to Missoula thirteen years ago and completed her B.A. in Print Journalism at the University of Montana. Over her years in Missoula, Kellen has worked in the service industry, wearing many hats, most recently working at Conflux Brewing Company as a manager and the event coordinator. Always passionate about conservation work, Kellen began as a field volunteer with the Owl Research Institute three years ago. Her volunteering involved catching and banding countless owls throughout western Montana. After years of persistence and dedication, she was hired on as ORI’s social media coordinator. In Kellen’s spare time she can be found hiking through the mountains with her two dogs, Sage and Yogi, her son, River, and her husband, Dean. She loves reading, writing, birding, and, above all, gardening.

Nora grew up in central Ohio, attending and volunteering at STEAM day camps and programs, where she developed her love of sharing the natural world with others. She moved to Missoula in June 2020 to pursue a B.S. in Ecology and Organismal Biology at the University of Montana. While studying, she worked as a research assistant for several projects at the university. Most recently, she worked on a study of pine tree sapling survival and regeneration after wild fires in Gold Creek, Montana. In her free time she likes to go hiking with her two dogs, attending concerts in town, and crocheting.

Alyssa grew up in Livingston, Montana’s windiest city. Although one must avoid being swept away by the wind, Alyssa still loved to explore outside. Hikes to Pine Creek Falls, bike rides with her family into the valley, and summers filled with floating and fishing on the Yellowstone River cultivated her love for nature. In 2012 she moved to Arizona, where she held a collections internship with the Arizona Historical Society Museum and received her B.A. in History and M.A. in Public History from Arizona State University. After five years, the mountains were calling and she and her husband, Josh, moved to Missoula. In December 2022 Alyssa graduated from George Washington University with a Graduate Certificate in Collections Management and Care. She is currently serving as the Montana representative for the Mountain-Plains Museums Association of Registrars and Collections Managers Network (RC-MPMA). Outside of museum collections, Alyssa enjoys reading, drawing, volleyball, track and field, rafting, hunting, Dungeons and Dragons, and playing with her dog, Copper.

Allison spent her childhood in Iowa, where she climbed trees, splashed in streams and puddles, and explored the wildish green spaces scattered throughout her hometown. In between outdoor explorations, she spent most of her time reading and writing, which eventually led to a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from Dordt College. Allison has always been passionate about volunteering and doing work that gives back, spending several summers in high school and college volunteering for service projects in both the U.S. and abroad. After college, she spent a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Chicago, then canvassed for environmental issues with North Carolina PIRG, which inspired her to pursue an M.S. in Environmental Writing at the University of Montana. Living in Missoula has given her an even deeper appreciation for the natural world, and she and her husband, Greg, and son, Rowan, get out into Montana’s beautiful wild places as often as they can. Allison has been with MNHC since 2009, thrilled to work at an organization whose mission is to connect people of all ages with their place, and to get to combine her love of nature with her love of writing.

Raised in the Midwest, Jen has lived in Missoula for nearly three decades. She attended the University of Minnesota, earning a B.A. in English Literature, then promptly headed West to explore as many new places as possible. Since settling in Missoula, Jen has spent as much time as possible becoming familiar with the trails in and around Missoula. Over the past decade or so she has worked getting folks geared up for outdoor adventures, as well as sharing her own outdoor experiences. In her free time, you will find her hiking with her husband and two dogs, tending to her flower beds at home, volunteering with Run Wild Missoula and the Missoula Marathon, and travelling to new places around the globe.

Drew grew up in the hemlock forests of southern Maine and attended college in Boston, where she studied Linguistics and Philosophy. In 2009 she moved to Missoula for a season of trailwork and has been here ever since, building her skills as an educator and naturalist. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Education from the University of Montana and has worked in a variety of environmental fields, including citizen science, trailwork, and natural history courses for a range of ages and skill levels. She is passionate about guiding students toward a deeper understanding of the ecosystems and creatures that are right on our doorstep. In her free time, she loves to explore the outdoors through backpacking, birding, and gardening. You can also find her reading, sewing, and enjoying the wonderful community of Missoula.

Marilyn brings 25 years’ experience in land stewardship, science education, and public service to her role at MNHC. She grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills, attended UC Davis for her biology degree, and moved to Missoula in 1994 for a master’s in biology at the University of Montana. For the last 28 years Marilyn and her husband David have enjoyed Missoula’s vibrant community spirit and Montana’s unmatched outdoor pursuits. She has served on the boards of many state and local non-profits and has served in elected office in both city and state government.

Christine has a B.A. from Stanford University in Anthropology and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana, where she focused on Environmental Education. Her previous experience includes work as an Interpretive Park Ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, middle school science curriculum writer for Rice University’s digital textbook, STEMscopes, and as the Environmental Education Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Seattle and King County, Washington. Christine spends as much time as possible recreating and wandering outside with her husband and son.

Erin grew up on a family farm in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. After attending Grand Valley State University, she set off to do trail work for Montana Conservation Corps. After finding value and purpose within the conservation field, she decided to return the following season as a Trail Crew Lead. Her crew cleared trails in the Selway Bitterroot and Frank Church Wilderness areas near Missoula, Montana. Between seasons, Erin worked for a community garden outside of Atlanta, Georgia, where she helped with volunteer days and nature camps for kids. Most recently, Erin was working as a naturalist at Len Foote Hike Inn a few miles off the Appalachian Trail. While working as a naturalist, Erin developed her passion for education and natural landscapes. Erin enjoys floating the Clark Fork, playing euchre, and First Fridays.

Anika grew up in western Washington with a family that loved exploring the outdoors. In high school, she began working in environmental education spaces, teaching youth and adults about sustainable agriculture. She then moved to Missoula to pursue a degree in environmental science and sustainability at the University of Montana. After graduating, she worked as a field instructor for MNHC and then at Missoula Parks and Recreation, creating a sense of community and love for the outdoors with the students she taught. In her free time, Anika’s sure to be somewhere outside or enjoying a craft. She loves hitting the ski slopes in the winter, hiking with her dog, paddleboarding on the river, and swimming in the summer. If she is not outside, she is likely sewing, crocheting, or painting. Anika is thrilled to be back at MNHC, continuing to share her passion and knowledge of the outdoors!

Lisa is an interpretive planner and designer who launched her small business, Field to Frame, in 2019. She worked as staff for the Montana Natural History Center and has taught outdoor and environmental education in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana and an M.Ed. from Western Washington University with an emphasis in nonprofit administration through the North Cascades Institute’s residency program. Skiing, hiking, gardening, reading, keeping up with teenagers, and searching for huckleberries keep her busy. Though she’s never met an MNHC nature journaling class she didn’t like.

Carol, a seasoned public servant with over 37 years of experience as an elected official, was fortunate to grow up in Missoula, Montana. Her parents instilled in her a deep love for the outdoors, a love she has passed on to her son and grandson. This profound connection to the Montana way of life is a defining aspect of her character.

Having lived in Sanders County for the last 48 years, Carol has witnessed many changes. Her unwavering commitment to preserving the beauty of this state, a place she deeply loves, is evident in her enjoyment of its offerings: skiing, ice fishing in the winter, and fishing and exploring in the summer. She holds a deep hope that we don’t lose sight of the incredible place we call home, inspiring appreciation for our local heritage.

When Carol is not immersed in outdoor activities with her husband Tim and their family, she can be found engaging in a variety of other pursuits. She enjoys cooking for events at Runners Edge Events and Run Wild Missoula, counseling at the summer kids camp at the Paradise Center, and tending to her native plant garden. And when she needs a break, she can often be found curled up with a good mystery novel.

Drew is a multi-generation Montanan, born and raised in Missoula, where he now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their two young children. He graduated from the University of Montana with a B.A in Business Administration and currently works as a consumer lender for Stockman Bank. Before joining the bank, Drew spent 11 years as a landscaper working the land and gaining a deeper appreciation for Montana’s natural beauty. A lifelong recreationalist, Drew has always been drawn outdoors by the many opportunities Montana has to offer. Living in Missoula his whole life has enriched his appreciation for the natural history beneath his own feet. He hopes to serve his community by sharing that appreciation and fostering curiosity about the places, wildlife, and history that makes Montana so special.

Graham developed his curiosity for Montana’s natural history while growing up hiking in the hills and mountains near Missoula. He earned a BA in biology from Colorado College, and a Master’s in botany at Miami University. He studied a rare plant in the Mosquito Range of Colorado, which are too high and dry to have many mosquitoes. He also studied fire regimes in Sequoia National Park and worked as a plant ecologist for the USGS in Yosemite National Park. Graham taught middle and high school biology in Denver, CO, for several years and volunteered with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers as a crew lead and project lead. When the rigors of inner city teaching grew tiring, Graham pursued his lifelong interest in cooking and moved home to Missoula where he owned a restaurant for 5 years. Graham met his wife soon upon his return and they now have a daughter. Together they enjoy watching movies, hiking, swimming at the lake, and sampling Graham’s baking.

Kathy Settevendemie is a retired teacher, a retired native plant nursery owner, and an active artist and nature journaler. She has served on the boards of several Montana conservation groups, including the Montana Native Plant Society, where she was board president for several years. She lives in Potomac with her husband, Michael.

Mandela was raised on a private nature reserve in South Africa and in the mountains, rivers, and open plains of Montana. Growing up in the African bush and on Montana’s public lands cultivated an early passion for wildlife conservation, habitat stewardship, and experiential outdoor learning. Her intention is to seek and share knowledge of the natural world by producing and sharing multimedia storytelling via outreach and her long-running radio series and podcast, The Trail Less Traveled.

Mandela has lived and worked in over 26 countries with a focus on leading multi-day whitewater expeditions across Africa, New Zealand, the Grand Canyon, Idaho, and Alaska. Mandela spent half her life guiding because she feels people who spend time in wild places are more likely to fight to protect them. Mandela strongly believes children are our greatest natural resource and whenever possible she does outreach at schools in order to inspire the next generation of conservationists. Mandela values the ancient knowledge of elders and the process of hunting and gathering locally and mindfully.

Collin developed a curiosity for the natural world when growing up in Georgia, and since moving to Montana has developed a deep appreciation for the state’s landscapes, wildlife, and natural heritage. He completed the Montana Master Naturalist Program at the Montana Natural History Center and continues to study biology through coursework at the University of Montana. Collin is committed to fostering scientific literacy, conservation, and meaningful connections between people and the natural world. He is now proud to call Missoula home and is honored to support the Montana Natural History Center’s mission to inspire curiosity, scientific understanding, and stewardship of Montana’s natural environment.