How did you come to work at Grouse Mountain?
I previously worked at a much smaller consulting firm in Wyoming. When they closed shop, I knew that I wanted to continue my career in smaller, employee-focused private consulting and that I wanted to stay in Wyoming. Grouse Mountain gave me that opportunity while also providing room for personal and professional growth and the chance to expand my knowledge base working in a multidisciplinary environment.
What do you do for Grouse Mountain?
I am a Wildlife Biologist/Project Manager. My primary duties involve managing client projects and helping guide them through the regulatory process. I also get to utilize my field experience conducting wildlife surveys, rare plant surveys, and wetland delineations.
What made you choose this career path?
Since childhood, I have had a passion for wildlife and the outdoors and excelled in science and biology. As a teenager, I did not know a career existed that could combine all my interests and abilities. I was fortunate to have a biology teacher who recognized something in me and introduced me to the college I ultimately attended and earned my Environmental Science/Wildlife Biology degree.
What’s your favorite part about working at Grouse Mountain?
Being part of a multidisciplinary team working towards a common goal. Many of our projects involve multiple types of regulations and permits, and I really enjoy being part of a team of specialists building a final deliverable that covers all our client’s needs.
What’s an experience that stands out to you from working at Grouse Mountain?
I’ve had many great and fun experiences with Grouse Mountain. My love of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West started with a trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks when I was ten years old. We recently had the opportunity to work in Grand Teton, conducting rare plant surveys and wetland delineations. I found the experience both personally and professionally gratifying, like coming full circle to what started me on this life path.
What do you enjoy about Wyoming?
I prefer to be outdoors as much as possible, so I love Wyoming’s wide-open spaces and abundant public lands to explore.
What are some of your hobbies?
Fishing, hunting, goat packing, hiking, camping, and spending time in the backcountry. At home, I like to tie flies, knit, garden, and cook.
What are a few fun facts about you?
I’ve been a goat packer for over 15 years and currently have four pack goats named Spock, Sulu, Teal’c, and Bra’tac that I bottle-raised and trained myself. I have two feral cats named Uhtred Ragnar’s Son and Ragnar Ragnar’s Son that I trapped out of my haystack, tamed, and turned into lap cats. I recently started raising coturnix quail for eggs.
If you could tell readers one thing about yourself and your job, what would that be?
I love what I do. I believe that private consulting is an integral part of resource management. I provide unbiased, third-party information and get to be a liaison between my clients, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders. I get to protect the wildlife and habitat resources I love by helping my clients navigate what are often complex regulatory processes to ensure that other important land and resource uses can move forward in a sustainable way.
If you could tell readers one thing about Grouse Mountain, what would THAT be?
We are a small company with large company capabilities. By maintaining a core group of professionals across our departments, we work closely together, building relationships that result in a level of efficiency and quality that can only come from a team of people who know each other well, work well together, and are truly invested in the results of our work. We are all there for each other, making sure everyone is getting the support they need to succeed.
