Our Staff

Executive Director

Nature has been central to my life. My first five years were spent playing on 16 acres in a northern Idaho forest - picking wild raspberries, getting water from a small stream on the edge of our property, and watching bats circle the single yard light. This was the time for a wild young imagination to roam free. At six, I moved to the heart of the northern plains in South Dakota and discovered new aspects of nature. Instead of thick forests and mountain streams, there were rolling grasslands and roaming cows. My environment changed, but my need to be part of it did not.

Growing up in these environments has left me with a deep desire to sustain them. The idea of future generations not having these experiences imparts a sense of responsibility to leave the land as I found it and minimize the impacts of human activities. This drives my want to conserve our native prairies and clean our watersheds while educating the community on the importance of leaving the earth better than we found it, not letting the status quo continue just because, and what is possible when we give a damn.

We only have one earth and we are its stewards. As Aldo Leopold said, “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.”

Education and Outreach Manager

The outdoors has always been an integral part of my life. Growing up just outside of Sioux Falls on 10 acres of land provided my imaginative young mind with endless opportunities for adventure. From hunting for antler sheds among the shelterbelt of trees my grandfather planted fifty years before to watching, mesmerized, as fireflies emerged from the alfalfa field at dusk, their blinking lights a sure sign of summer, nature spurred my curiosities about the world. I was hooked on the prairies and rivers of my surroundings and had a strong desire to protect them. Robin Wall Kimmerer explained this feeling best in her seminal work Braiding Sweetgrass, “Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”

For anyone growing up close to the Big Sioux River, you’re told one thing, “Don’t go in the river. It’s really dirty.” During my time at Augustana University, I experienced this first-hand as I tested water samples from the river for pollutants. Sure enough, the river was highly polluted and not safe for recreational use, let alone drinking water. But what if we could change that? Through Friends of the Big Sioux River, I look forward to working with and educating our community members and lawmakers on water quality and conservation practices to improve our river for all species, both now and for future generations. Together, we can defend, protect, and celebrate this place we call home.

Water Testing and Events Intern

Growing up, the outdoors was always an inviting and awe-inspiring place. I spent summers camping in the Midwest, admiring the lush plains, swimming in the beautiful lakes and rivers, and spotting the critters that called it home. My favorite time of the year was Spring, when the worms would come out after rain, and I’d help them off the hot sidewalk, safely returning them to the soil. Since then, much hasn’t changed. I’ve only grown more passionate about the wonderful world and all its creatures that need our help and care. The earth is resilient, but we must be its protectors.

American philosopher, environmentalist, and writer Kathleen Dean Moore said, “To love a person or a place is to take responsibility for its well-being.” As an environmental studies and philosophy major at Gustavus Adolphus College, I’ve wrestled with the moral duty we each have to take care of our world. Though I attend school out of state, I always think back to my hometown of Sioux Falls, and how the river that runs through it is sorely taken for granted. I spent two semesters working on projects that researched how we can be better stewards of the Big Sioux, through individual and community efforts. Now, I have the opportunity to spend this summer putting these ideas into action at Friends of the Big Sioux River. I love this town, I love the river, and I look forward to helping others see its value, so that we can all lend it a helping hand. It’s in our best interests, because we all live downstream.