Since I was a child, the forest has captivated me. My summers were spent barefoot running in the grass flipping over rocks in search of salamanders and insects. I loved being in and learning about the natural world. As I aged, I recognized that for myself, hiking through the woods was not only a want but a need to ensure my spiritual, physical, and mental health. The more time I spent in the forest, the more I realized I knew very little about the ecosystem that was keeping me alive and breathing. I started using apps to try identifying animals, plants, and fungi. In 2020 I took my first class on mushroom identification at Ledgeview Nature Center. After that, my weekly nature walks went from 30 minutes long to 1.5 hours long combing the forest floor for fungi.

In 2021 I took an online class with Tavis Lynch entitled “Spring Edibles.” I took more notes than I ever did in college and quickly recognized that mycelium is one of the keys to many health ecosystems. Shortly after the class concluded I attended my first foray with the Wisconsin Mycological Society and have been an active member since. I continue to learn about the captivating world of fungi through literature, field guides, being an active member on iNaturalist and the Mushrooms of Wisconsin Facebook page and attending WMS events. I enjoy getting youth excited about mushrooms and have given a presentation to a local elementary school. In 2022 I began a career in Ecological Restoration which has helped tremendously with tree identification and made my targeted mushroom hunts more successful.

The Wisconsin Mycological Society has given me so much in the past three years of membership – knowledge, discovery, community, and friendships. If I am elected to serve on the board for the next two years, I will help ensure the society continues to grow and reach others the way it has reached me. I am interested in working in outreach through working to build a greater online presence and helping out with planning and organization of events.