After growing up in Minneapolis, Mary graduated from St John’s University / College of St Benedict with a BA in Natural Science and Education. She went to work for the National Park Service as a Naturalist in Oregon and Alaska while working winters in land use planning. After a few years, she completed her Masters at Washington State University in Wildland Recreation with an emphasis on Experiential Education. Mary’s first ‘big project’ was to reclaim and manage a section of the South Platte River in Littleton, Colorado where the first environmental education programs were started. Mary and her husband Gary returned to the Northwest in 1985 to work at Rocky Mountain Academy where she spent several years as the Academic Director with primary duties of curriculum development, accreditation, and post-graduate guidance. Motherhood (with three great daughters) was full time for a few years until she went to work at Schweitzer where she worked primarily in Activities and Events before retiring after 25 years. Now blissfully unemployed, her days are spent doing what she loves; spending time with her family (read grandchildren), volunteering with a few non-profits and loving life!