I grew up on Long Island, New York and studied environmental education at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. After a life-changing 10 day volunteer trip to Ecuador, I decided I wanted to spend more time in the country, and accepted a volunteer coordinator position in the Ecuadorian Amazon. I have lived in Ecuador since 2014, and began the nonprofit organization Two Rivers Reserve in 2018 to support the Kichwa community of San Ramon in their journey towards sustainability and cultural preservation.