Being born and raised into a lobstering family in rural Maine, I grew up loving the ocean and the mountains equally. I have loved reading and writing from a young age, having pursued these both academically and personally for many years. Becoming an educator is something that had crossed my mind time and time again in my adult life, but never something I found viable enough to move towards. Recently, I was deeply moved to begin this pursuit and Colorado State University became my place to do just that. I have never felt a deeper sense of purpose and gratitude in my life.