Where are you from? I grew up in Minnesota, in Lake Benton. There wasn’t a stoplight in the county, much less in the town. I was a part of the last class to graduate from a K-12 school, so, very small town.

Why and when did you move to Jackson? I came up here in the fall of 2009, thinking I was going to be a snowboard instructor for one season and then go to medical school. Classic Jackson story…

What do you do for work? I am a ski instructor in the wintertime, and in the summer I nanny and work at a couple pre schools in town.

What do you do in your free time? I love snowboarding and skiing and live music, specifically bluegrass, and rafting and camping in the summer. 

How long have you been a part of JH Fire/EMS? People always ask that question….Do you have Dan Long’s answer? Because I came on the same year as he and Ben Thurston. (2014)

What made you want to join originally? I had been an EMT since I was 18, and I was thinking I should either start using it or let it go because I had been maintaining my certification on my own. I was drawn in by EMS but have learned a ton through fire. I initially was interested when I first moved to town but I didn’t know how long I would be here, so I reassessed and realized I didn’t plan on ever leaving Jackson and wanted to contribute to my community in some way.

What, in your own words, is your role in the department? I feel like I really enjoy being a strong member of the medical team for Station 7. I like to lead medical trainings for Station 7 and feel like I am a leader in the EMT side of things, more than the fire side. That’s where I see myself really thriving and being the most helpful in the EMS world. 

What are your current certifications? EMT, Fire 2, wildland fire, hazmat A&O.

What are your future goals in the department? I would say that I hope to continue to be a leader in the EMS role at my station as well as a leader in call response.

What is your favorite part of volunteering? I love knowing that I can help give back to our community and I just love the camaraderie of the fire department.

What about the most challenging? Getting up in the middle of the night for a call when you have to work the next day.

What advice would you give new recruits? I would say to really try to make every training that you can and to learn from the more experienced people at your stations. I’m personally really grateful for all the great mentorship that I have received throughout the years.

What is the most valuable trait for someone to have in the department? I would say commitment to training and to maintaining your skills.

Who is your mentor or someone who you particularly  look up to? It’s hard to list just one….man there are so many people I admire and who I really feel are there to help us grow. I would say Captain Sullivan and Mike Sullivan, Doctor Little, and he’s retired now, but I’d like to include Captain Dearing in that list. I would say the whole Station 7 crew and everyone who came before me honestly. It’s hard to limit it: I just feel like we’ve had such a great crew overall.

How do your family and friends feel about your volunteering? I would say that my family and friends are very supportive of my commitment to the fire department and are very understanding if I have to change plans because of it. And I also generally don’t plan things on Wednesday nights.