On New Year’s Eve of 2020, I made a slightly ambitious promise to myself: visit every U.S. National Park by the time I turned 30. At the time, I had six years to go and only ten parks under my belt. What started as a personal challenge quickly became a way to explore the country and rethink how I wanted to spend my twenties, especially in the “new normal” of the COVID-19 era.

In 2021, I took advantage of remote work and hit the road. I bought a new car, lived out of month-long Airbnbs, and hiked and camped most weekends to explore new National Parks, all while learning what work-life balance could really look like and pushing myself beyond what felt comfortable. Travel stopped being just a backdrop and became a lens through which I started asking bigger questions about access, conservation, and community.

A pivotal backpacking trip to the Northwest Territories of Canada led me to search “outdoor master programs” after getting back into cell service for the first time in a week. Soon after, I began pursuing my M.S. in Outdoor Recreation Economy online through the University of Colorado Boulder, while continuing to work as a management consultant.

Sometimes life takes a sharp turn. After a corporate layoff and a burst of “New Year, New Me” energy, I applied for a working holiday visa to New Zealand, mostly to see if I’d get it. Because if not now, when? One business day later, I was approved. I spent most of 2023 living and working across Aotearoa, deepening my connection to place and gaining firsthand experience with outdoor recreation, tourism, and land stewardship in an international context.

Since then, I’ve completed my M.S. and built a career at the intersection of public lands, climate resilience, and sustainable tourism. My work has included researching visitor use management strategies, publishing policy and research papers, and supporting environmental nonprofits and public agencies on issues ranging from climate policy and wildfire mitigation to recreation management and community resilience.

Along the way, I’ve continued to document my travels through stories and photography, not just to share where I’ve been, but to explore why these places matter. Today, I’m focused on using storytelling, research, and strategy to help protect the landscapes we love while making outdoor experiences more equitable, resilient, and sustainable.

Whether it’s a weekend trip close to home or a week in the backcountry, travel has a way of teaching us who we are and what we value.

So, where to next?