My Journey Here

My journey to this work began during my studies at Hampshire College. I entered planning to become a wildlife field biologist. I left as a songwriter with songs deeply rooted in a sense of place. It was there that I came to see more clearly how personal stories, rooted in facts and experiences, could have more impact, in ways facts alone could not.

As a touring singer-songwriter, I often fell in love with small towns and open landscapes, only to return later and find them dramatically different. I didn't know what to do, but I wanted to do something more.

Then, in 2001, I taught a version of my Sense of Place and Story Workshop at the Murie Center in Jackson, WY, based on the way I wrote my songs. I shared my own process for finding stories there and it worked. That process for finding sense of place stories that matter is still at the heart of all the programs I offer today.

That workshop became the foundation for what I now call the Soulful Stewardship Method: stories inspire connections, which lead to caring and stewardship.

Finding these stories—and helping people express and share them—is what this work is all about.

In 2008, I released my 6th recording: Good Summer Rain, which had songs about different relationships to places. For its release, I partnered with the Trust for Public Land and began offering performances and workshops to help people tap into their sense of place and belonging. I also gave a keynote for the National Association for Interpretation, which began my work in the field of interpretation. It was there that I met people who became my friends and mentors, and helped me develop the training I offer today.

Since then, I've worked with museums, parks, historic sites, and communities—helping individuals and teams design experiences that awaken connection and inspire stewardship through the power of story.