Maddie feels most alive when she is connecting with others, learning through literature, and laughing. Maddie’s passion for learning, and desire to empower young people drove her to study Secondary Education, English, and History at Grand Valley State University. Maddie has worked with adolescents in a variety of settings for the last 7 years, including both urban and rural education, summer schools, community outreach and activism, teen programming for a supported-housing community, and finally as a high school English teacher in her home state of Michigan. During her summers and weekends, Maddie sought the adventure and peace of the outdoors–from the dunes of her home state, to the canyons of Utah and the peaks of Washington’s mountains. Maddie’s experiences in the outdoors have been an integral part of her personal life, especially as a teenager, which inspired her to learn more about wilderness therapy where she seeks to make sure that young people feel heard, valued, and empowered. Maddie fully believes in the power of wilderness therapy and is honored to spend this new chapter of her career in the woods with Northwoods Wilderness Therapy students.