Rachel is an environmental educator, conservationist, and outdoor program leader with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Management from Michigan Technological University. A lifelong resident of the Traverse City area, she has spent the past seven years with the Grand Traverse Conservation District (GTCD), where she serves as Education Director, leading environmental education programs, staff development, and youth engagement initiatives that connect thousands of learners with the outdoors each year.
Rachel is passionate about workforce development and mentorship, overseeing recruitment, training, and professional growth opportunities for seasonal staff while supporting local youth through mock interview and career readiness programs. She is a graduate of the Traverse Connect 2024 Women’s Leadership Cohort and the 2021 Rotary Leadership Cohort.
Her leadership extends statewide through service on the Education Committees of both the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) and the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE). Rachel has received numerous honors, including the 2025 MACD Region 3 Employee of the Year, 2025 NMEAC Environmentalist of the Year in Education, and 2024 Project WILD Facilitator of the Year.
She also serves on the boards of the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park and the Camp Greilick Advisory Committee. Rachel’s work is rooted in a lifelong connection to the outdoors and a commitment to inspiring conservation through meaningful outdoor experiences.
