I love serving my community as an outdoor and adventure educator and hope to be the gal you think of when you want to learn something new about the outdoors.
I’m an accidental entrepreneur [I’ll get to that below] and a huge safety + preparedness advocate for outdoor pursuits. I want you to have all the tools you need to get the heck out there with CONFIDENCE.
It’s also a massive privilege to host all-women adventure trips across the globe. I still cannot believe I get to call that my work. *somebody pinch me*
Things my soul loves: waking up in a tent, having trail runners on my feet, getting deep into the backcountry where the cell service sucks, smashing gummy bears on summits, getting buried under a heavy barbell, and slamming small cups of Coke at 50k aid stations.
Coloring outside the societal metaphorical lines and living a non-traditional life is my jam because hey – we have ONE crack at this thing called life, how can we squeeze every OUNCE of experience out of it and leave our souls wrinkled with stories of how we left nothing on the table?
I didn’t grow up “outdoorsy” which is totally okay. I was the middle child and we spent our weeks and weekends at soccer games, traveling to tournaments, and bouncing between various practices. Living in Virginia Beach, we would go down to Outer Banks for a holiday weekend or hang by the pool and shoot hoops.
My first hiking experience wasn’t until 2017 and little did I know, that would be the starting point at which being on trail would become part of my DNA.
As the years went on, I spent more time hiking, teaching myself about gear and finding trails, went on my first solo backpacking trip in 2018, ran my first trail race in 2020, and the flood gates opened from there.
I graduated college in 2014 with a double major in Communications and Criminal Justice and landed my first “big girl” job doing Government Contracting. Prior to that, I worked as a Dockhand at the local marina, Sales Associate at Coastal Edge, Range Safety Officer + Instructor at an indoor shooting range, and waited tables at Outback (I actually still love Outback to this day).
Never in a million years did I think I’d start a business, but come 2018, I was burnt out at my 8-5. I always knew I had a passion for helping people and I loved working out and talking about nutrition, so I dove into getting certifications in both and started Iron Soul Wellness as a little side hustle doing nutrition coaching and personal training.
A few months in – the side hustle was no longer a side hustle, it was a full-blow job. I pivoted to fully remote online strength & conditioning programming and nutrition coaching. This was strategic because we are a military family which means moving around the US + globe (hi Japan) was written into our future.
In all honesty, I hadn’t planned on my new business to become something I did full-time and I didn’t know the first thing about running a business (yes, it’s scary) or being my own boss. I mean, I forgot to pay my first quarterly taxes… OOPS.
But here we are, my business rebranded to Iron Soul Trailblazers in 2021 and she is alive, well, and has helped support hundreds of women over the years.
My mission is to help women chase outdoor adventure and live stoke-filled lives with confidence through education, community, and group trips.
“I stand on the sacrifices of a million women before me thinking — what can I do to make this mountain taller, so the women after me can see further.”
Your resident furry best friend who is happiest on trail, doing zoomies in mud puddles, or passed out in the sunshine. My husband and I rescued him from Romance, Arkansas in 2021. Chance is kind, loyal, anxious, quirky, smart, and always down for a butt scratch. He is part of the Trailblazer Team and gets Employee of the Month… every month.
You bring the stoke — we will take care of the rest. Literally. ALL ARE WELCOME! This could be your first time ever visiting a National Park or sleeping in a tent. This could be your 5th hiking trip and your 100th time sleeping in a tent. It doesn’t matter. Join us!
Safety Summits Blueprint is a rad 4-week course (led by yours truly each week) that will empower you with essential knowledge and skills to help you feel safe, badass, capable, and confident sending it on trail.
Trailblazers: Stoke Central is a vibrant online community for women (cis + non-cis) and non-binary individuals aged 18 and above, united by a passion for the outdoors. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer, weekend warrior, or just starting to explore, this is a space to connect with like-minded women, ask questions, plan meet-ups, and share the stoke of outdoor living.
Website by Eunoia Design Co.
