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Guiding wilderness trips has been Chris’ passion for over 20 years. You’ll see it on her trips, hear it in her speeches, and if you meet
her on the street. Clients and trip participants frequently comment
on her quiet and strong leadership style, her gentle teaching
ability, her sense of fun, and her reverence for wild places.
A love for the outdoors was seeded very early on, camping, canoeing,
mushroom hunting and hiking were routine activities in Chris’s
upbringing. In fact, Chris’s mother, an ordained minister and
wilderness guide herself, often co-guides Wild Institute trips.
Recognizing The Wild Institute’s growing success,
National
Geographic Today did a segment on Chris and The
Wild Institute, featuring a beginning whitewater canoe weekend,
which has aired nationally several times.
As a speaker, Chris brings her passion for wild places to
conferences, events, and corporations, deftly connecting nature’s
wisdom to everyday urban life. She has been speaking professionally
since 2000 on topics ranging from teamwork and improved
communication to productivity and balance. Her
client list includes 3M,
Qwest, G+K Services, College of St. Catherine, Michigan Recreation
and Parks Association, and many more.
An accomplished writer and published author, Chris wrote the book,
Daily Degradations for Women Who Should Know Better: Making peace
with our inner critic. She writes an inspirational weekly poem, WILD
Thoughts, about our connection to nature, which is e-mailed to
hundreds of subscribers. She has also contributed a chapter to an
upcoming book on leadership and solo wilderness travel.
Chris hold’s a Bachelor’s degree in recreation and social work, is a
certified Wilderness First Responder, and is a graduate of the
National Outdoor Leadership School. She sits on the board of the
University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center and is a member of NAWBO
(National Association of Women Business Owners) and many
environmental organizations.
Chris lives with her partner, 3 teenage girls, 10 sled dogs, 4 cats,
and a house dog on 18 beautiful acres just outside the Twin Cities.
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