When Alex was a kid, he spent a lot of time outside playing sports with friends, fishing, exploring the pond, and going walks in the woods. He especially loved exploring Fort Harrison State Park, which was only walking distance away, and that spot became one of his favorite outdoor spots in Indiana.

His parents and siblings encouraged Alex to stay connected to the outdoors and keep spending time outside. He was introduced to Kathy Willowoode, an elder who practiced herbalism, healing ceremonies and shamanic practices, and Alex became especially inspired to walk the path of nature connection. He decided to head to Maine for a primitive skills gathering, and met White Pine’s Matt Shull just before leaving. In Maine, Alex was also connected to Arthur Haines, the Wilder Waters Community, and Mike Douglas, who was mentored by Tom Brown Jr. Alex decided to stay and apprentice with Mike for 6 months at the Maine Primitive Skills School where he lived and learned on the land.

Upon returning to Indy, Alex reconnected with Matt and joined the staff at White Pine, feeling inspired by the strong community of nature-connected people working together to grow and learn together. He loves being a mentor, as well as learning, doing and passing along life skills that keep us all resilient. His favorite times at White Pine have been his Shikari mentorship, summer camps and Pathfinder expeditions.

Alex’s specialties are wide and varied: traditional basketry, fire by friction, archery, bowmaking, herbalism, movement, fighting, cooking, gardening and music. But he’s especially loving the Providers/West shield, where he can provide for and nourish others from his own hands and work, as well as making music to gather and bring people together.  He’d love to get into learning the Sacred Hunt.

When he’s not at White Pine, Alex stays busy with gardening, foraging, making baskets and bows, hunting, playing guitar, singing, dancing, going on walks and playing soccer. Someday, he’d like to live in a deeply connected nature community and live from the land as a lifestyle.