Maddie was always outside and barefoot as a kid. She frequently took rambles in the wooded areas near her house and adjoining corn and bean fields, in all seasons, as well as walking or riding her bike around the small town to see her friends. She has very vivid memories of catching crawdads in the creek near her best friend’s house and climbing every tree she could get her hands and feet on. Her family (and extended family) also took camping trips throughout the summer every year, rain or shine. Later on, her dad started taking her and her sisters on hiking trips at National Parks around the country. Both of her parents helped grow her love for the outdoors, especially her dad.

One of Maddie’s favorite places is her family’s farmland in Howard County, Indiana, where her father lived, land that’s been in her family for over 150 years. She loves looking out over the expanse of corn, soy, and tomato fields throughout the different seasons, as well as the peaceful feeling that she’s both temporarily secluded from the bustle of modern life and a part of something greater at the same time.

Maddie recently worked at a Waldorf preschool in Reykjavik, Iceland as the 3-5 teacher. She also helped a homeschooling family teach their 3 kids for five years here in Indiana. She’s excited to graduate from Purdue University next year with a degree in Early Childhood Education Administration. She specializes in early childhood education, music and language.

Maddie was inspired to come to White Pine to continue her love for teaching littles outside. The Waldorf preschool she worked at previously was very outdoorsy and centered in nature. Maddie found it wonderful to watch how teaching children can be different, more healing, than how she was taught as a child. Her favorite part of being an outdoor educator is learning alongside the kids and seeing their awe of the world around them. She’s excited to learn everything and find out what her favorite parts of nature are.

When she’s not at White Pine, Maddie loves spending time with her own toddler, with lots of running, climbing, reading, kissing scraped knees, running more, singing, dancing, playing, and catching random objects from spilling or breaking. She also likes to be with her friends and family, read, sing, embroider, dance, run, and dress up in cosplay for fun. She’s looking forward to travelling with her daughter. Maddie’s dream is to visit every single continent, as many countries as she can, learn as many languages as possible and make a friend in every one of them.