Elijah developed an interest and passion for the outdoors in the West Virginia mountains. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in May of 2021 where he studied Environmental Science and Marine Science. While in school, he was a research assistant with Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments. In this position, he assisted private and public policymakers in integrating climate information into community planning. In 2022, he completed his term with American Conservation Experience based in Flagstaff, Arizona during which he learned the skills of trail building, invasive species removal, and ecosystem restoration. Next, he served as an Assistant County Ranger with the North Carolina Forest Service where he practiced forest management and fought wildland fire. He now lives in Asheville, North Carolina where he is learning woodworking and gardening. He is excited to have a positive impact in his community in the role of Stewardship Coordinator with Riverlink.