Hi, I'm Liz. 

If you're wondering how I became overly excited by birds and the great outdoors, you can thank my parents, Bev and Cliff.

Growing up in Woodstock, Illinois, my mom and I attended National Audubon Society presentations on Sundays at our charming Woodstock Opera House. 

We'd sit there in the dark, watching slide shows of birds I'd never seen before, marveling at their wild colors and listening to their songs. It was a little bit quirky, a little bit magical, and it completely hooked me. 

Following the presentations we'd take a walk through Ryders Woods, our neighborhood conservation area, just a short walk from our house and practically our backyard. We'd talk about all the birds we'd just learned about while we strolled down the paths.

My dad, who was editor of National Wildlife Magazine, was always encouraging me to look for deer and other critters hiding in the woods. One of my favorite things we did was build and install little bluebird houses at our family farmhouse. We weren't just learning about ecosystems; we were actually getting our hands dirty and building a home for a tiny bird.

I even signed up for a birdwatching class as a freshman at Middlebury College just so I could spend more time in the Vermont woods, watching the snow geese migrations of the Northeast. It was an unforgettable way to learn.

After working in the global corporate world as a personal development director for organizations and companies including The International Olympic Committee and The Walt Disney Company, I realized that devoting myself full-time to the pursuit of nature education and nature conservation was where my real passion is, and that's how The Novice Naturalists Club came to be!

I'm very (very!) excited to share all the wondrous things I've learned about nature with you through my nature mini classes, masterclasses, photos and nature-inspired designs. 

I hope you find your spark in nature today!

XOXOX

Liz A.