High School Teacher, Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School, Brandon

Drill bit on Panther 3 drilling rig in Torquay, Saskatchewan for Husky Oil Operations.

As a young girl, I fell in love with the rocks of the Cascade Mountains on the west coast of British Columbia. I knew from about the age of 12 that I wanted to be a geologist, however university in BC coupled with an extremely high cost of living made it incredibly difficult to follow my passion. Through a change in life circumstances, I moved across the country to Brandon, Manitoba. With university education becoming more affordable, I enrolled in Brandon University’s Geology program. I graduated from BU in 2011 with a 4-year Honours Degree in Geology and a silver medal (top departmental GPA). My four years at Brandon University offered countless opportunities and lasting connections. Through dedication and hard work, I was able to earn thousands of dollars in scholarships, an opportunity to attend a 2-week all expenses paid petroleum industry field trip to Alberta, and a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada undergraduate research grant to pursue thesis research in central Utah. Upon graduation, I secured a position as a sub-contracted wellsite consultant for Husky Oil and Gas operations in Saskatchewan. After 3 short months of industry work, I paid down my $30,000 of outstanding student loan debt. Within a year, I was running my own consulting company drilling wells for Husky, EOG Resources, Tundra Oil and Gas, Interwest Petroleum, and others. After several years in the industry, changes in my personal life required I make a career shift that would offer a better work-life balance. In 2020 I graduated with a Bachelor of Education After Degree and have since spent the last two years as a high school teacher specializing in science, geography, social studies, and business education.