Above & Beyond With U is a non-profit in the making and has been my dream for over a decade! As a full-time wheelie, I have had to advocate for myself since the age of 7 and then as an educator, I advocated for my students and their families. Advocacy is hard work and it takes consistent energy and capacity to keep the ball rolling.  During my medical needs I would need to take breaks from this important work but in 2017 I was re-inspired to commit to this work again.

In 2017 I was selected to be a part of the Blandin Community Leadership Program with 25 other community leaders from my hometown of Two Harbors, MN.  This year was a transformative time of great personal change.  During our retreat, I was led to open up about my journey and experiences as a young wheelchair user and a current leader who struggled with physical access to some of our most visited locations within our region.  The support of my “Blandin Family” helped me pick up this torch of advocacy again and my story led many of these fellow leaders to start making huge accessible changes in the workspaces, town events, and other spaces they have influence over.  Each of our stories have the power to create a ripple effect in our communities.

​

In 2019 I was encouraged to apply for the Bush Foundation Fellowship and in 2020 I was honored to become a Bush Fellow.  This two year fellowship in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic helped change my career and provided a launching pad for great adventures in the natural and virtual worlds.  Through education, coaching, reflection, and support I was able to begin this dream of Above & Beyond With U!