Gillian was fortunate to grow up in northern New Hampshire, where her family instilled a deep appreciation for spending time outdoors. From a young age, she began running, skiing, hiking, biking, and exploring the mountains—activities she continued to enjoy throughout adulthood. While in college, Gillian began guiding backpacking trips for high school students in the Yukon Territory and Yellowstone, specializing in leading long, remote trips. This experience inspired her to pursue a career in teaching, with the goal of working at outdoor-focused schools.
Gillian taught high school at the High Mountain Institute, Alzar School, and the Sun Valley Community School, where she continued to lead backpacking trips in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Chile, and Washington, sharing her passion for the outdoors wherever she went. During these years, Gillian spent 3-4 months each year sleeping under the stars. While she appreciated her time as a teacher, she found her true calling in supporting students with social, emotional, and learning challenges. She also began noticing a rise in mental health issues among the adolescents she worked with, which led her to pursue a Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of Montana in Missoula.
Currently, Gillian is focusing on learning how to support the health and well-being of children through coursework, research, and clinical experiences. As a graduate student, she prioritizes outdoor activities, training for running and skiing races, as a way to stay balanced and take care of herself in order to better advocate for the children she works with.
Gillian now lives in Missoula with her dog, Echo, and partner, Chris. She is passionate about building community around her love for the outdoors. In addition to her graduate studies, Gillian works at The Runner’s Edge in Missoula and is an active member of the local running community. She races in road, trail, and ski marathons and also enjoys mountain biking, backcountry skiing, hiking, backpacking, rafting, and pretty much anything that involves being outside in nature.
