She, along with her Art degree, moved west and, began working in outdoor and indoor education for the next 20 years. This path included teaching wilderness education, conservation, leadership and outdoor skills to students at NOLS: in Yellowstone, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Colorado; mountaineering, climbing, rafting, caving, horse trips and winter camping. She also ran programs at the National Cathedral School in Washington D.C. and winter camping ski programs in Ontario, Canada. Her teaching finally headed indoors to a one-room school on the Wind River Indian Reservation and public schools in Jackson & Dubois. She carried her message of leadership, conservation and place-based education throughout her teaching positions and her appreciation of wild places continued to grow.
Carolyn raised two daughters on a farm in the upper Wind River valley and understands the joy and challenges of living in, and raising children in a rural area. The past 15 years she has also owned and operated a bed and breakfast which combines her passions; meeting people from all over the globe as well has her strong sense of community, both building it and sharing the landscape with guests. Carolyn states, “I love networking and bringing great people and great ideas together. I feel it is important to be a steward of the land and wildlife that surrounds us, and it is an honor to be a part of the National Bighorn Sheep Center’s mission”.