I grew up in Anderson, Indiana, and have always been a lover of nature. I was not always passionate about fungi - that seed was planted early through morel hunting with my father, and truly took root in my early twenties through my own healing experiences with medicinal mushrooms in my early twenties. One being a neurodegenerative issue I had in my cervical spine being completely reversed with lion's mane alone in three weeks. I was fortunate to be raised in a family that camped often and hunted together, where I experienced the quiet stillness of the woods in the early morning hours—a feeling unlike any other. I now live in Michigan, surrounded by the grandeur of the natural world, continually deepening my relationship with it.

My professional background as a board-certified holistic health coach and nutritional therapist, along with my academic studies in health sciences and nutrition, has blended seamlessly with my passion for fungi. This foundation allows me to approach mushrooms not only through reverence and tradition, but also through the lens of physiology, biochemistry, and evidence-informed practice. My experiences, passions, and education also empowered me to found Elden Medicinals, where I educate on these topics throughout the Midwest, as well as create dual-extract mushrooms tinctures that are primarily wild foraged from Michigan. I call it, forest to bottle!