Sarah Keefer

Sarah’s fondest memories of nature are experiences she’s shared with friends—especially when those experiences involve spotting wildlife from the bow of a ship! She’s captivated by the wonders of the natural world, and it was the lure of expansive wilderness and exotic destinations that inspired her to study wildlife biology at both the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Hawai’i Honolulu. Sarah was first partial to mammalian studies, and it wasn’t until her first season as a field naturalist in Southeast Alaska that she began to truly appreciate watching birds and what they could teach us about patience, integrity, and hope.

As a National Geographic Certified Field Educator, Sarah’s excited to encourage families and kids to express their innate curiosity by becoming explorers, storytellers, and responsible global citizens. She engages with other passionate communities through University of Minnesota programs on ecology, geology, botany, wildlife, biodiversity, and interpretation. She also advocates for habitat restoration, community stewardship through citizen science, and implementation of best practices for climate resiliency.

When she isn’t on an expedition, you might find Sarah gazing up at the night sky, dog sledding along a winter trail, or chasing rainbows.