We're delighted that Jennifer Beach, who previously served as a member of our Board of Directors at KAEE, has rejoined the board this fall! Read on to get to know a bit about her.
1. What is your current position? School Outreach Programmer, Kenton County Public Library (where I've been for 33.5 years now!)
2. What fictional place would you most like to visit? There are so many real places I would like to visit! Probably the universe of the A Wrinkle In Time book series. It's not a single place so much as a way of existing in the universe. Charles Wallace and those who help him visit many magnificent (sometimes terrifying) places (and times!) and encounter amazing and beautiful things and beings (a time-traveling unicorn!) which are significant beyond their own experience. I guess that's a little esoteric. The world of Peter Rabbit would be fun, too, but the actual place it's based on isn't imaginary!
3. If you could be any animal, what would you be? I think I would be a sea otter. Or maybe a humpback whale. I love being in the water. They live joyfully and playfully, form close family and community bonds, and otters sleep holding hands! And they are very important to their ecosystems. This is hard; there are so many!
4. What is your favorite place to visit in Kentucky? All of them. There are so many different and beautiful places to see in Kentucky! I love the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, the forests....I guess I would have to say Daniel Boone National Forest is my favorite. I love being in the woods and in the mountains. I love the views, the smell, the sounds. But I also love to visit historic sites of all kinds.
5. Who would you most like to swap places with for a day? I can't say that I've ever really thought about this. Maybe my younger self. We both could learn a lot.
6. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? Flight or breathing underwater; it's a toss-up. Either would allow me to go to astounding places and see things I otherwise would never be able to see. And both would allow much faster travel.
7. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Green. Any shade of green except maybe chartreuse. I like chartreuse, but other people get tired of it. A nice Forest Green would be fantastic.
8. What is one hobby you’d love to get into? I'm currently learning to needle felt. It's creative, works with natural materials, only limited by imagination...and the stabbing is very therapeutic. :) I'd love to learn to knit, but issues with my hands haven't allowed it when I have tried in the past.
9. What are you looking forward to this fall? I'm most looking forward to the fall weather! I love September and October-the colors, the crisp air, the clear blue skies! I love all the festive outdoor stuff to do! And I love everything pumpkin spice. I'm that person. I own it. And I'm really looking forward to the KAEE Conference, IN PERSON!
10. What most excites you about being a KAEE board member? The most exciting thing about being a KAEE board member is the opportunity to be directly involved in something that makes a difference far beyond myself. It is exciting to meet and work with passionate people working to make the world better. It is exciting to do work I believe in, and to share everything I love about nature and the outdoors with others.
