Greetings! My name is Maddie Davis and I am the new AmeriCorps fellow at Cool Davis! As part of AmeriCorps, I’m dedicated to improving  lives, strengthening communities, and fostering civic engagement through service and volunteering, which aligns harmoniously with Cool Davis’ vision. I am responsible for aiding the Cool Davis team in strategic plan development and implementation, as well as assisting with our sustainability goals. At our new office space, you can find me researching sustainability solutions, participating in coalition meetings, or tabling at the Farmer’s Market, usually with a coffee in hand.

Being an effective steward of our environment has always been a paramount value of mine. Having grown up in Oregon, outdoor recreation and appreciation is a huge part of who I am. Weekend hikes, summer canoeing, and frequent camping trips are experiences which led me to seek refuge in nature, and eventually to impart these values on nature hikes through the Northwest Outdoor School program in Portland, Oregon. All of this changed however, when the Eagle Creek fire of 2017 destroyed over 50,000 acres of the Columbia River Gorge, devastating the landscape. Started by humans, the Eagle Creek Fire obliterated my beloved hiking trails and turned the picturesque Historic Columbia River Highway into a scorched blight that will not be restored for decades. This was my first direct experience with climate change. 

The extensive damage caused by this human-caused climate disaster had realigned my values. No longer was climate change an abstract concept that only happened to other people; it was right in my backyard. Since then, I have fully committed myself to effective sustainable solutions, and making conscientious progress toward stopping the destruction of our planet. I believe Cool Davis is a local beacon for climate justice, and I could not be more thrilled to devote my efforts toward our mission. I can’t wait to collaborate with the community as we fortify our sustainability and resilience in the face of the climate crisis.