Her passion for environmental science emerged during college, fueled by field-based courses, volunteering with Shirley Heinze Land Trust, and spending time at the Indiana Dunes. This led her to pursue graduate studies at Indiana University in Indianapolis, where her research focused on nitrogen’s impact on water quality in the Upper White River Watershed. She used methods like risk assessments and stormwater modeling to improve local water ecosystems. Importantly, she shared her findings not just within academic circles but also with the broader community, utilizing interactive web applications and educational outreach tools to promote awareness and understanding of water quality issues.
During her graduate studies, Raenah gained valuable experience through various internships and jobs across different sectors. Most notably, she engaged with the local community by working with nonprofits such as Reconnecting to Our Waterways and Friends of Belmont Beach. She used these opportunities to connect residents with environmental science, raising awareness about local ecological challenges. Additionally, she collaborated with the Indianapolis Airport Authority on climate and sustainability projects, where she contributed to the development and implementation of their Sustainable Management Plan over several years.
In 2024, Raenah earned her PhD in Applied Earth Sciences, specializing in Geospatial Technology and Climate Resilience, a culmination of years of dedicated research, community outreach, and environmental advocacy.
Raenah’s role as the Midwest Resilience Specialist is to collaborate closely with partners and supporters to identify, implement and accelerate collaborative projects to enhance climate resilience to protect military missions, community infrastructure, and ecosystems. Climate resilience projects are ones that mitigate risks and increase resilience of military installations and the landscapes that overlap mission footprints. Raenah reports to LegacyWorks Group and works in close coordination with the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL) and Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape (CRSL) Coordinators, the Sentinel Landscape Committees, the Sentinel Landscape partners, and military installations to develop collaborative, near-and long-term, climate resilience and adaptation project proposals.
