Chelsea was born and raised in Montana, where she learned a love of wildlife and wild landscapes early on. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science with a biology minor from the University of Oregon in 2013. After college she worked as a seasonal wildlife technician for several years, assisting on a variety of projects with such species as bighorn sheep, marbled murrelets, and northern red-legged frogs. Her work took her to many incredible places out west, including deserts, ancient forests, and the Pacific coast. She was always called back to Montana, however, and came back to stay near friends and family in 2022. In her free time, she enjoys birding, hiking with her dog, and live music