Welcome Katie Cervenka, as our new Field Engagement Intern!

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Katie Cervenka, Field Engagement Intern.
A female staff member stands outside the Ice Age Trail Alliance headquarters and next to a metal statue of a mammoth.
Katie Cervenka, Field Engagement Intern. Photo by IATA Staff.

We are excited to welcome Katie Cervenka to the Alliance as our new Field Engagement Intern!

Katie is a rising junior at UW-Madison, double majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Life Sciences Communication. Katie “loves working with people and being in the outdoors,” so pursuing both fields felt right.

A woman smiles as she stands along a brick snowy path.
Katie smiles during a winter hike. Photo by Katie Cervenka.

She is originally from Delafield, Wis. and has a deep love for the Delafield Segment—she admits growing up and taking walks along the Wisconsin Veteran’s Memorial Riverwalk make her “a little biased.” But similar to a lot of hikers, Katie did not initially realize she was on the Ice Age Trail.

As she became more aware of the Trail, she found herself exploring new segments. Katie has fond memories of hiking the Lapham Peak Segment with her dog during the COVID-19 pandemic, going on camping trips at Straight Lake, and hiking the Trail while in Sturgeon Bay.

Katie believes finding people’s connection to the Ice Age Trail is a great way to spur engagement and advocacy. She hopes to foster this connectivity in her role.

 

As the Field Engagement Intern, she is a member of the Communications and Marketing Team and will assist with Outreach and Education initiatives. Katie will be in the field at various events: hikes, presentations, trailbuilding, etc. She will help educate new audiences and community groups about the Trail to spread awareness and garner support.

A woman smiles as she snuggles into a green hammock in a forest.
Katie enjoys a hammocking session, which is one of her favorite outdoor activities. Photo by Katie Cervenka.
A woman stands at the top of an observation tower and enjoys the scenic forest views.
As a Delafield native, Katie loves hiking the Lapham Peak Segment of the Ice Age Trail. Photo by Katie Cervenka.

Within Katie’s first week on the job, she already met with community partners and helped with a Think Outside hike. The week’s highlight was going on a Think Outside Hike at Lapham Peak with fourth graders from a Milwaukee Public School: “It was great to see kids experience wildlife and nature outside of the city for the first time.”

 

In her free time, Katie enjoys making ceramics (so far, she’s mastered air-dried clay, but she hopes to expand her repertoire), hammocking, and going for walks and exploring new areas.

A woman and small black dog enjoy a hike on a snowy winter day.
Katie and her friend's dog enjoy a winter hike together. Photo by Katie Cervenka,.

In her new position, Katie is looking forward to “diving right in and meeting as many people as I can. I want to meet anyone and everyone!” She is also excited to “discover people’s connections to the Ice Age Trail, no matter how small,” and to help new Trail users create meaningful experiences on the Ice Age Trail.

We look forward to working with Katie to conserve, create, maintain, and promote the Ice Age Trail!