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NCEL Staff #OptOutside For Black Friday and Every Day

December 2, 2019

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Taylor Anderson
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On Friday, November 29, NCEL staff chose to #OptOutside. #OptOutside was created by REI in response to Black Friday and is meant to encourage people to spend the day outdoors. 

NCEL staff #OptOutside not just for Black Friday, but as often as possible throughout the year. We take every chance we can to spend time in the places that we work to protect and those closest to our hearts. 

Below are some highlights of NCEL staff’s favorite places and ways to spend time outside:

Jeff Mauk – Executive Director

Jeff Mauk is an avid biker. Whether it’s biking around DC or exploring the Italian countryside, Jeff is always looking for his next biking path. This year, Jeff pledges to bike or walk everywhere he can as a means of reducing his carbon footprint!

Dylan McDowell – Deputy Director

Dylan, a native Oregonian, loves to spend his weekends enjoying family hikes with his wife and NCEL’s Morale Officer, Roo. This is especially true for the day after Thanksgiving, where Dylan enjoys annual family hikes and exploring all that Oregon has to offer.

Michael Bueno – Climate and Energy Coordinator

Michael, originally from Texas, is thankful to get a break from DC’s cold winters and escape to some sunshine. While at home, he loves exploring the land and nature around his neighborhood.

Ruth Musgrave – Conservation Senior Advisor

Ruth loves getting outside to enjoy looking at wildlife. Here she is watching for wolves in Montana. NCEL’s Conservation Senior Advisor is a wildlife enthusiast who loves working to protect all types of wildlife through her work on wildlife trafficking, wildlife corridors, and carnivore protections.

Michael Streight – Conservation Fellow

As a Colorado native, Michael is thankful to have grown up with the beautiful Colorado landscape at his backdoor. Whether it’s exploring the Grand Canyon, or just hanging out in your own backyard, spending time in nature is good for your physical and mental health.

Altinay Karasapan – Environmental Health Coordinator

If she’s not hiking, Altinay loves exploring new urban parks while enjoying a good book. Urban parks and green spaces have economic, environmental, and human health benefits. They can help reduce urban heat island effect, improve air quality, and give city residents a place to get away from the city and relax.

Ashley Kellner – Operations Coordinator

Ashley spends many of her weekends out of the city and in the Shenandoah mountains or in the hills of West Virginia. She loves hiking and camping but also exploring all the green spaces that DC has to offer.

Taylor Anderson – Communications Coordinator

Originally from Georgia, Taylor treasures the chances she has to go home and explore Georgia’s great outdoors. Whether it’s hiking in north Georgia or exploring the woods of south Georgia, she loves spending time outside with family after the holidays.