Katie Elliott- Secretary
I hold a Ph.D. from Clemson University in Biological Sciences, live in Clemson, and currently am employed by Johns Hopkins University (JHU) as the Program Manager for a multi-million dollar academic/industrial consortium focused on enhancing the future with progressive and more sustainable biomanufacturing.
Equally important to my career are my passions for recreational therapy, conservation of natural resources, and devoting the time I am graced with to my community through non-profit work. My nature leads me to protect the most vulnerable and I feel I have a civic responsibility to devote myself back to the community that built me. I strongly want to preserve our natural environment, provide access to new areas and enable recreational therapy for every human – because for me, it saved me in many ways, many times.
Climbing became an outlet to conquer my fears and anxieties and become a physically stronger athlete, but more importantly, it provided significant mental benefits, including confidence, more focus, passion, motivation, an ability to push through and deal with the unexpected; my anxious thoughts are squandered once I find myself on the rock. I never expected to benefit in so many ways, and for others like me that are simply unaware of the possibility or don’t feel like they could ever get involved – I want to share with them, guide them, show them the immense power of recreational therapy through climbing.
I also enjoy mountain biking (especially downhill), trail running, water sports, baking, and wildlife rescue, including rehabilitating and releasing orphaned or injured wild eastern cottontails through my non-profit organization.
Photo by Petey Guillard