Rachel Cummings

Rachel Cummings

Social Media Coordinator

I grew up in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, surrounded by the Blue Ridge mountains to the east, the Appalachians to the west, and Massanutten Mountain right in the middle. Shenandoah National Park was my childhood playground, and hiking, swimming, and exploring were my calling.

I stayed in the mountains while attending Virginia Tech for my undergraduate degree, studying Geography, and then moved halfway around the world to a tiny Mediterranean island to complete my master’s degree in Environmental Management and Sustainability through a joint program with James Madison University and the University of Malta.

After moving back stateside, I ended up in Charlotte, NC. Having grown up spending summers at the Outer Banks, North Carolina felt familiar while still new and exciting. After adjusting to city life, I got back to my roots, exploring my new home and checking off state parks throughout the Carolinas. In 2021, I completed the 52 Hike Challenge, where I committed to hiking at least once a week for the entire year, something that truly was challenging as a full-time working parent in the middle of a large city. However, it allowed me to realize that enjoying the outdoors doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and now I look forward to raising my children with a deep understanding and appreciation for the natural world while developing their own sense of adventure. We can’t wait to visit all the waterfalls!