October Member Spotlight: Carissa Beckwith

What do you do for work and what is your slash (aka what do you do in your free time)?

I am the Recreational Trails Program Manager at Fish, Wildlife & Parks. RTP is a grant program that gives out $1.5 million a year for trail projects in Montana. Basically, I manage those grant projects—which is awesome, since in my free time, I mostly recreate outdoors. I love to hike, backpack, fly fish, and garden. In the winters, I spend significant time reading sci-fi and fantasy books and painting landscape oil paintings.

How did you land in Helena?

I moved here from Salt Lake City three years ago with my husband, who had accepted a job with the state. We had been living in Salt Lake City (which is an amazing place!) for a few years while I completed graduate school. Originally, though, I am from northern Minnesota. Montana winters don’t even compare to Minnesota winters.

What is the best piece of advice that you ever received – career-related or otherwise?

“Only you have the power to change things.” My dad told me this a lot while I was growing up. He was trying to convince me that I could become not-afraid of spiders. So far, his advice has held true for everything in life. Except spiders. Still irrationally afraid of those.

When do you feel the most yourself?

When I am hiking in a new place. I try to find new places to explore as often as I can, but sometimes even going back to a familiar spot in a new season, or different weather, can really make a difference too.

Where is the last place you explored and where do you want to explore next?

In the last week, I’ve been to the Elkhorns, the Missouri River, the South Hills, and the WMA by Canyon Ferry. Next up on the list is Ringing Rocks, Muskrat Creek, and Mullan Pass.

Tell us something about yourself that we didn’t ask:

I was in juggling club in college.