Dr. Shannon Cline is a Teaching Assistant Professor of Recreation Management at Appalachian State University and an award-winning educator who helps people build confidence, connection, and belonging in the outdoors. She teaches courses in backpacking, hiking, and outdoor leadership, and regularly leads students on trail experiences designed to be both accessible and transformative. Shannon (Trail name Flamingo) is a section hiker on the Appalachian Trail and finds her deepest sense of clarity and spirituality outdoors. Her work focuses on breaking down barriers that keep people from engaging with nature and creating spaces where beginners feel welcome. She holds close Aldo Leopold’s words: “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” for she is one who cannot