Annika grew up on an island in Maine, and interdependent (and salty!) communities have always been a part of her life. After four freezing years in the Twin Cities studying English, language, and creative writing at Macalester College, she made her way to Bellingham, where she began a new chapter teaching gardening and cooking to elementary schoolers. She taught at a nature preschool before embarking on a Fulbright scholarship to India, where she lived for a year teaching English, studying Hindi, and exploring the mountains, cities, and food of her temporary home. She returned to Bellingham, drawn by her love of community and the sea, and has spent the last five years working in communications, events, and development at Cloud Mountain Farm Center and Sustainable Connections. She recently began a job at the Organic Farming Research Foundation, where she manages donor engagement and gets to nerd out about all things soil health, policy, and agriculture. She joined the Chuckanut Center board in 2026, having recently moved to the Fairhaven neighborhood. She loves the sense of purpose and connection it gives her, and she’s excited to use her skills and enthusiasm to help the Center thrive and grow. When not at work, you can find her riding her bike, immersed in a book, on the soccer field, or cooking and sharing a good meal with those she loves.