Mariah grew up in Kalispell, Montana, near Glacier national Park and Flathead Lake. Great place to be for someone who loves the mountains and the water!

In September 2021, shortly after she arrived in Ketchikan with her husband, Mariah began her journey with community Connections as an Occupational Therapy Contractor for families in Prince of Wales and Metlakatla. In March 2022, she was hired as an employee and her position now includes being a coordinator for families in the Early Learning Program!

The part of her job that she enjoys the most is building relationships with each of the families she works with. Mariah says, “There’s something really special about being part of those moments when families see their child learn a new skill, achieve an important milestone, or just enjoy playing together and being with each other.”

One thing that can be challenging can often be meeting the needs of each of the families she works with. Mariah says, “Each family and child is unique in their skills, daily routines, and goals, and these can be a lot to juggle. I find that what helps me address this is to focus on meeting the family where they’re at and starting small, which helps everything feel more manageable.”

According to her supervisor, “Mariah is an asset to both the Early Learning Program and to Community Connections. She works hard at any task asked of her and is consistent in her quality of work. Mariah has expanded her knowledge of child development and specialized instruction through trainings. She has been a gift to the families we serve.”

In her free time, Mariah enjoys reading (her goal is to finish 20 books this year!), traveling, playing the piano, doing Jazzercise (which she’s been doing since high school), and playing board games.