Vanya North

Vanya North joined the PFI staff in August 2022 and currently serves as the habitat education coordinator.

After high school, Vanya spent eight years working for her grandfather’s rodeo supply business before deciding to pursue a career in conservation. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in environmental geography from the University of Arkansas in 2014, she took an AmeriCorps position in southwest Virginia as an environmental educator before working a series of seasonal positions in environmental restoration and environmental interpretation.

Vanya completed a second AmeriCorps term in southwest Washington state as an invasive species technician before working seasonally as a park ranger and then historical actress at The End of the Oregon Trail museum. She returned to her home state of Arkansas in 2020 and earned a Master of Science in geography in 2022. Her research focused on sustainability in the global cement industry, looking at inequities in resource allocation.

After work, Vanya enjoys taking Haidong Gumdo (Korean sword) classes and hanging out with her dog. On days off, she and her dog pursue any new hiking trail they can find, visit area farmers markets and embroider from the comfort of her hammock.