Her days often include scenes like this: meeting with students and school board members to advance solar energy projects, recommending updates to local zoning ordinances and climate sustainability plans, and connecting with other climate-focused community members to plan initiatives which expand local capacity for renewable energy.

“Since I was a student myself, I've dedicated much of my life to educating others and engaging in actions to reverse climate change, protect our stunning Michigan ecosystems, and empower students to shape their climate future,” Liv says. “In this role with Groundwork, I get to pursue all of these passions in one place and connect with others who are committed to reaching our goals and having a meaningful impact in our communities.”

In Liv’s climate and energy work, one of the biggest goals is connecting and partnering with community members to increase access to renewable energy solutions, like solar, wind, and geothermal. “There’s affordable, clean power coming from the sun, the wind, and the core of the Earth,” she says. “We need to equitably transition to harvesting those sources to power our communities and protect our environment.”

That’s a natural goal for someone who likes to spend hours kayaking through Michigan’s waterways and hiking every chance she gets. One of her current passions is swimming as many days as she can during the summer and seeing how late into the year she can get in the water. Last year, she went swimming in Lake Superior in late October and hopes to achieve a new best this year. “I thrive when I’m outdoors enjoying our most lovely mitten state,” Liv says.