Nikolas Katrick
37 | Executive Director, The Nature Museum at Grafton
Residence: Marlboro
Career highlight(s) you are most proud of:
I’m proud to have helped design and build the Magic Forest Playscape at The Nature Museum. Ensuring kids get unstructured, free play time in the natural world is so crucial for health, creativity, development and so much more. More than that, I hope it encourages adults to play too, because like other mammals, humans learn and grow through play throughout their entire lives. If I can help a few folks kick the broken Western culture mentality that “adults don’t play,” I’ll consider that a success.
Your community involvement:
I volunteer regularly with two amazing communities: EarthSpirit, which is an earth-based spiritual organization, and Chase Hill, which is an inclusive Heathen community. It’s a joy and an honor to be a part of deep, meaningful traditions that see the Earth as sacred and celebrate the wonder and mystery of living in an interconnected world.
I also serve as the rescue lieutenant and EMS training officer for Marlboro Volunteer Fire Company, where I’ve been an EMT and a firefighter for over 13 years. Though it’s sometimes very challenging work, it’s a great opportunity to be more involved with my local town and lend a hand when others need it most.
Inspiration for living and working in Vermont:
I work in Vermont because Vermont is my home, where my family lives and where I’ve learned to connect to the land. Those connections keep me rooted here, and that fuels my work both professionally and personally.
Favorite part of your job:
Watching folks make connections to the world around them — sometimes for the first time. When you realize you’re never alone, and that you’re surrounded by the strength, wisdom and diversity of all the species that live beside us, it’s life-changing.
Most inspiring mentor:
I have several mentors and inspirations in my professional life, but the person that comes to mind most frequently is Randy Knaggs, outdoor program director at the former Marlboro College. He taught me an incredible amount about technical things like group behavior, leadership skills and logistical management. But most importantly, he continues to embody learning through doing, and finding ways to teach for multiple learning styles. He’s an incredible individual.
Best career advice you have received:
Bill Plotkin, an ecotherapist and wilderness guide, emphasized that one’s personal work — the gift you share with the world — can be done in any occupation. I think deeply about what work I’m sharing with the world, and I channel some of that through environmental education.
Something fun about yourself that few people know:
I write contemporary fiction about werewolves and shapeshifters.
Favorite Vermont escape:
I’m in love with where I live on a westward-facing hill in southern Vermont. But if I had to choose another special spot (and I have several), I’d say Hunger Mountain in the early winter.
Favorite Vermont season:
I’m an arctic mammal, so I thrive in the fall, stick season and winter.
Cause(s) you would support if you had unlimited funds:
More wolf conservation and education efforts, Earth-based spiritual communities and events, and local groups.
Where you see yourself professionally in the next five to 10 years:
I’d love to be at The Nature Museum still, continuing to help the organization evolve, diversify and grow.
How your job has changed since the pandemic:
I started working at The Nature Museum in the early months of the pandemic, and because many of the in-person programs were canceled our team decided to pick up a dream project called the Magic Forest Playscape, a natural playscape for kids. As I got involved in some of the other aspirational projects at the museum, I was drawn toward big-picture planning; ultimately, that led me to my current position as executive director.