Kimala recently joined the Dogwood team as its first ever Marketing Associate. We’re all excited to work with Kimala because of her creative spirit, her marketing experience and her dedication to protecting our Southern forests.

Kimala remembers always being an environmentalist, having grown up in Asheville within a community of folks who were very focused on issues of sustainability, and it shaped the way she views the world. Having spent time as an adult living in New York City, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, really reminded her of the importance of being close to nature. She saw the way living in a big city away from nature can increase hostility, isolation and create a fear of being disconnected.  Kimala says,

There’s something about being in nature that allows you to become separate from your problems and see the world more as a whole. I’ve also seen a decrease in my lifetime of the priority to uphold our natural resources, which makes me want to be more involved and active.

That desire to make a difference is what brought her to Dogwood. Kimala followed the organization for quite some time and was inspired by Dogwood’s work and mission. Having gone to school for Culture & Media, Kimala really values the opportunity to use her education and her creativity to serve a greater good through her work to protect our special, wild places and our remaining green spaces. She says,

I feel really lucky to have a job that allows me to be creative and think outside the box, a job that aligns with my core values and helps me achieve an overall goal in my life, which is to be proactive and give back. I feel really lucky to be a part of Dogwood, being part of a team of such hard-working people who are like-minded and mission-driven.

Kimala loves to go on trailruns with groups of people, go for creek walks, collect rocks with gem-like qualities and sit on the edge of overlooks. She loves looking out over nature when as far as the eye can see, there’s nothing but trees, plants and animals.

Kimala also enjoys playing music and trying new cuisines.