A few years ago, back in my home state of Maine, I ran into someone I hadn't seen in years. He skipped the “What are you doing between nine and five?” and instead asked, “What have you been doing in your free time that makes you happy?”

My answer is simple: I love running, crafting, reading, and spending time with family and friends (in no particular order).

I've thought about that question ever since, enough that I’ve started asking it myself. I’ve challenged myself to connect with new people across different sectors about what they do and what drives them.

Building community is the thread that's led me through the environmental research, non-profit, and education sectors, always drawing me back to the same question: How do we design programs and experiences that help people understand and care for the world around them?

These days I live in San Francisco, and my answer to that original question hasn't changed much — just the scenery and an even stronger motivation to keep asking.