Kate Lucas

I grew up on the edge of the Minnesota River valley, where I climbed trees to take in its broad expanse and learned about its polluted waters, caught as it was between the interests of farmers and environmentalists. As a girl I was also fascinated by the remnants of prairie and wetland to the west, which increased my interest in conservation. Into adulthood, I have spent my free time paddling in the Boundary Waters and on Rainy Lake, wading in the St. Croix and the Shell River, and backpacking along the North Shore and Isle Royale. Each experience has cultivated a deep sense of the importance and the vulnerability of these landscapes—not only the places that might seem rarified and apart, but the water that runs through our taps, and the air we breathe every day.

Kate Lucas brings more than 20 years of experience in writing for nonprofit organizations. Prior to MCEA, she worked as an independent grant writing consultant for a number of nonprofits in the Twin Cities, including Southside Harm Reduction, the Minnesota Museum of American Art, and Breakthrough Twin Cities. She has also taught writing at several local colleges and universities. Kate holds a B.A. in English from the College of St. Benedict and an M.F.A. in Writing from Hamline University.