Rachel Mathey, Salt Lake City, Utah : an interview by Rob DeBirk

Typescript (23 pages) of interview by Rob DeBirk of Rachel Mathey on July 22, 2008

Mathey grew up at the base of the Wind River Mountains in Green River, Wyoming. Her parents took the family camping and she spent a lot of time in the outdoors when she was young. She credits those experiences camping with her family as the most influential factor in developing her passion for environmental issues. Her parents encouraged her to develop her spiritual side by connecting with nature. Rachel also took part in the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) when she was young. During her first summer with the school, she had an epiphany, and knew that she was connected to nature and that she wanted to do something to help preserve the environment. She moved to Salt Lake City to go to school because she had family there, and studied at Westminster College. She took all the courses they provided for geology and then all the courses with environmental as a prefix. For one of her courses it was required that the students volunteer for a local organization. She volunteered for SUWA and developed an interest in keeping wild areas wild throughout the country. Her volunteer work at SUWA provided her with the opportunity for an internship at Save Our Canyons, which led to a job at Utah Environmental Congress, where she works doing the same thing she did at Save Our Canyons. Rachel discusses the differences between the two organizations: each organization has a different member base and works on different issues. Utah Environmentalists Oral History Project. Interviewer: Rob DeBirk