Laura Hartema was born and raised in Chicagoland and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from College of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri. The challenging work and adventures depicted in her debut book, BERING SEA STRONG, led to Hartema’s present career as an ecologist focusing on stream and wetland restoration. Her passion for her work and love for nature spills into her community, where she leads volunteers in stream enhancement efforts. Hartema resides in the Seattle area and spends much of her time outdoors embracing Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic mountains. She encourages others to seek inspiration, beauty and humor in her blog, "LoveThisDay" (www.LauraHartema.com).