Former Intern: Annie Koch
Winter 2015 in the Administration Department at Vermont Adaptive’s Headquarters at Pico Mountain
Annie interned in the Marketing and Communications Department with Vermont Adaptive at its location at Pico Mountain beginning in March 2015 while she was finishing her bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Resort Management at Green Mountain College (now Vermont State University) — Killington campus. At the end of the internship, she stayed on staff with Vermont Adaptive and continued her role as the Projects & Services Assistant through August 2016.
Q: Who was your supervisor?
A: My supervisor then was Kim Jackson, Director of Communications & Marketing. Working with Kim, I developed skills in marketing, communications, and advertising, as well as event planning, volunteer coordination, and donor relations.
Q: What do you remember most about your internship?
A: In this role, I was gifted my first digital camera, which opened up a whole new world for me. Outdoor Photography became my passion and creative therapeutic outlet. After completing my degree at Green Mountain College and with my professional experience at Vermont Adaptive, I decided to use my talents and pursue outdoor photography as a profession.
Q: Why was the internship important to you? Or was it?
A: I moved to Colorado, where I worked as an on-snow photographer for Keystone and Breckenridge Resorts while freelancing. My increasing interest in the business of photography led me to enroll in the Rocky Mountain School of Photography’s (RMSP) Summer Intensive and Professional Intensive programs in Missoula, Montana. I completed the program in 2020 and landed in Truckee, California, where I officially started my business as an outdoor commercial photographer and artist.
Q: Where are you now? What are you doing?
A: Today, I am doing photography and working with brands and businesses whose values align with my mission to help increase the inclusivity, representation, and participation of women and diverse populations in outdoor recreation. I also sell art prints of landscapes I’ve photographed during my travels. I recently moved back to Vermont and am pursuing my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Vermont State University. My outdoor photography experiences have led me to envision my future role as a mental health therapist, where I can collaboratively use mindfulness, expressive arts therapy, and ecopsychology methods to support clients’ emotional growth, healing, recovery, and overall well-being.
Q: Did your internship help with getting you to where you are now professionally? Personally?
A: My internship at Vermont Adaptive has guided me throughout all my professional and personal experiences, and I would not be where I am today without it. Throughout my time here as an intern with Vermont Adaptive, I have had a great time learning new experiences and new writing techniques.
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