Kelsey Dailey

MS Hydrology, Environmental Studies from University of Colorado Boulder
BS Geological Sciences from The Ohio State University

Born and raised in the snowiest place in Ohio, Kelsey grew up mesmerized by the seasonal flow of the natural world. Her early curiosity about the environment led to her ceaseless adventuring and wanderlust, along with a zest for all things science. Kelsey has since intimately studied water, rivers, and ecosystems across the globe, worked at polar and alpine research institutes, and facilitated K-12 environmental science outreach throughout the U.S.

Before joining the Dragons community, Kelsey led outdoor expeditions, service programs, and conservation workshops for youth in Belize, Hawaii, and Colorado for National Geographic Student Expeditions. She also twice instructed a backcountry skiing hydrology internship in the Rocky Mountains at the University of Colorado. Kelsey has worked with Dragons in Cambodia, Laos, China, and Thailand and has studied yoga, meditation, spirituality, and sustainable living throughout Asia, all of which inform her work as an experiential educator.

Whether in remote mountainous terrain or open water, facilitating new immersive experiences for others provides Kelsey a channel to direct her devotion to both the natural world and the practice of creative living. By reconnecting with the natural identity of place, whether through ecology and Earth science, climate and environmental change, observation and reflection, or movement and sound, she aims to create space for others to learn about themselves and cultivate presence. She can often be found close to nature, practicing yoga, biking, reading, writing, singing, playing volleyball, or hiking. Kelsey is a Certified Yoga Teacher and appreciates the little things, live music, wholesome food, and drinking tea.

“The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them. The hunt to uncover those jewels – that’s creative living. The courage to go on that hunt in the first place – that’s what separates a mundane existence from a more enchanted one.” – Elizabeth Gilbert