We welcomed Kimi Hoover to our staff this month.
Kimi has had diverse professional experiences, from teaching Environmental Science to studying French cuisine to working as a Department of Ecology biologist. She’s joining the Institute staff as Group Logistics Coordinator, and will be picking up group liaison services where Associate Director Heather Johnson leaves off. It’s a details job, and that suits Kimi just fine. She jokes about the “Robertson logistic gene,” which she and several relatives inherited. The way she tells it, the gene turns trips with her family into comedic routines of map-checking, list-making, and fine-tuned arrangements.
Kimi’s work at the Institute is supported by her deep care for people and the planet. Though trained as a biologist, with a Master’s degree in that field, she’s fascinated by teaching and studying Environmental Science, with a focus on sustainability issues. She is also an enthusiastic explorer of the outdoors, finding solace and rejuvenation in nature. She’s also an avid collector of field guides—“every field guide in existence,” she jokes. She spent her early adulthood traveling extensively around the globe, from Belize to Alaska to Hawaii to Europe. Now, her explorations take her around the trails and waterways of Northwest Washington.
When not hiking, birdwatching, or kayaking, Kimi might be in the kitchen: originally trained in the French culinary tradition, she now honors both her palate and the planet by preparing vegan foods and teaching others about plant-based nutrition. “I’ve spent the last two years intensively researching plant-based diets,” she said. Before obtaining a Cornell certificate in plant based nutrition, Kimi originally tried veganism for reasons of planetary sustainability. Now, after extensive study, she sees plant-based living as a healthful choice, too.
Whether teaching or cooking, Kimi relies on two keys for success: being prepared, and having love for your subject. She points to a French culinary term indicating readiness: mise en place, or “everything in its place”. “It’s the same with teaching,” she said. “Being prepared allows you to feel at ease.” As for love of her subject? Kimi has that too. “I feel grateful that we have landed here, surrounded by kindred spirits.” The mission alignment that she feels with the Whidbey Institute makes her a perfect addition to our staff.
Kimi’s husband, Michael, also joined the staff this spring, and her son Cole is on our board of directors. Watch for information on both Michael and Cole in the coming months.