Stories hooked me on conservation.  As a kid, I watched every National Geographic special I could find and never missed an episode of Wild Kingdom.  My fascination with all things wild led me to major in wildlife biology at Cornell University. But I quickly realized that I wasn’t a scientist at heart – I was more interested in saving creatures than studying them.  I spent spring semester of my junior year in Washington, DC and shifted my focus to environmental policy.  That decision led to dual graduate degrees in environmental science and public affairs at Indiana University and a long career in environmental policy analysis, program evaluation, and advocacy in Washington.

Urban life and policy gridlock eventually pushed me and my husband to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where nature was closer at hand. I got involved in Shepherdstown’s American Conservation Film Festival, which reignited my passion for storytelling and the inspiration it can trigger. And so, after years of working and consulting for the federal government, conservation groups and charitable foundations, I returned to my conservation roots. I completed my M.A. in nonfiction writing at Johns Hopkins University in May 2013 and left my policy work behind.

Since then, my writing has appeared in publications such as The Washington Post, Pacific Standard, High Country News, Scientific American, Civil Eats, Ensia, Wonderful West Virginia and other outlets.  While in Shepherdstown, I wrote  regular features on a wide range of topics for The Observer of Jefferson County (WV) and and was a contributing editor for Fluent Magazine.  In addition to my freelance writing, I worked as a science communications  coach for COMPASS, helping scientists communicate more effectively with journalists, policymakers, and others. I currently also serve as a thesis advisor to writing students at Johns Hopkins.

Recently, my husband and I fulfilled a lifelong dream and moved to the Rocky Mountain West, opening up opportunities for new stories about wildlife and wildlands. So that’s my story.  You can see more of the (professional) details  here, and read most of my published stories here.

If I’ve still got your attention and you’d like to contact me with a story idea or question, feel free to reach me via my contact page or Twitter account (@AmyMatAm).  I welcome inquiries from editors and readers, and am always looking for new opportunities and ideas.