Natalie went on a series of extended canoe trips through YMCA Camp Menogyn from 2005 – 2007, culminating in a 50-day canoe expedition in Nunavut, Canada on the Kazan and Kunwak Rivers. In 2011, Natalie and Ann were the first two women to paddle 2,000 miles from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay, recreating Eric Sevareid’s route from Canoeing With the Cree. On that 85-day expedition, she was exposed to issues surrounding small town economies and societies, agriculture, industry, energy, and the environment. After Natalie and Ann were nominated for Canoe & Kayak’s 2012 Expedition of the Year she began public speaking to inspire communities to experience and learn from their local rivers. In 2012, Natalie formed a non-profit organization called Wild River Academy to present ‘urban’ rivers as a natural, dynamic classroom for youth.

In 2013, she paddled the length of the Mississippi River with ten other young adults to share their journey with students through an online interface. In 2015 Natalie worked with the River Management Society to create a summary of publications about the economic benefits of water trails and began advising communities on ways to increase paddlesports tourism. Natalie writes articles for Canoe & Kayak Magazine about paddler amenities in river communities as shown in How to Make a River Town and, her monthly series,The Next Best Paddling Town (article example here). She also gave the December 2015 American Rivers webinar called Making and Economic Case for Water Trails.  She currently works as a River Corridor Steward for the St.Croix River Association.