At a very young age, Carla knew she loved the outdoors and wanted to make a career of protecting the natural world. Carla went on to study environmental science at the University of Minnesota and urban and rural geography and forestry at the University of Wales, Bangor. She worked for Cargill and Target in Environmental Services, Accenture in Change Management and now works as the Sustainability Coordinator for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. She participates on her local neighborhood environmental committee and volunteers whenever possible on neighborhood initiatives. She is a passionate fan of all things Minnesotan and can usually be found paddling the lakes and streams in her kayak or biking around the state enjoying all it has to offer.