Staff Bios

After completing her MA in Arts Management at Columbia College in Chicago, Kendra spent her early career instructing business courses and coordinating the Department's internship programs. Restless and eager to return to the arts, Kendra decided to pursue a certificate in Artifact Collection Care from the University of Chicago in 2010. As luck might have it, this newly acquired qualification propelled her towards an exciting new career path, one that began with a chance to manage Columbia's Fashion Study Collection and to produce exhibits that showcased the collection's historic dress. Kendra's appreciation for collection work motivated her to return to school once more to pursue her MA in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Finally done with academics, Kendra now manages Scout's diverse digital collections, a calling that appeals to her fondness for organization. In addition to her work at Scout, Kendra volunteers as a researcher for the US National Herbarium, Smithsonian Institution. She also enjoys reading, gardening, and vegan baking.

Born and raised in Northern California, Catherine moved to Madison by way of the Rocky Mountains. After completing her MA in Education at the University of Colorado, she spent a few years sampling local microbrews, searching for the world's best pork green chili, and working in institutional research at the University of Denver. Now, she splits her time scribbling in the Scout Report's digital margins and pursuing her PhD in Educational Policy Studies. In what's left of her spare time, she still enjoys sampling local microbrews and can often be found hiking around southern Wisconsin, binge watching Downton Abbey, or scurrying around the Madison farmers' market with her husband Chris. 

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Zoe is an undergraduate at UW-Madison majoring in French, Communication Arts, and European Studies. She recently spent a semester studying in Paris, which only intensified her love for cooking and eating. Her other interests include singing, travelling, and watching movies. During her free time she can be found ordering in Indian food, working on a crossword puzzle, or planning a trip.

Rachel grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and moved to Minneapolis to pursue an undergraduate degree in art history and Spanish studies at the University of Minnesota. Upon graduation, she worked at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the University of Minnesota coordinating events and academic programming. Rachel recently relocated to Madison in order to pursue her MA in Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. When not cataloging at Scout or studying for school, she can be found sewing or knitting her handmade wardrobe, reading, doing crossword puzzles, and making plans for her future sheep farm.

Molly's interest in artifact collection began at the age of six, when she found her first baseball card in her grandfather's attic in Seattle. Still an avid collector of baseball cards and other bits and bobs, she spends her time at Scout collecting and preserving born-digital educational material. She earned her BA at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA - her degree is in "interdisciplinary studies," but she really studied art history and printmaking - and just completed her MA in Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to working at Scout, Molly enjoys hiking, road trips, reading, and just discovered how awesome pond hockey is.

Born in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa (translation: Blossoming Flower), Nehemiah first moved to the United States at age 10 with his family. From his new home in Washington D.C., he was able to experience many things for the first time - like his first snowstorm. Or the fact that, in America, people leave their nice, comfortable homes to go spend days in the middle of the woods for fun. And they call it vacation. During his high school years, he discovered his love for mathematics and global economics, which prompted him to pursue a double major in Finance & Risk Management at the Wisconsin School of Business. When he’s not buried in his studies or trying to keep up with the markets, Nehemiah enjoys playing a nice game of chess or going to the basketball courts with some friends. Nehemiah is also an avid art enthusiast and can often be found at the Chazen Art Museum contemplating surrealist pieces.