Keegan Fengler (BS Geology, 2000; MS Geology, 2007)

For the past 2.5 years, I have worked for UNAVCO as a Permitting Assistant on the Plate Boundary Observatory project here in Ellensburg. It is a great job and I work with great people - so who could ask for anything more? After finishing my BS degree, I moved to Snoqualmie Pass and worked as a full-time ski instructor, and then worked for a consulting firm in Kirkland. I decided the consulting world was not for me and it was time for graduate school. After considering my options and the needs of my family, I decided to head back to CWU to get my MS degree. My study area was in eastern Taiwan, which made field work a lot of fun. My CWU experiences working with a variety of scientists from around the world helps me everyday in my current job.

I got married in 2003 to Aaron Opp (CWU Geography) and we bought a house in Ellensburg before I started graduate school. So we have now lived in Ellensburg for 13 years - with one 3 year break in there. We do not have kids yet, but we do have a rock'n Border Collie named Tippi. Aaron and Tippi are an avalanche rescue team based on Snoqualmie Pass and work with the Alpental ski area and WA State Department of Transportation. Free time is usually spent backcountry skiing, mtn/road biking, hiking, and recently working on remodeling our house.

I have to say that both of my stints at CWU were awesome. I met some great people - who as I see from the alumni website are doing interesting things - and have many good stories to keep those days alive.

The picture is of me, Aaron and Tippi skiing Bean Basin in the Teanaway near Cle Elum in November, 2007.