Welcome to our new blog series of Q&As with our staff! As our team has grown in recent years, this is a chance to get to know some of our stories and quirks. Caring for creation and equipping others to do likewise is so much more meaningful—and fun—when done as a team!
Photo caption: A Rocha USA’s Director of Conservation Brittany Michalski (left) with our 2025-26 Conservation Interns at Mount Rainier National Park.
What drew you to A Rocha?
I love that A Rocha is Christians DOING conservation.
When did the connection between faith and environmental work first “click” for you?
While at university studying wildlife ecology, I realized that God cares deeply about the world he created and continues to sustain. This revelation came not from my Christian college community, but through my involvement in The Wildlife Society student chapter.
What’s your favorite species and why?
Homo sapiens. My daughter is this species and she’s just the best. I can’t wait to teach her about God, God’s world, and Jesus’ plan of redemption.
What places are near and dear to your heart?
Almost all of them! I subscribe to Wendell Berry’s philosophy that “there are no unsacred places, only sacred places and desecrated places.” But to be more specific, my backyard garden is at the top of the list, as is my kitchen, where I honor the gifts of the earth by cooking tasty, nourishing food for my family.
What training/background do you bring to this work?
I have a BS in Wildlife Ecology, an MS in Environmental Conservation, and 13 years of experience in work at the intersection of Christian faith and the environment.
What are the most challenging aspects of your work?
In the real world, things tend to move slowly. The urgency of this moment feels at odds with reality. It definitely feels like an uphill battle sometimes!
What are the most rewarding aspects of your work?
Getting to walk alongside our Conservation Interns gives me life and joy. Year after year, each cohort shows me the hope and potential that is alive and well in today’s young Christian conservationists.
What keeps you going when faced with all our overwhelming ecological problems?
Sacred rituals keep me going. I am talking about that morning coffee. In all seriousness, when I remember that each morning is a new day, presenting itself as God’s grace manifest, I am reminded that God is not going to give up.
What is a little-known but fun fact about you?
I curled competitively during my high school years and primarily played the role of skip. I still follow curling, especially during the winter Olympics.
What would be your creation-oriented book recommendation?
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I also really enjoyed Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.
What is your favorite creation-oriented song?
I think it’s gotta be Joy to the World. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a Christmas song – it’s an ecological hymn of praise and welcome to the returning creator-king, Jesus.