Noah grew up in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and earned his B.A. at Whitman College in Washington. Upon graduation, he moved to the Southwest to work as a river guide, outdoor educator, and natural science teacher. He joined U.S. Senator Michael Bennet’s staff in 2010, leading public outreach and policy initiatives across Colorado’s western slope and central mountains. In this role, Noah worked closely with Colorado communities to guide the senator’s work in forestry, public land management, and rural development. Amidst this work and later as the senator’s state policy director, he sought to create unique, consensus-building initiatives in search of new ways to address divisive issues such as climate change and resource extraction. After graduating, Noah plans to return to the Intermountain West to rejoin his wife and continue working towards resilient rural communities and sustainable land management.