Maraiah was inspired to follow her interests in wildlife conservation while growing up on her grandparent's small farm in Southeastern IN. Learning about gardening, beekeeping, and animal care led to a lifelong concern for nature, starting with a career as a veterinary technician at Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. There, she had the opportunity to contribute to local, state, and international conservation projects and care for wild ambassadors. In her personal time, she pursued interests that supported pollinators, including organizing native plant sales, giving pollinator presentations, and supporting local nature organizations. She then focused on conserving and restoring wetland, prairie, and wooded habitats at the Little River Wetlands Project. She found working alongside her community and volunteers to build habitats for imperiled species and partnering with conservation organizations very fulfilling. Maraiah is eager to continue working to support pollinator conservation while coordinating Project Wingspan in Indiana.

(From https://www.pollinator.org/people/maraiah-russell)

At Little River Wetlands Project, our mission is to restore and protect wetlands in the historic watershed of the Little River, a major tributary of the Wabash River, and to provide educational opportunities that encourage good stewardship of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. To learn more about our organization and the many events we sponsor, please visit www.lrwp.org.

Pollinator Partnership - https://www.pollinator.org/