Nancy Sommer grew up in northern Minnesota, where a childhood filled with camping, fishing, blueberry picking, and exploring the outdoors helped shape her lifelong love of nature and community. Her family made it a point to visit every state west of the Mississippi by the time she graduated from high school in Biwabik, Minnesota, a small town that fostered a deep appreciation for the outdoors and close-knit community life.

She graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota in 1974 with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Science. Nancy began her teaching career in Pine City, Minnesota, where she taught sixth grade with a strong focus on science education. During this time, she met her husband, Mick Sommer, who served as the first naturalist and maintenance director at the Audubon Center of the Northwoods in Sandstone, Minnesota. Together, they fostered a passion for outdoor learning, with Nancy’s students spending countless hours participating in environmental education programs, trail development, and outdoor adventures at the Audubon Center.

Nancy and Mick married in 1977 and soon moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where she continued teaching elementary school from 1977 to 1986. The couple later relocated to Colorado’s Front Range, where Nancy pursued a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Colorado Denver, completing the program in 1989.

After teaching for several years in Minnesota and Colorado, Nancy transitioned into school leadership with Jefferson County Public Schools. She served as principal of Allendale Elementary School in Arvada from 1991 to 1996 and later as principal of South Lakewood Elementary School from 1996 to 2006. Following her retirement from full-time administration, she continued contributing to the education community by mentoring new principals, teaching professional development courses for educators, and stepping in as an interim administrator when needed. She officially concluded her career with Jefferson County Schools in 2012.

Nancy and Mick became involved with the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund (KACF) through mutual friends and quickly connected with the organization’s mission and community. Over the years, they have traveled with KACF to Costa Rica, Nepal, South Africa, Yellowstone, and Colorado’s Western Slope, experiences that deepened their appreciation for wildlife conservation and global cultural connections.

Committed supporters of KACF, Nancy and Mick annually donate a wild game dinner experience to the Katie’s Night silent auction, an event that has helped them build lasting friendships within the KACF community. Their shared love of travel, wildlife, and conservation continues to inspire their involvement in the organization.

Nancy looks forward to continuing her support of KACF’s mission and contributing to initiatives that connect communities, conservation, and education for years to come.