![Unnamed](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2200&q=80&w=2200&s=ee790471b13de070a8489d0833cffbf8 2200w 2200h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2000&q=80&w=2000&s=624a2a50d0fae5e467b9b265b0a77e8c 2000w 2000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1800&q=80&w=1800&s=2bc2029c2b0091b651d4dd03e7dbc7ef 1800w 1800h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1600&q=80&w=1600&s=75ef99a1cc0f06844eaf6a5d863f35d7 1600w 1600h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1400&q=80&w=1400&s=a50400bad082eb6932f7477147183237 1400w 1400h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=0f47ef58dc42f22a5f644605de34ec84 1200w 1200h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1000&s=53f7aabe769dd278554d0b03ea36ecea 1000w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=800&q=80&w=800&s=b753d7da892b9f3df9f5ec841fa7464d 800w 800h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=600&q=80&w=600&s=0545635316059171a7c1171e46a340ba 600w 600h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=400&q=80&w=400&s=ee488cafc2bdf9dfd0e5b90d2e35fade 400w 400h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/People/unnamed_2023-01-27-211907_awcy.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=200&q=80&w=200&s=4acc94a3ef2cd4a981831aca4b7739c4 200w 200h)
Sharon Birchfield
OperÂaÂtions Specialist
Sharon grew up in NorthÂern CalÂiÂforÂnia and moved to SeatÂtle in 2003 to attend colÂlege. She gradÂuÂatÂed cum laude with a bachÂeÂlor’s degree in InterÂnaÂtionÂal RelaÂtions, focusÂing on InterÂnaÂtionÂal DevelÂopÂment, HisÂtoÂry, and MidÂdle EastÂern StudÂies. Her goal in colÂlege was to travÂel as much as posÂsiÂble, which she did, spendÂing semesÂters in Europe, the MidÂdle East, and SouthÂeast Asia and studyÂing mulÂtiÂple lanÂguages includÂing French, AraÂbic, SpanÂish, and ItalÂian. After gradÂuÂaÂtion she spent sevÂerÂal years in SeatÂtle workÂing for local non-profÂits and social serÂvice agenÂcies. In 2010 she travÂeled to Buenos Aires to comÂplete an immerÂsive internÂship at a local non-profÂit focused on youth leadÂerÂship develÂopÂment and eduÂcaÂtion. It was here that she was introÂduced to mounÂtains and rock climbÂing. She returned to PortÂland and conÂtinÂued to work in the non-profÂit secÂtor, focused priÂmarÂiÂly in eduÂcaÂtion, but the seed for a life outÂdoors was plantÂed, and she spent most of her free time climbÂing and teachÂing with the local mounÂtaineerÂing club. In 2017 she uprootÂed her comÂfortÂable city life to purÂsue a career in mounÂtain guidÂing. She spends part of her year guidÂing in the PacifÂic NorthÂwest, Utah, and Wyoming, and part of the year workÂing in the MounÂtain MadÂness office.