Hi, Annie here. Thank you for visiting my website! Read on to learn more about me….

I spent my first quarter century in Missouri, growing up on the back of a horse and experiencing farm life and then hard life. My mom encouraged adventure, independence, and always getting back on the horse. My dad was my rock and most loyal supporter. I became a single mom at age 17, kickstarting the road to maturity. I also cared for my dad, who died of cancer in 2005.

I moved to Wellington, Colorado, in 2007. I bought a farm, filled it with animals and gardens, and taught my son about farm life. When he turned 18 and moved out independently, I sold the farm and rehomed the animals. I had cared for the 40 acres mostly on my own for 11 years and was burnt out on all the responsibilities and ready to do more traveling. I did the rental thing for a few years before settling back into home ownership in downtown Wellington. I travel much more with less to care for at home and only one dog. My son grew into a remarkable young man, and I love our relationship of adventuring together. He and his high school sweetheart own a house in Colorado Springs, and I have a handsome grandpuppy (a boxer) named Atlas.

Maverick is my co-pilot. He is a 7yr old golden retriever who spent his years by my side through backpacking trips, mountain summits, and weeks of life on the road. TWhen he was 6 he broke his leg playing fetch in the yard. The break was not fixable and ended up being due to a tumor and bone cancer. He is now a super active tripawd, living his best life. Bloodwork and lung X-rays continue to show no signs of cancer spreading. March, 2023 marked one year since losing that spare leg. He can’t do the miles and challenging trails anymore, but he has an uncle and grandma who love having him over for visits while I am off adventuring without him. 

I have a Bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Public Affairs with an emphasis in Nonprofit and Community Services Management from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. I graduated with both degrees with a 4.0 GPA and received Departmental Honors during my Undergraduate Degree. I am intelligent and committed to lifelong learning.

I have 15 years of experience working in the social services field in the governmental and nonprofit sectors. I worked for Child Welfare for six years, was a case manager and then development coordinator for a nonprofit that served at-risk youth for six years, and was the Executive Director of a nonprofit that focused on downtown revitalization and historic preservation for three years. I am passionate about serving people and understanding how things work in the social services realm. I am currently providing nonprofit consultation services under Sunshine Ink, utilizing the accumulative experience to help nonprofits grow and shine. I specialize in grant writing, development, and marketing. I also serve as nonprofit school-based health centers’ development and marketing manager.
I have 15 years of professional writing experience in various settings and forums and attended the Long Ridge Writers Group course. I research thoroughly, report accurately, and write professionally. I am good at capturing the essence of whatever I am writing about and sharing in a way that connects with the reader. My writing experiences include court documents, grant applications, client bios, web content, ads, press releases, news articles, and travel blogs. I served as a news reporter for North Forty News’s Wellington section for three years. To see examples of my writing, please see my blog: https://sunshineinkllc.com/blog/.

I am an experienced traveler and adventurer who engages in various outdoor activities and modes of travel. I have trekked to Everest base camp, backpacked in Alaska wilderness, driven Ireland’s narrow streets, summited all of Colorado’s 14ers, climbed five volcanos in Ecuador, and been on countless adventures in the United States. I love trying new things and am confident in solo adventuring. In 2020, amid the pandemic, I spent 17 weeks living out of a Subaru Outback with my dog, camping along the backroads of the western states. I now have a Scamp camper and a fine-tuned remote working on the road with internet access and power sources.

I have a blog and social media pages with entries about various travel, health, and life topics and links to published articles. SunshineInkLLC.com is my blog, and my Facebook and Instagram accounts are @SunshineInkLLC.

I want to help others reach their goals and share their story. With my travel blog, I do this by educating, inspiring, and sharing photographs. For my clients, I do this by offering a variety of writing-related services, helping them connect with the populations they aim to serve. As a journalist, I provide quality informational and heartwarming content. As a photographer, I capture the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
I am intelligent, creative, and motivated to succeed at anything I put my mind to. As a strategic thinker, I enjoy problem-solving and planning. I thrive on challenges and am continually learning new things. As an outdoor and exercise enthusiast, I am always in training for the next great adventure.

I am the Development and Marketing Manager for the Health & Wellness Centers, which are school-based health centers. This is a part-time job, so the rest of my work week is spent providing consultation services to nonprofits. My biggest client is my role as Development and Marketing Manager for Turning Point Center for Youth & Family Development. In addition, I provide grant writing or consultation services to other nonprofits in the fields of mental health and at-risk populations, veteran support, and school-based health centers.

Serving the mental health field is my passion and a huge part of why I chose this career path. I am always looking for ways to help educate and support the idea that mental health is just as important and easily talked about as physical health. Mental health issues significantly impact my life and the life of many loved ones. I am energized by how much more attention the topic receives within the schools and communities. People of all ages are struggling and I am grateful to help however I can. I serve on a mental health committee with the Fort Collins Interfaith Council and provide grant-writing services to mental health organizations.

I am eager to serve and interested in taking on projects that fall within the realm of my skillsets and interests. Please let me know how I can be of service to you. Email me at SunshineInkLLC@gmail.com.

To see more of my photos, and follow my travels, please follow me on Facebook and Instagram under @SunshineInkllc or click: