Born and raised on the Front Range, Ainslie is firmly rooted in the ecology of the Rocky Mountain West. Her background in the arts, design education, and wilderness exploration propelled her into the study and practice of ecological design as a young adult; she hasn't looked back since. Over the last decade, Ainslie has been an organizer and instructor with various Permaculture Design Courses around the western hemisphere and continues to explore new edges in sharing the design process with others. She is privileged to deepen her understanding of the natural world and urban outdoor environments in her work as a professional landscape architect.
Ainslie is a believer in the healing power of design. From the ways that we build movements and organize community to the physical spaces we inhabit, she hopes to empower us all to create the realities that will serve us best. For her, that looks like moving her body, exploring wild spaces, playing, drawing, speaking from the heart, listening deeply, teaching some folks, and learning from even more. Through her organizing and advocacy work, she is always angling towards the foundational goal of enabling others to feel seen, heard, and comfortable in their Selves.
Among so much richness in the world of earth-based design, her current thrills are water quality planting approaches, ancestral- and indigenous-centered land management practices, and native plants and building materials.