About The Team

Meet Charlene

Hey there, I’m Charlene! And just like you, I wear many different hats! By day, I’m a biologist, blogger, product creator, entrepreneur with both an online and brick-and-mortar business, and the CEO of my company, Eupterra. But I’m also a busy mother, friend, teacher, mentor, and a volunteer within my hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana. There’s much more to me to share, however, and even though I tend to shy away from telling the world about my background and accomplishments, I’ve realized that my achievements lend credibility to not only my blog but also the work I do in environmental stewardship.

After graduating at the top of my class from Hamilton Southeastern High School, I went on to earn my Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Business from Indiana University as well as my Master’s of Management in Hospitality at Cornell University. I have been involved in ecological field research, local farming co-operatives, and sustainability initiatives ever since. From an early age, I fell in love with the great outdoors — and I’ve never forgotten how important it is to find a connection with nature. More importantly, though, I recognized how I could play a part in protecting the natural world and tapping into the power of nature to feel my healthiest, while also sharing my knowledge with anyone who would listen. Initially, that “audience” was friends, family, co-workers, and teachers. The more I shared, the more my passions for conservation, ethnobiology, and environmental stewardship grew, and the broader my audience became.

Over the years, I have won a huge number of accolades and been elected to many notable positions. I actually won my first elected position as a write-in candidate — my name was not even on the ballot, but my community made it known that it was me who they wanted helping to lead the way! I believe strongly that every person has the right to live in a better world than they were born into — and it’s up to us all to make sure that happens. We need individuals who are willing to take conscientious initiative for our planet and bring about positive change for our communities. My philosophy is simple: Think Global by Supporting Local.  If each city, town, village, and neighborhood takes care of its own local area, the entire world is cared for inevitably.

And that’s where Eupterra comes in. Starting as a college project back in 2007, Eupterra Foundation was created with an initial focus of sustainable agriculture and farming practices, with an eye toward conservation and the preservation of ethnomedical knowledge. However, being heavily involved in a lot of conservation and ethnobiology work, I became accustomed to hearing the “gloom and doom” rhetoric of how our world is falling apart because the human population is exploding past carrying capacity, pollution is toxifying our bodies and our ecosystems, habitat loss due to modern expansion is causing widespread extinction — and the list goes on. Basically, the furthering of human civilization is destroying our world. 

But … I wondered, why does it have to? Why does our species advancement have to come at the cost of our planet? Why can’t it come with its restoration instead?

Sustainability was not much of a field or terminology discussed back when I was going to school. However, I decided that rather than being another “out in the field” ecology person, I would take on finding out how we can build a sustainable future and advance our lives at the same time. Starting with helping to put together a farming co-op, I gained the skills of networking, coordinating, getting resourceful, and understanding business to eventually turn my college project into a reality. By 2014, Eupterra had become the foundation for the pursuit of global environmental sustainability by encouraging individuals to live holistic lives themselves first. And over the years, it has grown into a thriving community of like-minded people who care just as much as I do about making our world a better place. Collectively, small changes we are making at the local level are adding up to a huge impact for the better, both in our own communities and around the world.

While I focus a good portion of my writing on environmental stewardship and sustainability, I also believe in self-care practices that allow each of us to live a healthier, happier, greener life. So you’ll also see many articles about essential oils, relationships, eating clean, and detoxing from harmful ingredients in our food as well as home and personal care products. 

These days, that is what I do with my life — empowering you to live a healthier and more sustainable life and thus lead to a healthier and more sustainable planet for us all. No doubt, I have a lot to juggle from one day to the next — but most of the time, my days feel more like play than work. And my goal is to put the fun back into YOUR daily routine so you can spend LESS time trying to figure out how to eat clean and live sustainably — so you have MORE time to enjoy living your best life. With simple detox guides, healthy living resources, and how-to tutorials, Eupterra makes it possible to create lasting changes for both your personal health and wellness and our planet, and it’s my pleasure to share what I know with you! 

I certainly could not bring you all of the resources that Eupterra has to offer all on my own, which is why I have an amazing team working alongside me. Read about my team below.