Mackenzie knew early on that adventures awaited her beyond her rural hometown of Kenton, Ohio. Her passion for travel sparked after a People to People Student Ambassador trip to Australia and New Zealand in middle school that left her yearning to explore each corner of the world. Medicine entered the picture when she began taping ankles and icing sprains as an athletic trainer for her high school football team. To combine those interests, she studied international development and public health at the Ohio State University. An engaging summer spent in Singida, Tanzania volunteering in a rural hospital inspired her to study and complete a Masters in Applied Medical Anthropology from the University of South Florida. Her qualitative research training has led to projects involving occupational stressors experienced by providers of HIV care, community health assessments, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and perceptions of aging in Slovakia. She was fascinated to investigate how health and illness are shaped, experienced, and understood by global, historical, and political forces. She remained in Florida for medical school and a Masters of Public Health at Nova Southeastern University where she met her partner and co-resident, Logan. But enough of the sweltering heat and humidity already! Mackenzie is excited to finally build some calf muscles hiking up mountains around Anchorage with Logan and their dog Zeus after living in flat states her whole life. She is thrilled about the diversity in Anchorage, which provides ample opportunities to practice global health. Upon completion of residency, she hopes to practice full-scope family medicine in an under-served area where she can combine her passion for individual and community health. In the meantime, she plans to explore fishing, climbing, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, and kayaking in her majestic Alaskan backyard.