Allie Biedenharn is the marketing manager for a San Antonio-based company that makes portable electric fencing units for regenerative agriculture. The company’s products help regenerate aboveground and belowground biodiversity, improve water and carbon cycles, and help improve the vitality and resilience of ecosystems and the people on the land.
You could say she has been preparing for this job her entire life.
“I grew up on a ranch in Boerne outside of San Antonio, and we had cows and horses and pigs and chickens and a farm as our backyard,” said Allie. “My parents encouraged me and my siblings to spend a lot of time outdoors, hunting and fishing and just playing outside. It made me really appreciate the natural resources we were surrounded by in our childhood.”
It’s no wonder she ended up at Texas A&M in College Station, where she earned two bachelor’s degrees in Renewable Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences.
Once she graduated, she interned at Texan by Nature in Austin. That’s when she first heard about Stewards of the Wild (SOTW), Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s conservation leadership program. SOTW equips emerging leaders aged 21 to 45 with opportunities to actively participate in the stewardship of Texas’ wild things and wild places by providing education, networking and outdoor experiences.
In 2016, she moved to San Antonio, where she joined the staff of the East Foundation, which promotes the advancement of land stewardship through ranching, science and education. She started as a Geographic Information Systems Specialist, but she was also called upon to do education and outreach, which she loved. She was promoted to Education and Outreach Coordinator and continued to hone her marketing skills, including developing content for social media and websites, and writing copy for press releases, publications and newsletters.
That led to her current job at Range Ward. She also earned a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications along the way.
She joined the San Antonio Chapter of the Stewards of the Wild and became an active member, including serving as the Advisory Council Co-Chair. The San Antonio Chapter organizes many events and activities for its members, including the very popular Sausage Showdown, which is held every April.
“It is such a cool event that is open to everybody. It provides an opportunity to make the whole city aware of Stewards of the Wild.”
Allie has also participated in a mentored fishing trip through Spoke Hollow Outfitters in Wimberley.
“We learned how to fly fish on the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers, which was pretty neat. I’ve been out with a guide before, but this was the first time I really got to learn about the whole process. It was a great experience.”
Allie encourages any young adults who are interested in the outdoors to get involved with their local chapter of Stewards of the Wild.
“If you are already involved in the outdoors and have a passion for hunting, fishing, hiking, or all of the above, this is a great organization where you can connect with others and learn new skills or better your skills and meet people with similar interests. And if you are not involved in the outdoors, but want to be, Stewards of the Wild can help get you plugged in and introduce you to some amazing people and experiences.”
