Kelly Zepelin

Kelly Zepelin, Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology

MA Cultural Anthropology, 2015, Colorado State University
PhD Cultural Anthropology, 2022, University of Colorado, Boulder

Kelly Zepelin’s Ph.D. research focused on the intersection of ecological and human health, particularly through the lens of wild food traditions, ethics, soil microbiology, and decolonization. Working with wild plant foragers across the American West, she examined how foraging practices contribute to ethics, identity formation, resilience, and ecological awareness.

Kelly is an adjunct faculty member at Naropa University and is currently pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health, focusing on supporting individuals with chronic illness and autoimmune conditions through nature-based modalities.

Her achievements include being a Fulbright Scholar, the 2021 David M. Schneider Award from the American Anthropological Association for her essay, “Root Mothers and Reciprocity: Ethical Frameworks of Wild Plant Harvest in Contemporary North American Foraging Communities.” She has also received numerous awards, including the 2021 CU Dissertation Completion Fellowship, the 2019 Cartwright Award, the 2018 CU Research Award in Cultural Anthropology, and  the 2016 Sheryl R. Young Memorial Fellowship for exceptional female researchers. Kelly’s work has been featured in Boulder Magazine.