Nikki grew up in Sydney, Australia, where she was always outside—camping, chasing critters and exploring wherever she could. As she got older, her love for nature turned into a passion for adventure, taking her across the world to rock climb, ice climb and capture wild places through photography.

Her curiosity about wildlife led her to study conservation biology at the University of New South Wales. In 2020, she earned First Class Honors for her research on how livestock grazing affects the survival of ground-nesting birds. She thrived doing fieldwork and participated in research projects that explored the role of dingoes in desert ecosystems and surveyed reptiles in New South Wales after the devastating 2019–2020 bushfires. She also spent time in the lab as a research assistant, getting hands-on with conservation science.

When she wasn’t studying or doing fieldwork, Nikki worked in outdoor retail, learning the ins and outs of adventure gear. She also guided rock-climbing trips with her local Sydney group. She’s climbed in Australia, the U.S., Canada, and Scotland, trekked in India and ice-climbed in New Zealand and Montana.