Bio & Background

Jonathan Poppele works to help people connect more deeply to themselves, to others, and to the natural words by practicing, writing and teaching across a broad range of disciplines. Jon is the Head Instructor for Minnesota Ki Aikido in St. Paul, where he teaches meditation, breathing, bodywork, and the peaceful martial art of Ki-Aikido. He is a Lecturer and Associate Examiner in the International Ki Society, holds a 5th-degree black belt in Ki-Aikido, and was a double gold medalist in the 2004 International Ki-Aikido Exhibitions held in Tochigi, Japan. A lifelong naturalist, Jon earned a Master of Science in Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota, served as a Lecturer in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, and taught Technical and Professional Writing in the Department of Writing Studies. He has a particular interest in wildlife tracking and is certified as a Track & Sign Specialist through Tracker Certification: CyberTracker North America. He is the author of a national series of guidebooks to Animal Tracks and the founder of the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project--which trains naturalists and wildlife trackers and conducts citizen science monitoring programs in partnership with the University of Minnesota, the National Park Service and other management agencies. An accomplished writer and designer, Jon is the author of the National Outdoor Book Awards Honoree Night Sky: A Field Guide to the Constellations, and the creator of the Night Sky Playing Cards.