At age 19 while en route to Alaska, Rita Ohlert paused from her travels and, at the mouth of the Columbia River, embarked on a four-month apprenticeship with woodworker Robert Holden. Thereafter, the two collaborated on numerous projects and later joined forces in Alaska to create what is known today as Holden Wood Design. Her pieces first appeared in exhibits in 1977 and have since won awards in juried exhibitions nationwide. Today, that love of woodworking continues to speak, whether through a contemporary carving, antique restoration project, or Holden Wood Design's famed Nene line of which she is principal carver. Rita attended the Universities of Oregon (Eugene) and Hawai'i (Manoa) and holds a Masters Degree in Education as well as a dual degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the John A. Burns School of Medicine. She has since fully committed herself to woodworking, but her knowledge and experience in these fields have been fundamental in bringing life to her work. The community outreach workshops and educational tours of Holden & Holden Designs Studio are a direct result of her ongoing interest in community issues and the island environment that she calls home.