While she pursued her interest in the arts studying at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she continued her interest in science, theory and fact. Maciejka studied Sculpture and developed a body of work using mixed materials to emulate taxidermied mythical animals in a natural history type display. Her artwork deals with the idea of inaccurate and hoax data that was once presented to be true. The premise is for viewers to question “fact”, as science is always developing and updating and to be weary of hoaxes, which are marketing false facts.

While studying art, Maciejka worked for several theater companies helping with their fundraisers and events. She also sold vintage to help her through school. After obtaining her Bachelor’s, Maciejka worked as an Event Planner for one of Chicago’s leading special event companies where she developed fundraisers, weddings and even Chicago’s 2007 Looptopia festival. Maciejka moved back to Long Island where she began developing her side business of selling collectible garments and began working as a designer for a leading craft kit manufacturer.

Being trained in fine art, having experience working with big theater groups and being surrounded by people and innovative ideas, Maciejka found designing crafts to be unfulfilling and limiting to her creativity and interpersonal skills. During this time, she had developed her clothing business to support her but also wanted to find a career that worked towards a greater good. This is when she found FERN. She recognized the importance of environmental sustainment and monitoring, saw an opportunity to utilize her interpersonal skills and creativity for planning events while exploring her interest in scientific fact and data. Here she could also apply her business knowledge she attained through being a successful business owner. To her, it is ultimately fulfilling to be responsible for making sure natural surroundings are being monitored and sustained, thus making the world a better place. Maciejka strives to find FERN the proper funding and contacts FERN needs to continue doing the research and monitoring necessary to maintain Northeastern ecological systems and to maintain and develop FERN’s current projects.