About

Two people, deeply connected.

Rimrock & Otter began between two nature- and animal-loving friends — one who has spent over fifteen years holding sacred space for others, and one who kept asking questions, fascinated by the non-ordinary.

The founders

Kristy Sweetland

Co-founder · Nature-spirit work · Teaching

Rooted in New Mexico: Traditional land of the Pueblos, Ute, and Tiwa people.

Kristy has been helping people develop their deep connection with nature for nearly two decades. With a bachelor's degree in organizational psychology and a master's degree in transpersonal psychology, she works with individuals via her private practice, Coaching to Come Alive. Kristy is a credentialed Certified Professional Transformational Coach and a Board-Certified Executive Coach. She holds professional certificates in neuro-transformation and resilience psychology, too.

After a life-changing, spontaneous shamanic initiation (read about it in her award-winning book, Stark Raving Zen: A Memoir of Coming Alive), Kristy studied with multiple shamanic teachers, the most pivotal Alberto Villoldo, who also teaches channeled light energy.

Shari Vaccaro

Co-founder · Strategy · Communications · Art

Rooted in Minnesota: Traditional land of the Wahpekute and Ochethi Sakowin people.

Shari is an empath and lifelong, existential ponderer who was raised with an appreciation for both animals and the outdoors. She has a bachelor's degree in studio art and years of writing experience. For the last 10+ years, she's been strategizing brand communications and building experiences that help people with their health. Bringing Rimrock & Otter into existence is a big step in her own search for meaning.

Shari is a thinking partner, a calm, grounding presence who people have always turned to, in every room she's been in professionally and personally.

The founding story

How we came together, and why now.

A mutual love of animals initially brought Kristy Sweetland and Shari Vaccaro together in their youth, when they worked at an animal hospital in Minnesota.

Connected on a soul level and with unwavering belief in each other, they've navigated decades of individual transformation. And, no surprise, each has always felt most like themselves outside in nature, especially together and with their spouses. They'd each separately come to a point where they ached to do more — for Kristy, expanding her work in animism, and Shari, a heart project that included animals. Neither was sure how.

One day, in April of 2026, while chatting, they agreed out loud to open a little door to the possibility of doing something together — and bam. The door flew open with plentiful, undeniable ally signs. All the stars started lining up for this partnership, and Rimrock & Otter was born — right on time.

Kristy and Shari camping, some decades ago — Some decades ago.

Why the name Rimrock & Otter?

Rimrock: The rim, the elevated boundary of a landform, symbolizes the edge between worlds, the place where perspective changes entirely. When erosion carves away the underlying layers, it becomes rimrock — stone guardians embodying the land’s vitality and serving as thresholds between earthly and spiritual realms.

Otter: Otter represents deep connection, nurturing, and the flow of pure joy. With their foundational social traits, such as hand-holding and never-ending playful spirits, they teach us the importance of tangible, tactile togetherness. Otters are the masters of presence, and teach us what it means to be in sacred community with each other, the earth, and all wild kind.

&: The ampersand connects two relational forces, a reminder that everything has a spirit you were born to know.