Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in Colorado: in Denver and then I moved to Centennial at a very young age.
Why did you choose to become a field advisor?
I love to travel, especially with a small group of like minded individuals with common goals and aspirations.
How did you begin teaching/traveling?
Just after college I took a semester in Kenya with NOLS, and then was invited on another NOLS course (Outdoor Educators course in Tanzania) with 12 East Africans and just 4 Americans. These experiences had a profound impact on me. From there my path was somewhat clear that I wanted to pursue a life in outdoor/experiential education. The very next summer I started working for “Adventures Cross Country” and did so for the next six consecutive summers leading mostly international trips. Through these experiences I fell in love with teaching and traveling.
What are you most excited for about Winterline?
Everything really! Especially the nature of learning through doing, as well as the variety of the skills students will acquire on this experience.
What’s the most important thing students and parents should know about you?
The most important thing that I would want Winterline students and parents to know about me is that I am very safety conscious. When it comes to managing risk I am a big proponent of “prevention” being the best medicine, however if an injury or accident does occur, I will do my best to administer the proper care as a certified Wilderness First Responder, both physically and emotionally.
What’s the most incredible thing you’ve seen or done while traveling?
Wow, tough question… I would have to say that the most riveting realization is that in my 5 seasons working in the Indian Himalayas with NOLS I experienced within the communities we trekked through is how the people with the least amount of wealth or personal possessions are the ones to openly give the most. People who are way below any poverty line give vegetables they’ve grown, offer chai and a place to stay, and expect absolutely nothing in return. It’s simply amazing and heart wrenching at the same time.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I have traveled to all seven continents, and earned a paycheck on six of them. So one of my next goals is to work in Africa.
