Meet Our Instructors

The Adventure Treks instructor team is the heart and soul of who we are and what we do. They’re more than just instructors—they’re role models, mentors, and friends to our students. Because we don’t take this responsibility lightly, we have a rigorous and selective hiring process. All new instructors have prior experience working with youth in the outdoors, and they participate annually in a minimum two-week training (senior staff attend three weeks of orientation). The instructor dynamic on each trip provides a variety of personalities to match our students and leads to better decision-making, as risk management is our top priority.

Unlike comparable programs, we don’t recruit only at colleges to find staff simply looking for a fun summer diversion (we feel that younger college students are better suited to gain experience as more traditional camp counselors). This is also why we don’t refer to our staff as “camp counselors”; we hire professional outdoor educators who truly care about and invest in our students’ personal growth and development.

And we’re proud to showcase our staff, which is why we’re one of the only programs whose instructor bios are available for all prospective and enrolled families to read.

Two of my daughters participated in different California Challenge trips separately over the last two years. We had hoped for both of them that they would not only have fun, memorable experiences, but also ones which would promote a sense of confidence and independence. Adventure Treks delivered much more than we had hoped for. The activities and environment did in fact create many fun and rewarding challenges. But it was the caring instructors and the thought that was put into the trip which created meaningful group experiences which allowed my daughters to grow as people. They have maintained many of their friendships from their trips and have been eager to return for more Adventure Treks experiences. – Robb Ellis, parent from Simpsonville, SC

2023 instructors at a glance:

  • Average age: 25
  • Average tenure of trip leaders and regional directors is 6 seasons
  • 8 staff are former Adventure Treks students
  • All are, at minimum, certified as wilderness first responders; many have higher medical or outdoor skill certifications
  • Our hiring process includes at minimum 3 interviews, 4 reference checks, and complete background checks.
  • Each trip will have both new and returning instructors.

In addition to being certified as wilderness first responders, many of the Adventure Treks instructors carry additional certifications:

  • Emergency medical technician
  • Wilderness emergency medical technician
  • PSIA ski instructor
  • PSIA snowboard instructor
  • PSIA alpine ski instructor
  • PSIA adaptive snowboard instructor
  • PSIA child specialist
  • ACA swiftwater rescue
  • Eagle Scout
  • Behavioral first responder
  • NAUI rescue diver
  • Lifeguard instructor
  • BICP fundamental skills instructor
  • AMGA single pitch instructor
  • Leave No Trace master educator
  • Leave No Trace trainer
  • ACA whitewater kayaking
  • ACA canoeing
  • AAI avalanche
  • NY state whitewater guide
  • Mental health first aid
  • Climbing wall instructor
  • Lifeguard
  • Recreational rappel operator
  • Whitewater rescue technician
  • PADI open water diver

Abby Bradley

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 2b

Abby Periatt

Instructor, California Challenge 2 & Colorado Explorer 3

Agnes Anderson

Trip leader, Ultimate Northwest 1

Alex Reed

Instructor, Yellowstone Teton Adventure 1, 2, & 3

Alex Rhue

Regional director

Amanda Fox

Director

Bella Pantoja

Trip leader, Pacific Northwest Adventure 1

Casey Koenig

Instructor, California Challenge 2

Cassidy “Kassi” Kappler

Instructor, California Adventure & California Challenge 3

Cate MacDonald

Instructor intern, Colorado Explorer 1, 2, & 3

Ciara Sosnowski

Instructor, Pacific Northwest Adventure 1 & Ultimate Northwest 2

Claire Raway

Instructor, California Adventure

Dana Kirk

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 1

David “Dmac” McGlashan

Director

Eleanor Mildenstein

Instructor, Ultimate Northwest 1 & Pacific Northwest Adventure 2

Elise Fuente

Instructor, British Columbia Adventure 1 & 2

Emily Rokas

Instructor, British Columbia Adventure 1 & 2

Ethan Kulaszewski

Instructor, Colorado Explorer 1, 2, & 3

Eva Swartz

Instructor intern, California Challenge 1

Hadley Conrad

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 2a

Hailey Collins

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 1

Hali Lindgren

Instructor, Ultimate Northwest 1 & Pacific Northwest Adventure 2

Hana Hellmers

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 2a

Hannah Davis

Trip leader, Pacific Northwest Explorer

Hayden Wallace

Instructor, California Challenge 1 & Pacific Northwest Explorer

Henry Luettgen

Instructor, Yellowstone Teton Adventure 1 & 2

James Parana

Instructor, Yellowstone Teton Adventure 1, 2, & 3

Jed Breen

Instructor, Pacific Northwest Adventure 1 & Ultimate Northwest 2

Jess Myer

Office staff

Jordan Carr

Trip leader, Colorado Explorer 2 & 3

Kate Wojeck

Instructor, California Adventure; trip leader, British Columbia Adventure 2

Katie Stevens

Trip leader, Yellowstone Teton Adventure 3

Kendall Mueller

Instructor, California Challenge 1 & Pacific Northwest Explorer

Kent Ratliff

Regional director

Kerigan Disorda

Instructor, California Challenge 1 & Pacific Northwest Explorer

Kilee Davis

Office staff

Kyle D’Ambrosio

Trip leader, Alaska Expedition 2b

Laura Gaines

Instructor, Pacific Northwest Adventure 1 & Ultimate Northwest 2

Lauren Richert

Instructor, Ultimate Northwest 1; trip leader, Pacific Northwest Adventure 2

Lily Borror

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 2a

Liz Carlson

Instructor, Ultimate Northwest 1 & California Challenge 2

Liza Bryan

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 1 & Alaska Expedition 2b

Lukas Wilde

Instructor, California Challenge 1 & Pacific Northwest Explorer

Madison Beaver

Instructor, Yellowstone Teton Adventure 1 & Alaska Expedition 2a

Max Minichiello

Trip leader, Alaska Expedition 1

Molly Conroy

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 2b

Morgan “Mugs” Gales

Trip leader, British Columbia Adventure 1

Nick Havran

Instructor, California Challenge 2

Noah Kruzich

Instructor, Ultimate Northwest 1

Noah Weinstein

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 2b

Patrick Libuda

Instructor, Leadership Summit

Quinn Parker

Instructor, Ultimate Northwest 1 & Pacific Northwest Adventure 2

Roisin Low

Trip leader, California Challenge 1

Roman Telles

Instructor, Alaska Expedition 1

Ryan Costello

Trip leader, California Adventure & California Challenge 3

Sam Kramer

Instructor, British Columbia Adventure 1 & 2

Sarah Malyn

Support staff

Sky Friedman

Instructor intern, California Challenge 2

Spencer DrakeUnderkoffler

Trip leader, Leadership Summit & Ultimate Northwest 2

Stefan Berlind

Instructor, British Columbia Adventure 1 & 2

Susan “Suez” Miller

Trip leader, California Challenge 2

Terezia “Teri” Paulikova

Instructor, California Adventure & California Challenge 3

Tom Tolman

Trip leader, Colorado Explorer 1 & Alaska Expedition 2a