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OBJECTIVE                                                                                                                                         

 Seeking opportunities to further develop my career in wilderness leadership

 EDUCATION                                                                                                                                        

• Northern Michigan University; Marquette, Michigan

Associate Degree – Anticipated completion date: December 2009

Concentration: – Outdoor Recreation, Leadership and Management

• Columbus North High School, Columbus, Indiana

Core 40 (College-Prep) Diploma, 2001

OUTDOOR EMPLOYMENT                                                                                                                         

Second Nature Wilderness Program (Clayton, Georgia): 2010 - present

Senior Field Instructor

• Responsible for taking groups of six to ten troubled students into the back-county of Northeast Georgia
• Plan and implement daily logistics
• Manage field staff team
• Delegate responsibilities
• Ensure the physical and emotional safety of students and staff
• Enable students to discuss sensitive and personal issues
• Plan and implement therapeutic strategies with therapist for each student
• Teach and role-model assertive communication tools
• Facilitate group therapy sessions
• Talk one-on-one with students
• Clarify the wilderness experience as synonymous with "issues" at home
• Teach primitive skills, backpacking techniques and low impact camping principles
• Provide oral and written evaluations to the therapist for each student

Northwest Youth Corporation (Eugene, Oregon):  2009 - seasonal

Assistant Crew Leader

• Safely completed physically demanding conservation projects to high standards
• Trained, worked with, and supervised crews of ten teenage youth (ages 16-20) for 33-40 hours per week.  Work projects included trail construction, wetland restoration, and wildlife habitat creation in extremely remote settings with little contact with the "outside" world.
• Provided direction for corps members with specific attention to safe work practices, proper tool use, work quality, and production efficiency.
• Taught an experiential-based environment and life skills education curriculum.

Wildman Whitewater Ranch (Niagra, Wisconsin):   2006-2009 - seasonal

Rafting, Sea Kayaking, Rock Climbing Guide, and Bus Driver

• Guide Class IV white water rafting and safety facilitator
• Guide top rope rock climbing and repelling
• Guide sea kayaking in flat river water
•  Bus customers to and from the river
• Menominee and Peshtigo rivers. (Class III- IV+)

SOAR (Balsam, North Carolina):  Summer 2006 / Summer 2007

Field Instructor

• Planned, implemented, and debriefed outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, caving, backpacking, kayaking, mountain biking and ropes courses.
• Supervised youth with learning disabilities in a wilderness setting.
• Client and family collaboration to create an individualized treatment plan.
• Facilitated the development of wilderness skills, organizational skills, and social skills with adolescents.
• 106 expedition days total in 2006 and 2007

Teaching Family Homes of Upper Michigan (Marquette, Michigan):  2005

Direct Care Staff

• Provided direct care for children with a history of severe behavior problems in a group home setting using a "Boys Town" model which consisted of social skill instruction and positive discipline.
• Taught interpersonal, social, and self esteem skills.
• Assisted with tutoring clients' education
• Provided conflict de-escalation and positive crisis intervention models

Rocky Mountain Adventures (Ft. Collins, Colorado):  Summer 2004

Photographer / Bus Driver

• Provided bus transportation for rafters between the store and the "put in" on the Poudre River
• Photograph rafters in rapids

Agassiz Village Summer Camp (Poland, Maine):  Summer 2003

Ropes Course Director

• Responsible for directing the camp's handicap assessable low and high ropes courses for disadvantaged and physically handicapped youth from the Boston area
• Designed and built elements of low ropes course
• Trained ropes course staff members in both low and high rope facilitation, maintenance and safety rescue.
• Helped campers embrace challenge by choice and develop the self confidence that comes when one successfully completes new experiences.

  Northern Michigan University - Outdoor Recreation Center  (Marquette, Michigan):  2002

Climbing Wall Facilitator

• Taught rock climbing and belaying to students and community members
• Conducted day hikes
• Conducted snowshoe hikes
• Facilitated low ropes courses

OTHER EXPERIENCES

       Search and Rescue

• Marquette County Search and Rescue Team, 2008-preset
• Served on Search and Rescue Team, Ben Delatour Scout Ranch, Colorado-1999
• Assisted with Appalachian Trail search in Waynesboro, Virginia- 2002

      Ropes Course Training

• SOAR Ropes Course, North Carolina, 2006
• Ropes Courses Inc. Low and High Ropes Training, 2005
• Dare-to-Grow Low and High Ropes Training, 2003
• Columbus Youth Camp Low and High Ropes Training, 2001

       Long Distance Hiking Experience

• Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker; Appalachian Mountains, Georgia to Maine (2,172 miles), 2001/2002
• Philmont Scout Ranch, Rocky Mountains, New Mexico (107 miles), 2000
• Long Cabin Wilderness, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California (100 miles), 2000

CERTIFICATIONS                                                                                                                                 

• Wilderness First Responder - Wilderness Medicine Association - 2010
• Whitewater Rescue Technician (Swift Water Rescue) - 2006
• American Red Cross CPR / AED
• Basic Wildland Fire Fighting Type II, S-130, S-190, I-100
• Commercial Drivers License; Class A; Passenger endorsement

 PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES                                                                                                          

• Association for Experiential Education (Vancouver, Canada; 2004)
• Networking Conference (Flint, Michigan)
• Wilderness Education Association Conference (Martinsville, Indiana; 2002)
• Search and Rescue-Clue Awareness Workshop - UP EMT continuing education conference (Marquette, MI 2003)

HONORS                                                                                                        

• Eagle Scout, 2001