NOLS Professional Training Staff:
Experience and dedication to meet your needs.

The NOLS Professional Training staff is made up of an enthusiastic group of people spanning a diverse set of 0f backgrounds. Each member brings his or her unique strengths to the team, creating the best course experiences for NOLS Professional Training's Clients!

	Rick Rochelle - Director
	Rick enjoys coaching individuals and teams to their full potential by simultaneously challenging them physically, intellectually and emotionally—something readily achieved on remote expeditions. Rick grew up recreating outdoors, but his twin passions through college were wrestling and academics. His life changed on a 1985 NOLS semester, when he developed a third passion—studying teamwork and leadership. Rick has worked 290 weeks in the field for NOLS, leading courses in India, Kenya, Chile and United States. He previously worked as NOLS Alaska assistant director, a biologist, and mountain guide. He earned a M.S. in Ecology (Colorado State University), B.S. in Civil Engineering (Princeton University) and certificate in nonprofit management (University of Alaska). Rick loves long trail runs with his wife, Shannon. Leading the talented NOLS Professional Training team is his dream job!
	Jake Freed Ph.D. - Assistant Director
	Jake’s love of the outdoors began at summer camp during his teen years. After completing a B.A. in History he spent the next few years venturing on long personal trips including a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, a cross-country bicycle trip and a solo sea kayak trip along the coast of the southern United States. Soon after completing a M.Ed. in Outdoor Education Administration Jake became a NOLS instructor and began working in the challenge course industry. Over the next 11 years, he worked 130 weeks as a NOLS instructor on backpacking, mountaineering, sea kayaking, outdoor educator and professional training courses. He also worked as a program supervisor at NOLS Alaska and NOLS Southwest . During this same time Jake was working to complete a Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University, graduating in 2004. Jake enjoys the intensity of short format NOLS Pro courses as well as the opportunity to work with a diverse group of clients. Jake and his wife, Erin live and play in Lander, Wyoming.
	Sarah Annarella - Program Coordinator
	Originally from Massachusetts, Sarah migrated to Wyoming in 1993 as a NOLS Rocky Mountain Semester student and made the West her new home. After taking a NOLS Mountain Instructor Course in 1999, Sarah worked as a full-time instructor for NOLS' hiking, caving, horse-packing and mountaineering programs before transitioning to in-town supervising, and eventually to NOLS Professional Training. Sarah loves working with clients to create focused custom NOLS courses, which meet client goals for long-term organizational change. Sarah has a M.S. in Environmental Studies (University of Montana) and a B.A. in Education (Wheaton College). Sarah lives with her husband in Lander, Wyoming.
	Allison Bergh - Staffing Coordinator
	Allison Bergh's passion for the outdoors began with a family trip down the Grand Canyon. Allison's NOLS career started in 1994 as a kayak instructor and since then she has lived in a tent for 170 weeks. Her outdoor skills have taken her from the Rocky Mountains to India and the far northern reaches of Alaska, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Allison is a genuine person whose passion for leadership makes her a natural teacher, mentor and coach. For five years she led the NOLS Women’s Initiative, which brought the number of women who instruct for NOLS to record levels. She has a B.A. in Political Science (University of Vermont). Currently, she works in human resources for NOLS Professional Training, teaches in the field and classroom, and spends as much time in the outdoors as possible.
	Haven Holsapple - Leave No Trace Program Coordinator
	Haven first attended NOLS as a student in 1967 and began instructing for NOLS in 1969 . He has over 200 weeks in the field and has served in a variety positions including director of both NOLS Tennessee and NOLS Alaska. In 1996, Haven worked his first Leave No Trace Master Educator courses in the Pacific Northwest. Since then, he has worked over 30 of these courses in every region of the United States. As the NOLS Leave No Trace Program Coordinator, Haven works to create custom courses for groups, universities, and federal land management agencies. He has a B.A. in Business (Loretto Heights College) and years of experience in the financial industry. Haven lives with his wife and horses in Hamilton, Montana.
	Kat Smithhammer - Program Coordinator
	With a background as a high-school teacher and running an outdoor education center, Kat took the NOLS Mountain Instructor Course 1996. She has professionally camped for 176 weeks in the backcountry, passionately instructing hiking, mountaineering, winter, canoe and sea kayak expeditions. She has a M.A. in Leadership and Training (Royal Roads University), B.Ed. (Queen's University) and a B.A. (Trent University). Kat helps learners recognize personal and group behavior patterns in order to make conscious choices that build individual and team capacities. Her creative curriculum design and diverse teaching strategies produce unique opportunities for her clients. She has a reputation for building strong relationships with her students, contacts and clients, which foster lifelong relationships and partnerships. Kat is fluent in French and German and dabbles in Spanish.
	Liz Tuohy - Senior Risk Management Consultant
	Liz brings 13 years experience as a NOLS field instructor and administrator. She has supervised over 300 field courses in risk management— from student behavior to crisis incidents. She also brings experience working for smaller wilderness programs and a wide range of participant activities. Liz has a B.A. in Biology (Colorado College). Liz helps people evaluate outdoor programs’ risk management strategies through two-day NOLS Risk Management Trainings as well as site-specific risk management consults.
	Aimee Collins - Operations Manager
	Aimee comes to NOLS Professional Training with a B.S in Park Management (Virginia Commonwealth University). It was during college that she first got a taste of custom leadership training working for Peak Experience, facilitating team-building activities. She has also worked for other outdoor organizations including Outward Bound as logistics coordinator and instructor, gaining necessary industry knowledge. Aimee started her career with NOLS in 2005 as an intern and outfitting assistant at NOLS Rocky Mountain in Lander, Wyoming. Her professional, personal and NOLS experiences paved the way to her current position as NOLS Professional Training operations manager. Aimee’s organization and passion make her an asset to the NOLS team.
	Dan Dunne - Operations Assistant Dan's experience in the world of concert promotion prepared him to manage the busy logistics of NOLS Professional Training courses. Dan hails from the Chicago area. He earned a B.S. in Business Management (University of Kansas). As Operations Assistant, Dan prepares and organizes course logistics, handles financial records and processing, and screens paperwork. Dan is the first person you will talk to when you call NOLS Professional Training, and he looks forward to introducing you to the department!
	Kristen Brown – Operations Assistant
	Kristen moved to Wyoming in 2007 from California to work for NOLS Professional Training. After many years working for various businesses and non-profits, Kristen was inspired by NOLS Professional Training's strong desire to teach leadership skills in the business world. She brings over 15 years of experience in administration and management to her role as operations assistant. Kristen graduated with a B.S. in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution and a B.A. in Women's Studies (University of California—San Diego). Kristen is an avid cyclist and birder who is enjoys getting outside as often as she can.
	Brian Fabel - Marketing Coordinator
	With a B.A. in Communication (University of Arizona), Brian helps create new marketing materials and developing new market segments for NOLS Professional Training. His creativity and innovation bring the unique story of NOLS Professional Training to a broader audience among those seeking leadership training. As a NOLS Instructor, Brian teaches backpacking, rock climbing, skiing and snowboarding. His other hobbies include photography and video production.
	Rachel Price – Program Coordinator