Mairin is a sophomore at Hamilton College majoring in geoscience. She loves spending time outdoors, chasing sunsets, and playing volleyball.

Kara is the sustainability coordinator at NOLS.

Will is a NOLS instructor who spends his free time running rivers wherever the flow is right, seeking out shade trees in between rapids.

Ethan lives in Bend, OR where he works part time for an arborist and loves getting outside to play. He has worked for NOLS for four years in the field and as a horsepacker and assistant manager at NOLS Three Peaks Ranch.

Colleen Wearn is a current NOLS instructor and graduate student at Stanford, pursuing her MBA and MA in Education. Previously, she worked as an admissions officer at Dartmouth College and The Mountain School in Vermont (with summer breaks to tromp around the Rockies and Scandinavia with NOLS students, of course!). She loves trail running, backcountry…

Scott is a 35-year-old kid who loves to play outside. His spirit animal is the bighorn sheep, his favorite tree is the bristlecone pine, and he loves the smell of granite. He has an identical twin brother with an awesome 2-year-old-son, he loves his wife and best friend Neyda, and he is a constant student…

Kedyn Sierra is an adventure photographer and documentary filmmaker. He has partnered with FujiFilm photographer Daniel Fox and other sponsors to bring stories of the wilderness to life. You can see more of his photos with NOLS and beyond by following him on Instagram @kedynsierra

Alexa is a NOLS instructor. She really likes rocks and snow.

NOLS Environmental Stewardship Coordinator

Travis is the NOLS Alumni Trips Director. Travis took his first NOLS course in 2009, a WFR in northern Thailand. He became an Instructor the next year and moved to Wyoming to work at NOLS’ Global Headquarters. Before NOLS Travis lived in SE Asia and Central America for a few years, working as a SCUBA…

Gates Richards has been involved in outdoor education and EMS since the early ’90s. Over the years he’s worked outdoor programming throughout the Rockies, Pacific Northwest and Alaska. He’s worked urban EMS in DC, WA, CO and WY. Gates began teaching for NOLS Wilderness Medicine in 1998 and has been awarded the Wilderness Medical Society’s…

Oscar is from Baja California, Mexico. He did his student course in 2003, became a NOLS Instructor in 2004 and since then has worked year round in Alaska, New Zealand, Patagonia, and the USA. In 2007, he was named Instructor of the Year. Currently he is leading Sea Kayaking courses in Patagonia.

As the Assistant Director of NOLS Custom Education, Ben leads a team that specializes in blending NOLS’ curriculum and unique approach to leadership education with the goals and culture of our clients. Ben became an instructor in 2009, joining the school as a sailor after a first career as a science journalist. In the intervening…

Steve currently lives in the forest as an outdoor educator and explorer. He’s an avid backpacker, climber, hiker, reader, and enjoyer of getting dirty! He loves to empower humans of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds through observations and challenges in the outdoors. Lastly, he’s an advocate for peace within oneself, communities, and in our natural…

Ben is the former NOLS Wilderness Medicine Marketing Coordinator and a Wilderness First Responder graduate. He enjoys rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking, and hopes to someday adventure in the mountains on each of the 7 continents.

Dan is a Baffin Island 2006 grad. He’s most comfortable on skis, wearing a pack, or in front of a piano.

Mingyuk grew up in the concrete jungle of Hong Kong and lived in many large cities in the world. In her mid twenties, she moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, her current residence, where she first experienced and was immersed in nature’s power. Mingyuk practices architecture at Michael Green Architecture and is passionate about mass timber…

Lisa is the director of Let’s Get Out Summer Camps and is the co-author of Kidding Around the Gorge, and Let the Kid Guide

Erica is the NOLS Senior Marketing Representative and is a Custom Education and Wilderness First Responder graduate. She enjoys whitewater rafting, fly fishing, disc golf, and snowboarding. You can also find her wandering about Wyoming looking for cool rocks while biting her tongue on a gneiss pun.

Lexi is a NOLS Risk Services Intern currently based out of Lander, WY. She likes kayaking over waterfalls, climbing up rocks, frolicking in the wilderness, & writing about her (mis)adventures. When she’s not at NOLS, she’s a naturalist guide & whitewater kayak instructor in the PNW.

Daniel Koepp is a published author, poet, world traveler and leader in the outdoor recreation field. He holds an undergraduate degree in English and creative writing and a master’s degree in Sports and Human Performance. He is currently chronicling the forest and islands of British Columbia, seeking areas of spiritual depth and physical challenge. He…

John Gans is the NOLS Executive Director.

Natalie Beittel took a Semester in New Zealand in 2010, then graduated from the University of Massachusetts. She is currently writing a history of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s White Mountain Trail Crew through a collection of stories and is on a road trip to hike the National Parks of the American South and West.