Member Spotlight: Sarah

I am responsible for hiring, training, and management of field staff! I work to develop experiential curriculum and minimize unnecessary risks in the backcountry. Most of all I LOVE developing staff training and incorporating all sorts of juicy AEE content! In the off-season I meet regularly with the Risk Management Committee, attend the AEE conference, generate hiring materials, and vet future employees. During our operational season I orient the field staff prior to each program, answer and advise for our emergency-on-call system, and debrief every program. I am also currently a masters student at Prescott College (AEE accredited since 1997) for Environmental Studies.

I'm captivated by rivers and plants! I love sharing my passion for the outdoors and mentoring young college-aged individuals to feel empowered in this line of work. My favorite workshops to facilitate include Managing Challenging Behavior in the Backcountry, Child Development Theory and Education, Wildflower Identification, and a Sense of Place in the Southwest.

I'm most excited for broadening our horizons. I love to ask questions and wonder where the industry might go next. How do we reach more students and share the meaningful impacts of Experiential Education? 

I'm inspired by the youth of today. They're always asking important and uncomfortable questions while pushing the envelope of what is possible. They're our future and I cannot wait to see what they conjure up!

Whitewater rafting, snowboarding, cooking for all my friends, riding my OneWheel, or geeking out about a plant.

I (very luckily) stumbled into AEE. I attended Sterling College (an AEE accredited Federal work college) from 2016-2019, where I was steeped in experiential education every day. Everything was hands-on and in person. I became obsessed! After graduation I worked as a ski instructor and seasonal farm hand for a bit until I moved on to work as an outdoor educator for AEE accredited Deer Hill Expeditions in Mancos, Colorado. I worked as a field staff leading white water rafting expeditions and facilitating cultural learning exchange with Navajo, Zuni and Hopi Pueblo families. My favorite age to work with during this time was 13-14 because they're still excited about trying new things and not afraid to be perceived as weird! In 2023 I became the Staff Manager of Deer Hill. I now hire, train, and manage 30+ field staff and get to share my own first-hand experience working with youth at DHE. I incorporate elements of experiential education into all curriculum at Deer Hill. I attended my first AEE conference this past November and cannot wait to return year after year!

The overall welcoming nature of the community and availability of industry-standard resources.