The Leadership Team
For more than 50 years, Wilderness Adventures has been guided by people who believe deeply in the power of outdoor experiences, meaningful connection, and personal growth. Meet the team helping shape adventures that challenge, inspire, and create lasting impact.
The Wilderness Adventures Team
Meet Anne (she/her)
Anne brings more than two decades of experience in youth development, leadership, and summer camp to Wilderness Adventures. Her career has spanned private camps, nonprofit organizations, and professional development work across the country, all rooted in a deep belief that transformative growth happens when young people are given challenge, community, and time in the natural world.
Most recently, Anne worked with the American Camp Association supporting camp professionals and organizations throughout the western United States. Long before that, she was actually a Wilderness Adventures Trip Leader on the Pacific Northwest 6-week expedition — an experience that helped shape her passion for outdoor leadership and experiential education.
Based in the mountains of southwest Colorado with her husband and three children, Anne loves trail walks, meaningful conversation, community building, and helping families and staff discover the lasting impact of adventure-based experiences.
Contact Anne: [email protected]
Meet Tom & Catherine
Originally from the midwest, Tom and Catherine Holland are proud to be members of the Wilderness Adventures team.
Tom attended Wilderness Adventures as a teenager and discovered a passion for adventure and outdoor education during this time. The program led him to get involved in the summer camp industry while in college. An award-winning educator, Tom spent three years teaching social studies at the secondary level before he left the classroom to work at a camp in northwest Wyoming eventually serving as the Executive Director, a role he held for six years. In 2013, he went on to work for the American Camp Association and held the roles of Chief Foundation Officer and Chief Executive Officer.
Known as a leading expert on the camp experience, Tom has spoken at both national and international conferences on youth development, the camp experience and children in the outdoors. He holds a B.A. in secondary education and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Tom is an active volunteer in the community. His involvement includes serving as the Vice Chair of the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, and being the 5th grade coach for Jackson Hole Youth Basketball.
Catherine’s passion for teaching children in the outdoors is partnered with her passion for nutrition and the culinary arts. As a registered dietician with a B.S. in culinary arts from Saint Louis University, she has always brought a wealth of knowledge to meal planning and food preparation for backcountry trips. In the world of camp, Catherine has served in a variety of roles including head chef, assistant director and director of a summer camp in northwest Wyoming. Outside of camp, Catherine has worked as a registered dietician and certified diabetic educator at the hospital in Jackson, Wyoming.
Both Tom and Catherine enjoy volunteering in various capacities in the Jackson Hole community and love to get outside with their four kids.
Contact Tom and Catherine: [email protected]
Meet Charlie (he/him)
Charlie Burnett brings a deep passion for outdoor adventure, leadership, and logistics to his role as Director of Operations at Wilderness Adventures. Based in Girdwood, Alaska, he oversees logistics across all WA programs and works especially closely with our trips in Alaska, Hawaii, and abroad.
Originally from the Midwest, Charlie joined Wilderness Adventures in 2021 after years of guiding and managing programs in the outdoor industry. He’s motivated by helping staff and students have transformative experiences in wild places. Outside of work, you’ll find Charlie exploring Alaska’s backcountry by skis, bike, boat, or foot; teaching adaptive ski lessons with Challenge Alaska; or cooking with his partner, Carol.
Contact Charlie: [email protected]
Meet Grace (she/her)
Grace grew up in Columbus, Ohio, spending many of her summers traveling with her family to the quiet lakes of Northern Michigan. Her passion for adventure deepened after attending Wilderness Adventures trips as a student in 2013 and 2014.
Grace returned to WA as a Trip Leader for a couple of summers, eager to give back and help create the same transformative experiences for students that shaped her own journey. In a full-circle moment, Grace joined the WA Leadership team in 2021. She loves finding creative ways to share the story of Wilderness Adventures with the next generation of explorers and works closely with families to help them find the perfect adventure for their children.
Now based in Bend, Oregon, Grace spends her free time biking with friends and snapping photos of the beautiful scenery.
Contact Grace: [email protected]
Meet Jesse (he/him)
Jesse brings a deep passion for the outdoors and a strong commitment to outdoor education to his role as Staffing Coordinator at Wilderness Adventures. Based in Jackson, Wyoming, he oversees the hiring, training, and management of Wilderness Adventures’ Trip Leaders, ensuring each team member is prepared to deliver meaningful and impactful student experiences.
Originally from Connecticut, Jesse developed an early love for the outdoors through hiking, backpacking, and camping. His interest in these activities has grown into a career in outdoor education that spans nearly two decades. Jesse also has extensive experience in winter sports, and outside of work, you can find him skiing, biking, hiking, camping, kayaking, and spending time reading by the river.
Contact Jesse: [email protected]
Meet Lydia (she/her)
Originally from Houston, Texas, Lydia has spent the past decade living on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, where her love for the outdoors truly flourished. Her journey with Wilderness Adventures originally began in high school, when she participated on a trip in Yellowstone. This was an experience that sparked a lifelong passion for exploration and personal growth in nature.
Now a Sales and Enrollment Specialist at Wilderness Adventures, Lydia is thrilled to help others discover the same joy and transformation she found on her own adventure. Passionate about connecting people with the natural world, Lydia brings warmth, enthusiasm, and genuine curiosity to every conversation. When not chatting with families and adventurers, you can find her running forest trails, camping under the stars, biking, skiing, reading, or playing with her dog, Rocky.
Contact Lydia: [email protected]
Meet Sadie (she/her)
Sadie grew up in Pennsylvania, where weekends were often spent camping, hiking, and exploring the outdoors with family. Those early experiences instilled a deep appreciation for wild places and the sense of confidence and curiosity that comes from spending time in them. In 2022, Sadie moved to the Mountain West, drawn by its vast landscapes and opportunities to work more closely with the natural world, initially working as a park ranger in Yellowstone and later as a Wilderness Adventures Trip Leader.
Now, as Partnerships and Custom Program Manager, Sadie seeks to expand access to the life-changing experiences that Wilderness Adventures offers. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, she spends her free time reading, sewing, and exploring the Wasatch Range via trail running and snowboarding.
Contact Sadie: [email protected]
Seasonal Office Staff
Meet Alex (he/him)
Alex has a lifelong passion for wild places and outdoor adventure. In his role as Logistics Coordinator, he supports WA program logistics, ensures participant safety, and works to create meaningful and memorable outdoor experiences.
As an experienced paddling and backpacking guide, Alex has led expeditions across Minnesota, Alaska, and Canada, developing a strong background in leadership, risk management, and outdoor education. He is especially passionate about creating wilderness experiences that encourage personal growth, inspire confidence, and foster lasting connections.
Outside the office, Alex can usually be found on the river, exploring the mountains, or planning his next outdoor adventure.
Contact Alex: [email protected]
Meet Kate (she/her)
Kate grew up in Western North Carolina where she learned a love for the outdoors at a very young age. She was a long time camper and counselor at Camp Merrie-Woode in Sapphire, NC before moving her adventures West. Kate attended the University of Utah where she studied Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Programming. To our team, she brings a strong commitment to outdoor education and youth development.
Kate found her way to Wilderness Adventures as a Trip Leader in 2024 and has been working in the office as logistics support off and on ever since. She is based in Jackson, WY where you can find her out in the mountains trail running in the summer and skiing in the winter!
Contact Kate: [email protected]
Meet Noah (he/him)
Noah grew up in Brooklyn, New York, finding his passion for outdoor education during a high school semester away in Colorado. Whether navigating a National Forest or the MTA, Noah has always brought an excitement for adventure and a dedication to working with students.
Having worked in summer programs since he was in high school, Noah eventually found his way to Wilderness Adventures where he spent two amazing summers as a Trip Leader (he led The Rockies and Pacific Northwest Explorer trips!). In his current role on the WA Leadership Team, Noah is excited to support our trip programs, leaders, and WA families from opening to closing circle!
In his free time, you can find Noah on a trail run, playing the cello, or relaxing in the sun! Always feel free to reach out to him if you want to chat about anything Wilderness Adventures.
Contact Noah: [email protected]
Day Camp Program Directors
Meet Cass (she/her)
Growing up in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains in Bozeman, Montana, Cass developed an unwavering connection to the great outdoors from an early age. Her upbringing instilled a love and respect for the natural world that has become the driving force behind her various roles at MOLA since 2015. Her mission is to inspire others to explore, conserve, and cherish the wilderness.
Having lived in Missoula for almost 10 years, Cass knows many areas like the back of her hand but she also enjoys seeking out new places. She is a passionate whitewater kayaker and skier, and dabbles in trail running and mountain biking and she enjoys introducing new people, adults and children alike, to these pursuits. Cass also teaches silversmithing in Missoula and owns a small jewelry business.
Cass seeks to empower individuals with the skills, knowledge, and respect necessary to venture into the wild with confidence, curiosity, and a profound sense of stewardship! Her commitment to connecting people with the great outdoors goes far beyond a career; it is a lifelong passion that continues to inspire and enrich her life.
Contact Cass: [email protected]
Meet Vivi (she/her)
Vivi was introduced to the world of summer camp at the age of 9. She would return to her sleepaway camp in Fairlee, Vermont as a camper for six years and eventually join the staff for an additional three years. Camp is where Vivi found her love of music, being outdoors, and community building. In her camper years Vivi was a well-rounded member of the community, participating in camp plays and outdoor excursions such as swimming and hiking. She spent time as a counselor in the department of Performing Arts where she helped organize musical performances such as talent shows and theater, as well as the Department of Swimming where she taught lessons, and organized competitive fun such as swim meets and long distance swimming events. Vivi spent the last calendar year as a member of the Aloha Foundation’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Fellowship team. Vivi joined the team knowing that camp is a place that thrives off of having fun, and feels passionately that this goes hand in hand with kids feeling safe to express themselves. She provided campers with this outlet as an affinity space facilitator, and acted as a point person for staff needing support. She worked for Wilderness Adventures in summer of 2022, and is extremely excited to be back amongst the music, magic, and FUN that is Base Camp.
Contact Vivi: [email protected]
