Stephanie McNeil (she/her) is Viristar’s Senior Manager, Information Systems & Technology. She is a proven IT leader with over 10 years of expertise in guiding technological transformations. Stephanie’s experience spans diverse non-profit sectors, including homelessness, LGBTQI+, and higher education.

Stephanie’s fields of expertise include strategic planning, vendor management, and process improvement. Her professional background includes successfully revamping network configurations, negotiating significant cost savings, and constructing a comprehensive five-year technology roadmap.

Stephanie has a Communication Studies degree from the University of Houston, an M.S. in Interdisciplinary Sciences from the University of North Texas, and professional certifications in IT Management and Leadership. She has been an instructor at local community colleges.

Stephanie brings her wealth of experience to support and advance Viristar’s technology strategy. As a world traveler and architectural design enthusiast, her diverse interests add a distinctive flavor to her approach in the tech industry.

Kaelan Young (she/her) brings her passion for the outdoors and a rich background in outdoor and experiential education to her role as Communications Manager at Viristar. With a degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, Kaelan has seamlessly woven her experiences as an outdoor educator and her expertise in marketing and operations for outdoor education organizations into her professional journey. 

Outside of her work, Kaelan finds solace and joy in nature. An intrepid traveler and dedicated backpacker, she finds fulfillment in discovering new landscapes and immersing herself in the wonders of the natural world. Whether she’s blazing trails, designing content, or crafting compelling narratives, Kaelan approaches each endeavor with boundless enthusiasm and a profound reverence for the beauty of our world.

Annie Linhart (she/her) is the Program Manager with Viristar. Annie has a proven track record of leadership in the outdoor industry, working in the experiential and adventure education sectors. She attended Southern Illinois University for her B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management, and obtained her M.S. in Outdoor Recreation at Indiana University. Some of Annie’s work experience includes instructing outdoor technical skills programs as well as experiential facilitation programs for collegiate outdoor programs, nonprofits, and instructing for Outward Bound California as well as the Colorado Outward Bound School. She most recently served as the Assistant Director for a nonprofit outdoor recreation and education center in Northern Michigan.

Annie is an EMT, a wilderness medicine instructor, an American Canoe Association L2 Kayak Instructor, a Leave No Trace Master Educator Trainer, and a Wilderness Lifeguard with Starfish Aquatics. Annie currently resides in Northern Michigan, a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan. Her passions outside of work include snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, and throwing clay in the pottery studio.

Dr. Nima Namgyal Sherpa (he/him) is an accomplished expedition & rescue doctor, mountaineer, expedition operator, and wilderness medicine and outdoor education Instructor. He instructs wilderness and remote medicine courses with Viristar.

Dr. Sherpa has worked in the capacity of expedition doctor, basecamp manager and leader of numerous mountaineering expeditions, including successfully summiting Mt. Everest (8848m), Mt. Manaslu (8163m), Mt. Amadablam (6812m), Denali (6191m), Lobuche East (6150m) and Island Peak (6189m).

He holds a postgraduate DiMM Diploma in Mountain Medicine from ISMM/MMSN Nepal, and a DiMEM International Diploma in Mountain Emergency Medicine from EURAC Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Sherpa has been involved in major mountain rescue missions, including on Mt. Everest, Mt. Manaslu, and Mt. Dhaulagiri.

He is associated with UIAA MEDCOM, the Mountain Medicine Society of Nepal, the Nepal Medical Association, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Trust Nepal, and Khumbu Climbing Center, among others.

Dr. Sherpa is acclaimed for his contributions to society and the mountaineering industry, and has been featured in international media for his work in the mountains.

Naada Nag (she/her) renounced her 10-year-long career as a software engineer in 2017 after she experienced the life-changing impact of the outdoors. Her love for backpacking brought her to trip leading in the Himalayas, where she started her professional career in outdoor education. She worked as a trip leader in the Himalayas and Western Ghat mountains in India.

She also worked as an outdoor educator with Outward Bound Vietnam, where she designed and led educational programs, and focused on achieving age-appropriate learning outcomes through outdoor activities. She loves anything to do with group processing, and facilitates creating a safe learning environment for students. Naada is also pursuing a master’s degree in Experiential Learning and Development from Plymouth State University, USA.

Lao Ka Lai (she/her) has over 20 years’ experience in outdoor, experiential, and adventure education and related disciplines, as an instructor, trainer, and manager. Based in Hong Kong, her professional work has brought her to China, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, Europe and North America. KaLai was instrumental in bringing Viristar programmes to Hong Kong in the earliest years of the organization’s history.

Her deep knowledge of the industry in multiple roles and across multiple continents helps ensure the consulting and training services she provides to Viristar clients are of outstanding quality and value. Kalai has professional qualifications in sailing (including Master and Engineer Grade 1), windsurfing, ropes course management, beach life saving, SUP, and wilderness medicine. She has extensive experience in international sailing expeditions, adventure racing, and organizing trainings and experiential learning programs around the world.

Hsiao-Chi (she/her) instructs wilderness medicine courses with Viristar. She has extensive experience with outdoor education, adventure therapy, wilderness rescue and emergency medicine. She has worked as an instructor with Outward Bound Taiwan and other outdoor education organizations since 2005, and as an adventure therapist with multiple populations.

Hsiao-Chi has an undergraduate degree from the National College of Physical Education and Sports (Taiwan), and two Masters degrees, in Social Work and Adventure Therapy, from the University of New Hampshire (USA). She is an EMT and has instructed wilderness medical courses since 2011, and has taught outdoor education classes at the college level.

Erin (she/her) brings years of professional experience as a Trip Coordinator, adventure guide, and outdoor educator for multi-week and multi-activity outdoor excursions. She holds a certification as an Environmental Education Facilitator and as a Wilderness First Responder. Erin is trained in Mental Health First Aid and is a Leave No Trace instructor.

Erin holds a degree in Hospitality Management and Tourism with minors in Business and Sustainable Agriculture, has taught at the elementary and middle school levels, and has extensive professional experience in curriculum development and logistics coordination for complex expeditions and adventure programs. She has experience in the camp, nonprofit, school and guiding sectors.

Erin is an advocate for education which supports environmental sustainability, and values equity and inclusion. She joins Viristar from her home state of Kentucky USA.

Erin has interests in gardening, travel, and life-long learning. In her free time, Erin enjoys hiking, climbing, yoga, cross-country skiing, and spending time on the water–whether on her paddleboard or in a canoe.

Soumya “SJ” Mitra (he/him) is a consultant with Viristar. He is an experienced practitioner and researcher in outdoor and experiential education, with over twenty years of experience across Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America. Growing up in the Indian Himalayan foothills, Soumya developed a deep connection with nature and a passion for making outdoor education accessible to diverse communities.

Soumya is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, mentoring emerging practitioners, and contributing to the global understanding of outdoor education. He is the author of the first published research study on the history of Indian outdoor education, and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Utah, focusing on the intersection of outdoor education, inclusivity, nature connection, and decolonization.

HK Gilbert (they/them) is a consultant for Viristar, and has worked in outdoor youth development for 12+ years, facilitating field trips, instructing classes, and directing summer camps. HK’s interest in the outdoors started when they were a camper themselves at Sea Camp in the Florida Keys, where they became SCUBA certified. HK has since received a degree in Environmental Studies, and taught at nature centers, science museums, and summer camps around the USA. Most recently, HK directed summer camps for the Girl Scouts and Camp Fire, managing 45-65 staff, 100-300 campers a week, and many high-risk activities such as high ropes, rock climbing, wilderness trips, lake aquatics, and target sports.

HK loves teaching others, and their favorite part of working in the outdoor industry is training staff. They are passionate about advancing safety by improving equity and inclusion. HK calls Durham, North Carolina, USA home.

Jeff A. Baierlein (he/him) has been working professionally since 1987 with outdoor education, environmental education, adventure education and experiential education organizations in the USA and around the world. He led remote wilderness expeditions, worked as a naturalist-educator, served as an Emergency Medical Technician with ambulance services, led search and rescue missions, and was appointed to the Washington State Governor’s Council on Environmental Education.

Prior to founding Viristar, Jeff served as Executive Director of both the Boojum Institute for Experiential Education and the Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Center. His writing and lectures have been translated into Japanese, Vietnamese, Russian, Marathi, and Chinese.

Kristina Vateva (she/her) is a Zoom tech with Viristar, assisting with running the behind-the-scenes of Zoom sessions for Viristar’s training courses. Kristina holds a degree from USC and has spent several years working in consulting. Outside of the corporate world, she enjoys spending most of her time outdoors. She’s an avid backpacker, kayaker, car camper, and mountaineer. She grew up exploring the Sierras in California and now resides in the Pacific Northwest—a tad rainier but that doesn’t stop her from getting outdoors. She also has experience as a WFR-certified guide, leading college students on trips at USC and later working for Overland, guiding teens on trips in Alaska.

Beh Miinhan (he/him) instructs wilderness medicine courses with Viristar. In addition to teaching emergency medicine and wilderness rescue classes with Viristar, Beh has served as Training Manager with Insight Adventures, one of the pioneers of outdoor education in China.

Besides designing and running trainings for individuals who share his passion for the outdoors, Beh leads outdoor adventure education trips across China, from the stunning karsts and rivers in Yangshuo, to the ancient cultural civilization in Beijing and Xi’an.

As Beh is driven to spend his life as an advocate for outdoor education, he is highly passionate about contributing to the first aid standards in the overall wilderness environment.

Nancy Odom (she/her) is Viristar’s full-charge bookkeeper, overseeing finance and accounting for the organization, including payroll, HR benefits management, banking, and accounts payable and receivable. Nancy has over 30 years’ experience in bookkeeping and accounting, including with non-profit and for-profit organizations in the outdoor, wilderness, adventure, education and experiential fields. Nancy is an expert in SME accounting, with an extensive background in multi-state bookkeeping, financial audit preparation, and complex reporting and forecasting procedures.

Born in the Philippines and having attended high school in Colombia, Nancy came to the USA for college. She enjoys hiking, baking and gardening. Nancy lives with her family in Anza, California USA.

Amit Arora (he/him) has been working in the field of outdoor education for over 15 years. He has lived and worked in the Himalayas, the USA and South East Asia, working as an instructor for Outward Bound and other outdoor education programs. Amit’s interest was sparked in medicine in 2016, and he received his Wilderness EMT and National Registry EMT (USA) certifications in 2017.

Amit has a passion for teaching outdoor leadership and wilderness medicine, and is developing self-sustained expedition models for leading groups in the wilderness. He has a keen interest in writing about wilderness medicine. Amit holds a postgraduate degree in marketing management, and is part of a handful of EMTs in this field in India.

Karen Warren, Ph.D. (she/her) has taught courses in experiential education, outdoor leadership, wilderness studies, social justice, and many outdoor adventure activities at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA since 1983. Her books include Women’s Voices in Experiential Education, The Theory of Experiential Education, Theory and Practice of Experiential Education and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Field Guide. Based on her research on race, gender and class sensitive outdoor leadership, Karen has written and spoken extensively on social justice issues in outdoor adventure and experiential education.

Karen has almost 50 years’ experience in outdoor adventure program development and management. This includes educational planning, safety and risk management, complex logistical details, and group development while leading multi-day local, national, and international wilderness expeditions.

She was on the AEE Board of Directors that created the accreditation process initially and currently serves as a reviewer for field programs seeking AEE accreditation. In addition, Karen enjoys wide-ranging travel and working in her tiny house on writing projects including her outdoor travel blog, outdooradventuresampler.com.

Scott Schumann (he/him) is a consultant with Viristar, and the Director of Operations for Parks and Facilities at the Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD) in Chico, California USA.

Scott holds a Doctorate in Recreation from the University of Utah and a Master’s Degree from CSU Chico. Prior to coming to CARD, he spent several years overseas in Southeast Asia in various roles, including Deputy Principal of one of the largest and fastest-growing international schools in Singapore, Regional Head of Outdoor Education in Asia for the Cognita Schools Group, and Chief Program Officer (CPO) at The Jump Foundation, a global non-profit providing recreation experiences for international schools. He has developed programs and facilities in the USA, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, and Nepal.

Scott is a former university professor, Outward Bound instructor, mountain guide, researcher, and author. While he has published widely in the field of outdoor education with particular focus on mechanisms of learning and risk management; Scott is relentlessly committed to providing opportunities for individuals to develop resilience, connection to nature, and building a connection to their community through recreation.

It’s the effective provision of recreational spaces and experiences that motivates him to do the work.

When not working with Viristar or building parks you’ll catch him climbing, skiing, backpacking, and rafting with his partner, Dr. Joan Schumann, who is an elementary school principal, and their two kids, Devi and Rowan.

Nick (he/him) is a consultant for Viristar and a PhD student at the University of Utah. He is engaged with research looking at the impact of outdoor and experiential education on youth development and learning, with particular focus on strengthening outdoor and classroom education partnerships.

Nick spent a decade working for the Colorado Outward Bound School in various leadership roles, including three years as the Associate Program Director overseeing staff hiring, training and performance. He spends time each winter teaching avalanche education and ski guiding for various organizations across the American West. Nick is passionate about helping practitioners use outdoor environments and activities to develop participants’ full potential.

Priscilla McKenney, M.A. (she/her) has a rich professional history of guiding in the Himalayas, teaching climbing and mountaineering in the North Cascades and California, and leading sea kayak expeditions in Alaska and Baja. Starting with Outward Bound and Woodswomen in the 80s, she has worked with a broad spectrum of groups from college students and adults to youth, as director, trainer and instructor.

Much of her work has focused on supporting and directing outdoor programs for women and girls. Her eight years as Program Director for GirlVentures established her reputation as an influential leader in girls’ outdoor programs and leadership development.

She has published in various academic publications, been a regular AEE conference presenter, a member of AEE’s Program Accreditation review team and served as adjunct faculty at San Francisco State University and Prescott College. She has also been an advocate, ally and leader in addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of adventure education. In addition to her work with Viristar, Priscilla has guided for REI’s paddle program and worked as a consultant facilitator for Adventure Associates, a corporate training program.

Richard (he/him) is an accomplished leader, consultant and Chief Executive with global experience within the outdoor education industry, working with commercial organisations, not for profits and government.

Richard is currently working on a new start up outdoor education company for the Belgravia Group in Australia. He recently worked on the setup of Positive Start, located in the State of Victoria, to offer funded outdoor education camps to over 100,000 young people. Previously Richard was CEO of The Outdoor Education Group, Australia’s largest provider of outdoor education. He was also CEO of UK Sailing Academy, and Deputy Director at The Prince’s Trust UK. He has worked for Outward Bound, YMCA and the University of Central Lancashire. He is Chair of Outdoors Victoria, and previously chaired AIAAC, the UK’s lead body for safety in adventure activities.

Richard is an absolute believer in the value of outdoor education for all young people, now more than ever. He is known for a common sense and strategic approach to risk mitigation using proven methodologies over numerous geographically dispersed and often remote sites.

Scott (he/him) is a consultant for Viristar. He likes to play outside and is grateful for over 40 years of working with people outside in the mountains, deserts, and on the water in western North America.

While at the University of Puget Sound, Scott helped develop and lead an outdoor new student orientation program, and enjoyed climbing in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada whenever possible. After a graduate program in Experiential Education, he worked at Outward Bound, in adolescent chemical dependency and for the YMCA. An early experience on a challenge course has led to 30 years as a practitioner, trainer, inspector and builder.

Scott takes great pleasure in detailed and passionate discussions about industry standards, their writing and regulatory implementation. When not working, Scott can be found riding his bike, sailing his antique boat or reading about baking bread.

Brad (he/him) is a consultant for Viristar. Brad has spent over 20 years working in the field of outdoor education and is excited to help others connect to the natural world and develop skills through shared outdoor experiences.

Brad started his career as a field instructor with a number of organizations including Cornell Outdoor Education and NOLS. After completing a graduate program in Outdoor and Environmental Education at SUNY Cortland, Brad served as the Director of Cal Adventures at UC Berkeley for 7 ½ following a 1 year stint in a Manager position. Following a family move to Western Massachusetts, Brad worked at Hampshire College where he oversaw Outdoor Programs, Recreation, and Athletics as a Senior Director of Student Affairs for nine years. Brad currently enjoys providing professional guidance and support to outdoor education and adventure travel organizations through independent contracting services and board positions.

Brad enjoys being outdoors hiking, biking, skiing, boating, and more. He can be found exploring the outdoors with his daughters, Claire and Maggie, when not cheering from the pool deck at swim meets.

Garth Tino Ed.S. (he/him) is a consultant with Viristar. He has been an instructor and risk manager at Utah Valley University in the Outdoor Recreation Management degree program since 2002. Garth has an undergraduate degree in outdoor and adventure education from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master’s degree in Outdoor and Adventure Education from Prescott College, with an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Walden University.

Before teaching, Garth worked in wilderness therapy, in residential treatment as a recreation therapist, and with Voyageur Outward Bound and the National Ability Center. He worked at Snowbird and other resorts teaching skiing. Garth is a Leave no Trace Trainer, PRO1 with the American Avalanche Association, an AIARE Instructor, and a Wilderness First Responder. He teaches avalanche awareness courses and ski guides in the Wasatch Range in the western USA. Garth has been working in outdoor recreation and education since 1990.

Currently residing in Utah USA, Garth enjoys climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, ice climbing, and trail running.