Students are mentored by experienced, caring outdoor instructors and each small group is supported by a therapist. At Explorations, we prioritize students emotional and physical safety and allow them to explore self-imposed limitations hands-on through adventure activities and individual and group therapy.
- Leadership Team
- Clinical Team
- Clinical Support
- Residential Staff
- Outdoor Staff
- Logistic & Administrative
Leadership Team
Penny James
Director and Co-Founder
Certified Parent Coach
Penny James co-founded Explorations in 1989 as a small program that is committed to offering quality, individualized offerings. Penny holds a BS in Secondary Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University and has over 25 years experience working with young people and their families in non-traditional learning environments.
Prior to establishing Explorations, Penny's career experiences include working with developmentally disabled individuals in community-based environments and GED instruction for mentally ill students. She taught learning disabled and gifted students while working as an outdoor counselor, and initiated a volunteer program for adjudicated youth that assisted children in her community's Special Olympics.
Penny has served on the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Board of Directors for 8 years (2000-2004, 2005-2009) as a representative voice for small programs. She served on the NATSAP Executive Committee for two years, Conference Chair in 2003 and 2009, Public Relations Chair 2008, and chaired a Small Programs Standards Committee in 2007. Penny has advocated for registration and licensure of private programs in Montana.
Penny was appointed in 2008 by Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, and confirmed by the state Senate, to serve a 3 year term on the Board of PAARP, the Montana Board of Private Alternative Adolescent Residential or Outdoor Programs. In this role, Penny is designated as the representative for small programs in the state of Montana.
Penny has served as a Trustee on her local school board for 9 years, has been a Girl Scout leader for over 10 years and usually spends her free time enjoying her children's extracurricular activities, reading or being outdoors. Penny is also a Certified Parent Coach.
Leona Gollen
Executive Assistant
Leona Gollen joined the Explorations team in 2003. The opportunity to join a program that helps young people become responsible and dynamic young adults was, as Leona would say, "an opportunity I just couldn't pass up." Since her arrival at Explorations, Leona has added a distinct order to the usual contained chaos of a therapeutic setting. She does this with compassion, understanding and the commitment to make a difference in the lives of each of our students and their families.
Leona's office management experience ranges from bookkeeping for a locally-owned construction company in Washington to being a Business Systems Specialist for a multi-national industrial corporation. Her trademark skill is the ability to create and implement new systems that simplify and streamline daily office operations.
As the Executive Assistant at Explorations, Leona is responsible for directing the flow of all vital and confidential communication about our students and families. She manages all office operations and serves as the Human Resources representative for our staff members. Leona often is the force that brings together all the moving parts of the organization. Exceptionally organized, genuine, and sincere; Leona is a vital and invaluable member of the Explorations team.
Most importantly, Leona is a loving wife and supportive mother of two grown sons, and the doting grandmother to Madison Violette, Brody Robert and Cole Joseph. Leona enjoys hunting, fishing, reading and ATV riding in the mountains surrounding her home. After a day at work serving families, you will find Leona on the back deck of her home enjoying the evening with her husband and watching the resident wildlife that live with them on their property.
Larry Culp, MS
Senior Clinical Advisor
Larry Culp serves as Senior Clinical Advisor for Explorations. Since the early 1980's Larry has cultivated the use of nature as a restorative tool to facilitate emotional growth. He uses the outdoors as a therapeutic milieu that allows him to access an array of resources to examine and assist in the clarification and resolution of persons in distress.
Larry has an MS in Correctional Rehabilitation Counseling from Southern Illinois University. Following graduate school, Larry taught Sociology and Crime and Delinquency at the University of Montana. In 1982, Larry left UM and began working with troubled youth in various capacities. In 1988 he was one of the founders of Loveland Farms Inc., a residential facility working primarily with adolescent females and their families. He also operated wilderness trips for both adults and adolescents. Larry has spent countless hours in the wilderness, supporting the emotions and emerging changes that inevitably occur within teens when they live with nature. Larry is an authentic and sensitive facilitator in his work with students and families.
Larry is a firm believer in the out-of-doors as a change agent. Larry is available to work individually with families in need, helping them identify and resolve behaviors that have contributed to a breakdown in the family structure. Larry's approach to assisting people in understanding the dynamics of their behavior comes from an educative perspective in the hopes that dysfunctional behaviors can be replaced with learned responses that have a positive outcome.
2010-2011 Staff. This list is updated periodically with new hires for the field season, and as last year's team moves on.
Clinical Team
Mark Clark, CDC
Chemical Dependency Counselor
(bio coming soon)
Elizabeth Blayney
Residential Therapist
Elizabeth Blayney has found her home in Montana, working to empower teenagers to spread their wings and fly into a healthy and happy adulthood. Elizabeth's passion for her work began at an early age. Her goal is to walk with teens through their current life processes until they are ready to stand alone.
The drive to work with youth and their supportive families began after Elizabeth earned her bachelor's degree in Social Work from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Elizabeth's experience at George Junior Republic, an internship focused on teenage residential treatment, ignited her passion for working with adolescents and in the field of mental health. It was the residential setting's experiential and equine therapy programs that excited her. Elizabeth later attended West Virginia University Master's Program while working on staff at Chestnut Ridge Mental Health Center, expanding her love and knowledge in the field of social work. She also went abroad to Ireland, and studied Peace and Reconciliation, focusing on religious wars and therapeutic styles used to foster peace.
Elizabeth continued her vocation, after finishing her master's degree, as a therapist and staff member at Chestnut Ridge Center, which services: Dual Diagnosis Adolescent Males; Adolescent Sex Offenders; an Acute Adolescent Crisis Unit; an Adult Substance Abuse Unit; Adult Unit with focus on treatment of depression; and a Psychiatric Adult Intensive Care Unit. She gained much experience there, and was involved with the West Virginia University Learning System with trainings and conferences in mental health. She continued her primary work with teens as a Social Worker at the Canon-McMillan High School Therapeutic Emotional Support Classroom, and had a dual role as a Regional Social Worker for the school district. Her work there involved daily living skills, group therapy, individual therapy and crisis intervention with her clients. It also allowed Elizabeth to gain knowledge and experience about the Special Education system and teenagers' rights.
Elizabeth met her future husband, who lived in Montana, and moved from Pennsylvania to Noxon, Montana where she resides today. She seized the position of a lifetime--one that fulfills both aspects of nature and therapy working together harmoniously--as a Residential Therapist at Explorations. When she accepted that position, she also had the wonderful opportunity to accompany and work with students on a summer course to Peru, learning about the stonework, lifestyle and ancient world of Incan Culture. Elizabeth is proud and excited to share herself and her experience and knowledge with students and parents at Explorations!
Elizabeth enjoys traveling, reading, spending quality time with family and friends, and just being in the outdoors in her spare time. She is the proud aunt to Gianna and Gus and the wife of Jay.
Anthony Carr, MSW
Therapist
A native of Western New York, Anthony Carr has spent the last ten years living and working in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. He has experience both working out-of-doors and working with youth for many years. While earning a Bachelor of Social Work, Anthony served as an intern working with adjudicated youth in a state-run wilderness program, assisting them with a successful reintegration into their communities.
After finishing his Bachelor's degree, Anthony spent over 500 days working as a field instructor at a wilderness-based program for adolescents struggling with addiction.
Anthony pursued his Master of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and got involved in the Graduate Social Work Association. He helped with educational and fund-raising activities to support causes such as Teen Dating Violence, Suicide Prevention, and Mental Health awareness. Anthony also devoted much time to the University's Venture Program, an outdoor program providing wilderness experiences, ropes courses, and initiative/team-building activities to groups both on and off campus.
During his time at UNCC and Venture, Anthony was active with the Association for Experiential Education. His presentation at the 2011 Southeast Regional Conference focused on working with at-risk youth with experiential and adventure-based activities.
Though a frequent traveler of the East Coast, Anthony looks forward to exploring Montana and the greater Northwest. Anthony is an avid backpacker, sea-kayaker, rockclimber and photographer in his spare time. During the moments when he is stuck indoors, he enjoys reading, art and playing music.
Emma Hanks, MA
Outdoor Therapist
Emma Hanks has always been interested in people, nature, and change--and she learned that the combination is powerful when she began working in wilderness therapy. She believes passionately that when young people, new experiences and good mentors come together, meaningful change can happen. Emma has a BS in Therapeutic Recreation and completed her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at Utah State University. Emma has over 400 days on the trail, working in two wilderness therapy programs as Field Instructor, Senior Field Instructor and Transition Camp Coordinator. She's had the opportunity to develop various programs and manuals for staff training and is excited to work as a therapist helping families come together.
Emma has worked since 2004 with youth and families in various therapeutic settings including a juvenile corrections center, a treatment center for young women with eating disorders and a community shelter for victims of domestic violence and rape. She worked as a therapist at the Utah State University Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic and most recently worked at Mountain Crest High School helping teens and their families resolve difficulties.
Emma uses an experiential, relationship-based approach to help people live more meaningful and value-based lives. She believes in people's ability to undergo a fundamental change of heart due to new experiences. People who have worked closely with Emma say she has a remarkable ability to work with young people.
In her spare time Emma enjoys rock climbing, guitar strumming, and exploring the world with her nieces and nephews. She likes to build things, walk dogs and learn something new every day.
Clinical Support
Sarah Mack
Parent Coach, Transition Specialist
Sarah Mack has worked in the adolescent treatment realm for more than 16 years. She is the founder of Oregon Transition Homes, and worked in one of the country's premier clinical wilderness treatment programs for more than a decade. She also has provided in-home mental health and case management services to high-risk families and has experience working with families dealing with substance abuse issues. Sarah is certified as a Parent Coach and graduated with honors from Linfield College with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. She has advanced training in substance abuse treatment.
Sarah's coaching empowers parents to shift family dynamics, which often are strained after years of dealing with a struggling adolescent, and to create long-term change. Her coaching helps parents set systems in place that restore harmony to the family. Sarah has vast experience working with families challenged with a teenager who is pushing boundaries, making poor choices, and creating chaos in the family. One of the most rewarding and challenging aspects of Sarah's work with families is to help them prepare for their child's successful transition back home from a treatment program, as well as supporting them while their child is in treatment. Her approach to coaching puts parents at ease, and her insight and expertise allow her quickly to assess family dynamics and assist parents in setting and obtaining goals that will restore balance in the family.
Sarah's greatest passion is being a parent to two sons, ages 3 and 17. Sarah is active on the public relations and conference planning committees for the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, spending time on the coast with her family, and working in her garden.
Dr. Todd Corelli, PhD.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Todd Corelli serves as a consulting Clinical Psychologist for Explorations and administers psychological and educational evaluations for our students. Dr. Corelli received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Brigham Young University and completed a one year residency in Pediatric Psychology at Michigan State University Medical School. He has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families in both community-based treatment settings and through his private practice and spending years with students in outdoor wilderness settings. His self-stated passion is working with families.
For the past eight years, Dr. Corelli has worked across the country as an independent consultant for referring professionals, clinicians, therapeutic wilderness programs, and adolescent residential treatment centers. In addition to consulting, Todd administers psychological and educational evaluations with children and adolescents to clarify their psychological functioning and possible learning difficulties.
Todd's ability to connect with adolescents and young adults is central and he believes in utilizing the outdoors and integrating that 'classroom' into his clinical work. He states, "The wilderness is the only place I know where you can have such a significant impact in such a short amount of time."
Todd has been married for 19 years to his best friend, Valerie, and they have four wonderful children, ages 3-15. When Todd isn't in the field with teens, he loves to travel, read, golf and spend time with his family. He speaks Chinese near fluently, is a basketball aficionado and loves to write. Todd brings to Explorations his dedication to the concept of family, a desire to see the innate strengths of each child, and the clinical experience to support the transitions of each family with whom he works.
Franny Gryl
Family Weekend Facilitator
and Family Systems Educator
Franny Gryl is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and has been working with adolescents and their families for over thirty years. She started out as an outdoor instructor, moved to teaching Science, and now works as a therapist. She is a trained Family Therapist and holds a Master's Degree from Virginia Tech (1988) and an Ed. S. from the University of Montana (1996).
Over the past 20 years she has worked in a variety of settings, including therapeutic wilderness programs, group homes, social service agencies, a college counseling center and most recently in private practice. As an Outward Bound Instructor and 10 year river guide on Idaho's remote and exciting whitewater, she has a keen understanding of the capacity for wild places to transform and mend the human spirit.
Franny loves the freshness and excitement that comes from working with teenagers. Her warm, nurturing style makes for an easy connection with young people and her years of experience bring hope, encouragement and new skills to family members.
Jessica Murray
Curriculum Development
Jessica Murray grew up in a small town outside of New York City. She completed two undergraduate degrees: a BA in Human Development and a BS in Psychology at Boston College. Jessica worked in Yellowstone National Park during her college summers and knew in her heart that she would return to the west after graduation. She moved to a small town in Montana and eventually landed in Missoula.
Jessica completed an outdoor EMT training in Crested Butte Colorado and was hired by Explorations as a field instructor. She met her future husband while working for Explorations and together they led trips for over three years. Jessica returned to academia to pursue to a graduate degree in Social Work in 1998, graduating in March 2000.
Taking a leave of absence from mental health work, Jessica returned home to assist with her mother's bakery business while she underwent intensive cancer treatments. Upon her return, she returned to work as a therapist for Explorations. Jessica's first pregnancy stoked her desire to lay down roots in the Missoula community, so she pursued a career working with the public school district as a licensed mental health therapist specializing in child, adolescent and family therapy.
Jessica currently works in Missoula as an adjunct professor and faculty field practicum supervisor for Walla Walla University. Jessica enjoys her collaboration with the Explorations team whenever the opportunity arises. She is married and a mother of two children and has a dog, named Doug.
Residential Staff
Bob Helvey is the BaseCamp and Logistical Coordinator during our Summer Programs and also serves as a Residential Counselor for our HomeBase program. Bob is a self-motivated, hardworking mentor for the students and is skilled in all aspects of program operations. He heads the vocational skills instruction, specializing in auto body repair, auto mechanics, auto painting and detailing, welding, and heavy equipment operation. Bob teaches students the good old-fashioned "how-to" ethics of hard work. More importantly, Bob instills a sense of accomplishment and pride in each student with whom he works. He supports the logistical operations of the busy summer months by working hands-on with Field Instructors, students and their visiting parents and also ensuring the gear, transportation and support needs of each group are met. Bob works in tandem with other adult Mentors during the school year to teach life and family living skills. An accomplished cook and carpenter, "Dad" engages students and their families in all aspects of family life. It is not uncommon to see Bob cook the evening meal side-by-side with a student, teach another how to repair something, and sit in on a group therapy session--all in one day! Bob and his wife of nearly 30 years raised 5 children and shared their home with dozens more. He has been a church group youth leader for 8 years and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He served on the local school Board for 8 years (serving as Vice-Chair for 5), and was a proponent of bringing "Love & Logic"--a respected discipline curriculum--to the district and rigorously supported training the faculty to implement it school-wide. Bob enjoys hunting, fishing, woodworking and gardening and is expecting his first grandchild this summer! |
Bob Helvey |
(bio coming soon)
|
Harvey Carlsmith |
Emily Thelen is a graduate student at Naropa University studying Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Wilderness Therapy. Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). She has held a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification since 2006. Emily has over 500 wilderness field days, 80% of which were spent in wilderness therapy programs working directly with adolescent men and women, families, and young adult men. She has been a lead field instructor in settings encompassing the four seasons of the northwoods of Minnesota, the deserts of Utah, the mountains and rivers of Montana and southern Australia. The healing power of nature continues to run deep in her life, fueling her desire to share what has healed her with others. Working in Explorations' Residential and Summer Programs has reinforced Emily's passion for supporting families and mentoring youth whose journeys begin with a wilderness experience. It has been rewarding, energizing and challenging for her to be a part of this stage of a student's growth. Emily enjoys the freedom and flexibility the Explorations Program. It allows her to best utilize her creative skills and meet the needs of the clients she works with--whether that's running a summer trek, planning experiential activities for families/students, or being 'big sister' in the residential family. It has been quite the journey for her! Emily's passion and curiosity about the world is satisfied by exploring the natural world during her time off, both quietly and boldly. She enjoys photography, being active, good company, making the world a better place and being mindful about a purposeful life. |
Emily Thelen, CTRS |
(bio coming soon)
|
Ron Dodge |
Cammy Shaw loves working with children and has worked with troubled teens for the past thirteen years in a variety of therapeutic settings. Prior to joining the Explorations team, Cammy was the live-in Director of a state-run group home where eight girls lived with Cammy and her family. Cammy enjoyed helping them achieve success as they improved their grades, learned life skills and transitioned to families. Cammy still considers them part of her family. Cammy loves working with kids of all ages. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education with a major in English and Reading. Cammy loves working at Explorations where she learns something new every day. As Cammy says, "Explorations is a place where the atmosphere is one of kindness and respect, where it is safe to love and be loved." Cammy has been married to her best friend and high school sweetheart Larry for 27 years. They have four incredible boys, Jessy 25, Marty 24, Jason 21, and Kolt 14, and--of course--Duke the dog. Cammy and Larry are originally from Washington and moved to Montana about 15 years ago in search of a better place to raise children. The family loves the outdoors: camping, hiking, swimming, fishing and hunting. Cammy is a wildlife artist and spends as much time as she can painting, drawing, carving and sculpting. |
Cammy Shaw |
Outdoor Staff
Dan Doty is an advocate for youth and their families in the simplest sense, and is dedicated to helping others live full, deep, and fulfilling lives. Dan has roughly 600 documented wilderness days as a wilderness guide and instructor, and has carved out a specialty with unique programming such as family trips, young adult programs, and one-on-one treks. Dan is a licensed teacher and greatly diversified his experience with youth and their families by teaching high school for two years in the South Bronx. In 2009, Dan founded Two Trees Mentoring and Coaching, an innovative mentoring service for young adult men needing support. He continues that work by writing about masculinity and young adult issues and developing curricula focused around mentoring and authentic relationships. Currently, Dan coordinates a series of growth-oriented wilderness trips, works on a slew of web and media projects and is writing a book with the goal of helping young men grow up. He believes that we all have so much more to give each other and has a plan to make that happen. He is in love with life and wants you to be too. Dan lives on the border of Idaho and Montana but still feels he has a home in New York City. He writes and records music, swings kettlebells, and does lots of yoga. |
Daniel Doty, MS |
Lauren Veverka returns to Explorations this summer as a Lead Field Instructor. She has led backpacking, biking and water travel trips with participants of all ages and with many different goals–leadership training, teaching environmental science, or just for the sake of adventure and community building. Lauren's favorite aspects to teach for wilderness travel and living are "hard" skills: shelter building, cooking, map & compass–everything we do to feel comfortable and oriented outside of civilization. She enjoys giving people the tools by which to live well in the woods and believes this translates to a sense of independence and capability in all contexts. Lauren currently is working toward a bachelor's degree in Science and Technology Studies at Brown University. While at college, Lauren facilitated and coordinated a semester-long workshop on women's issues and empowerment. She is fluent in Mandarin, which has yet to come in handy on the trail. |
Lauren Veverka |
Martin Knight was born and raised in SE Michigan. His passion for the outdoors began as a student at a therapeutic wilderness program in Northern Idaho. His passion, love, and appreciation for wilderness has grown out of that experience. He has lived throughout the west since then--recreating, working, and enjoying everything the natural landscape has to offer. Much of what drives Martin to work in experiential education wilderness programs is giving back to youth the opportunity that he had as a student in the wilderness. Martin has resided in Montana for the past 10 yrs. After he graduated from Montana State University with a B.S. in Physical Geography, he found himself working as a Planner for the City of Bozeman for 3 years. His yearning to pursue other avenues and interests led him to step away from that position and get back to work in the wilderness. Since then, he has held a variety of positions, including working for a therapeutic wilderness program, ski patrolling at Big Sky Resort in Montana, and guiding local adventure scout groups. Martin's wilderness resume includes: a NOLS Mountaineering Educator Course graduate; 2 years as an Americorp member; 6 years of Ski Patrolling at Big Sky Resort; 6 years as a Nationally and State registered EMT-B and CPR certified; and a variety of guiding and field instructing positions throughout Montana. Currently, Martin resides in Missoula, Montana with his wife and their 2 dogs. In their spare time, you can find them skiing as much and as often as possible--and when no skiing is available he pursues biking, hiking, and mountaineering adventures. He will begin working towards his Masters Degree in Community and Environmental Planning next fall at the University of Montana. |
Martin Knight |
Shawn Helvey is a University of New Mexico student currently working on his graduate degree in Occupational Therapy. After spending his early college years traveling, both domestically and abroad, Shawn decided to use the skills he learned through experiencing different people and cultures in a familiar and passionate setting: working with youth. In the summer of '08, Shawn became a valuable addition to the Explorations family where he spent his time getting experience using the very positive and effective wilderness environment to life-coach misguided youth. Now, after two more years of self discovery and goal setting, he has returned and continues to gain insight in the field and to be a part of something he loves! |
Shawn Helvey |
Evan Thompson is proud to be a native Montanan. Evan originated from Cut Bank, lived in Missoula for the past seven years and recently relocated to Libby, Montana. Evan has his bachelor's degree in Biology with an emphasis in Ecology and Organismal Biology. Evan realized his passion for working with youth while employed at a guest ranch near Missoula. He developed a camp focused on introducing out-of-state youth to the flora and fauna in the area, the region's history and basic outdoor activities like fishing and canoeing. Evan then began working with families experiencing domestic violence at the YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter, where he mentored children and led a support group for 12 to 18 year-old youth. Evan most recently worked for AWARE in Missoula at an intensive-level therapeutic group home for adolescent girls with severe emotional disturbances. He was promoted to Program Manager for a brand-new group home for boys ages 6-12. In his spare time, Evan enjoys photography, fly-fishing, backpacking and swimming with his dogs, Tucker and Bailey. Evan would like to pursue a Master's degree in Social Work and become a therapist for at-risk youth. |
Evan Thompson |
Henry Reiske is a student at Prescott College in Arizona earning bachelor's degrees in Adventure Education and Environmental Science. Originally from Kansas, Henry moved to the southwest four years ago to work as a guide for the Boy Scouts in New Mexico. During his time at Prescott College, he has explored most of western America, from the Sea of Cortez to beyond the Brooks Range in Alaska. Henry is passionate about natural history and the healing and teaching power of nature, and is excited to be part of the Explorations team. He has experience in expeditionary backpacking, canoeing, and rafting as well as other outdoor pursuits. Henry looks forward to sharing these skills and others with the Big Sky participants. |
Henry Reiske |
Trevor Carlson is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Superior, where he received a BS in education. Trevor took his degree to Alaska where he taught high school math and physics. Wanting to combine the outdoors with education and further his education, Trevor attended and recently graduated from the Outdoor Educator Semester at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Trevor is excited to work at Explorations and combine education and outdoors. Trevor is an avid traveler who has paddled down Desolation Canyon in Utah for 130 miles in a canoe, traveled in the Four Corners area for 25 days, skied in the Aleutian Islands and paddled a kayak in the Bering Sea. His hobbies include hockey, baseball, golf, skiing and kayaking. |
Trevor Carlson, BS |
Shari Walls comes to Explorations most recently from the state of Arizona where she worked for Coconino Rural Environment Corps as a Youth Mentor and Assistant Crew Leader. During her time there she expanded and refined her knowledge and experience of the wild lands by helping lead crews into the backcountry for environmental conservation work. She is very excited for the opportunity to extend her skills towards the personal growth and development of Explorations' students. Shari led a diverse professional and academic career within the equine industry in Maryland and Kentucky prior to her time spent in Arizona, managing horse farms, starting young colts, and exercise-riding Thoroughbred racehorses. Though that is no longer a career path she is pursuing, she continues to expand her horsemanship skills by mentoring new horse enthusiasts in their equine partnerships. Shari is hoping one day to integrate her passion for the wild lands, horsemanship and training, and adventure with the personal growth of adolescents. In her spare time it's difficult to find Shari in any one place for very long, but she does spend significant time working horses, rock climbing or exploring the local landscapes. |
Shari Walls |
Vivian Geiseler is one of Explorations' newest team members, working this summer as an Apprentice Instructor. She recently graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and German and plans to pursue a master's degree in Education. During her time at the University of San Francisco, she taught English to multicultural youth abroad as well as running the German club on campus. In her spare time, Vivian loves going on backpacking trips with friends throughout California. While dreaming up the next outdoors adventure, she enjoys learning about cultural practices and discovering different musical traditions. Vivian looks forward to experiencing Montana's acclaimed mountains and rivers while helping Explorations' students achieve their potential! |
Vivian Geiseler |
Logistics & Administrative
Ramsay Riddell knows the ins and outs of Explorations like few others! She is an integral part of a family-owned, family-loved, and family-operated program for young people and their families. Ramsay has watched many students grow and change through their experiences in Montana, and she is committed to assisting families in their quest for the right program for their child. Seen by many alumni as the "link" to Explorations, Ramsay is the commensurate liaison and remains in contact with many former students. Because she believes in the values and principles in place at Explorations, Ramsay is committed to helping families through that difficult first call when they reach out for help. Ramsay is studying Sociology at the University of Montana, where she is involved in a variety of volunteer projects. Ramsay is passionate about politics - volunteering and working for a political non-profit/non-partisan organization, Forward Montana. Ramsay has organized door-to-door campaigns for progressive candidates and issues surrounding education. She has volunteered on a number of political campaigns, has participated in AmeriCorps, and has registered voters. Ramsay also has taken part in legislative advocacy at the state level, promoting wellness, health and education issues. When she's not busy assisting families at Explorations or attending school, Ramsay enjoys sailing, traveling, cooking, spending time with friends and family, snowmobiling, and playing cribbage with her Dad. |
Ramsay Riddell |
This article was updated on: Jun 20, 2011
