"I felt stronger... I developed bonds with everyone that went
on the expedition, and I won't forget them."
--
Timothy
Great Outdoors Academy works with young people, creating opportunities for personal expression through writing and expeditionary learning.
GOA carries out our unique mission by working in three areas:
-Publications: Expedition Journal-for young naturalists and adventure writers
-Community Partnerships: Alternative high school exeditionary learning
-Wilderness Expeditions: Seasonal adventures for adventurous teens
R. Gerard Lester --Oregon Progam Director
Ezra Thomas Peter Jones --Utah Program Director
Patrick Munson
Melanie Bates
Ted Haeger --Member, Board of Directors
Charmin Dahl--Webmaster
Cary Spaeth
R. Gerard Lester
Oregon Program Director
Gerard is a proud fourth-generation Oregonian who has wandered the peaks and valleys of the Cascades, Sierras, Rocky Mountains and Himalayas. After teaching English overseas, Gerard earned a Master of Arts in English and Writing Instruction at Portland State University. Gerard's work with GOA is a way for him to share his teaching talents and love of wilderness and adventure while mentoring young people in the transition from youth to adulthood. He is a Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer and Wildland Firefighter. He participates in his community in Portland, OR as a Willamette Riverkeeper volunteer and college mentor with the ASPIRE program.
Ezra Thomas Peter Jones
Utah Program Director
Ezra grew up in the mountain states, his childhood years split between Utah's Wasatch front and central Idaho. Following his life-long interest in the written word, Ezra received his BA in English Literature from the University of Oregon with a focus on creative writing, and has been involved in publishing for over twenty years. For Ezra, Great Outdoors Academy is an opportunity to share his love of wilderness and writing with a new generation. As a certified Wilderness First Responder and American Canoe Association whitewater kayak instructor, Ezra leads private kayak trips internationally and throughout the western United States.
A long-time supporter of the organization, Patrick Munson was happy to join the Great Outdoors Academy team in September 2007. Patrick is a professional writer and musician who has spent many years backpacking, river rafting, fly-fishing and otherwise enjoying the wild places of Utah, Montana and Oregon. His function at GOA is to help the organization develop in the areas of public relations, grant writing, marketing, and publishing. He has also accompanied staff on scouting expeditions and hopes to do more in the future.
Melanie Bates fuels her enthusiasm and joie de vivre by studying, practicing, and sharing her passions. She loves visual arts because they epitomize these qualities. She has taught, coached, and facilitated such subjects and activities as French language and culture, soccer, fitness conditioning, winter recreation, emergency snow-shelter building, and environmental education. She also has experience with meditation, yoga, art, and nutrition. She was a student athlete at The Evergreen State College and received her Master of Arts in Contemplative Education at Naropa University. Melanie resides in Portland, OR, where she has been continually inspired by the living culture of the arts.
Ted Haeger
Member, Board of Directors
Ted Haeger is a director at Bungee Labs. He applies his experience in business and marketing to help Great Outdoors Academy maintain focus in conducting its business processes. His work with Great Outdoors Academy reflects his belief in the importance of discovery-based education and his appreciation for nature. Ted holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He maintains a keen interest in science, the natural world and outdoor education. He now puts this interest to work to help Great Outdoors Academy open young minds to these same interests.
Charmin Dahl
Webmaster
When not sitting behind her computer, Charmin is often found exploring the trails of Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, or Mt. Charleston near her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. She is also a member of the Las Vegas Improvisation Players and credits this creative outlet with keeping her balanced. In past lives, Charmin was an educator at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and a Girl Scout leader in eastern Washington.
Cary volunteers her time and energy conducting poetry workshops with GOA. Her background as a poet and education student led her to wanting to work with young people as a mentor. She believes that, "Trust is, second to nourishment, the most integral and highly overlooked aspect to a well-rounded and successful self-actualized education for (hopefully) all children."
