Employment

Mike Ackerman

Assistant Director of Outdoor Adventures

Hometown: currently: High Point, NC; previously: Pickerington, OH

Academic Major: Bachelors & Masters degrees in Outdoor Recreation and Education from Ohio University

Best part of being an OA staff member: Watching our student staff develop their leadership and interpersonal skills; teaching in the most beautiful outdoor locations of North Carolina; providing students the opportunity to get outside, challenge themselves, and learn through adventure.

Favorite OA activity: I love them all for different reasons, but currently I would probably rank sea kayaking at the top. Ask me in a month and it might be something different.

Favorite meal in the field: The classic OA breakfast burrito—egg, hashbrowns, sausage, onion, shredded cheddar, and a splash of Texas Pete all wrapped up in a tortilla shell. Plus, I hate washing dishes and this meal is self-contained.

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Sierra Nevada Mountains within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Words of wisdom: “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” -John Muir

Kendra Hammond

Graduate Assistant

Hometown: Hendersonville, NC

Academic Major: Counseling & Educational Development

Ideal future career: Student Development

Best part of being an OA staff member: How OA doubles as a comfort and challenge zone depending on the context. It’s a very growth-inducing environment for both staff and participants.

Favorite OA activity: Sea kayaking and backpacking

Favorite meal in the field: Dutch oven beef n’ biscuits!

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Snowdonia National Park, Wales

Words of wisdom: “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.” -Carl Sandburg

Brittney Balara

Hometown: Pine Knoll Shores, NC

Academic Major: Environmental Biology, Minor in Chemistry

Ideal future career: Marine Biologist

Best part of being an OA staff member: The overall experience and meeting such awesome people! I have already grown in many ways and have made some awesome memories!

Favorite OA activity: My absolute favorites are rock climbing, snowboarding, and hiking!

Favorite meal in the field: Cheesy spuds all the way!

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Pisgah National Forest

Words of wisdom: “Sometimes we lose the good things in life to make room for the great things”.

Rachel “Rae Rae” Carico-Bair

Hometown: Saxapahaw, NC

Academic Major: Biology w/ Environmental Concentration, Spanish

Ideal future career: Monitoring jungle cats/lizards/snakes in the rainforest, or working with sea turtles.

Best part of being an OA staff member: THE ENERGY, also learning and teaching about the outdoors at the same time.

Favorite OA activity: Rock climbing and hiking.

Favorite meal in the field: Cheesy Potatoes

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Machu Picchu

Jacob Friedland

Hometown: Suffern, NY

Academic Major: Psychology

Ideal future career: Cognitive Research Psychologist/Psychiatrist

Best part of being an OA staff member: Getting students to experience and love the outdoors.

Favorite OA activity: Backpacking!

Favorite meal in the field: GORP (Good old raisins and peanuts)

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Adirondacks, New York

Words of wisdom: “Fear is a reflex; courage is a choice.”

Jenn Grenier

Hometown: Herndon, VA

Academic Major: Anthropology

Ideal future career: Bone expert

Best part of being an OA staff member: Getting to spend time outdoors with great groups of people.

Favorite OA activity: Rock Climbing at Pilot Mountain

Favorite meal in the field: Hummus and cheese on pita bread

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Archaeological sites in the Andes Mountains of Southern Peru

Words of wisdom: “Life has repeatedly shown me that the most difficult experiences are the one’s that evoke the most meaningful lessons” -Lynn Hill

Jenny Leach

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Academic Major: Kinesiology

Ideal future career: Either an athletic trainer or Physician’s Assistant.

Best part of being an OA staff member: Experiencing the outdoors, learning new things, and meeting new people.

Favorite OA activity: Rock Climbing!

Favorite meal in the field: Trail Mix.

Most awesome place your shoes have been: On top of a 40 foot waterfall.

Words of wisdom: Laugh at yourself before anyone else can.

Sean Norton

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Academic Major: Political Science and Russian Studies

Ideal future career: Working in the Foreign Service or maybe the CIA.

Best part of being an OA staff member: Getting paid to hang out with awesome people and have fun.

Favorite OA activity: Rock climbing and hanging out at The Edge.

Favorite meal in the field: Jerky of any variety.

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Ivan the Terrible and Joseph Stalin’s graves.

Words of wisdom: “One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken.” – Leo Tolstoy

Brandon Morelli

Hometown: Pamona, NJ

Academic Major: Biology and German

Ideal future career: Something that is enjoyable…and pays well.

Best part of being an OA staff member: The Edge and awesome trips.

Favorite OA activity: Kayaking, rock climbing and hiking.

Favorite meal in the field: Shish Kabob

Most awesome place your shoes have been: The mountains of Switzerland and Vesuvius.

Words of wisdom: “I know enough to know that I know nothing”.

Tara Rudo

Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC

Academic Major: Environmental Studies

Ideal future career: Working in the field or in a lab as a Marine Biologist.

Best part of being an OA staff member: Working with amazing people and the energy and passion everyone has in the outdoors.

Favorite OA activity: Kayaking and Canoeing. Love being on the water!

Favorite meal in the field: Chex Mix.

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Ichetucknee Springs in Florida. Underwater caves and crystal clear water. I may have pretended I was a mermaid for a bit…

Words of wisdom: “Jumping for joy is good exercise.” ~Unknown

Alex Stanczak

Hometown: Maplewood, NJ

Academic Major: Psychology

Ideal future career: Somehow combining my love for the outdoors with psychology and helping people.

Best part of being an OA staff member: Being able to bring the outdoors to everyone, even those who are new to the world outside their bedrooms, and finding a new family within the staff.

Favorite OA activity: Backpacking!

Favorite meal in the field: A toss up between rice and beans, and oatmeal

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Hiking down into the Grand Canyon and jumping into the Colorado River!

Words of wisdom: “The people who mind don’t matter and the people who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss

Erin Stewart “Stewy”

Hometown: Durham, NC

Academic Major: Speech Pathology & Audiology

Ideal future career: Audiologist

Best part of being an OA staff member: Great people and new experiences

Favorite OA activity: Sea Kayaking

Favorite meal in the field: Rice n’ Beans

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Alaska

Words of wisdom: “To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice.” -Elizabeth Gilbert

Bryce Suydam

Hometown: Portland, ME

Academic Major: International Business

Ideal future career: Eventually to be involved in something fulfilling in the business world.

Best part of being an OA staff member: Working with the outdoors.

Favorite OA activity: Hiking and Rock Climbing.

Favorite meal in the field: Tuna

Most awesome place your shoes have been: The Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon or the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

Words of wisdom: “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on” –Thomas Jefferson, “Re-examine all that you have been told… dismiss that which insults your soul” –Walt Whitman

Evy Warring

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Academic Major: Elementary Education

Ideal future career: Elementary School Teacher

Best part of being an OA staff member: TBD

Favorite OA activity: TBA

Favorite meal in the field: S’mores.. hands down.

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Discovering San Marino, a small country located on the border of Italy.

Words of wisdom: “Never loose that spark of childhood insanity” -unknown

Joshua Weefur

Hometown: Oakland, CA

Academic Major: Environmental Studies

Ideal future career: Environmental Educator

Best part of being an OA staff member: Getting to be around people who share a passion for the Environment as well as learning and teaching about the outdoors!

Favorite OA activity: Backpacking and Snowboarding

Favorite meal in the field: Pad Thai

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Hiking the Chilkoot Pass in Alaska.

Words of wisdom: “The Mountains are calling and I must go” – John Muir

Amanda Wilson

Hometown: Kingfield, ME

Academic Major: English, Pre-Med

Ideal future career: Physician’s Assistant

Best part of being an OA staff member: Being part of the close-knit OA family.

Favorite OA activity: Kayaking, swimming, or anything that has to do with water.

Favorite meal in the field: Granola and wild blackberries.

Most awesome place your shoes have been: The Grand Canyon.

Words of wisdom: “All that is gold does not glitter
Not all who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither;
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.” ~Tolkien

Glenn Woerndle

Hometown: London, OH

Academic Major: Biology and Environmental Studies

Ideal future career: Glenn Woerndle

Best part of being an OA staff member: Getting paid to have fun!

Favorite OA activity: Rock Climbing

Favorite meal in the field: Ramen

Most awesome place your shoes have been: Glacier Bay Alaska

Words of wisdom: Hakuna Matata!