Selected Projects
Portfolio
Joyride
A NEW WAY OF DOING SERVICE-LEARNING
When traditional mission trips no longer aligned with a community's vision, Joyride took shape. The experience needed to reflect their values "open hearts, open minds, open doors". It needed to include service, education, adventure, and deep connection. What Joyride became was so much more than we could have imagined. We started with a theme that hit close to home, housing insecurity, knowing that this ski resort community faced massive income disparity and a serious shortage of affordable housing. Middle and high school students applied for the 9 day experience. They each had an interview and were extended an invitation to join the trip. Over the next 4 months, the participants hosted fundraisers, met monthly to learn about their topic, and prepared for their trip. The trip navigated other resort towns facing identical problems, meeting with community organizers, researchers and non-profits along the journey. They provided service as a way to say "thank you" to the leaders who shared their knowledge and insight. A spirit of adventure was alive throughout the trip. The group sea kayaked with seals, biked, camped, explored massive redwood trees and magical tide pools. The trip wasn't over when the group returned home. Over the final 3 days of the experience, the team, armed with their deep knowledge of these issues met with local non-profits doing related work as well as the mayor. While speaking with the mayor and hearing about her new affordable housing initiative, the students respectfully questioned her definition of "affordable" and gave data they had learned about what percentage of a person's income should go to housing for it to be considered affordable. On the final night, the group organized a presentation on their experience which was delivered to a group of over 150 community members. They didn't need to read from a script. Each student came up to the podium with confidence and conviction, telling the story of what they had just experienced, why it mattered, and how the audience could have an immediate impact. Joyride continued the next season with another eye opening journey. This trip included airfare, train tickets, vehicle rental, hotels, camping, excursions, partnerships, all food and necessities. The group consisted of 3 chaperones and 9 students. Yet, the total cost was substantially lower than many standardized trips of the same length. The return on this organization's investment was huge. Deep connection with a demographic that was declining rapidly. A starting point for future involvement. A concrete and meaningful example of their community impact which truly landed with donors. What began as a single trip became a framework for transformational experiences rooted in curiosity, service, and genuine human connection.
Objective
Build lasting understanding of social justice topics; genuine connection to community partners
Shift
From traditional mission trip model → go out to learn from experts, return to engage locally
Constraints
breaking with tradition · complex logistics
Timeline
Designed and launched in 5.5 months
Outcome
Strong student buy-in · continued engagement at home · lasting partnerships · repeatable model · connected with donor interests
pc: sage le gault
University Program Build
From Bare Walls to Fully Operational in 12 weeks
When a university needed to build a full-scale outdoor recreation program for it's student body of 23,000 in just 12 weeks, it sounded like a perfect challenge. Over the course of that time, student leaders were interviewed, hired and trained. Rental equipment was purchased, inventoried, and added to a POS system. Spring Semester trips and clinics were added to the calendar. And, a two-night open house was successfully planned and hosted. The program continues to provide high quality and inclusive leadership, adventure, and academic opportunities for the university community. More importantly, the program launched with a culture of belonging and leadership that positioned it to grow well beyond its first semester.
Objective
Launch a fully functional outdoor program with no existing infrastructure
Shift
From a large empty room → fully built, student-ready operation
Constraints
No equipment · no staff · limited time before semester launch
Timeline
12 weeks
Outcome
Fully operational program · staffed and equipped · successful launch
Summer Adventure
Replacing a contracted summer camp with a community-led model
After several years hosting a summer day camp at their facility, a community organization decided they were ready to change their model. Management concerns, risk issues, and program quality contributed to this decision. The community leaders acknowledged that the current arrangement just wasn't working, but they still wanted to provide a service when their building was quiet during summer months. It was a brave choice to step towards something new, but their choice paid off. The organization began with a one-week pilot program during their first summer. This helped them to test interest, engagement, risk management, organization, and affordability within a manageable scale. After a very successful pilot, the board approved a 9 week summer camp for the following season. High priority was placed on hiring and retaining excellent staff, keeping ratios strong, providing meaningful leadership opportunities for all ages, giving parents a great experience, and keeping the board and members updated weekly on enrollment and successes. Not only did the camp meet the objectives of involving kids in the summer and making their own management decisions, the camp ended up with a waitlist, vocally satisfied campers and parents, a more thoughtful risk management plan, happy staff, and additional participation by kids and families throughout the school year. The camp was able to be deeply affordable, keeping prices low and offering scholarships when needed, while still earning a profit which helped fund additional community programming. More than a successful summer, the camp became a sustainable program that continues to shape young leaders, strengthen community, and give families a place they trust year after year.
Objective
Replace high-risk, outsourced camp with a safe, high-quality, affordable local program
Shift
From passive hosting → fully designed, in-house program
Constraints
Limited budget · high cost of living for staff ·
no vehicles or built-in amenities
Timeline
Piloted first summer → full 9-week program launched the following season
Outcome
Most affordable day camp in the city · strong family demand · A+ staff team · continued engagement
Counselors in Training
A SOLUTION FOR DECLINING PARTICIPATION
Many organizations see participation drop off once students enter middle school. This community was no different. However, this community decided to try giving their new middle schoolers a way to stay connected. They gave them freedom. When designing the Counselor in Training program, freedom to truly be a leader (with adequate training and supervision) was the primary objective. This required an environment with high trust and high support. As the program developed, this core philosophy guided all decisions. The CITs participated in a 2 day, overnight training. They were given opportunities to develop curriculum, they practiced their skills through scenarios, they were given space to make (often hilarious) mistakes, and they were reminded of how important their job was and how valuable they were to the team. It was a good model, but no one could have predicted the level of commitment and pride that would come out of the CIT team that summer. The organization continued the CIT program which grew in popularity, covered all of its own costs, and made camp management even more solid. By investing deeply in young leaders, the program created a pipeline of capable staff and a culture that strengthened every level of camp.
Objective
Retain middle school students aging out and losing interest
Shift
From participant → contributor (CIT model)
Constraints
Limited budget · competing priorities
Timeline
Built and implemented as pilot in 3 months
Outcome
Strong retention, ownership, buy-in, first real work experience
Covid-19 Redesign
A MAJOR PIVOT WITH A TIGHT TIMELINE
During Covid 19, managing programs safely became incredibly difficult. For one boarding school, it was a call to action. Students never needed connection and healthy outlets more. But, gone were the days of loading up a mini-bus and going for a hike or paddle. At a time when many outdoor programs were cancelling their entire calendar or drastically reducing opportunities, this school ramped up programming to reduce group sizes while still giving students an opportunity to go on an off campus adventure at least once a week. The entire curriculum changed to maximize on campus opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, mountain craft, wilderness first aid, folklore and storytelling, sew your own gear workshops, camp cooking, etc. Over summer 2020, the curriculum was completely reworked to provide a full fall semester of safe programming for 40 students per day. Students remained engaged, experienced new program offerings, and connected with each other and caring leaders. Even in the midst of extraordinary constraints, the redesigned program proved that creativity, flexibility, and thoughtful planning could preserve the heart of the experience.
Objective
Redesign entire outdoor education curriculum when existing program model became unworkable under Covid restrictions
Shift
From field trip based model → multi-track, on-campus + local hybrid program
Constraints
40-student cohort · limited off-campus access · gear quarantine protocols · safety requirements
Timeline
Redesigned over one summer · implemented for fall semester
Outcome
Expanded offerings · weekly off-campus access for all students · new on-campus campground with individual shelters
9th Grade Orientation Redesign
MANAGING RISK, PRESERVING TRADITION
The 9th grade backpacking trip was a signature program. There was a lot to love, but risk was difficult to manage with 90 students in the field at once. The school decided to adapt the orientation program to a summer camp setting with cabins, a lake, and campfire amphitheater. The new location provided a more manageable camping experience, access to hiking, swimming and climbing, inclement weather options, and centralized leadership. The school was able to retain their self-led kickoff experience utilizing experienced teachers and staff to lead activities without the stress and exposure of navigating serious safety, weather, and medical situations alone. Smaller, open-enrollment, backpacking trips were made available throughout the school year for students who really wanted that particular experience. The result was an experience that helped students arrive with greater confidence, stronger relationships, and a clearer sense that they belonged.
Objective
Maintain a meaningful outdoor orientation experience while addressing risk management blindspots of existing backpacking model
Shift
From decentralized backpacking → centrally managed, risk-aware program
Constraints
Large incoming class · safety, communication, and evacuation limitations · skepticism of long-time staff
Timeline
Redesigned and implemented over one summer
Outcome
Maintained challenge and connection · improved safety and oversight · accessible for all students
Confirmation Weekend
ANCIENT TRADITIONS, MODERN QUESTIONS
After a pause in confirmation programming following the COVID-19 pandemic, a progressive faith community saw an opportunity to reimagine the experience from the ground up. Instead of gathering once a week over several months, we designed an immersive long-weekend retreat that invited students to explore faith through curiosity, conversation, history, ritual, sacred music, and shared experience—without pressure or expectations of belief. We rented a beautiful cabin tucked into the woods, complete with a large stone fireplace, a spacious deck, a creek, and access to hiking trails. The setting encouraged students to slow down, disconnect from daily distractions, and build genuine relationships with one another. Discussions unfolded around the fire, on the trail, over shared meals, and in quiet moments of reflection. By creating space for honest questions, meaningful connection, and thoughtful exploration, the retreat became more than a replacement for a traditional confirmation class—it became a memorable community experience that reflected the congregation's values of openness, belonging, and curiosity. By making space for honest questions instead of prescribed answers, the weekend became an invitation into curiosity, community, and a faith that could be explored rather than inherited.
Objective
Values-aligned curriculum for middle and high school members of a progressive faith community
Shift
From traditional instruction → curricula focused on curiosity, openness and connection
Constraints
Highly scheduled students with little free time · spectrum of perspective on faith/religion
Timeline
Built and implemented in 2 months
Outcome
High trust built with participants · safe space to think deeply · meaningful exposure to story and tradition
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