REI Outdoor School Instructors

Check out the classes in the Boston and New England Area:

Allison Mills

Allison is an avid road biker who has used her gift for cycling to reach out in her community and within REI. Additionally she is passionate about hiking with her family and enjoys sharing her enthusiasm with students through our family outings and classes.         

Chris Post

Chris instructs for our navigation and hiking programs and when not in the field he is the Sales and Product Expert at the Framingham REI. Chris, a graduate of the AMC Leadership Training program and the AMC/Adirondack Mountain Club's Winter Mountaineering School, has also been an active trip leader with the Appalachian Mountain Club since 1995. He has led dozens of trips, both day hikes and backpacks, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Maine, and Massachusetts. Chris is certified in Wilderness First Aid.         

Maura Camosse

Maura is the Outdoor School Supervisor for the Boston and New England area. She has been working in the Outdoor industry for the past eleven years as a facilitator for Project Advenutre and an instructor and program manager for Outward Bound in Boston. She has a Wilderness First Responder certification and extensive experience with risk management of outdoor programs. "I enjoy seeing people become introduced to the outdoors and learning the skills to get outside themselves."

Pat Tokarski

Pat is a full time instructor for the Outdoor School in New England and instructs our cycling, rock climbing, kayaking, snowshoeing and cross country ski classes. Prior to coming to Massachusetts he worked for a small nonprofit that helped people of all ages and abilities learn to ride bicycles. Pat has also spent time working with SPLORE, an organization which enabled disabled kids and adults to participate in adaptive outdoor activities. Pat's favorite course to teach is mountain biking "I love seeing people realize that they can do it!"

Anna Lockmer

Anna has been working with the Outdoor School in the New England area since 2007. She works primarily with our cycling program, teaching mountain biking and road cycling courses throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She really enjoys giving REI members and newcomers alike the skills and confidence to get outside and experience all the adventures that cycling has to offer.

See all REI Outdoor School Classes and Outings in the Boston and New England Area.

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Check out the classes in the Washington D.C. Area:

Carl Bruce

Carl instructs biking, kayaking, climbing, and hiking with the REI Outdoor School. Most of Carl's time is spent with either a camera in his hand or with his bike. He has dedicated 2 years to photographing national parks, and has a goal to photograph every national park in the United States. When he is not photographing or teaching for the outdoor school he is exploring local bike trails in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. He loves sharing his favorite places to ride and helping people discover their own adventures close to home.

Bill Kelly

Bill has been instructing with Outdoor school since March 2006. Bill has over 19 years of climbing/outdoor experience and has been educating customers on the "art" of climbing for over 13 years now. "What I like the most about teaching is the excitement students have when the find out that they can really do something they thought might be impossible. I love giving them the skills necessary to get a start on a lifetime of adventure in the outdoors!" When Bill is not climbing everything in sight he can be found at home playing with his own little climbing monkeys. Bill is an American Mountain Guides Association Rock Guide and Climbing Wall Instructor Trainer.         

Halle Enyedy

Halle is our Mid-Atlantic supervisor for the REI Outdoor School. Halle has worked as an outdoor educator and program manager for 15 years with diverse organization such as the Student Conservation Association, the Keystone Science School and the National Wildlife Federation. Her enthusiasm for learning is infectious. She trains her team to focus on delivering high quality experiences in every outdoor class. In her free time she explores the beauty of the Appalachians with her dogs.

Lisa Monday

Lisa enjoys the thrill of mountain biking, she says "The best part of teaching someone to mountain bike, is seeing the enjoyment in their eyes the first time they go over a log." Although biking is her passion she also enjoys backpacking and photography. She has been instructing with REI since 2006.

Liz Millhollen

Liz joined the REI team with a wealth of experience working wilderness expedition programs for Outward Bound and Cornell University. She has paddled countless miles in Minnesota's Northwoods lakes, Canada's Bloodvein and Black Sturgeon rivers, and Texas's Rio Grande river. When asked about instructing Outdoor School students she says, "There is so much peace and beauty in the wild places that are hard to get to. I hope to be able to lead folks to those beautiful places and have them feel the success of getting there." Liz loves getting out to the woods with her dog, where both of them can get "off leash."

Matt O'Keefe

Matt has been with REI since 2008. Growing up close to the Shenandoah Mountains, hiking and camping became a passion of Matt's. Since 2006, Matt has been sharing this passion by exposing as many people as possible to outdoor recreation. His interests include backpacking, climbing, sea kayaking, and back country skiing. In addition to working with the REI Outdoor School, Matt works as a freelance cellist in the DC area.

Sean Austin

Whether mountain biking, floating a river, hiking a wilderness, or using front-country areas with family and friends; Sean believes the outdoors are a place for rejuvenation. Sean teaches outdoor ethics as a Leave No Trace Master Educator and instructs camping skills and navigation for the REI Outdoor School. He is an outdoor photographer, SCUBA diver, paddle sports enthusiast, backpacker, marksman, rock climber, and mountain biker.

Nate Whitman

Nate grew up at the base of Mt. Greylock in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, where he used a bicycle as his primary mode of transportation. Nate enjoys rock climbing, cycling, mountain biking, and back packing. A teacher by trade, Nate enjoys working for the Outdoor School because he feels it offers him the perfect venue to share his passion for the outdoors. Nate is an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and instructs our climbing, cycling, and navigation classes in Maryland.

See all REI Outdoor School Classes and Outings in the Washington D.C. Area.

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Check out the classes in the Philadelphia Area:

Ted Smith

Ted has been with REI since 2005. Ted is a certified paramedic, an avid hiker, cyclist, canoeist and camper. His time in the outdoors is now spent teaching these skills to his young daughter. As an Outdoor School instructor, Ted enjoys introducing participants to new skills and seeing them gain confidence. "The highlight of any trip is seeing the group anxious to go out and continue what they learned on their own."

Brian Scarborough

Brian has been a member of the REI team for over 13 years. He is determined to keep the Outdoor School curriculum fresh and innovative so that all students enjoy the excitement and intensity of experiencing a new outdoor activity. Brian is an avid sea kayaker and loves to teach people the skills they need to feel comfortable exploring the water. In his free time he builds and paddles a traditional Greenland kayak.

Halle Enyedy

Halle is our Mid-Atlantic supervisor for the REI Outdoor School. Halle has worked as an outdoor educator and program manager for 15 years with diverse organization such as the Student Conservation Association, the Keystone Science School and the National Wildlife Federation. Her enthusiasm for learning is infectious. She trains her team to focus on delivering high quality experiences in every outdoor class. In her free time she explores the beauty of the Appalachians with her dogs.

Paul Haraf

Since 1996 Paul Haraf has been guiding adults and youth on remote wilderness trips covering both the eastern and western coasts of the United States. His travels have resulted in notable mountaineering ascents in Canada and throughout the United States including a free ascent of the South Pillar of Devil's Thumb in Alaska. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and AMGA trained Rock Instructor. Paul lives in Philadelphia and has traded in his alpine boots for sunny bouldering with his kids.

Colleen Contrisciane

When our customers ask, "Do you know anyone who has thru hiked the Appalachian Trail?" Colleen is who we send them too. Colleen's loves to demystify the backcountry and make it simple to get outside. Colleen is multifaceted and instructs kayaking, climbing, navigation and cycling courses as well as our camping and hiking classes. She has worked for the Outdoor School since 2007.

Justin Moynihan

There are two types of climbers: those who climb as hard as they can and those who love to teach others. Justin tries his hardest to be both. Having instructed rock climbing for over five years he has come to REI to continue providing experiences and knowledge to new enthusiasts. Off the clock he pushes his personal limits on rock and ice, at the crag and in the mountains. He is an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor.

John Volpa

John has been leading outdoor pursuits since 1997 and an Outdoor School Instructor since 2006. John brings a lifetime of outdoor experience from around the country and over thirty-five years teaching experience to his outings. He teaches sixth grade environmental science in New Jersey and is an Environmental Commissioner in Evesham Township. His goal is to put more people in touch with the joy of the outdoors as they learn the fundamentals to keeping themselves and their families healthy in every way. He enjoys seeing every participant connect with the natural world while they have fun learning new skills.

Alex Wildman

Alex has been working with REI since 2007 and his lust for outdoor adventure has grown exponentially during that time. He instructs our climbing, cycling and camping courses and loves to expose people the awesome beauty of Mother Nature. Rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, cycling, paddling, and backpacking are just a few of Alex's passions. Alex has cycled across the country and worked on a trail crew in the backcountry of Alaska. He is currently in nursing school.

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Check out the classes in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area:

John Denigris

John Denigris has been an instructor with the REI Outdoor School since 2005. He is an expert cyclist who has in depth knowledge of racing, guiding, and training. John watched mountain biking evolve into a global sport and has dedicated many volunteer hours to the sport in his own community of Marin County. The most enjoyable part of his job is turning people on to the pleasure and benefits of cycling.

Stephanie Oh

Stephanie is elated to be able to share her love for the outdoors with others and to introduce them to new outdoor sports and experiences. She has spent many years instructing sports ranging from taekwondo to alpine skiing, and has always encouraged women to be more active in the outdoors. Stephanie is excited for the opportunity to put her experience and passion to work teaching cycling for REI Outdoor School, both on off the trail.

Anna Landauer

Anna has been working in the Outdoor Education field for 20 years; and with the REI Outdoor School since 2007. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Outdoor Education, and a Master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Anna strives to empower her students to care for themselves and the planet through responsible environmental stewardship. She enjoys many outdoor sports and can usually be found backpacking, rock climbing, trail running or practicing yoga.

Rob Voss

Rob got an atlas for his sixth birthday and hasn't missed an opportunity to use a map or chart for navigation ever since. A long time climber, kayaker, cyclist and skier, he enjoys most outdoor pursuits and especially exploring the waters and mountains of Central California. Working for the Outdoor School he gets to share his interests in the outdoors with students while creating a supportive environment where they can gain the knowledge and skills to pursue their own outdoor interests. His best tip for getting into new outdoor activities: "Stop wondering if you can and take the first step! With a little coaching, most people find success is easier than they thought."

Julie Stump

Julie has been a Rock Climbing Instructor with REI Outdoor School since 2007. She loves to teach people who are new to climbing and share some of her favorite destinations close to home, like Castle Peak State Park. She also journeys to Yosemite, Tuolumne and the Eastern Sierras whenever she can. What she enjoys most about climbing is, "...that is takes me away from the 9-5 day and gives me a great sense of accomplishment when I get to the top." Julie also teaches elementary school physical education and is an avid soccer player.

Mark Abbot

Mark Abbott is a lead guide on our kayak outings. He has kayaked rivers, lakes, and coastal areas of CA for the last 10 years and has guided for the last four years. His favorite place is "in" the water, as he loves practicing re-entries, rolls, and braces. When asked about his students he says, "I'm happy to help my students learn to stay dry while I get wet!"

See all REI Outdoor School Classes and Outings in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

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Check out the classes in the Sacramento Area

Jeff Faillers

Jeff has been with REI since 2004. He is passionate about working in the field with the Outdoor School and living his "life of adventure". Jeff is an avid road cyclist and mountain biker who was introduced to the sport by his father, a Velodrome racer. In addition to cycling courses, Jeff instructs navigation, hiking, kayaking, climbing and snowshoeing. Jeff is an AMGA trained rock instructor and a licensed paramedic.

Cathy Anderson-Meyers

Cathy has been conducting snowshoe classes for REI since 1995. Cathy's depth of knowledge about the Sierra is sought after by REI customers throughout Northern California. Cathy is Cathy enjoys sharing her love for snowshoeing with students of all ages and skill levels. When there is no snow in the Sierras, she can be found instructing our hiking, navigation, and kayaking courses.

Cari Colonius

Cari is the Outdoor School Supervisor for the Sierra region. She has been working with REI in a variety of positions for over 20 years. "I have stayed with REI because of the company's commitment to the community, environment, and employees, and, it is a fabulous place to work!" Cari enjoys helping people learn new skills and introducing her family to the outdoors.

Andrea Baker

Andrea has 9 years of experience with Outdoor Education programs in paddling, snowshoeing, backpacking, and cycling as well as youth programs. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves to see how people get excited learning new skills at the Outdoor School.

Lisa Faillers

Lisa is happy to be able to share her love for the outdoors with others and to introduce them to new outdoor sports and experiences. She has spent many years participating and competing in mountain biking, kayaking, road cycling and snowshoeing activities. Lisa is also a professional counselor.

Jeremiah Gray

Jeremiah has been with REI since 2008 working in the retail stores and the Outdoor School. He received his Bachelor or Arts Degree in Leisure Youth and Human Services with an emphasis in Outdoor Recreation. He instructs our navigation, kayaking, hiking and snowshoeing courses in the Stockton area. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge, experience and love of the outdoors with the people he meets. He has the American Canoe Association Whitewater Instructor Certification, Rescue 3 International Swiftwater Rescue Certification as well as his Wilderness First Responder Certification.

Bryan Wright

Bryan has been with REI since 2007 and is a navigation expert. Bryan is an avid geocacher and enjoys using that as an opportunity to explore the outdoors. He loves introducing people to new activities and encouraging people who are not active to include more outdoor activities in their lives. In addition to his navigation abilities he instructs cycling, kayaking, and snowshoeing courses. Bryan is also a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Gina Silvernale

Gina has been with REI since 2006. She is a professional photographer and instructs our photography courses. She spends as much time as possible traveling the Western National Parks with camera in hand. Her travel motto is "May you be headed in the opposite direction of the tour with plenty of film." Both privately and professionally she's very active and passionate about photography and the other courses she instructs, including hiking, snowshoeing, and kayaking.

Pat Mathews

Pat has been with REI since 2003, working in the retail stores as well as the Outdoor School. He has a long background as an educator both in the classroom and outdoors. He spent 9 years as a climbing instructor for the University of Nevada, Reno. Pat loves to share his passion for the outdoors and ensures that his participants are educated about how to safely recreate in the outdoors while having fun. In addition to teaching our climbing courses, he instructs snowshoeing, cycling, navigation, kayaking and hiking courses.

Justin Leech

Justin has been instructing with the REI Outdoor School since 2008. Justin became attached to mountain sports early in childhood and now spends lot of time sharing his passion with budding climbers. Justin is an AMGA trained Single Pitch Instructor and in his free time he coaches a Youth Climbing Team. He also instructs cycling, kayak, snowshoe and navigation courses.

Christa Lindsey

Christa has been with REI since 2005, working both in the retail stores and for the Outdoor School. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology from University of California at Davis. She is an active member of the River City Geocaching and Dining society and for two summers she served as a forest fire lookout using her navigational skills to help locate wildland fires. In addition to navigation courses, Christa instructs snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking, and climbing.

Chris Rickert

Chris has extensive backcountry experience in the Sierra Nevada and can be found in the Fresno store giving classes on his adventures. Chris actively engages with his participants and designs the experience to fit their needs. Chris instructs navigation, mountain biking, hiking, and snowshoeing. Chris is passionate about Yosemite and the great destinations in the Sierra. Chris has been with REI since 2006 and he is also a concert musician.

Jens Skjoldborg

Jens has been with REI since 2006. He has completed the Death Ride over 9 times, a road cycling event that climbs 5 mountain passes in the Sierra. In addition to our cycling courses, Jens instructs snowshoeing, navigation, and hiking. "One of the things that excites me about REI Outdoor School and Adventure trips is the thrill of helping people at the start of picking up what could become a lifelong interest."

See all REI Outdoor School Classes and Outings in the Sacramento Area.

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Check out the classes in the Greater Los Angeles Area:

Michael Garcia

Michael expresses his spirit for the outdoors by sharing his knowledge passionately with those who seek outdoor therapy. Michael is an avid hiker and volunteers with Outward Bound Los Angeles working with youth of various socio-economic backgrounds. Whether instructing a hiking or navigation outing, Michael is sure to offer an inspirational angle to the importance of human-powered outdoor recreation. With certifications in wilderness travel and medicine, Michael's motto is "Keep the adventure safe without compromising the effort and experience".

Allison Dryden

Allison has been with REI since 2006. When not at work Allison enjoys rock climbing, backpacking, and hiking with her husband. She is a backpack and Wilderness Travel leader for the Sierra Club and certified in Wilderness First Aid. "I love the outdoors and am inspired by my students and their new found love for any outdoor activity (i.e. camping, rock climbing)." Look for Allison on a climbing, hiking or navigation class.

Scott Ammons

Scott is our Southern California Supervisor. He is also a frequent instructor of Outdoor School classes and outings. "I appreciate the Outdoor School because it gives me a chance to share the places and activities I love with lots of new people." Scott has many years of experience as an instructor and program manager in the Outdoor Industry including 5 years as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). He is a Wilderness First Responder, an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and has helped hundreds of people learn to appreciate and travel in the wilderness.

Nelson Takayama

With his bachelor's degree in recreation and leisure studies, Nelson has been promoting outdoor recreation and skills for the past two decades. He is an avid cyclist (both road and mountain biking), a well-seasoned backpacker, and an eager student of our natural surroundings. His hobbies include bird-watching and ethno botany. It isn't uncommon to find Nelson hiking the trails of the local Santa Monica Mountains and coastal beaches where he has led many school groups on nature-interpretive outings. His other interests include rock-climbing, and kayaking. Nelson derives great pleasure in seeing his students succeed.

Amber Cole

"There's something that happens when people play outside. Maybe it's magic, maybe it's hope, or perhaps plain fun. Whatever happens when we go outdoors, I'll take it!" Amber has instructed with Outdoor School since 2007. A dedicated bike commuter she enjoys the sights, smells and detours of commuting by bike in Los Angeles. "There are so many ways to explore. I want people to enjoy the process of learning." Amber teaches on cycling, climbing, hiking and kayaking programs.

Greg Patrick

Greg has worked for REI for over 15 years and has instructed for many outdoor programs in Southern California. He is an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and Avalanche level-III. Greg spends most of his free time with his family, Alpine and Telemark skiing in winter, and kayaking, sailing, mountain biking and climbing in the summer. He worked on Ski Patrol and raced bikes in the USCF expert class. Greg it our navigation expert and his REI GPS Classes have been extremely popular.

Gene Mezereny

Gene instructs climbing, cycling, navigation, paddling and photography. His passion for the outdoors began at age 4. Forty years later, twenty of that at REI, Gene has gained a breadth of knowledge and insight from handling lots of gear, personal challenge and adventures in the mountains, deserts, lakes, rivers and sea. In addition to the vast wilderness experience he is published author and photographer, "For me photography ties the moments of the wilderness experience together. One proud moment was being contacted by a museum to use one of my images as a backdrop for an installation highlighting the life of John Muir."

Arlan Pfohl

Arlan brings nearly two decades of kayaking, rock climbing, mountaineering and mountain biking experience to the REI Outdoor School. His unique teaching style combines humor and relevance to help students retain and apply their new skills. Arlan's greatest joy is demystifying the great outdoors for others, "I especially enjoy teaching activities that many feel are beyond their ability. When I teach someone the fundamentals of rock climbing or advanced paddling techniques, they get a sense of empowerment. They too will desire to have that one-on-one experience with nature."

Ed Korb

Ed Korb is a long time Santa Ana store employee and avid multi-sport athlete. His love for sports began at a young age when he purchased his first mountain bike. From the back woods of Utah to the epic mountains of Whistler, BC, Ed has inspired and motivated many people to get outside and become active. He is an instructor on map & compass, GPS navigation, kayaking and mountain bike outings. Ed has ridden all over the world and loves to share his enthusiasm for the outdoors.

Mark Langton

Mark began mountain biking in 1983 in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. He is a pioneer in Southern California's land access movement, helping to found the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association (CORBA) in 1987 and Mountain Bike Unit volunteer backcountry patrol in 1988. He joined the staff of Mountain Biking magazine in 1987 and was an editor there for many years between 1987 and 1995, where he wrote dozens of technique articles as well as covering the best riders in the world.

See all REI Outdoor School Classes and Outings in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

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Check out the classes in the San Diego Area:

Liam Sage

Liam's love of the outdoors began as a child when he first learned to surf. He is an avid cyclist and certified bike tech - he can keep a crowd riveted with his description how to change a bike tire. He is an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and leads our climbing program in San Diego. He also has a degree in Art and a Masters in Divinity.

Sunny Chang

Sunny works as a kayaking, climbing and naturalist instructor for the REI Outdoor School. Sunny's experience includes leading backpacking trips on Mt. Buller, Australia, the Appalachian Trail, Yosemite and the Sierra. She has worked with both youth and adults and when not working for the Outdoor School she is a surf instructor. Sunny is certified as a Wilderness First Responder, is bilingual in English & Mandarin Chinese, and has a degree in Sociology & Community Studies/Wilderness Therapy.

Anna Thompson

Anna got her start in the outdoors as a volunteer Search and Rescue member. Since then, she has worked for several years as a backpacking and kayaking expedition leader and a climbing instructor. Her favorite part of teaching for the Outdoor School is seeing students get excited to get outside as they learn to do new things on their own. Anna is certified as a Wilderness First Responder and has a degree in environmental science.

Wayne Sneag

Wayne has an extensive travel and outdoor recreation background. After graduating from UCSB, Wayne spent eighteen months working, traveling, and volunteering around the world. From cycle tours in Italy to climbing in Thailand, Wayne enjoys bringing others to the outdoors. Wayne has worked for REI and the Outdoor School since 2006 and is certified in Wilderness First Aid.

See all REI Outdoor School Classes and Outings in the San Diego Area.

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