OUR TRIP LEADERS

An extended canoe expedition in the Boundary Waters changed Caitlyn’s career direction, inspiring her to study Outdoor Education and Environmental Geography. Since then, she’s worked with young people in outdoor programs across the United States, building experience in expedition travel, paddling, climbing, and wilderness leadership. Her own adventures include a 25-day rafting expedition through the Grand Canyon.

Caitlyn brings curiosity, warmth, and a genuine love of outdoor life to the groups she leads. When she’s not working with students, you’ll probably find her exploring a climbing route, river, or canyon, spending time on farms, or cooking something worth gathering around.

Erinna is an outdoor educator whose experience spans environmental education, snowsports, rivers, ranches, and youth programs. Growing up in different places helped shape her curiosity about people and cultures, and she spent a year living in Japan during high school. She later earned degrees in Economics and Environmental Studies from the University of Puget Sound.

Her work has taken her across the western United States, including experience in ski patrol in the Tahoe region. Outside of outdoor education, Erinna enjoys horseback riding, dance, theater, design, and science. She brings a wonderfully broad collection of interests and experiences to the groups she leads.

Growing up in Southern Oregon sparked Alyssa’s love of exploring wild places. She studied Environmental Studies and Biology at Southern Oregon University, and an internship working with young people on a nature reserve in New Zealand helped launch her career in outdoor education.

Since then, Alyssa has worked as an Interpretive Park Ranger with the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service and taught outdoor education throughout California and North Carolina. She loves helping students discover the natural world around them, not simply travel through it. Outside work, she’s usually backpacking, rafting, tide pooling, exploring new cultures, or cooking something delicious.

Jordan has spent much of her career combining classroom teaching with outdoor education. She earned degrees in Education from Western Washington University and Pennsylvania State University and has worked as a middle school math teacher alongside leading outdoor recreation programs.

Her experience includes backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, sea kayaking, challenge-course facilitation, and whitewater raft guiding. Jordan brings an educator’s perspective to adventure leadership, balancing clear instruction and thoughtful supervision with opportunities for teenagers to take responsibility, solve problems, and discover what they’re capable of.

Paul grew up hiking, camping, and climbing in New York’s Adirondack Mountains and has spent more than a decade working in outdoor education. His experience ranges from mountain and wilderness programs to sea kayaking in Alaska and leading Wild Traveler adventures in Hawaiʻi.

An enthusiastic traveler himself, Paul’s adventures include exploring Morocco, Ecuador, and Colombia, along with a seven-week bicycle journey across the United States. He brings a calm, experienced presence to the field and enjoys helping young people become comfortable in unfamiliar environments. When he’s not leading programs, you’ll find him climbing, skiing, backpacking, or planning his next adventure.

Mitchell has built his career around teaching and working with young people in both classroom and outdoor settings. During college, an internship at the Clemmie Gill School of Science and Conservation helped him combine his interest in education with his love of outdoor recreation.

Years of field experience, backpacking, rock climbing, and trail running have shaped his approach to teaching. Mitchell brings patience, humor, and an educator’s perspective to Wild Traveler programs. Away from work, he enjoys freediving, fishing in Latin America, cooking, and pursuing the surprisingly serious quest for the perfect over-medium fried egg.

Ryan grew up just south of Seattle and studied Environmental Education at Western Washington University. He has spent his career designing and leading outdoor education and adventure travel programs, working with thousands of students on more than 200 programs across the United States and Asia. His experience includes expedition leadership, instructor development, program design, and risk management.

Ryan founded The Wild Traveler around a belief that meaningful adventures are about more than exciting destinations. They’re opportunities to build friendships, independence, practical skills, and confidence. Outside work, he enjoys SCUBA diving, surfing, climbing, cooking, traveling, and occasionally subjecting anyone within earshot to his ukulele.

Darcy is a California-based outdoor educator whose experience has taken her across the United States, South Korea, Malaysia, Costa Rica, Peru, and southern Africa. After studying English and Spanish at UCLA, she spent a year exploring the mountains and jungles of Central and South America, deepening her interest in experiential education and travel.

Her work with young people has also included supporting vulnerable teenage girls and tutoring teenage immigrants and refugees. Darcy brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to outdoor leadership and loves the connections that develop through shared experiences. Outside work, she enjoys skiing, hiking, roller derby, and traveling unreasonable distances for exceptionally good ice cream.

Originally from Washington, DC, Anna studied Fine Arts and Environmental Studies at Harvard University before building a career combining outdoor education, travel, and community engagement. Her experience includes leading teen service programs in Thailand, guiding college backpacking trips in New England, and teaching outdoor education throughout California.

Anna has explored destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, New Zealand, Morocco, and the United States. Whether she’s canoeing, climbing, rafting, cycling, or exploring a new city, she brings curiosity and enthusiasm for discovering people and places. When the adventure turns urban, she’s usually searching for live music, local art, and excellent spicy food.