Staff

Shari Leach has worked in outdoor and adventure education for around 20 years, starting as an assistant counselor in the Panda Bear Cabin. She has since worked in a wide variety of capacities for organizations such as OB, NOLS, the United World College, Prescott College and the Wilderness Medicine Institute. She is pleased to be carrying a lighter backpack these days, although she still enjoys working field rock climbing and backpacking courses. Shari continues to work with graduate students of Prescott's Master of Arts program, having been the former chair of the Adventure Education MA program there. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and lived in Honduras while serving in the Peace Corps. Shari has a BA in environmental conservation, an MA in humanities, and an interdisciplinary PhD focused on culture and identity. When she isn't writing grant proposals or watching ravens from her office window Shari can be found basking in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, their orange dog and sometimes even her two step-sons! Send Shari and email!

Laura Tyson, Founder of The Women's Wilderness Institute, transformed the paradigm of outdoor and experiential education by creating a ‘girl-positive' and ‘women-centered' program model that celebrates and effectively motivates change in the girls and women who participate. Through her vision and dedication, Laura effectively broke new ground in the field of outdoor education-a model which until her innovation had traditionally been patterned on emotional and educational learning styles of men and boys. Laura holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a Masters Degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Boulder's Naropa University.

Maggie brings a wonderful sense of adventure, passion and fun to her role as Program Director! Maggie began working for the National Outdoor Leadership School as a field instructor in 2003 and while instructing for NOLS in the summers, she finished her undergraduate degree at Prescott College with a competence in Adventure Education. She continued working for NOLS as a mountaineering instructor, program supervisor, and evacuation coordinator. Maggie has also worked as an Adjunct Faculty member for Prescott College, on their block course ‘Women's Topics in Wilderness Leadership'. Maggie is looking forward to meeting the demands and expectations with a smile, and a passion for all that TWWI encompasses. Welcome Maggie to the Women's Wilderness Family by sending an email!

Lori shines with enthusiasm for working with youth, dedication to promoting wilderness exploration, and brings to TWWI previous experience in the nonprofit industry. As a young camper at an all-girls horseback riding camp in Michigan, Lori became inspired by the strong and confident women surrounding her and ultimately became a counselor, dedicated to helping help other girls build confidence and have fun in the wilderness. Lori worked for Outward Bound Wilderness advising students on courses and participating in outreach events to promote the importance of wilderness travel and environmental stewardship. She has volunteered with organizations such as Colorado 14ers Initiative and Wilderness Restoration Volunteers to help keep our Colorado mountains beautiful and sustainable for years to come. An avid backcountry mountaineer and skier, Lori also enjoys reading, photography, spending time with her friends and finds solace in quiet mountain mornings watching the first crease of sun cresting the horizon.Send Lori an email!

Morgan Moore grew up on the Western Slope of Colorado in the town of Grand Junction. She currently resides in Summit County, Colorado using her B.S. in the field of environmental science by playing cowgirl in the summers, and posing as a ski bum in the winters. She has spent time leading groups of students and peers through various outdoor trips and activities working with the National Outdoor Leadership School, her college's outdoor program, Gore Range Outfitters, and several different ski areas in Colorado and California. She is presently working towards an anusara yoga teacher certification, toying with the idea of graduate school in the environmental education realm, and, with much enthusiasm and positive energy, is excited to begin her second season with TWWI!

Growing up skiing in Pennsylvania and rafting in Costa Rica, Liz developed a deep love for both the mountains and the rivers. Liz is excited to be working with TWWI, where she can combine her enthusiasm for having fun in the outdoors with her dedication to empower females in developing their inner strength. She is excited to graduate in December 2011 from Prescott College, Arizona with degrees in Adventure Education and Human Development.

Lela has been working with children and youth of all ages for over 10 years in a wide variety of capacities, including leading programs in the wilderness both nationally and internationally. Lela loves to weave her passion for nature, expressive arts, community, and play into her work with young people. In addition to creating and facilitating programs for youth, Lela works as a professional artist and musician. Lela holds a B.A. in Expressive arts and Multi-Cultural Spirituality from Prescott College. Learn more about Lela at www.LoveLifeDesigns.org

Julia has been leading wilderness trips for nine years, and is psyched to work with girls again with TWWI! She started out leading girls through the Canadian wilderness on long canoe expeditions. She is a NOLS Australia graduate and certified NOLS instructor. Her passion for the outdoors has taken her guiding around the world to such places as: the Grand Canyon, Malaysia, and China. She loves easing people out of their comfort zones and into hers. One of her favorite things about leading wilderness trips is facilitating the bonding and formation of a cohesive group. When not working for TWWI, you will find Julia rock climbing, backpacking, biking around Fort Collins, CO, where she lives, and making her own hot sauce.

Gretchen has been facilitating adventure and personal growth in an outdoor setting for nearly ten years. She has worked in a variety of outdoor, experiential education and wilderness therapy programs. Gretchen has a B.S. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Missouri. She is currently completing her Masters at Naropa University in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in wilderness therapy. When she is not playing outdoors professionally she can be found hiking, biking, running, climbing, jumping on trampolines or playing with her two dogs, Louie Beans and Avi Noodles.

Erin came to TWWI from Outward Bound's Connecting with Courage program in 2005. She is passionate about educational programs that empower people to speak their voices and be active members of their communities.  She is currently working towards a PhD in Educational Foundations Policy and Practice with a focus on community engagement at the University of Colorado.

Elise grew up in Seattle and for the past four summers has guided backpacking and canoeing trips of varying lengths in the American and Canadian west and Alaska for YMCA Camp Menogyn. This is Elise's second summer working for TWWI and she is elated to be working for such an awesome organization.

When Britta was a small child her mom always knew where to find her at a playground, because she was sure to be perched at the very highest point of the jungle gym. Britta still loves to climb to the top of things, but she has replaced jungle gyms with mountains. Britta joined Women’s Wilderness in 2007 and has also instructed mountaineering and backpacking courses for the Outward Bound School in Washington State. She adores TWWI’s community of strong, inspiring women. When not gallivanting outdoors, Britta works as an artist, silversmith and yoga instructor. She teaches backpacking, rock climbing, and telemark courses for TWWI.

Katie describes her life purpose as "bringing forth the innate wisdom within every-BODY," and "opening people's minds and hearts to greater possibilities." Katie incorporates present-moment awareness, creative arts, relationship to the natural world, and body-mind connection to support people in connecting to themselves, others, and life more deeply. Katie leads trips for The Women's Wilderness Institute and Outward Bound, is on the faculty at Naropa University and Prescott College, and has a private coaching and psychotherapy practice in Boulder, CO. More about Katie at namastehealers.com.

A world-class mountain bike and cyclocross racer, Kerry has been leading mountain bike courses for The Women’s Wilderness since 2007.

Mary-Laurence Bevington, a.k.a. Mary, lives in Boulder, Colorado. There, she guides outside, practices eco-art and teaches: yoga, meditation and Pilates. She has been an outdoor educator since 1988, primarily for Outward Bound. She has an MFA in Contemporary Performance (Naropa University) and a BA in Creative Writing (Colorado College). Mary revels in the connections between nature, climbing, breath and movement, and in how strengthening these links can further our human potential and heal the world.

Kelly has been working for TWWI since 2004 and instructing with NOLS since 2002. A Jill of all trades, and master of many, Kelly brings a joyful balance of instruction wizardry and personal passion to every course that she leads.

Raleigh comes to TWWI with sixteen years of outdoor education and guiding experience and over twenty years of international travel experience. Guiding in various states across the US, Raleigh also has led trips in Asia, South America, Tibet and Nepal and is fluent in Nepalese! In 2003 she founded Lotus Expeditions, an adventure travel organization offering experiences in international destinations, and curently resides in Ouray, Colorado with her husband. In her spare time she enjoys all forms of skiing, climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, kayaking and yoga, and her newest passion: fly fishing! Raleigh's shining personality and extensive outdoor travel background adds excitment and great stories to every TWWI course she leads!

Sandra Gaskill M.S., L.P.C., is an accomplished outdoor leader with deep appreciation for nature and a love for supporting people in discovering their authentic selves through personal reflection. Sandra’swork is influenced by Hakomi—a body-centered practice that pulls from Eastern philosophy and Western psychology to connect mind, body and spirit. Her down-to-earth style, extensive international travel and life experience make Sandra an exceptionally accessible and effective leader. Sandra has led trips for TWWI since 2000, she’s also a whitewater guide and has a private psychotherapy practice in Boulder, CO. More about Sandra at sandragaskill.com.

Danika joined the Women's Wilderness staff in 2004 and specializes in rock and ice climbing, but leads trips in all areas. She is passionate about sharing her love of the outdoors with women, whatever the activity. Her personal climbing resume includes summits in Peru, Bolivia, Nepal, and the U.S., including first ascents in Rocky Mountain National Park and Wyoming's Snowy Range. Danika is a "science geek" with a Masters in Botany, specializing in alpine and desert plants, and did Ph.D studies in Biogeochemistry. She loves to travel, with climbing as an excuse to explore other mountains and mountain cultures. Danika lives in Ridgway, CO with her sweet dog Avellana who is a constant companion on runs, bike rides and ski adventures in the San Juan Mountains.

Cathy has been working for TWWI since 2006 as one of our lead fly-fishing instructors. A certified Orvis Guide, Cathy brings incredible passion, wisdom and experience to our fly-fishing courses.

With a rock climbing tick-list 3 pages long, Laurie has been there and done that. With incredible enthusiasm, Laurie shares her passion for climbing on our women’s climbing series of courses.

Mel has been leading wilderness trips with girls for more than ten years. Her backcountry experience began with leading remote canoe trips in the North East and has expanded to include climbing, backpacking, and paddling throughout the West. When not out playing, Mel works as an environmental education teacher for a school in Denver, where her lessons have taken the students everywhere from Disneyland to the Alaskan wilderness.

Zoe has been on staff with TWWI since 2006 and has been teaching outdoor skills for the past 12 years. A multi-talented staff working a variety TWWI courses, Zoe especially enjoys helping women discover their own world-view and the practical applications of climbing and other outdoor activities that stretch our abilities in our everyday lives. Outside of working for The Women's Wilderness, Zoe has been developing and promoting an original concept called "humanitourism," combining meaningful humanitarian work with active adventure travel, through her organization called inside/out. She also runs the Team In Training for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society as well as her own health & wellness business.

Sara comes to the Women’s Wilderness with a diverse background in adventure education (MA from Prescott College), women’s leadership (she started her own women’s hiking program) and down-home fun (she comes all the way out from MN to do our courses!). She is passionate, purposeful and does more in one day more than anyone should do in a week! You’ll laugh, you may cry, and you will surely connect with Sara on one of our courses.

A Boulder native, Lindsay graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Women and Gender Studies. Lindsay's passion for working with girls, combined with her love of the wilderness makes her a great fit for TWWI and she has led courses with Women's Wilderness since 2005. She loves combining her outdoor skills with dance, yoga and expressive arts to help girls build positive body images and feel great about themselves. Her travels have taken her backpacking through the vast desert and slot canyons of southern Utah, backcountry skiing and winter camping in the snowy Absorka mountain range, crack climbing in southern Colorado and swimming under waterfalls in the jungles of Venezuela. Lindsay is also a Spanish Interpreter, salsa teacher, and jewelry designer.

Lizzy grew up climbing on rocks in Central Park and discovered that her taste for the outdoors was better suited in the mountains rather than the city. Lizzy has her masters degree in social work and has been employed in the outdoor industry for over a decade. Lizzy currently facilitates junior high girls groups in the Ft. Collins school system. Her addiction to TWWI is the result of loving to see how each group of girls is different but how each group comes together. In her free time, Lizzy enjoys rock climbing, hiking and backpacking with friends. Lizzy has also taught herself guitar and “nose-flute” and has a deep respect for chocolate and cheese.

Laura comes to the Women’s Wilderness with more than 8 years of full-time field work at both Outward Bound and NOLS. A truly gifted educator with an amazing sense of humor, Laura leads a wide variety of courses for TWWI.

Founder and Former Executive Director, TWWI.
After taking a short sabbatical from working with TWWI, we’re incredibly pleased to have Laura join us once again as field staff on women’s courses. With years of wilderness leadership, philosophy and programming development, and a counseling background, Laura is a gift to have on any course.

Ashley started climbing with her family when she was six, and while some teenagers might look forward to getting their first car when they turn sixteen, she was delighted to receive her dad’s climbing gear. Since then, her love for the sport has been a driving force in her life. Ashley is an AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor and an AMGA provider of the Climbing Wall Instructor course. She is a co-owner of the Spot Bouldering Gym and has served for 7 years as the Director of The Spot's Climbing School. She has completed numerous technical alpine ascents around the world, and broke the world record for the longest "dyno" (the act of dynamically leaping to a hold) on her way to a second place finish in the 2005 World Cup competition. A Women's Wilderness staff member since 2002, Ashley is a truly incredible teacher who loves sharing her passion for climbing with other women.

A professional outdoor educator of the highest degree, Joanne has led wilderness trips for TWWI and Outward Bound for many years. A professional ski instructor at Vail during the winter seasons, Joanne brings humor, dedication and humility to all of her endeavors.

Niobe Burden fell in love with photography while backpacking through Europe 17 years ago. Her passion is fine art photography, telling stories through her ability to capture the light gracing a landscape and delving into local cultures to reach the essence of people through her work. To complement her photography, Niobe enjoys backcountry skiing, rock climbing and traveling near her home in the Sierras and around the world. Her photography has been internationally recognized and displayed. Read more about Niobe at niobeburden.com.

Michelle Anderson's yogic yourney started in 1991 after many years as a dancer and horseback rider. Inspired by yoga's healing influence, she practiced Integral yoga for nine years and traveled to India to attend the Sivananada Teacher Training. She began studying Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga in 2002, and has completed three Teacher Intensives. Michelle has studied with many leading teachers in therapeutic, Iyengar, and mondern flow styles of yoga, including Shiva Rae, Manouso Manos, Gabriella Guibilaro, and Aadil Palkhivala. She has also studied extensively with Ammachi. Her training as ageologist allows her to see things in perspective and as a whole. She also has a strong interest in anatomy and health. All of this is reflected in her warm and knowledgeable teaching style which blends the exploration of dance, the precision of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, and the meditative flow of breath awareness. Her teaching is infused with enthusiasm and humor, steady peacefulness, and vibrancy. Michelle invites students' individuality, and guides them into an aligned experience through descriptive cues, the use of props and hands-on adjustments.

Asha Wolf began teaching yoga in 1992, while dancing professionally in NYC. She started teaching yoga in the Ashtanga tradition in 1998 after being introduced to this classic form of the practice by her teacher, Dr. Ranjani Cobo. Asha's teaching is grounded through this long-time apprenticeship with Ranjani, who blends together elements from the Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga traditions with Zen practices and Native American spirituality. Asha holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and is a Certified Movement Analyst. She brings to her teaching over 20 years of exploration of our internal landscapes through anatomy, physiology, movement, and a variety of therapeutic body-mind modalities. Her teaching style is direct, clear and accessible with a strong, hands-on approach. Asha moved to Boulder in 2006, and is happy to be part of the wonderful community at The Yoga Workshop.

Corrie's mother, Sylvia, introduced her to yoga in the 1992 as an antidote to school and life. Corrie then moved to San Francisco and studied with Barbara Wiechamann, whose primary teachers are Judith Lasater and Ramamand Patel, for 11 years. When Corrie moved to Boulder in 2003, Barbara suggested that she find Richard and his studio. For several weeks she peaked in the windows at Yoga Workshop, and then began taking Level 1 and Mixed-Levels classes. The diversity and depth of the teachers at YW continues to impress her. With time, she learned to practice in Mysore classes and became interested in philosophy through Richard's Sunday evening talks and books from the YW library. She took Richard's month-long teacher intensive in 2007. Her primary interest is in how we integrate yoga philosophy into every day life.

Lauren Sigman has over 25 years of experience in personal financial planning, mortgage finance and real estate. She created Sigman Financial Fitness® to work with people looking for individualized, creative ways to manage their financial fitness, no matter what shape they're in.

An avid skier and rock climber, Lauren's passion for the outdoors drew her to Colorado in the early '90s. Before moving to Colorado, Lauren spent 12 years in the financial industry as an investment banker, a financial analyst and Vice President of Finance. Lauren also serves on the board of the Professional Climbing Instructors Association.