Marc Heisterkamp

Executive Director

A Washington native and now Oregon resident, Marc’s life and career has a foundation in outdoor and experiential leadership education. A strategist and growth leader at heart, Marc is always mission driven, choosing to focus his attention on creating positive impact in people, communities and our environment. He is honored to be able to do this in his home communities in the Pacific Northwest. Marc believes strongly that future success of individuals and communities is based on emotional intelligence, people-centric leadership and other skills best developed and honed through experiential education. A lifelong learner, Marc works every day on these same skills, knowing that the best teachers are always learners first.

Marc holds a bachelor’s degree in biology & Natural Resources and a master’s in business administration. In addition to a stint in the financial sector, he spent many years building the U.S. Green Building Council and the LEED program, one of the world’s most successful and impactful industry-led environmental movements.

While not working to make amazing Outward Bound experiences available to people of all backgrounds, Marc spends his time with his family, making sure his young son grows through outdoor experiences, whether in the backyard sandbox or splashing in an alpine lake. In his house “a dirty day is a good day”. For more, please visit Marc's Linkedin account.

Carla Riestenberg

Director of Business Operations

Carla grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and attended the University of Cincinnati to study architecture, but she itched to get out and explore more of the country. She jumped at the chance to travel west for a month with some friends and never really left Portland. She spent the following summers leading trail crews with the NW Youth Corps and Pacific Crest Trail Association. And it was there, in the backwoods of the Pacific NW, she realized her passion to help individuals and communities discover their potential. This led her to get a Master’s degree in non-profit management and what drew her to the work of the Northwest Outward Bound School. When she’s not in the office, you might find Carla out hiking or just riding her bike around town. Every now and then you can catch her mixing up a new recipe in the kitchen or trying to figure out how to grow vegetables in her backyard.

Kristin Kanan

Administrative Assistant

Kristin grew up on the SoCal beaches in Santa Monica and Venice. She discovered her passion for photography at an early age and spent her days exploring every corner of her world, seeking to capture images of the beautiful and interesting things around her. That has never changed. Kristin has held marketing and project management jobs in industries including film, video games and social media. In 2015, it was time for a new adventure. Her love of nature and community drew her to Portland. Her wish was to find job working for a non-profit, one that helped people and had something to do with nature. That dream came true for her in June 2018. When Kristin isn't working, she is still out there exploring and capturing the world around her, from the forests to the quirky neighborhoods. She also loves cooking and DIY crafting. And you may even see her in the Timbers Army supporting her beloved Portland Timbers. 

Susanne Orton

Chief Development and Engagement Officer

Susanne Orton's passion and focus on "making a difference" both personally and professionally, is the driver that spans over 20 years of strategic fundraising, digital communications, media and community engagement to diverse groups, companies and organizations. As a leader in launching multiple fundraising and brand momentum-building campaigns, Susanne connects technology and develops strategies to increase efficiency and effectiveness using the tools that are relevant to our dynamic world.  She has worked with multiple city entities, nonprofits, public and private organizations, and is passionate about helping organizations exceed their goals and affect change. In her role as Chief Development and Engagement Officer for Northwest Outward Bound (NWOBS) and as a member of the Word is Bond Board of Directors, she continues her focus on "impact" through the NWOBS program-partnership with Word is Bond.  Susanne served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Harsch Investment Properties and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation's national art lending program, and as Publisher of the digital content creation agency Roll 35.  Susanne also serves on the Board of Regents for the Museum at Warm Springs, and continues to leadership committees with both local and national marketing and technology organizations. More information, please visit Susanne's Linkedin account.

Nicholas Drushella

Development Manager

Nick was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He grew up camping, backpacking, and volunteering with youth development organizations throughout the region. After spending several years abroad in South Africa and completing a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies with the Rotary Peace Fellowship in Australia, he decided to return home to focus on addressing structural violence and opportunity gaps in local communities. He is passionate about social justice and is excited to grow NWOBS’ innovative leadership development programs. On weekends, you can find Nick exploring new outdoor areas, hiking, and playing (or watching) sports. 

Zoë Bonnichsen

Development Assistant

Anne Morrison

Oregon Program Director

Anne started her Outward Bound career in 2006 with the Southwest Program of the Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS) as an Assistant Instructor.  During the eight years she worked with COBS, she worked in a variety of roles including Associate Program Director in 2011 and 2012.  As an instructor, course director and trainer, Anne was fortunate to experience diverse course areas throughout Utah - rafting the Colorado, Green, Yampa and San Juan rivers, backpacking the LaSal Mountains and canyoneering through the canyons of the Robbers Roost and Dark Canyon plateau.

In addition to her years with Outward Bound, Anne also brings varied experience working in education with youth and teens.  She has worked with both a wilderness therapy organization and an alternative education program with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps in her native Vermont.  This past April, Anne completed her Master’s in Education with a School Counseling license from Lewis and Clark College.

After leaving COBS in winter of 2012, Anne began her work with the Northwest Outward Bound School.  Starting as an instructor with the Portland Programs, she has also worked with Student Services and as an instructor and trainer with both the Odin Falls and Mazama bases.  Witnessing the personal growth that happens for students on course and within school settings, continues to fuel Anne’s passion for the work Outward Bound does.

When not sharing her passion for Outward Bound with others, Anne can be found exploring wild places by raft, foot, ski, bike or rope with her partner, Rob, and her dog, Freya.

Cori Callahan

Oregon Associate Program Director

What began as a summer love affair with getting paid to be outside has turned into a lifelong commitment to character development and the pursuit of striving, serving, and not yielding in the face of great challenge. Cori started her career in the outdoor industry in 1999 as a backcountry trail crew member and crew leader with youth conservation corps in Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico. After that, she worked diligently on being the best dirt bag outdoor educator one can be, working for Outward Bound and other outdoor education programs in Utah, Colorado, California, and Oregon. Since 2005, Cori has worked variously as a logistics coordinator/intern/admin/course director/trainer/instructor at Outward Bound. She currently finds herself at the Oregon Base as associate program director.

When she is not at work, Cori can be found on long wanders with her dog Spatula, biking through desert landscapes, running whitewater wherever she can find it, and sipping delicious beverages while coloring in coloring books.

Abby Taylor

Oregon Logistics Manager

Robyn Gelfand

Portland Program Director

Robyn’s Outward Bound experience began with a Leadership Mountaineering course in the Colorado Rockies during college. That experience had a huge impact on Robyn, and inspired her to move to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to teach skiing after graduating from the University of Virginia. From there, she began a career in marketing that took her to Denver, Chicago, and Portland, working on brands including Adidas and Coors Light. After earning an MBA from Portland State University, she co-founded a peer-to-peer outdoor adventure business. Robyn is thrilled to be part of the Outward Bound community again and to provide students and professionals in the Portland area with personal growth and leadership development opportunities. Robyn is a volunteer alpine patroller on Mt. Hood Ski Patrol and enjoys hiking and camping with her family.