Abby Taylor

Oregon Logistics Manager

Abby left her home state of Georgia in 2013 to join the Northwest Outward Bound School as an intern. During the season, she fell in love with the central Oregon sunshine and sagebrush, and most of all, with Outward Bound. That fall, she participated in the last new staff training out of Outward Bound Alabama and worked courses for struggling adolescents out of the Scotsmoor and Key Largo bases. Throughout this time, Abby showed a knack for expedition logistics and honed those skills at different locations. She even worked as Logistics Manager and instructed courses for a stint at the Voyaguer Outward Bound Twin Cities center in Saint Paul, MN.

Aside from Outward Bound, Abby has worked in the world of outdoor recreation in a variety of ways and locations: Four years at her college outdoor program based in Southern Georgia. A variety of therapeutic recreation settings from a New York summer camp to a South Carolina boarding school. Three winters working and skiing in Alta, Utah. Two years managing a large climbing gym in Minnesota. Coordinating climbing competitions in between, and even spending one summer as a "sponsored athlete" on a cross-country bicycle tour. One thing has always drawn her back, and that is the Northwest Outward Bound School. After filling the roles of Intern, Logistics Coordinator, Assistant Instructor, Head Logistics Coordinator and Lead River Instructor, Abby is excited to return as Oregon Logistics Manager for the school.

When not ordering mass amounts of food or wandering around the Odin Falls warehouse, Abby likes to climb Oregon choss, row a boat down most any river, and ski on storm days.

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.

Cam Alford

Washington Associate Program Director

Cam is eternally grateful for the growth, friendships, and genuine adventures that his work at NWOBS has provided. He began working as an Assistant Instructor for NWOBS in 2009 when he transitioned from a position in Seattle working with at-risk youth. He initially thought he would work as an instructor for three years before pursuing another career, but quickly found himself re-arranging life plans to make work at NWOBS a long-term commitment. Over the last 10 years, Cam has worked as an Instructor on most every course type in Washington and Oregon, including numerous stints as the proctor of long adult courses. He also worked as a Staff trainer and Course Director before recently transitioning into Washington Associate Program Director role. As long as he has enough snacks on hand, Cam rarely stops moving in his never-ending quest to pretend he's a mountain athlete. If not in his office or sleeping, he is likely climbing, skiing, biking, hunting, or otherwise ambling through the beautiful North Cascades. Cam lives with his partner and long-time NWOBS Instructor Genny in Winthrop, Washington. 

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.

Jenny Huq

Director of Business Operations

Jenny joins Northwest Outward Bound School after working extensively with international education and experiential learning programs. She has been fortunate throughout her career to work with values-driven organizations that promote transformational learning and social impact. She is honored to join this incredible Outward Bound community.

As former Executive Director of Carpe Diem Education in Portland, OR, Jenny managed gap year programming on 5 continents and in 18 countries. Her work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Singapore Management University created opportunities to deepen student engagement through service-learning and cultural immersion experiences. In 2010, Jenny was awarded Civic Engagement Professional of the Year from North Carolina Campus Compact. She holds a B.A. in Global History and a M.A. in International Studies.

Jenny learned to explore different parts of the U.S. at a young age as her family relocated. She attended college in the northeast and took her first professional position as a paralegal in Boston. Feeling unfulfilled on the corporate path, Jenny traded in her suit for hiking boots and headed to the Dakotas. There she found her passion for purposeful, community-based initiatives as a full-time volunteer on the Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock Reservations. While exploring other countries and cultures will always be on her list, Jenny and her family are becoming rooted with the natural beauty and grandeur of the Pacific Northwest. She is proud that both her sons have served as AmeriCorps members working on conservation, disaster management, and wildland firefighting.

Jenny enjoys photography, hiking, biking, and hosting people from all over the world in her Airbnb. A fun fact about Jenny is that one of her first homes was a converted cable car along the Great Highway in San Francisco and she and her husband currently live in a 200sqft tiny home on wheels.

Joel Reid

Washington Program Director

In 2008, 12 years after taking a 22 day Outward Bound course, Joel started working for Northwest Outward Bound School in Mazama, WA as a sea kayak and mountaineering instructor. Joel's current positions include Staff Trainer, Course Director, and Instructor. He spends his off season shooting photos and traveling around the country, teaching wilderness medicine classes.

Josh Adrian

Course Advisor

Kate Rafter

Platform & Content Administrator

Kate has lived in Portland since 2003, and before that, spent her childhood in Orange County. She joined NWOBS in August 2019 after four seasons of patron services at Chamber Music Northwest and two years managing membership at Dance Wire, working to empower Portland's dance artists.

Kristin Kanan

Business Operations Coordinator

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 plant based cooking and crafting. And you may even see her in the Timbers Army supporting her beloved Portland Timbers. 

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.

Monica Hescheles

Course Advisor

Monica brings to Northwest Outward Bound School the knowledge from degrees in Outdoor Education and Environmental Education, and eight years of experience working in customer service! Monica also has experience as a student in the back country and recently took a WFR through our Mazama, WA Outdoor Educator course.

Morgan Oyster-Sands

Student Services Director, Equity, Inclusion & Diversity Specialist

Throughout high school and college, Morgan, had many opportunities to experience the outdoors combined with service in the states and abroad. After completing her degree in Intercultural Studies and Urban Studies she worked in both education and the Outdoor Industry. Wanting to combine her passions, she moved to the Pacific Northwest and began working for NWOBS first as a Logistical Coordinator, then as a Portland Programs Instructor and now Student Services Director. New to the Pacific Northwest, you can find Morgan and her family discovering the rich landscapes by foot, bike and kayak any chance they get!

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. 

Paula Shilton

Senior Course Advisor & Medical Screener

After many years of work in nonprofit organizations in Athens, Georgia, Paula and her husband recently relocated to Portland to take advantage of its outdoor and cultural opportunities. Her background in psychology (AB – Oberlin College; MA – Western Michigan University) led to a career focused on positive youth development, primarily at Prevent Child Abuse Athens and the Clarke County (GA) Mentor Program.

Paula grew up hiking California trails with her family, and as a camper and camp counselor. Her three children continued the tradition in the mountains of western North Carolina. Since arriving in Oregon, she and her husband have hiked in the Gorge and the Mt. Hood area, participated as Wilderness Volunteers doing habitat restoration in the Mt. Hood Wilderness, and backpacked across the Grand Canyon and in the Superstition Mountains (AZ.) Paula has also served as a volunteer trail guide in the Athens area, introducing public school children to the outdoors. She is delighted that part of her work with NWOBS involves supporting outdoor experiences for groups who haven’t had that opportunity.

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.

Valerie Plummer, CFRE

Development Director

Valerie is a passionate advocate of inclusion, and the power of bringing people and resources together to change the world. She served as the executive director of the Oregon Microenterprise Network for eight years, building Oregon’s statewide financing and service infrastructure for underserved entrepreneurs. Most recently, Valerie served in a development role at Harper’s Playground, and prior to that, completed a $9M capital campaign at Community Vision, building a collaborative one-stop location in Portland that serves families and individuals experiencing disabilities. Valerie believes that the outdoors should belong to everyone, and is excited to work alongside the Northwest Outward Bound School team to ensure equitable access to life-changing Outward Bound experiences for all.

Valerie holds a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College, and a CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) certification from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.  In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking and spending time with her two children, Sophie and Zach. Valerie currently chairs and has served on the Board of Livelihood Northwest since 2010, helping entrepreneurs of color access financing and successfully start and grow their businesses.