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. 

Amanda Brockman

Sales Manager, Custom Programs

After growing up in northern California, Amanda was ready for something new. She ventured to Colgate University in upstate New York for college, where she took an outdoor education class on a whim and discovered a passion for rock climbing. After completing her BA in Philosophy she went on to a graduate program in Philosophy at the University of Colorado. Besides getting to live in the beautiful city of Boulder, Amanda's favorite part of her grad school experience was spending her summers as a rock climbing and backpacking instructor in North Carolina, Colorado, and Montana. Since moving to Portland in 2015 she's happily worked in nonprofit administration, first serving as Development Director at XRAY.FM before joining the NW Outward Bound team in 2019. Outside the office you can usually find Amanda hanging out with her retired racing greyhound, playing volleyball in the local rec league, or at one of Portland's many vegan bakeries.

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

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.

Cam Alford

Washington Associate Program Director

Emily Nelson

Washington Logistics Manager

Emily comes to the position of Logistics Manager with a sincere desire to change the lives of staff and students the way that Outward Bound changed hers. She was born and raised in San Francisco, where she largely focused on music as a pianist and trumpet player. She graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a degree in Music, and went on to pursue arts management with the Kennedy Center and then the San Francisco Symphony, working in Education, Special Events, Artist Management and Community Engagement.

When she completed the Washington Outdoor Educator Course in 2015, she knew she had discovered an organization with a mission she believed in and a community she wanted to join. She started the next summer as an intern and subsequent summers as an LC and HLC, where she found a sense of place within the logistics department and a bizarre affinity for fiberglass repair. Whether trailer training, climbing at Washington Pass, kayaking the Methow or working on spreadsheets, Emily is thrilled to be part of the NWOBS family.

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.