Help Start Midwest Wilderness

My goal and what will set the Midwest Wilderness Journeys apart from other outdoor education programs is to help children, families, teens and adults develop skills and knowledge that build a strong connection to the natural environment right here, in Chicago's own backyard.

- A little about me -


I am an experienced outdoor educator with over ten years in the field and a passion for primitive survival skills, camping, hiking, climbing, canoeing and biking. I began leading outdoor trips at the age of 18 at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, where I was a counselor. We took eighth and ninth graders on five day hiking, biking, canoeing, and rock climbing trips in southern Wisconsin.

After getting my degree in Geology from the University of Illinois, at the Champaign-Urbana campus, I worked in California for Naturalists at Large, an outdoor and environmental education group that works with schools, providing team building exercises, guiding students on wilderness outings, and teaching environmental science.

I expanded my education and earned my 6-12 grade-teaching certificate for Earth and Environmental Science through National Lewis University. In addition I worked at Alpine Valley School in Colorado while also working at Avid4 Adventure as their Primitive Skills specialist.

From 2012 to 2014, I led OSRUI's wilderness trip management program for their counselors, training them on how to plan and lead successful multi-day trips.

After taking primitive skills classes through many different organizations, I decided the time was right for me to open a place of my own so that I could share my love of the great outdoors. My goal is to open a unique and easily accessible outdoor education program for those living near the Chicago area.