Aaron grew up in Highland Park, IL where he explored ravines and swam in Lake Michigan.  Most of his outdoor recreation during childhood was on baseball diamonds in Northern Illinois. His first time sleeping under the stars was at age 19 in the Mojave dessert, and his first backpacking trip was that same year in Yosemite.  Since moving to California for college, Aaron has traded his bat and glove for hiking boots and a backpack.  In 2006 he reluctantly participated in BAWT’s Wilderness Leadership Training so that he could get free gear for his San Francisco-based youth program.  But he got hooked.  In 2007 he became and instructor and from 2011 to 2018 he was the program director at BAWT.  He is proud to have been of the staff and board team that worked with the BAWT community to increase the organization’s commitment to championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice.  Aaron, lives in Oakland with his partner and youth child, and he is studying to become a nurse.

Chris grew up on the East coast and now resides in the Monterey area. Chris has been working in public education for the greater part of a decade, and now runs the Makerspace at Seaside High School. In his role there he encourages youth to explore their creativity in the classroom and to explore the wilds of the central coast. He serves on the board of The Outdoor Collective, a project of the Children Are Our Future Foundation that like BAWT, works to train youth workers and leaders to get young people outdoors. He is honored to be a part of this outstanding community of leaders, and looks forward to continuing to run trips with BAWT.

Frederick Douglass Mesa has worked in the field of youth development and education for 18 years. Frederick is passionately dedicated to youth empowerment and leadership, cultural awareness and appreciation, and social justice and change. The multiculturalism and commitment to community that Frederick brings supports his community to feel respected and valued.  As a father of five, Frederick understands the importance of positive male role models of color for all youth despite race, ethnicity, gender or social status. As an inner-city urban youth of color raised by a single mother, he brings experience and insight to the issues facing the young people he serves.

Jen is a Middle School counselor at Willard in Berkeley. She loves combining outdoor education with her work as a school counselor where she prioritizes getting kids outdoors whenever possible. She has been on the BAWT Faculty since 2002 and has experience instructing all of BAWT’s courses. Jen is Wilderness First Aid certified. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, backpacking, camping, kite boarding, and climbing.  

Kyle grew up in Somerville, MA and Ann Arbor, MI where he kindled a love of the outdoors. His favorite activities include hiking, camping, skateboarding, tele- and cross- country skiing, and snowshoeing. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Outdoors Empowered Network (OEN) after having served as Founder and CEO of Bay Area Wilderness Training for more than 13 years. Kyle has instructed over 30 WLT and FLT training courses with BAWT and continues to be involved as a Faculty member.  His passions include sharing the BAWT model (train and support) with the world and watching his kids Sofia and Miles learn and grow.

Since a young age, Logan has romped around seeking adventure and connection.  Growing up in the Midwest fostered good family values, but also encouraged him to branch out and explore abroad.

With lessons learned and degrees earned, Logan found himself teaching in Peru and developing experiential learning curriculum for high school students. His far-reaching involvement in the community was stimulated by his growing passion to help youth discover their true potential both in and out of the classroom.  He found that hiking with students, taking them out onto the land, and giving them the space they needed was wonderful medicine.

Eventually, Logan left the classroom and moved to California where he continues to work with youth across the Americas working for a cultural exchange non-profit.  Logan enjoys connecting with educators who are making an impact in their students’ lives and feels inspired by them.  Collaboration, shared visions, and beautiful stories all mixed together in the raw vessel of nature is his fuel.

Miranda is a Sierra Foothills native who came across BAWT just after her graduation from San Jose State in 2012. After reaching the summit of Mt. Shasta (a gift for fundraising +$4,000 in Climbing For Kids) in June 2012, her outdoor leadership path began. “I have become so empowered by my own experiences outdoors that I have to give it back to all communities. There’s no reason why such beauty and power should be kept from anyone, especially young people. I can be a catalyst for thousands to find themselves in the outdoors.” She has led outdoor adventures for multiple organizations in the Bay Area including honorable mentions REI Outdoor School and Blue Water Foundation nonprofit. She has also been a youth worker and teacher in the Bay area for multiple school districts, serving all youth K-21. Some highlights of her adventures in educating youth and adults in the outdoors were: teaching kids how to surf for the first time in a hail storm (no one wanted to stop they just paddled harder) and utilizing games to let adults play, have fun and learn. On her days off, you can find her SUP-ing, backpacking with her dog Argo or in the studio drawing. She is a Wilderness First Responder and active Instructor on all courses with a knack for WLT’s and Instructor Retreat curriculum. 

Terry integrates a wealth of experience in adventure-based learning, leadership and organizational development in her work with people from diverse backgrounds within schools, non-profit organizations, and corporations throughout the U.S. and internationally. Her work focused on strength-based experiential curriculum and facilitated programs emphasizing participatory processes, performance, and teamwork. She has a PhD with a specialization in Leadership. Her doctoral studies began with several intensive international community studies and service projects with the Mayan people and their villages including a 40-mile trek through the backcountry of western Guatemala and climbing the highest peak in Central America. Terry has also traveled over 15,000 miles on a bicycle, including a solo 8,000 cross-country journey for a national youth advocacy project, meeting with the President, representatives, U.S. senators, governors, mayors, and community leaders of over 24 states and 150 communities.

Tony has been involved in watershed conservation and environmental education for the last decade all over the West. An AmeriCorps alumni, California Naturalist instructor, youth backpacking guide for Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and most recently a volunteer trekking guide serving youth in a non-profit based in Western Guatemala. He is an excited gear junkie and addicted to the Sierra Nevada. He currently manages the Education program for Sonoma Ecology Center teaching in classrooms and at varied field sites, and oversees a teen “Enviroleader” program.