People

I am Charlie Riley,

I've been pursuing a career in outdoor education for five years now. I've had the opportunity to work in The Great Swamp of New Jersey, the Coastal Redwood Forest, the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and the larger Southwest of the US.

I have worked as a head counselor, a leadership program director, a naturalist, an assistant rock climbing guide, and more. My personal hobbies and interest add to the list of outdoor experience and knowledge I've acquired. I hope to add to this list through future opportunities. 

Nina grew up on the island of Martha's Vineyard and spent her twenties travelling the world, while living in the South Pacific. After teaching middle and high school, both at home and abroad for a decade, Nina settled on Martha's Vineyard with a Masters in Library and Information Science. While raising two young boys with her husband, Nina joined the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group as an Educator in 2022 following a six-year tenure in public libraries. Passionate about the environment, the ocean, and broad access to resources and education, Nina brings the people to the ponds and the ponds to the people. Celebrating and sharing aquaculture's myriad benefits makes every workday fun.

Steven Greenleaf is President of Fundación Esperanza Aplicada (Applied Hope Foundation), a non-profit dedicated to supporting people and projects focused on restorative and sustainable practices, and entrepreneurship in Costa Rica, Latin America, and beyond. Steven Greenleaf is also Director of Greenleaf Education Costa Rica S.A. (GECR). GECR offers courses in environmental leadership, environmental project planning and management, and environmental problem-solving. Steven is originally from Northern California and has worked in construction and natural resource management as well.

Alissa is an outdoor educator and summer camp director turned university instructor.  She uses her relationships with students to create passionate recreation professionals.

As a Basin Coordinator, I work with local communities in my area (Western KY) to develop watershed plans aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution.

Dedicated to providing opportunities for life-changing experiences on the water

Aurora Cortes was born and raised in Santa Ana, CA. Growing up, she worked with her dad, un jardinero, and helped weed plants, rake debris, and mow the lawn. Aurora went on family camping trips to the Angeles National Forest. She celebrated many birthdays with her family amongst the trees, in the snow, and under the stars. As she grew older, she loved listening to stories that her mom and dad shared from their own experiences back home in Mexico from el ahijadero and la florenia. All the family stories and childhood experiences planted the seed of adventure and love for the outdoors for Aurora.