Where adventure
meets expertise
Rigorous technical training.
Real-world leadership development.
Our Team
Highly qualified professionals across outdoor education, wilderness leadership, and safety training.
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![A man wearing a colorful knit beanie and a brown jacket smiling outdoors with a snowy mountain and cloudy sky in the background.]()
Thomas Exner, PhD
Co-Founder, Head of Mountain Programs
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![Smiling woman wearing sunglasses, a white hat, and a red jacket, with snowy mountains in the background.]()
Jacqui Coward, MA
Co-Founder, Head of Leadership & Program Development
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![A man in a helmet and life jacket pointing towards the camera with a smile, outdoors near water.]()
Tom Parker, BA
Head of Water Program
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![Woman kayaking on a calm lake, smiling, wearing a beige beanie, blue jacket, and red life vest.]()
Anula Jochym, BA
Lead Instructor Sea Kayaking Program
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![A woman smiling outdoors in a mountainous area, wearing a colorful cap with a shorter brim, a pink jacket, and a bandana around her neck, with a backpack on her shoulder.]()
Christine Lynch, BA
Program & Curriculum Development Manager
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![A smiling woman wearing a black helmet and outdoor gear, standing in front of foliage.]()
Tuva Kirkerud, MA
Swift Water Rescue & Wilderness First Aid Instructor
Values6 principles that shape everything we teach, how we teach it, and who we hire.
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We believe hands-on learning in the outdoors is the most powerful path to personal and professional development. Skills are earned, not just studied.
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We uphold the highest standards in outdoor leadership, technical expertise, and ethical decision-making. Credentials matter. Rigour matters.
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We build meaningful relationships between students, instructors, and the broader outdoor world. The cohort you train with becomes a professional network for life.
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We blend traditional outdoor knowledge with current research and evidence-based methodologies. Our curriculum evolves as the science does.
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We operate with deep respect for nature, applying sustainable practices and environmental conservation in every field setting.
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We embrace diverse perspectives and foster international collaboration to build the adventure tourism industry's next generation of leaders.
Advisory Board & Contributors
Professionals committed to adventure tourism and the education of the next generation of guides.
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![Person in red jacket and blue helmet using ice axe to climb icy surface near a body of water.]()
Carlos Buhler
Alpinist, Speaker
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![A smiling man with sunglasses on his head, in outdoor gear, with mountains and a body of water in the background.]()
Jorg Wilz
Owner and Head Guide of OnTop Mountaineering
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![A woman wearing a blue cycling jersey and a black helmet, smiling outdoors on a green trail with trees and mountains in the background.]()
Andrea Marcellini Sauser
Head of Operations for the UCI MTB World Championships Valais 2025
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![A man wearing a knit hat and sunglasses, outdoor snowy mountain landscape in background.]()
Jorge Kozul
Owner and Head Guide of Andescross
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![A woman in outdoor winter gear smiling, with snowy mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.]()
Lydia Marmot
Mountain Guide IFMGA/UIAGM
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![A man with short dark hair, wearing glasses, a dark suit, white shirt, and red tie, smiling outdoors with greenery in the background.]()
Jeff Baierlein
Director Viristar
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![Woman with long dark hair, wearing a white shirt and green lanyard, giving a presentation in front of a slide with her photo and bio.]()
Sofi Khwaja
Co-Founder of Thesis Outdoors
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![A man wearing a blue shirt with rainbow-colored stripes and a beaded necklace, smiling while holding a microphone.]()
Kirby Redwood
CEO of Miskanawah
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![A man outdoors with short brown hair, smiling, wearing a blue shirt.]()
Nick Gatland
Co-founder of Truuth
The EARTH Framework
The EARTH Approach represents our core philosophy for developing professional adventure guides. This integrated framework merges technical expertise with leadership practices, forming adventure guides who are proficient in both outdoor leadership and sustainable tourism. Each element builds upon the others to form a comprehensive foundation for excellence in adventure leadership.
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![A black silhouette of a person holding a smartphone against a plain white background.]()
Expertise
Technical skills
Risk management
Professional certifications
Industry standards -
![Simple eye icon.]()
Awareness
Personal values & purpose
Environmental impact
Cultural sensitivity
Group awareness -
![Simple puzzle piece icon.]()
Responsiveness
Decision making
Crisis management
Innovative problem solving
Flexibility -
![Simple shaking hands icon.]()
Trust
Group facilitation
Team cohesion
Community engagement
Clear communication -
![A person holding a camera taking a photo outdoors at sunset.]()
Harmony
Sustainable tourism practices
Resource management
Local partnerships
Conservation principles
