Ricky Haro

Managing Member

Hometown: Great Falls, Montana
Experience: 12 years as a full-time back-country professional. Ricky serves on the Board of Directors for the Wilderness Education Association, served as Past President, and chaired the Curriculum, Standards, and Accreditation Council.
Certifications:  Wilderness First Responder Instructor, Certifying Examiner-Wilderness Education Association. 
Hobbies: Orienteering, Mountaineering, Kayaking, Trekking, Adventure Racing, Long-distance running and eating Oreos.
Education: MaED-Curriculum & Instruction, University of Phoenix; BA-Workforce Education/Program Development, Southern Illinois University; AAS-Survival and Rescue

Josh Walker

Managing Member

Position: Managing Member
Hometown: Seneca, Oregon
Experience: 12 years experience as a full-time back-country professional. He serves on the curriculum committee for the Wilderness Education Association and is a certified high-low angle rope technician, Wilderness First Responder Instructor, and ATV Instructor.
Hobbies: Hunting, Mountaineering, Rock/Ice climbing, Sky- Diving, Mountain biking, Camping, Skiing, Horn- Hunting, Orienteering, Golf, and Wood-working.
Education: Currently seeking BA in Forestry, AAS-Survival and Rescue

Julie Neisch

Director

Hometown: Austin, Texas
Experience: Growing up camping and hiking with my family ingrained in me a love of everything outdoors. In grad school, I led courses in caving and cave diving, which taught me how rewarding it is to share these experiences and skills with others. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the last several years traveling throughout Europe, Asia, and Central and South America soaking up all the outdoor adventures these areas have to offer.
Education: BSc in Marine Biology, MSc Wildlife and Fisheries. Dive Instructor, AIARE II,  and Wilderness First Responder.
Little Did You Know: My pediatrician gave my mother a copy of the book “Your Strong Willed Child” when I was 6 months old. My first job after college was working as a scuba diver for NASA, then I left to be a deckhand on private megayachts. I haven’t owned a car in 5 years. Lost my appendix in a small town in Thailand. Spent a year living in Peru and working as the Volunteer Coordinator for a non-profit.

Cody Shotola-Schiewe

Logistics Coordinator/Lead Guide

Hometown: Portland, OR
Experience: 6 years of Backpacking, Climbing, Mountaineering and Skiing in the Pacific North West, South West and parts of Europe.

Education and Certifications: Mazamas ICS, Wilderness First Responder, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, AIARE Level 1, BA Sociology from the PSU.
My Perfect Day: Climbing on some alpine ridge as dawn breaks, ski back down to the valley for coffee and a breakfast burrito, then soak in a hot spring with good people or a book.
Talk To Me About: Art of all kinds, literature and poetry, ancient history, international culture, rainforest ecosystems, plants and fungi.
On My Bucket List: Climb Ama Dablam and visit the source of the Ganges.

Misha VanEaton

Guide

Hometown: Portland, OR
Experience: A lifetime of jumping waves in the Pacific Ocean, wading towards waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, and peering under rocks and nursing logs in the woods. I’ve been hiking and skiing as long as I can remember, backpacking for as long as I’ve had a driver’s license, and rock climbing, mountaineering, and cold water surfing since 2016.
Education: Mazamas Intermediate Climbing School, additional courses in rock rescue and anchor building, and finishing a BA in Sociology
Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Level 1
Fun Fact: I always bring at least one plant ID book on trips and, if you hang out with me on the approach, I’ll point out some plant parts for snacking.
Little Did You Know: I grew up with nurses for family, so my sister and I spent our childhoods dissecting dead animals we found outside and subsequently conducting their burial services.