Meet Our Team
Meet our Youth Programs Team!
Laura Keeney, Youth Program Manager
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
Anywhere out in the wilderness!
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Cycling, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
The ability to be able to understand and communicate with anyone no matter what language or ability. Even animals too!
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
(not sure if this is a creepy crawly but...) Octopuses are SO cool because they can camouflage to match anything and each of their 8 legs has its own independent nerve network acting as its own brain. It's as if an octopus has 9 brains!
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I love completing 1000 piece puzzles. The fastest I have ever done one start to finish was just under 6 hours.
Alec Backhus, Youth Program Coordinator
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
My favorite place in Colorado is being a few pitches off the ground on just about any route in Eldorado canyon.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Anyone who has spoken to me for more than a few minutes will tell you I LOVE getting outside for some rock climbing.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
The power to make any food I want appear at any time, or super strength exclusively in my fingers.
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us... why is that animal cool?
Blue belly lizards, they are incredibly good climbers! Plus, they have a sweet looking blue belly!
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I took unicycle lessons every morning before school in first grade and mastered the 7ft tall unicycle.
Hana Hamilton, Youth Programs director
What is your favorite place in Colorado
So far, my favorite place in Colorado is Independence Pass. I love the camping spots, climbing options, and getting to jump into the beautiful cold water.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Climbing, hiking, backpacking, camping, and taking dips in cold fresh lakes!
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
If I had a superpower I would like to be able to talk with animals! I sometimes know what my dog is thinking but it would be great to be able to read her mind.
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us... why is that animal cool?
It may not be crawly or creepy but I love the Opossum! The obsession started in middle school and they seem to get a bad rep a lot of the time so I like to stand up for them when I can! They aren’t aggressive, they kill ticks by the thousands, are surprisingly agile, and their babies are adorable!
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I use to be a flying trapeze performer!
Sarah Schuller, Youth Programs Engagement Specialist
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
Crested Butte - specifically by the river with a Butte Bagel in my hand.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
I love to camp! So much! And also walk in the woods! And dip my toes in a nearby stream!
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
Refill Powers so I can refill anything I run out of e v e r.
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
Probably just your garden variety earthworm ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯ They are ROCKSTARS in the exciting world of soil aeration!
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I played the spoons in an amateur bluegrass band for 2 months. Could’ve gone pro…it’s no big deal.
Sammy Davis, Youth Programs Instructor
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
My favorite place in Colorado is Rocky Mountain National Park; climbing some big rock or ice!
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Climbing, running, and dancing are some of my favorite outdoor activities.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
My superpower would be teleportation. I would never miss a weather window for a big mountain climb and could spend time with friends and family much easier!
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
Spiders are my favorite creepy crawlers. Not only do they eat mosquitos, they can also ride the earths electromagnetic waves! Spiders transport themselves across lakes and even oceans by shooting and riding their webs along the electromagnetic waves. Not to mention they can swim and also form bonds with their owners as pets.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
My soccer team and I won the state championship twice at the ages of 16 and 18 in Massachusetts!
Zahara Bruun, Youth Programs INstructor
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
My favorite place is somewhere in the middle of the second flatiron.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
My favorite outdoor activity is climbing, as long as there’s little to no approach. I also like to paddle board and go on walks with my dog.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
It would definitely be telekinesis cause I’m pretty lazy, also multitasking would be so much easier.
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
Aye-aye, they are a pretty cool primate that are ugly-cute and have a super long, skinny middle finger that is used to drum on, and dig out grubs from a tree.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
A fun fact about me is that I have ongoing research that I’m conducting about the anthropology of women and gender identity in rock climbing.
Ellie Humphrey, Youth Programs Instructor 
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
The Maroon Bells Wilderness! One of the prettiest places to spend a weekend
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
I love so many ways to be outside! Some of my favs are backpacking, swimming, running, climbing, and skiing! (especially if my dog can join!)
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
Flying for sure! It seems so fun to get places that way and I could hang out with the birds
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
I love cicadas! They can stay underground as an egg for 17 years (one of the longest of any insects!), and they all hatch at once and sing the loudest song that I think sounds so cool.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I have an identical twin sister who also teaches outside!
Jenna sharp, youth programs instructor
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
My favorite place that I have been to in Colorado is down in the San Luis Valley. There is so much to do down there like hot springs, Great Sand Dunes National Park, and camping. The Sangre De Cristo Mountains are also some of my favorites.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
My favorite activities include hiking, camping, kayaking, and skiing. I’m really just always looking for an excuse to be outside and exploring a new place.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
I would love to talk to animals. I want to know what they are thinking!!
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
Bats! I'm fanatic about bats. They are really just misunderstood fluff balls in the sky. Did you know one little brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in just an hour?
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I also have a fine arts degree! I’ve painted a few murals in my time (:
Trevor White, youth programs rock climbing specialist
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
I’ve been in Colorado for very little time, but close to my house in Golden is this mural dedicated to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store and I really love that.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
I like climbing. Any form of it is very good.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
I would want to be able to create an unlimited supply of little debbies cosmic brownies.
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
So, I’m from Virginia and we got these things called the eastern red spotted newt. They are just like a bright orange color, and they just hang out under logs.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I once had three pet chickens named Bar, Bee, and Que. Bar was my favorite and she would let me pick her up to feed her berries.
Trevor Zalkind, Youth Programs instructor
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
I love hot springs and have planned multiple trips specifically to enjoy nature’s hot tubs across the Western US! There’s a great primitive hot spring tucked away outside of Carbondale called Penny Hot Springs that is fun to dip in on the way to the San Juan Mountains for other adventures.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
In the summer I love hiking, backpacking, camping, and biking. I am learning more and more about climbing and like that too! In the winter I am all about skiing, including backcountry skiing.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
I would probably have the ability to understand/speak all languages, including animal/tree languages!
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
I learned a long time ago in school about the Aye Aye – an endangered, nocturnal, long-fingered lemur that can only be found in Madagascar. It is the world’s largest nocturnal primate and finds food by percussive foraging, AKA tapping on trees to search for bugs hiding in them!
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I once worked as a ranch hand! I was able to learn how to take care of horses, cows, and a miniature donkey named Daffy. I also helped grow alfalfa, hay, and other food for them to eat.
Chris Johnson, youth programs rock climbing specialist
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
Rocky Mountain National Park – so much great climbing and skiing!
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
Climbing and skiing.
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
Teleportation – I could see the world, climb and ski at a moment’s notice, and never have to sit in traffic!
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
Spiders! They eat all the other creepy crawly things.
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I competed at the 2012 Olympic Trials in swimming!
Jack Anderson, youth programs overnight specialist
What is your favorite place in Colorado?
Longs Peak, an amazing mountain that can test anyone’s limits.
What are your favorite outdoor activities?
I enjoy backpacking, climbing, and fishing to name a few things. And when I get to do all those things at once I am just over the moon with happiness!
If you had any superpower, what would it be and why?
I would want to be able to speak to animals. My dog has so much he has to say, and I wish I could understand what all his barks truly mean, is he scared, happy. Or simply talking about the local rabbit population.
What is your favorite creepy crawly animal? Sell it to us...why is that animal cool?
The Mothman of Point Pleasant West Virginia. A 7-foot-tall half moth half man capable of flight with the strength of a moth and the intelligence of a man!
Share a fun fact about yourself.
I built a 13-foot wooden strip canoe last year named it PBR Justin.
Other Fabulous Team Members
Rachel Matveyuk, Youth Programs Instructor (sub)
Maddy Smith-Wagers, Youth Programs Instructor (sub)
Matt Biscan, Youth Programs Instructor (sub)
Preston Hopkins, Youth Programs Instructor (sub)
Tico Gangulee, Youth Programs Instructor (sub)
Cindy Smith, Youth Programs Volunteer
Jeff Speak, Youth Programs Volunteer
Stacey Stevens, Youth Programs Volunteer
Meagan Gillcrist, Youth Programs Volunteer