Virtual and Field Instructor

Olivia McCallum

Olivia joined the ALIVE Outdoors team in 2019 and has loved being a part of the Connectival facilitation team since the fall of 2020. She wears many hats as a facilitator, youth mentor, and student of Media, Film, and Communication at Lakehead University. Through the Prosago Adventure Learning Program and Medeba, Olivia has discovered her passion for canoe tripping, community building, and experiential learning. You can find Olivia anywhere with coffee, dogs, and good company.

Field Instructor, Workshop Facilitator

Melissa Tong

An adventurer, an opportunist, a seeker of stillness. Melissa is a lifelong learner, a Massage Therapist, Life Coach, Challenge Course Instructor Trainer and Outdoor Educator. Melissa’s facilitation style blends functional health and wellness with the grounding and changing natural world to help people thrive. She loves to be on the water, in a tree or sleeping under the stars. Favourite travels include going to the desert.

Field Instructor

Greg Nettleton

Born in Toronto, family camping trips planted the seeds that grew into a deep love for the outdoors. Greg has been working as an outdoor education instructor and wilderness guide for the last seven years at many camps and organizations across Ontario. An avid paddler, Greg loves to spend every moment on and around the water and sharing those moments with others. Greg also enjoys skipping rocks, skiing, fishing, and cooking delicious food.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Tim Martin

After backpacking across India, leading wilderness canoe trips in Northern Ontario, and teaching Middle School in Toronto, Tim eventually completed a Masters in Environmental Studies. In the process he somehow became an avid birdwatcher. In the field of outdoor and environmental education, he has taught, developed curriculum, and engaged in ethnographic research among various learning communities. He is currently working on a PhD in Education at York University in Toronto, where he lives with his wonderful family.

Field and Virtual Instructor, Lead and Workshop Facilitator

Dorothy Saulewicz

After completing a Bachelors of Education, Dorothy spent some time abroad, teaching English and hiking the mountains of South Korea. Dorothy joined ALIVE Outdoors in 2013 and has since led trips in Algonquin Park, Antscositi Island, the Adirondacks as well as urban trips within Toronto. Teaching others about the power of nature has been a long-standing passion of Dorothy’s. This passion fuelled the start of BeesButter Canada, a female owned and operated business striving to provide sustainable skincare that is eco-friendly and plastic free. Based in Toronto, Dorothy balances outdoor education contracts with the daily hustle of entrepreneurship.

Lead Facilitator, Field Instructor

Stefi Van Wijk

Stefi Van Wijk’s life and values are shaped by learning from rivers. She is driven by her passion for nature, watersheds and fostering people’s connections to them. Stefi aims to widen and grow the sport of whitewater paddling, as it brings people together for active, playful and growth-oriented experiences outdoors. Stefi has been whitewater paddling for over 2 decades, guiding canoeing and kayaking expeditions all over Canada. Now, she has settled alongside the Madawaska River to run Canada’s premier whitewater centre, established in 1972 by her grandparents, Madawaska Kanu Centre. Joining the ALIVE Outdoors instructor team over 9 years ago really sparked her passion for outdoor education. ALIVE inspires and fuels her drive to make impactful outdoor experience facilitation her life-long pursuit.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Hayden Canning

Hayden joined ALIVE in the winter of 2020 after working in Outdoor Education for 5 years. From the Manitoba plains to oceans of Nova Scotia, Hayden has spent much time exploring, paddling, and climbing pretty much anywhere he can find! He now lives in the small town of Lakefield, Ontario and works as an Assistant Teacher at Lakefield College School and is a part time Beekeeper.

Lead and Workshop Facilitator, Field & Virtual Instructor

Sarah Recoskie

Sarah has been part of the ALIVE Instructor team since 2013. She lives in the mountains of Golden, BC but continues to make the migration east for the Fall ALIVE season. Sarah brings an infectious energy and love of the outdoors to every ALIVE program she is part of! In Golden, Sarah is a nanny as well as an alpine ski coach but most recently is embarking on a new adventure and has started Golden’s first Early Years Forest School. When not working with kids, Sarah can be found mountain biking, skiing, camping and doing anything she can outside.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Finn Thomas

Finn grew up attending a small camp outside his hometown of Presqu’ile in Owen Sound, ON. In 2015 he began working at YMCA Wanakita and spent many years on their Outdoor Instructor roster. He continued to refine his skills and passion for unique outdoor programming by studying Recreation and Leisure services at Algonquin College. In his free time, you will find Finn exploring local forests, paddling or cross-country skiing. In the summers he can be found in the Algonquin Park backcountry.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Jake Fell

Jake spent his first ALIVE season guiding canoe trips in Temagami and Algonquin in 2019 and has been hooked ever since! Prior to joining ALIVE, Jake spent 7 summer seasons working for Black Feather as a white-water canoe guide in the NWT, Yukon and Nunavut. Recently moving to Ottawa, he is engaged in a new adventure exploring the corporate world as a management consultant for BDO. As Jake settles into his new role, he knows he will always prioritize time to work for both Black Feather and ALIVE during the summer and fall seasons.

Field Instructor, Workshop Facilitator

Sydney Badger

Sydney is motivated by all forms of water: Frozen, moving, and glassy calm. After graduating from the Outdoor Leadership stream at Lakehead University, Syd’s career has focused on empowering students and clients to feel and live well. She has worked as a personal chef, hosted healthy cooking workshops, instructed yoga, taught skiing, and is currently studying to become a registered therapist. Based in Squamish, BC (Skwxwú7mesh) you will see Syd smiling big amidst skiing, surfing or paddling adventures.

Virtual Instructor

Emily Keaveney

Em joined ALIVE for the first time during the Fall of 2020 and has loved every minute of it! Before ALIVE, Em attended school at McMaster University studying Mathematics and Statistics with a Minor in Economics. Em has worked as an Outdoor Educator and Manager at The Cairn Family of Camps for the past six years and most recently a Personal Training Specialist with Canadian Fitness Professionals. With these opportunities she has gained experience in waterfront directing, ropes course and leadership initiatives. She is excited to continue exploring and creating adventures as she moves to Auckland, New Zealand in 2022 for her Masters of Social and Community Leadership. If you’re looking for a running buddy, biking buddy, hiking buddy, or “any sort of adventure” buddy – Em is your girl!

Lead Facilitator, Field Instructor

Greg Gaskin

A proud Atlantic Canadian and transplanted New Englander, Greg Gaskin grew up in the woods and on the waterways of the Northeast. As an Instructor with the Wilderness Medicine Institute (WMI) and National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and RidgeRunner with the Appalachian Mountain Club, Greg has paddled, hiked and backpacked extensively throughout Canada and the US.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Kim Taylor

With a degree in Human Rights and Gender Studies, Kim has over six years of experience running youth programming addressing leadership and social justice issues. Kim joined the ALIVE Outdoors team in 2019, as a way to combine her experience in education with her love for the outdoors. Her passion is finding connections between the lessons the outdoors can teach us in relationship to tackling global issues. When she’s not at ALIVE, she’s teaching skiing in Switzerland.

Lead and Workshop Facilitator, Field Instructor

Ryan Benson

Former ALIVE Program Director and long-standing instructor, Ryan has helped shape ALIVE programs for many years in all seasons. Over his career Ryan’s work has always centered around the magic that happens when you work, play, and live with people in nature. His various jobs in teaching and guiding have led him to the Yukon where he now works as an educator for the Department of Environment. His role sees him promoting a sense of stewardship and conservation in the territory’s youth. Working with both scientists and educators, Ryan’s job is to take the science done at the department and transform it into engaging learning opportunities for teachers and students. The spell of the north is strong but so are Ontario’s warm lakes and pull of the amazing ALIVE community. Ryan continues to be involved whenever possible. Ryan has recently guided trips on the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers taking him through the world’s largest non-polar ice cap.

Field Instructor

Savannah Stephen

Savannah joined ALIVE as a student in 2011 and circled back as an instructor in 2018. She is a trusted guide with diverse outdoor training and a strong connection to the earth. She thrives on embracing authentic, bright moments with those around her, both on and off trip. Savannah is drawn to learn more about indigenous culture, history, equity, and has begun to apply related practices and beliefs into her everyday life. Her lifelong journey is to continue learning and to share this knowledge with others. She has already begun sharing as one of the founders of The Wasteland Plan, as well as the founder, host and producer of her podcast, Child of the Earth.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Grace Woodley

Grace grew up in northern Alberta, but spent many summers in the Ontario wilderness at camp. To date, Grace has found a path to work in the field year-round as a challenge course practitioner, field and virtual facilitator, and canoe trip guide. Whether running, climbing, paddling, skiing, or dancing, Grace finds her most authentic self when she is being active on big or small adventures.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Lauren Hanley

Meet Lauren! She has spent her life always searching for the nearest body of water to play in. Lauren grew up as a student of outdoor education where a foundation of guiding skills was established as well as a realization that she wanted to turn her love for the outdoors into a career. To date, Lauren has been guiding wilderness trips for 10+ years. Lakes, rivers, and streams have her heart, but she has recently found a new love interest- traveling. She spent 3 years traveling around the world returning to Canada for paddle season!

Field and Virtual Instructor, Workshop Facilitator

Niki Cesta

Niki joined the ALIVE Instructor community in 2019. She is a strong, open guide with a varied history of outdoor training and a deep connection to water. She thrives on pushing her edge, and supports others to do the same when exploring new environments. She has spent the better part of the last five years living out of a 70L backpack, and traveling for marine conservation work as well as self-work. She is a trained Scuba Dive Master, Sailor, Free-diver, and Yoga Teacher. Most notably, her guiding and conservation work in the Galapagos Islands built the foundation of her grassroots eco-business, The Wasteland Plan. Niki has gained most of her enlightenment underwater where her breath always connects her back to growth and intuition. Niki holds a Masters of Environmental Science with a specialization in Marine Biology and Conservation.

Field and Virtual Instructor, Workshop Facilitator

Christine Kinghorn

Christine grew up in a family that fostered a love of the outdoors and appreciation of nature, so it was a natural decision to seek work in the outdoor industry. She joined the ALIVE Outdoors team in 2013 and has spent many years working at camps and outdoor centres in Ontario. In her spare time, Christine loves the challenge of rock climbing both indoors and outdoors and exploring trails throughout southern Ontario. When she is not adventuring outside, Christine is a high school teacher in Toronto. She holds a diploma in Musical Theatre and M.A in Theatre and Performance Studies.

Lead and Workshop Facilitator, Field and Virtual Instructor

Jess Rock

Jess started working for ALIVE Outdoors in 2016 and felt an instant connection to the community and values represented by this incredible organization. Jess grew up loving the outdoors and found that she learned some of her most important life lessons while exploring the natural world. Throughout her career as an outdoor educator Jess has led whitewater canoeing and hiking trips for YMCA Camp Pine Crest, NOLS, and Appleby College. She has certifications as a Wilderness First Responder, Swift Water Rescue Technician, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Education.

Field Instructor

Meg Lederer

Meg lives in Toronto, and is happiest lifting heavy weights, eating snacks, biking along the lake, hiking in the woods, and petting dogs. Meg also loves trying new things in the kitchen and has recently been experimenting with baking to help foster creativity and play. As a former fishmonger, she also loves teaching fish butchery and oyster shucking. She has become passionate about food justice, often donating her time to community food initiatives. Meg joined ALIVE in 2009 and spends most program time at the high ropes course or with the camp dogs.

Lead Facilitator, Field Instructor

Matt Brown

Matt has worked with ALIVE since 2011. He attended school at Trent University for History and Geography where he developed a keen interest in the outdoors. After his university studies, Matt went to Sir Sanford Fleming College and graduated with a diploma in Recreation and Leisure. His college experience landed him jobs in New Zealand, Australia and across Canada as an Outdoor Educator, and he became Level 2 Ropes certified from Canadian Ropes Courses.

Lead and Workshop Facilitator, Field Instructor

Heather Dabrowski

Heather joined the ALIVE team and immediately felt a sense of community that filled her heart right up. Her ongoing passion for supporting and mentoring students in outdoor and natural settings is what brought her to ALIVE. As an outdoor educator, teacher, forest school practitioner and avid traveller, Heather feels most connected to the world and people in it by exploring, adventuring, and sharing in good food and conversation with good friends.

Field Instructor

Cole McLaughlin

Cole joined the ALIVE team for the first time in 2015 as an ambassador of sorts from his work with nature connection and experience with The P.I.N.E Project in Toronto. Bringing his passion for playing in the forest and connecting with the world through senses and craft, Cole has accompanied ALIVE in enacting their re-wilding program development and supporting bushcraft offerings. Cole lives in Canada’s capital region working as a craftsman, artist and steward. He accompanies communities in developing their relationship with themselves, each other and nature (place).

Field and Virtual Instructor, Lead and Workshop Facilitator

Felipe Ospina

After completing a multi-sport bike and kayak expedition from his hometown of Bogotá, Colombia to Leticia located in the middle of the Amazon, Felipe knew he wanted to lead a life of adventure.  Since this trip, he has stayed true to this belief completing several other biking expeditions including the El Camino de Santiago in Spain and creating a life revolving around Outdoor Education and Adventure.

Following formal studies in Marketing and Advertising at the University of Colombia Politecnico Grancolombiano, Felipe pursed his professional career in the outdoors within Colombia through a number of organizations; Off Bound Adventures, Andares de Colombia, ENVOYS, and EKO Campos de Verano.  Through these experiences Felipe deepened his belief in the power of experiential education and refined his ability as a facilitator to work with the natural environment to help students clarify values such as honesty, active citizenship, perseverance as well as cultivating a sense of pride and deeper understanding of what it means to be Colombian.

In Canada, Felipe’s professional experience is vast.  Working with organizations such as Outward Bound, Evolve Tours, Esprit Rafting and ALIVE Outdoors has left Felipe with a broad understanding of what it means to be a professional.

Although many of his roots are in Colombia, Felipe calls ALIVE Outdoors and the community of instructors, who are the heart of the business, his home away from home.  His professional attitude, playful personality, adventurous spirit and love for music and dance have always made him a highly valued member of the ALIVE team.

Field Instructor, Workshop Facilitator

Lou Corbett

Lou Corbett is guided by a love of the wild and of learning. Having completed a Masters in Environmental Studies with a focus on biodiversity monitoring and citizen science, and currently undertaking a Bachelor of Education, Lou is a lifelong learner. A lifelong student of nature, too! Always looking to bring play, scientific inquiry, stories and historical context to help us understand this magical, beautiful, complicated world we live in. Lou has spent a number of seasons with ALIVE, enjoying canoe trips, facilitating outdoor education and connecting with the endlessly inspiring instructor community. Through her small (think tiny cabin-sized small) business North Shore Apothecary + Goods, Lou weaves a love of nature into wildcrafted skincare, aromatherapy and perfume all lovingly created from abundant and invasive wild plants of the Georgian Bay-Muskoka region. Chat with Lou about the edible wild, wildcrafting, essential oil distillation, and connecting with nature through the power of scent.

Field Instructor

Emily Mcdermott

Meet Em – an Outdoor Educator and guide, who’s been hanging out with the good people of ALIVE since 2017. She’s found herself in a plethora of positions from Raft Guiding to Outdoor Education, but the one that stuck was Adventure Therapy. She is currently chipping away at her education in Neuroscience, Psychology and Mental Health. Living by the motto “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”, she hopes to empower individuals to grow and accomplish goals in outdoor therapeutic settings.

Field and Virtual Instructor, Lead and Workshop Facilitator

Lauren Oliver

Lauren has been a part of our ALIVE community since 2018. Fun is her middle name! She has spent the last 6 years traveling between the US, Ontario, Yukon Territory and Western Australia. Lauren’s enthusiasm for Outdoor Education started at a young age traveling from South Carolina to Ontario every summer to attend camp. She believes that big energy, compassion, integrity, and exploration are the keys to building a strong community. Outside of the OE life Lauren is a health and wellness coach empowering others to dig deep and persevere. With a background in Film and Media she’s a documenter at heart, bringing fresh creativity to every aspect of her life, while capturing the little moments that make it all worthwhile. You can find her at any beach by any ocean ready to take the plunge (no matter the season) or standing in a waterfall someplace somewhere.

Lead Facilitator, Field Instructor

Dan Whillans

Dan’s love for the outdoors has him living in Fernie BC working as a Teacher for the winter season. Each spring Dan ventures back to his homeland of Ontario to embark on other entrepreneurial projects in and around the Ottawa Valley. We are thrilled that he has woven the ALIVE Fall season into his eclectic calendar of purposeful work and adventures.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Krista Bradshaw

Krista has worked for ALIVE during Fall and Winter seasons since 2018, after finishing her Bachelor of Education with a focus in Experiential Outdoor Education. As a teacher, it has always been important for her to include experiential education and character building into her teaching practice – ALIVE aligns perfectly with her beliefs that some of the most powerful learning comes through experience and reflection. Krista feels that the experiences she’s had working for ALIVE have allowed her to grow immensely as an educator putting experiential education in action! Growing up, Krista wouldn’t have classified herself as ‘outdoorsy,’ but she came to find a love for the outdoors through rock climbing. Her first time ever camping was for a climbing trip when she was 19 years old! Since then, Krista has continued to climb and also become a paddler, mountain biker, regular camper and, on occasion, a van-dweller. She currently lives in Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) but will always try to work in a Fall ALIVE season into her year as the experience working for ALIVE and the ALIVE community makes a cross-country trip worth it!

Field Instructor

Wesley Bennett

Wes has been hanging out with the great people of ALIVE since 2017. Most days you can find him working on various rivers across Canada as a whitewater raft guide and kayak instructor. However in the fall, Wes loves to slow things down and show students of ALIVE where his passion for the outdoors began in the lakes and forests of Ontario. Wes is passionate about outdoor education, and appreciates any opportunity he has to pass along knowledge the natural world has taught him onto others. Wes has recently become a certified EMR, and hopes to attend school to become a fully licensed paramedic.

Field and Virtual Instructor

Robyn Broudie

Robyn started working with ALIVE in 2017 and is grateful to be a part of this incredible community.  She has always been drawn to exploring the wild places of the earth and spent many years out in the world travelling and guiding international adventure trips.  Her deep curiosity to learn more about human psychology and nature lead her to working in the field of wilderness therapy.  Her experience guiding backcountry expeditions with vulnerable youth highlighted the incredible healing potential of the human connection and our vital need to sustain our innate relationship to the natural world.  She is currently pursuing her Masters in Social work with a focus in Ecopsychology and has also recently started a Toronto based company for kids.  Roots 2 Rise Outdoors is a company that facilitates programs in natural pockets throughout the city, providing spaces for children to connect with themselves, each other and nature through exploration and play.   If she is not studying or working you will find her somewhere wandering through the wilderness.

Nurse, Field Instructor

Christine Camilleri

Christine joined the ALIVE Outdoors team in 2017 after spending five years working in Outdoor Education as a leadership counsellor and canoe guide. In between working in a trauma unit and studying at McMaster University, she spends most of her time hiking, rock climbing, canoeing and recently, road biking adventures. Christine is passionate about learning new skills, getting out of her comfort zone and exploring the world.

Field Instructor

Margaret Fahey

Margaret was inducted as a member of the ALIVE family in the fall of 2016. A nomadic creature, her home base in Revelstoke, BC, where she works as a ski patroller in the winter months. Come spring time, she often finds herself migrating east, returning to the blue lakes and rocky shores from whence she came. Margaret works as a guide for Black Feather in the summer, leading outdoor enthusiasts on adventures down the wild and wondrous rivers of the northern territories. By the time fall rolls around she’s consistently and overwhelmingly delighted to join the ALIVE family in facilitating young adventurers in their curiosity of the natural world. 

Field Instructor

Jared Bell

Jared’s love of movement and the outdoors stems from his summers spent at camp and on family adventures. Working alongside ALIVE since 2016, he considers this time as some of his most foundational experiences, both as a professional and a person. A jack-of-all-trades yet master-of-none, Jared can be found paddling white-water, skiing or cycling – appreciating those he gets to do the sports with even more than the sports themselves. Currently attempting to build a career in business sustainability, Jared’s vacation time is already booked for ALIVE contracts.

Field Instructor

Naomi Jones

Naomi was introduced to the back country at an early age. It fostered a love of the outdoors, especially water in all forms, be it in a river, lake or in the form of snow. Nomadic by nature, for many years Naomi has migrated west to mountains each winter to enjoy the snow and, as the snow melts, migrates back east to enjoy the rivers and lakes of her home lands (Eastern Ontario). Having spent the better part of 10 years whitewater rafting in various parts of the world, Naomi enjoys returning to canoe guiding each fall to share her love of canoe tripping with others.

Field Instructor, Lead and Workshop Facilitator

Jen Hanson

Jen has grown up immersed in the outdoors. After pursuing degrees in kinesiology and education at Brock University, she went on to complete her Master of Education, focused on experiential learning. She is the Executive Director of Connected in Motion, a Canadian-based organization that provides retreat and adventure programs to adults with Type 1 diabetes. She has had the privilege of travelling throughout North America, guiding backpacking and paddling trips with Connected in Motion. Jen began working with ALIVE Outdoors in 2011 and looks forward to continuing for years to come. When she is not planning adventures through work, she enjoys spending time on her small island property in Northern Ontario.

Lead & Workshop Facilitator. Field Instructor.

John Reynard

John joined the ALIVE Outdoors community in 2015.  Raised in Burlington Ontario, John spent most of his summers lifeguarding at the local outdoor pool.  After attending Teachers College in his mid-twenties, he decided to try something new and began working as a cook at the Madawaska Kanu Centre, a whitewater kayak/canoe school located close to Algonquin Park.  John soon fell in love with all things related to whitewater and would professionally guide and teach on moving water and in the outdoors for the next seven years. John now compliments this career path as a Grade 3 Teacher in the Ottawa region. 

Field Instructor

Maris Fraser

Maris is fuelled by water, mountains, and the people who gather there. She spent seven summers on the banks of the Ottawa River sharing her love of white water with new people every day. Maris first joined the ALIVE community in 2016 with a passion for helping people build a strong environmental ethic through outdoor experiences. Maris is now living in the beautiful mountain town of Revelstoke British Columbia where she works as the Training Program Coordinator for the Canadian Avalanche Association.

Field Instructor

Ann Creighton

Ann has worked alongside Alive since 2017. As a lifelong camp kid, Ann spent her summers playing and growing in the beautiful wilds of Ontario.  After graduating from her degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Ann decided that she would turn her love of working with people and getting them stoked for the outdoors into her year round career. As a former outdoor centre director and outdoor professional, Ann believes passionately in the power this industry has to offer young people. Ann is motivated by connection, challenge, and play. In her opinion, there is no better time spent than singing a rowdy tune together around a campfire.