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Phone: 916.278.6321

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Youth Camp Staff

Jael Young
Title: Director of Peak Adventures
Education: Bachelor's in Anthropology, Master's in Recreation and Leisure Studies
Qualifications: Jael has been with Peak Adventures for almost as long as Peak Adventures has been around. Once she discovered the realm of outdoor adventure programming as a profession, she actively pursued acquiring outdoor skills and certifications during and after college. Then, after working in multiple entry level field positions within Peak Adventures, combined with seasonal work with Outward Bound and a background in a family business, she obtained a management position.
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Rock Climbing, Backpacking, Snowshoeing
Best outdoor experience: "I will always treasure my semester at NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). It's hard to top three months of playing and learning in the great outdoors! I was able to do winter travel, canyon backpacking, rock climbing and white water rafting in some of the most beautiful places. This experience showed me the power of Mother Nature to teach people of all ages about themselves. If I had to pick one particular aspect of my NOLS semester, it would probably be when I got to do an overnight ascent of a 2,000 foot rock wall called Dream Of Wild Turkeys in Red Rocks, NV."
Favorite thing about Peak Adventures: "My favorite thing about Peak Adventures is that it is a place that values community."

Brad Pointer
Title(s): Operations Manager, Facilitator, Trip Lead, Team Lead, Raft Guide, Risk Manager
Education: Wheaton College, Chicago, Illinois
Trips you’ve done with Peak:
- Countless programs at the Challenge Center
- Many Mtn. biking trips to Salmon Falls and Rockville
- A handful of Rock Climbing trips to Cosumnes River Gorge, Eagle Lakes, and Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite.
- Raft Guide School 2007, 2008 on the South Fork American River
- Cross Country Skiing, Snow Shoeing and Winter Camping
Other notable outdoor trips/activities you’ve done:
- Climbed many of the notable peaks in California and especially in the Tahoe Basin (including Whitney, Shasta, Cathedral, Tallac, and Pyramid).
- Started back country snow boarding this year
- Kayaked several class 3 and 4 rivers in California
- Rafted several rivers from California to Maine in the US and on the Futaleufu in Chile.
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Downhill Mountain Biking & Road Biking, Slack Lining, Snowboarding
Favorite thing about Peak Adventures: I love the incredible variety of programming that we offer and the many different people who are positively impacted by our work. I consider it a privilege to work with our amazing collection of staff, who bring a huge wealth and variety of experience to our trips and programs.

Alicia Taylor
Title: Programs Specialist
Education: Bachelor's in English at Texas A&M University
Qualifications: Alicia has been working for Peak Adventures since the Fall of 2006. Her previous experience as a software project manager helps her assist customers as well as manage office duties and program logistics. She has years of experience as a raft guide and white water kayaker.
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Whitewater Kayaking, Hiking, Biking.
Best outdoor experience: "Kayaking school in Chile - 12 days, 5 rivers. Tons o' fun"
What I love about Youth Camp: The energy. Everyone gets to be a kid, including the staff.

Valerie Regner
Title: Challenge Center Specialist, Team Lead, Facilitator
Education: Bachelor's in Recreation Administration from Sacramento State University
Qualifications: Valerie has been with Peak Adventures since the beginning of 2002. She has over 1,000 hours of facilitation experience, 15 years of event planning experience, 15 years of summer camp experience, and a love for the outdoors.
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Hiking, Camping, Playing!
Best outdoor experience: "Hiking with my dad."
What I love about Youth Camp: I love working as a youth camp counselor because I am a camp girl at heart.  I started going to camps in the 3rd grade and I think that every child should get the opportunity to experience the fun, the learning, and the self-growth that summer camps have to offer.  

Dawn Lenhart
Title: Adventure Specialist, Youth Camp Instructor
Education: Bachelor's of Science in Recreation Administration with her degree concentration in Commercial Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality Management from the California State University, Sacramento.
Qualifications: Over 2000 hours working in the field of recreation, CPR/First Aid certified, Belay Rescue Certification, basic and intermediate belay training, Youth Camp Team Lead, and Youth Basketball Coach.
What I love about Youth Camp:

Madison Shepard
Title: Front Desk, Outdoor Trip Lead, Ropes Course Team Lead, Raft Guide. Started working for Peak September 2005
Education: Currently studying Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and a Minor in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration
Qualifications: Wilderness first aid certified, class B license, certified in CPR, basic and intermediate belay training, high ropes rescue training. Attended the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE)Conference in Boise, Idaho in 2006. I presented at the Western Regional Outdoor Leadership Conference (WROLC) in San Bernardino in 2008. Awarded “Peakie of the Year” in 2008.
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Backpacking, Mountain biking, Rafting
Best Outdoor Experience: Rafting the Rogue River in the middle of a huge rain storm.
What I love about Youth Camp: I enjoy hanging out with the kids and seeing their reactions to first time experiences. I love feeling like one of the kids again and I usually learn a thing or two about the latest and greatest trends in pop culture.

Andrea Seeba
Education: Bachelor’s in History, with a Social Science Emphasis; Secondary Education Teaching Credential in Social Science.
Qualifications: Seeba has been a seasonal employee of Peak Adventures since Summer 2008. She brings with her 6 years of previous summer camp experience, 4 years of coaching youth sports teams, 6 years of organizing church elementary and junior high school youth program, and involvement in numerous other youth and community programs. Seeba’s experiences assistant directing summer camps, working for small businesses, volunteering her time as a board member of Sacramento Ultimate Player’s Association, and teaching at a local high school all contribute to her ability to serve as a member of Peak Adventures.
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Ultimate Frisbee, Biking, Running
Best outdoor experience: When I was in sixth grade I visited Yosemite National Park for the first time, and climbed Yosemite Falls. I was young and the task was challenging. When I made it to the top, heard the power of the water, looked out over the clear sky, and felt the sun on my face and the wind at my back, it was fantastic. I look forward to moments like that one.
Favorite thing about Peak Adventures: It has been a privilege to work for a program that is founded on the principles that Peak Adventures promotes. The staff is wonderful a group of people.

TOM HIGGINS
Education: MS, School Counseling, 2010, Sacramento State University. BA, Political Science, 1983, San Francisco State University
Qualifications: Lifelong outdoors person. More than 30 years backpacking, kayaking, bicycling in California. I am CPR certified,
Wilderness First Aid certified, have my Class B driver's license.
Top 3 Outdoor Hobbies: Skiing, bicycling, hiking
Best Outdoor Experience: Sea kayaking Milford Sound, South Island, New Zealand
Favorite Thing About Peak Adventures: Camaraderie, friends and fun
Favorite Thing About Youth Camp: Adventure and discovery

WENDI WESTON
Education: AA in Fashion Design, BA Family and Consumer Sciences, Minor in Recreation and Leisure Studies, Credentials in Home Economics and Health Science
Qualifications: Wilderness First Aid, Infant, Child, Adult CPR/First Aid, AED, Class B Permit. Wendi has been part of Peak Adventures since 2002. She has worked with many different groups on the Peak Adventure Challenge Center along with being contracted to work at other courses in the area. She has taught over 7 years in the public school system including junior high and high school students. Wendi’s has over 15 years of youth camp leadership and training for both elementary and teenagers. Taught aspiring young artist for 3 years and currently has her own women & children accessories design business creating beautiful one of a kind fabric creations.
Best outdoor experience: I really got into hiking when I was 15 years old at Girl’s Camp for church. We went for 3 days backpacking, swimming, and whittling. It was so much fun to be out there with all my friends and learn about my strengths and weaknesses, it was empowering.
Favorite thing about Youth Camp: I love camp.  Each day we have new adventures both on the Sac State campus and outdoor trips.  It is the greatest way to spend the summer making new friends and creating arts and crafts to take home.  Plus it's fun to tie dye and play new games.

Jake hurwitz
Education:  Bachelor's in Psychology at Sacramento State University
Qualifications: Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified, basic and intermediate belay trained, 2+ years as High School football and track/field coach, as well as volunteer work for youth camps and summer programming (2+ years)
Top 3 outdoor hobbies: Backcountry ski/snowboarding, hiking and surfing
Best Outdoor Experience:  Backpacking solo from Italy to Spain, along the southern coast, after completing a semester abroad... Life-changing experience!
Favorite Thing about Peak Adventures:  The depth of knowledge about the outdoors... In roughly one and a half years, I have acquired a grab-bag of experience simply by engaging myself in all that Peak has to offer.  This year alone, I have backpacked for 4 days, surfed, snowshoed, camped and even paintballed, all with the help of Peak and it's many avenues from which to gain experience.
Favorite Thing about Youth Camp:  The Kids!  With their enthusiastic energy and willingness to learn and have fun, they remind me of the great camp experiences I was fortunate enough to have, and all the camp leaders that I still admire who gave me the tools to achieve success in all aspects of life.

alexandra Higgins
Education: B.A. in Art History from NYU
Qualifications: Graduate of NOLS Rocky Mountain Branch - Fall Semester
Top 3 Outdoor Hobbies: Skiing, Rock Climbing, Hanging out at the Beach
Best Outdoor Experience: Two weeks snow camping in Wyoming, spending my days skiing and my nights sleeping in snow huts!
Favorite Thing About Peak Adventures: The wonderful staff! Everyone is very friendly and knowledgeable about all things outdoors!
Favorite Thing About Youth Camp: Experiencing outdoor adventures through the eyes of campers!