Kelly Kimple (she/her)

CEO

Kelly’s love for outdoor adventure developed early growing up in New Hampshire where she took her first backpacking, biking, and skiing trips. She ventured west for college and spent years as a field biologist exploring the mountains and canyons of the Western US studying rare plants, endangered squirrels, various birds, and even bumblebees. After graduate school, her career led her to Fort Collins, Colorado where she’s found her professional passion in the adventure travel industry. She’s honored to be at the helm of AGC and to be providing amazing experiences for adventurous women! She is committed to helping women experience the transformative power of nature through the support and encouragement of the AGC community.

Amy Seifert

Marketing Assistant

Amy’s love for the outdoors developed as a child when she freely roamed the woods in the backyard of her Minnesota home. However, her passion for outdoor adventure flourished when interning for a summer in Aspen, Colorado, where she spent almost all her free time exploring nearby trails. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Amy moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where she currently lives. She has a marketing background in the tourism industry, working for a local tourist destination, and with a state government agency supporting statewide affordable housing. Amy continues to spend most of her free time outdoors, hiking, biking, and running. When she is not out on an adventure, she is likely cooking, reading, dog sitting, or strolling through local farmers markets. She is excited to utilize her passion for outdoor adventure to help support and advance the AGC community.

Dori Nix

Marketing & Communications Director

Having grown up along the east coast, Dori started young as an outdoor enthusiast, spending weekends and summers camping and hiking. Early into her adulthood, she discovered how fortunate she was to have access to outdoor amenities, which ignited a spark to get more women connected to the outdoors. She's since fallen head over heels for backpacking, rock climbing, and fly fishing. You’ll usually find her with her husband and dogs in tow, no matter her outdoor adventure. Dori’s background in marketing includes time in the non-profit industry, with outdoor adventure companies, and with the federal government supporting Soldiers and their families. Dori is fueled by her passion for making outdoor opportunities more accessible to women and sharing the stories of the outdoor adventures that shape us. She is thrilled to be bringing her love for people, outdoor recreation, and personal growth to the AGC community.

Emily Annis

Adventure Specialist

Emily was born and raised in the Western Slope of Colorado, which fueled her love for adventure and the outdoors from a young age. She moved to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. Emily loves to travel whenever she has the opportunity, and after she graduated she spent a year abroad living in Spain and working as an assistant English teacher. It was through this experience that she knew she wanted to work in the travel industry, so she made her way back to Colorado and received her master’s degree in Tourism Management. She’s excited to bring her love of the outdoors and travel to the AGC community.

Hallie Stuart

Senior Program Manager

Hallie finds her greatest joy in exploring nature and believes deeply in the power of travel and adventure. Hallie’s upbringing in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, along with spending part of her time living on a sailboat in the Caribbean and South Pacific, fueled her wanderlust and deepened her love for nature and adventure, shaping who she is today. Her own journeys have shown her the immense personal growth and connection that come from venturing into new landscapes and cultures. Driven by this conviction, Hallie is committed to creating opportunities for women to embark on their own life-changing adventures, fostering a community where they can discover the world and themselves in profound and meaningful ways.

Jamie Begrowicz

Program Manager

From as early as she can remember Jamie has always loved the outdoors and wildlife. So much so that she went to college to study Animal Ecology and Environmental Studies so that she could pursue a career focused on preserving the beauty of our natural world. Since then, Jamie has worked as a park ranger, a field biologist, and has worked on government conservation programs. Besides her love of the outdoors, Jamie has also been passionate about outdoor adventure travel ever since she had the opportunity to study in Tasmania and explore Australia and New Zealand. Once she caught the travel bug, she has been going on as many adventures as possible. She’s excited to combine her love of the outdoors and travel to help the AGC community feel empowered to get out and explore this beautiful world! In her free time, Jamie can be found exploring her home of Northern Idaho with her husband and dog; hiking, camping, and road-tripping in their rooftop tent.

Jen Engers (she/her)

Regional Program Director

Fueled by coffee and tacos. Really wants to see a moose! Jen's passion for the outdoors began as a child with trips to her grandfather's cabin where they would hike and explore the mountains of Western Maryland. Hiking and biking have since taken her all over the US, including a self-supported, 5,000-mile, cross-country bike tour. With a healthy dose of wanderlust, Jen has found adventure on almost every continent. In her free time, you can find Jen hiking, mountain biking, and paddleboarding. She is passionate about growing a strong outdoor female community and has found that experiences are everything. Sharing them with others is what she loves most.

Jenna Scott

Program Operations Coordinator

Jenna’s love for the outdoors blossomed during her first camping adventure at the tender age of two, igniting a lifelong passion for nature. Born and raised in Colorado, she has been able to take advantage of the Rocky Mountains, spending her summers hiking, camping, and fishing. After graduating from Colorado State University, Jenna spent a month traveling through Europe and developed a deep passion for tourism and exploration. With a fresh enthusiasm for travel, she returned to CSU and received her master’s degree in Tourism Management. She is passionate about helping others advance personal growth and gain new perspectives through exploration and adventure travel. In her free time, Jenna enjoys exploring the scenic bike routes of northern Colorado, antique shopping, reading, and immersing herself in DIY projects.

Katie Bourque

Program Manager

A lifelong Vermonter, Katie has been lucky enough to have nature at her doorstep throughout her entire life. Her love of travel, combined with her interest in learning languages, led to time spent exploring and working abroad in France and Switzerland, where opportunities for outdoor adventure and cultural experiences were plentiful. After getting her Bachelor's degree in French and Anthropology, Katie worked at various active travel and student educational travel organizations, and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to focus on women's adventure travel and help create unforgettable experiences for the AGC community. In her free time, you can find her exploring the Green Mountains on foot, skis, or by mountain bike, or enjoying Vermont's beautiful lakes and rivers.

Mariah Nelson

Regional Program Director

Mariah, being a Colorado native, has always had an endless sense of adventure and a yearning to constantly be exploring. This is where her passion for outdoor adventure was born. She graduated with her degree in Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism from Colorado State University and has since held a variety of positions in recreation and education. Mariah has acted as a ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park, been a classroom paraprofessional, and served as the director of backcountry programs serving youth and adults with disabilities for a local nonprofit. Now, she is beyond thrilled to help curate meaningful and memorable experiences through AGC! When not at work, you can find her creating art, playing musical instruments, reading, and generally soaking in the outdoors as much as possible alongside her golden retriever.

Mel Fowler (She/her)

Field Operations Manager

Born in Scotland, raised in Wyoming, and matured in the Pacific Northwest, Mel's upbringing was shaped by the majestic views of the Big Horns and Pryor Mountains outside her front door. This early exposure to wild spaces fostered a deep appreciation for nature, which she has continued to cultivate through guiding and her personal connection with the outdoors. For the past seven years, Mel has worked as a full-time guide, traveling extensively across Europe, Central and South America, and the United States. She is also a certified Exercise Physiologist, Yoga instructor, and meditation teacher, with twelve years of experience in corporate wellness before transitioning to the outdoor industry. Outside of her professional pursuits, Mel enjoys pour-over coffee, gravel cycling, and traveling solo to foreign places.

Marian Marbury

Marian Marbury founded Adventures in Good Company in 1999 to share her passion for travel and spending time outdoors with other women. She loves learning about different cultures, challenging her own assumptions, laughing (especially at herself), and sleeping under the stars. After growing AGC from a tiny company that offered 10 trips to its current size, she was delighted to hand over the reins to Kelly Kimple in January 2020. And after 30 years of guiding, she realized that it was time to focus on her own adventures and became Guide Emeritus that same year.

Jan Latham

Jan lives in Western Michigan and is originally from North Carolina where her original love for the outdoors began. Her first career was as a registered nurse, then mother to 5 children. In 2001 she found AGC and has never looked back. Having the opportunity to develop and guide trips for AGC and travel with adventurous women is a ‘dream come true’. Her favorite activity is backpacking the AT and introducing other women to backpacking. If the opportunity to hike anywhere is offered, she’ll be there in a flash! Jan also works in the AGC office as a program manager. Outside of work Jan enjoys cooking, quilting and spending time with family, especially grandchildren.

Anne Flueckiger

Anne Flueckiger was more than a guide; she was a cherished part of the AGC community and set the gold standard for guiding. Her leadership, integrity, and dedication have left a lasting impact on our team and the many travelers she inspired. Anne began her career with Woodswomen, and over the past 25+ years, she guided hundreds of trips, touching thousands of lives. In honor of her legacy and commitment to empowering women, AGC has partnered with Anne’s friends and family to establish a scholarship fund supporting a teacher who might not otherwise afford an AGC trip. Beyond guiding, Anne was a substitute teacher and coach who deeply valued educators. This fund allows her passion and impact to continue. To learn more about the scholarship fund, contribute, or share memories, please visit Anne’s memorial page.

Julie Fast

Julie has been accused of smiling too much and to this she grins, "Guilty as charged." Hailing originally from the midwest, Julie spent her formative years in Colorado and is still grateful to call this mountainous state home. After college, Julie headed to South America with the United States Peace Corps for 2 terms, sparking her love of learning about other cultures first hand. When not guiding trips and working in the travel industry, Julie delights in her work as a neuromuscular rehabilitative therapist. Outside of professional pursuits, you can find Julie trying to make her 2 children and husband laugh (aka distract them from how long the hike is) and plotting her next thru hike.

Adele Hart

Adele is a travel nurse who inconsistently lives in Denver, Colorado. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Adele has a soft spot for east coast mountains and a healthy admiration for all the west coast has to offer. Adele loves to backpack, cook, climb outside, and do anything in the water. Adele has always had a sense of adventure but it really bloomed in the mid 2000s when they moved to Southern California where most outdoor sports were available within a two hour drive.

Alexa Stickel (she/her)

Alexa is a professional Naturalist Guide and Field Instructor/Course Designer focused on tropical ecology. She is proud to be skilled at sharing about natural history and ecology in a way that is academically accurate and also entertaining. When she is not working, she is birding—in Costa Rica—or chasing species around the globe—or dancing. Alexa dances salsa, merengue, cumbia, and bachata, and she is a certified Zumba instructor. She LOVES food, is a great cook/baker, and will eat anything once. She is fluent in Spanish and speaks some French. Alexa was born in Switzerland, raised in Miami (USA), and has been living in Monteverde, Costa Rica since 2010. She discovered the magic of the tropics as a student on an ecology field course in 2008 and has been sharing her passion for the natural world through her work ever since!

Alicia Weaver

Alicia resides in Colorado, where she relishes the opportunity to ride her bike every day! She also enjoys hiking, backpacking, trail running, and snowshoeing, often accompanied by her family and dog (who famously proved that she is truly part border collie when she spontaneously herded 100+ head of cattle in Boulder open space). Alicia has a well-rounded adventure background and a great appreciation for the friendships that can be forged among adventurous women, across different backgrounds and different generations. When she is not guiding, Alicia works in academia as a SAS programmer and data analyst.

Andre Mallinger (she/her)

Andre’s love of the outdoors began as a young girl hiking, canoeing, and camping in the Appalachian Mountains. Her connection to the wilderness really cemented as an adult on backpacking trips in the Rockies and during an extended trek in the Himalayas. Andre’s passion for world travel and adventure has taken her to southeast Asia to teach English, paddling her 17’ long sea kayak 650 miles down the Sea of Cortez, and guiding cultural arts trips to Cuba. Her newest toy is a recumbent trike, which she rides as often as possible, preferably on long tours. Andre lives in a small Colorado town at 8,600 feet and enjoys exploring her backyard mountains—preferably with a good dog by her side.

Anne Brewer

Anne lives in beautiful Lake Placid, NY located in the Adirondack Park and has been a guide for Adventures in Good Company since 2012. She has guided extensively in the Caribbean but loves the cold north country as well. When not guiding she is busy running her own businesses- she owns and publishes a print and digital magazine that promotes many facets of the Adirondack and also owns Placid Waters, a small kayak guiding business. Her husband, step-daughter and two dogs spend thir free time skiing, hiking, paddling and spending time at their family cottage.

Annika Nygren (she/her/hers)

Adventurous, spunky and restless - Annika lives for deep human connection through time outside and travel. Annika was born in Sweden, raised in Massachusetts, and a Colorado resident for many years. In 2021, she left the Rocky Mountains and worked a myriad of odd jobs around Europe, South and Central America. She is now the Program Director for alternative semester programs for middle schoolers focusing on surfing and skiing. When not immersed with student groups, Annika can be found bikepacking, hiking in the high alpine, practicing Spanish, drinking cacao, and facilitating 200 hour yoga teacher trainings overseas. She has a deep love for languages, plant-based cuisine, and all things fresh air! Should we need them on AGC trips, her radio name is Hummingbird.

Brenda Porter

Brenda is a passionate world traveler. Just out of high school she traveled to India on a Girl Scout exchange and fell in love with experiencing other cultures. She worked with women’s groups and lived in rural Honduras as a Peace Corps Volunteer where she learned Spanish. She is one of AGC’s most experienced guides and has led trips across the world from Everest Base Camp, to Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu. She is an avid backpacker, yoga instructor, and watercolor artist. Her secret goal is catching moments to sketch on trips (and encouraging others to do the same) forging connections with nature. Brenda lives with her wife and Kali, the golden retriever, in a co-housing community in Colorado.

Carrie White

Carrie has lived in Saranac Lake, NY in the Adirondack Mountains for 34 years. Her first guiding experience was when she was 20, a job that entailed taking US students to the USSR and Siberia. Her love of the outdoors comes from her parents. They taught her many outdoors skills and showed her how to hike, ski, row, sail and fish from an early age; in fact,the first peak she climbed was Camels Hump in Vermont at the age of 6! These days she is an avid downhill, cross-country and backcountry skier and is a licensed guide for whitewater rafting, hiking, camping and paddling.

Chloë Rowse

As a Maine native, Chloë has spent thousands of hours outside - hiking, camping, trail running, XC skiing, ice climbing, playing ultimate frisbee, you name it! Chloë first began her “guiding” career at age 12 when she started a summer camp for young(er) girls. After graduating from college and thru hiking the Appalachian Trail, she decided to take her guiding career to the next level and studied to become a 'Registered Maine Guide'. Outside of guiding, Chloë still runs her summer camp and in 2019, founded the first professional women’s sports team in Maine - ultimate frisbee! Chloë teaches yoga and movement classes as well as coaches Nordic skiing in the winter. She loves adventure and swims in the ocean every day in Maine (yes, even the winter!).

Chris Ghizas

After retiring from higher education and raising a family, Chris found her next adventure hiking the Camino de Santiago with AGC in 2016. Sharing her love of the outdoors with others has always been a passion of hers throughout her life. Chris has hiked in all 50 states and traveled all over Canada, Mexico and Europe. When she is not guiding, Chris works in the hospitality industry with Marriott hotels. She resides in Cincinnati, Ohio and loves biking, hiking, reading, and discovering new vistas.

Claire Lukas

Claire is a long-time lover of nature, fitness and all things outdoors. She first attended an AGC backpacking trip as a participant in 2014, and later joined as a guide! Guiding came as a second career for Claire after she retired from her role as a public school art teacher. Having always drawn inspiration from nature in her personal artwork, Claire’s creativity shines through in her guiding, cooking and baking. Claire lives with her husband Emil in Easton, PA where they raised their three children. When not guiding, Claire enjoys sharing the connection of art and nature with local hiking groups and community.. She also instructs kayak and stand-up paddle board. Claire enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, gardening, biking, hiking, camping, art and travel.

Danya Saadawi

Danya is an outdoors aficionado who has a love for long distance backpacking and exploring nature. She has been guiding with AGC since 2021 and has a great deal of knowledge she is excited to share. She currently spends most of the year in Maine running a hiker hostel near the northern terminus of the AT. Her drive to help hikers meet their goal, motivated her and her partner to create a workshop that educates aspiring hikers on proper backpacking practices. Danya has thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and Arizona Trail, as well as hiked long sections of the Pinhoti Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. When she is not hiking or working, Danya travels in her converted van with her partner and two cats. She loves reading, kayaking, crocheting, bagging peaks, and international travel. Being very much a people person makes guiding for AGC something she really enjoys because she always leaves with new friends

Deb Malmon (she/they)

Deb has been guiding with Adventures in Good Company since it opened in 1999. She lives in Minneapolis, MN where she works as an Outdoor Recreation Specialist for a country parks district and truly embraces outdoor recreation in every season - especially winter. Even when not working outdoors, Deb loves to be outside. She can be found spending loads of time with her son, visiting dog parks, playing disc golf, swimming, hiking, bicycling, playing Ultimate Frisbee and broomball, cross country skiing and paddling. Deb also loves baking and cooking, jigsaw puzzles (family rule: cannot use the box picture to put it together) crossword puzzles and a competitive game of Scrabble.

Debra Huntington

Debra is a native New Englander and is currently living in Rhode Island. As part of a military family she has lived in a number of places around the world, including Italy and Cuba. When she is not guiding she is helping out in the office and teaching fitness and spin classes at the local gym. She loves to hike, kayak, bike, snowshoe and sail on the waters off Rhode Island. She especially loves sharing these experiences with others.

Elysee Stansbury (she/her)

Elysee loves backpacking, rock climbing, paddling, and exploring. She has called many places home (such as, currently, her camper van), but the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota is her favorite of them all. Elysee has spent the past 11 years working in the outdoors as a backpacking guide, trail crew leader, canoe guide, and outdoor school teacher. Elysee loves helping others experience the connection and confidence found in the outdoors. When not guiding trips Elysee enjoys cooking, cross-country skiing, teaching, listening to music, and dreaming up her next big adventure. She hopes to backpack the John Muir Trail and paddle the Northern Forest Canoe Trail next!

Emily Stardust (she/they)

Emily currently lives in Michigan and works part time as a handywoman. She has spent much of her adult life traveling and adventuring, and has a diverse set of skills that don't always fit nicely into a resume. Some past adventures include: performing as a mime in a circus, milking goats and growing food on an electricity free farm, hustling Christmas trees in NYC, teaching English in India, and bicycling down the west coast of the US and into Mexico. Emily's guiding experience includes four years in Alaska, and a summer in the western/southwest United States. She speaks Spanish and is a certified yoga instructor.

Haley Brickner

Haley’s home is the beautiful North Shore of Minnesota, where she grew up spending lots of time in nature. A nomad at heart, she spent years traveling the world absorbing experiences, cultures, and food. She enjoys trying new adventures - whether it be rock climbing, scuba diving, or whitewater rafting - but her favorite activities are hiking and kayaking. Some of her best travel experiences include riding a bicycle across Southeast Asia, hiking in the Himalayas, and spending a week in the Amazon jungle. With graduate degrees in Education and Health Promotion, Haley works for a nonprofit where she is passionate about empowering underserved communities. She is a certified yoga instructor, dog sled musher-in-training, budding photographer, and wellness enthusiast. She is thrilled to share her love of travel and the outdoors as a guide for AGC!

Heather Jo Cutting (she/her)

Heather has been guiding with AGC since 2017, but spent decades working in the outdoor field helping women and girls experience the best that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. She is passionate about supporting women to try new things and loves kayaking, sailing, paddleboarding, hiking and backpacking. She has a hard time choosing between the water and the mountains so like to spend an equal amount of time in both places. She lives with her partner and three dogs near Seattle and spends her volunteer free time working with K9 search and rescue, helping outdoor adventurers recover from accidents in the mountains near her home.

Ikse Mennen

Ikse is a nomad and travels for seasonal work, but the places they call home are California and Minnesota. They are currently back in school getting a master's in history to teach high school history and government. They have been guiding since 2014, mainly canoe trips in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota (at a French immersion camp!), and doing environmental education in the high desert of Southern California. Ikse joined AGC in 2020 and is stoked to continue sharing their love of the outdoors. Ikse loves hiking, backpacking, canoeing, and, above all else, rock climbing! When not climbing, they can often be found reading a good book. Ikse is a Wilderness EMT and loves safety even more than they love danger.

Inger Norman (she/her)

As someone who cooks better with the music turned up, Inger loves open-water swimming, stand-up paddling, mountain biking, snowboarding, urban street art, crafted IPA's, European football and evenings with good friends and family. She’s lived abroad in Munich and Rome, although Lake Tahoe is where she calls home. Forever a student of the world, Inger’s been working with women in the outdoors for over 15 years hosting women’s retreats, summits, camps, clinics and workshops. She’s a firm believer that staying curious and venturesome keeps us young at heart and that traveling is the most rewarding action we can take for a deep, enriched connection to ourselves, the planet and the people we share this world with. Inger’s been married for over 20 years and together they have 2 kids.

Jaime Renaud

Jaime is originally from Florida and now lives the summers in Maine, and travels the rest of the year. She proclaims she has a Gypsy soul. A life-long learner that loves exploring, trying different things and a passion for meeting new people. Along with her husband she has explored all corners of the U.S., traveled throughout Mexico, Central and South America and Europe, and has hiked in many National Parks, on the Appalachian Trail, the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, the Santa Cruz trek in the Sierra Blanca range in Peru, Torres del Paine National Park Patagonia, Chile and the West Highland Way in Scotland. She and her husband own and operate the Appalachian Trail Lodge, a hiker service near Katahdin, the northern terminus of the AT, and the especially enjoy helping hikers by sharing their knowledge and love of hiking.

Jody Rioboli

Jody calls the Philadelphia area home but is more likely to be found out on a trail or embarking on her next big adventure. She has a boundless love for travel and has explored and hiked all over the world. Some of her favorite places to venture to are the Appalachian Trail, Patagonia, Mont Blanc, Tanzania, South East Asia or really any mountain peak with a great view. She loves empowering others to embrace their own adventurous spirit and help them accomplish their goals. When home she works as an Emergency Department nurse and looks forward to spending her free time with family and friends, taking long walks with her dog and enjoying a home cooked meal.

Kaitlyn Shinney (She/Her)

Kaitlyn was raised south of Boston along the ocean and now lives with her husband and rescue pup GoodGirl. She first became part of the AGC family in 2007 by backpacking the Grand Canyon, Northern Cascades, Kilimanjaro and Greece. She was hired in 2017 and has led over 30 trips some include Acadia, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket, Newport RI, Vermont, Adirondacks, Utah, Montana, Colorado, Virginia, Georgia, Minnesota, Wyoming, St. John U.S.V.I., Ireland, France, Portugal and Belize. Her friends and family love when she returns from a trip and talks about all the inspirational women she met. Outside of traveling, she works as a Union Firefighter Paramedic. Kaitlyn has a Master in Public Administration and Emergency Management and a certificate in Labor Studies. She loves the ocean, kite surfing, cooking, attending the theater and making lifelong memories.

Karen Nelson

Karen came to love the outdoors growing up in the Pacific Northwest. For the past 20+ years she has happily called Michigan home, but “The mountains are calling….”. Karen has been guiding and working in the office at Adventures in Good Company since 2016. She especially loves backpacking and hiking in mountains and canyons - and sharing that love with others. She feels honored to be working and traveling with women in a field that she loves. Karen has also guided for AGC since 2016, primarily trips in Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and hiking and backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, all of which she loves. Outside of work Karen enjoys backpacking (surprise!), light carpentry, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Khadijah Tividad

Khadijah was born in the Philippines and came to the US when she was 6 years old. Growing up in Kitsap County, she had Western Washington at her backdoor. She attended Pacific Lutheran University where she studied Geosciences and Religion which opened her eyes to the world of travel and culture. Her studies took her abroad to Greece, Italy, Peru, Bolivia, and to the Black Hills of South Dakota for Geology Field Camp. Khadijah’s diverse background includes working as a Wilderness Guide, Ski Patroller, Ski Instructor, Environmental Educator, and as a teacher for local school districts in Tacoma, Washington. During her free time she likes to ski, hike with her dog, and go boating with her partner.

Lainie Reisman

Lainie currently lives in Washington D.C. with her husband, two teenagers, and two adopted street dogs. She has spent most of her adult life overseas (UK, Papua New Guinea, Guatemala, Kenya, Turkey, and Mexico) so is a very seasoned international traveler and adventurer. When not guiding hiking trips, Lainie continues to work on international aid programs (thus the living overseas!), specializing in youth violence prevention. Lainie loves meeting new people and learning about their diverse experiences, and is an avid hiker, having done many of the AGC itineraries on her own over the years (e.g. Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, etc.). She recently summitted a pair of 19,000 peaks in Peru with her 18 year-old son (and they got matching tattoos, a first for both!). She started guiding with founder Marian Marbury close to 20 years ago after writing her an impassioned 10-page letter (this was before email of course) and has been hooked ever since!

Laura Sander

Laura lives in San Francisco where she balances her love of guiding and working with children by substitute teaching and tutoring when she is home from trips. Her first career was in education as both a teacher and administrator, always taking the students on outdoor adventures or holding class outside whenever possible. She has been to 50 countries, and is eager to explore more, especially in the US. One of her life highlights was trekking to Annapurna Base Camp. Her favorite activities are biking, hiking, snowboarding, and paddleboarding, but rarely says no to any ‘safe’ adventure. Laura loves to spend time with her 19 year old cat, as well as work on ways to get more women and BIPOC in the outdoors.

Laurie Pavlik

Laurie was filled with wanderlust from an early age and has always had a sense of adventure. From backpacking Europe to leading corporate incentive trips she has explored 15 countries on 5 continents, hosted 3 exchange students, lived in the US Virgin Islands and spent 3 months in Spain. She is a lover of all activities: hiking, paddling, yoga, pickleball – you name it, she’s game! When not adventuring, the Kansas City area is home where she and her husband keep busy keep with their 2 very active boys, dog ‘Charlie’ and cat ‘Mango’. She loves traveling with her family and her favorite saying is ‘Do more things that make you forget to check your phone’. Laurie enjoys the opportunity to meet new people and challenge women to get outside of their comfort zone. She can think of nothing better than sharing adventure, exploration, and breathtaking views with a group of like-minded women.

Laurie Priest (she/her)

Laurie is a former college administrator who lives in Amherst, MA with Anne, her long-time partner and Honey, the Mexican street dog she rescued while kayaking in Mexico. Two of the most popular courses she developed while teaching was hiking and dog sledding which fueled her love of sharing outdoor adventures with others. Her favorite activities include hiking, sea kayaking, snow shoeing, biking, swimming and yoga. She joined AGC in 2013 and loves adventure travel and meeting new people.

Linda Kogan

Originally an Ohio midwesterner, Linda has called Colorado Springs home for over 30 years. Currently she is a “vanabonder” exploring life on the backroads and in the backcountry with her partner and an older smushy-faced dog named Charlotte. In previous guiding with Outward Bound and Women’s Wilderness, Linda especially enjoyed sharing adventures with women from all walks of life. Linda recently retired from a rewarding university career in sustainability. Her favorite activities are telemark skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, international travel, and plenty of hammock time with a good book near the ocean.

Lindsey Aronson (she/her)

Lindsey began her guiding career as a backcountry trip leader for an all-boys wilderness program in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Who knew that her experience wrangling teenage boys in remote settings would spur a decade-long guiding career! Fueled by a passion for empowering others through outdoor adventure—especially women and non-binary folks—Lindsey has led adult and youth participants on trips throughout the United States and Canada for a variety of adventure travel outfitters, most recently Backroads Travel. Off the trail, Lindsey works as a marketer for a mission-driven tech startup. She’s an avid gravel cyclist, traveler, hiker, dessert enthusiast, and lover of swimming in any and all bodies of water. She also speaks Spanish and has lived abroad in Spain, Costa Rica, and Peru. Lindsey and her trusty rescue pup, Goose, currently split their time between Chicago and Colorado.

Lindsay Cross

Lindsay loves sharing the beauty of the outdoors and helping women accomplish their personal adventure goals! Professionally, she works to conserve water and land in Florida and is always seeking out new places to explore - whether it’s tromping through swamps, paddling rivers, hiking through pine forests, or surfing or diving in our beautiful oceans. A big part of her heart is also in the mountains and she relishes skiing moguls, climbing mountains, and jumping into icy alpine lakes! As a certified yoga instructor, SCUBA dive master and competitive outrigger canoe paddler, she loves leading trips involving paddling, hiking, wellness, and horseback riding. She has traveled extensively, especially in Central and South America, where she uses her Spanish-speaking skills to immerse herself in the culture and savor the local cuisine.

Riley Missel

Riley is a writer and outdoor adventure guide who grew up in the winter-water-wonderland of West Michigan but moved west in 2020 for the mountains. She has guided mountain biking, road biking, hiking, and rock climbing in Arizona, Colorado, California, Washington, and Wyoming. She believes hiking is one of the greatest ways to experience a place and environment, and she can’t wait to get on the trails with you!

Scout Mecklenburg

Scout lives in the greater Seattle area where a lifelong love of the outdoors began on camping trips with her dad with a bright orange pup tent for shelter. The camping trips eventually led to summers at Girl Scout camp where, in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains, the hiking and backpacking spark was lit. While honing her backcountry skills with the Seattle Mountaineers Scout discovered a passion for sharing the outdoors with others as a volunteer leader for the scrambling and basic mountaineering courses and separately as a ski instructor at Crystal Mountain. Following a career in tech, Scout now spends as much time as possible in the mountains and sometimes in/on the water. Scout finds joy guiding trips for Adventures in Good Company and being a part of the growth, confidence and teamwork which the trips facilitate.

Sharon King Donohue

Sharon is a life-long outdoor sports enthusiast who loves helping people find beauty in nature and take on challenges in the outdoors. She has hiked and climbed throughout the United States, Europe, the Himalayas and Peru. She started guiding for AGC in 2017. Sharon is also a certified Alpine and Telemark ski instructor and has been teaching women to ski for over 25 years. Horseback riding is another passion of Sharon’s and she can often be found atop a four-legged friend. When she isn’t hiking, skiing, or riding, Sharon is a healthcare lawyer for a nonprofit health care accrediting body located in Washington, DC.

Tali Hunt (she/her)

Tali lives near Lexington, Kentucky and has been with AGC since 2014. She loves meeting women from around the globe who enjoy hiking and exploring. In addition to hiking and backpacking, Tali enjoys kayaking, and cycling. She has hiked the Sheltowee Trace, Kentucky''s long trail, and took a break from her job as a physician assistant to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2019. She is originally from Utah and loves the desert Southwest as well as the Eastern forests. When not guiding or hiking, she loves to visit her grown children and be with her husband and dogs.

Tori Gray

Tori is a Professional Concert Dancer turned multi-certified, full-time Registered Maine Guide. With a passion for healing facilitation, she has worked to become a recognized Community Herbalist, Yoga Instructor, and Integrative Health and Wellness Coach. She blends her love for movement and holistic health with her knowledge of the outdoors to create well-rounded educational outdoor experiences. Her goal is to help you gain access to natural connection and to leave trips knowing more about yourself, the environment, and the bond between the two. When not on trail, you can find Tori teaching yoga, foraging, swimming at the base of waterfalls, or planning out adventures! Admittedly, she's a little geeky, but radiates a positivity that's down right contagious!