Outdoor Outreach Staff
 |
Christopher Rutgers is the founder and executive director
of Outdoor Outreach. As a competitive skier, whitewater river
guide, expedition rock climber and avid surfer, Chris has
spent most of his life developing a passion for the outdoors. It was this passion that helped Chris overcome his own at-risk
childhood. In 1999, he founded Outdoor Outreach as a means to
give at-risk and underprivileged youth the same life-changing
opportunities. Drawing from his own personal experiences,
Chris developed the Outdoor Outreach philosophies that have
proven to be so successful working with at-risk and
underprivileged youth.
As founder of Outdoor Outreach, Chris has been nationally
recognized as an expert on programming for youth at-risk. He is frequently asked to speak at national conferences and
symposiums, and to consult with government agencies, academic
institutions and other nonprofit organizations. Chris has
served as an advisor to the California Governor's Office,
California State Parks and the National Park Service on
developing programs for at-risk youth. In addition, Chris
has won numerous local and national awards for his programs'
successes. He is a past recipient of San Diego's KGTV Channel
10 Leadership Award and Newsweek magazine's "America's Best." |
 |
Tracy joined Outdoor Outreach in January 2010
as our Director of Development. Tracy brings
more than 15 years of nonprofit fundraising
experience at several organizations, including
Duke University, The Nature Conservancy, and
Triangle Land Conservancy, a local land trust in
Raleigh, North Carolina. She and her family
recently relocated to San Diego from Durham, NC,
their home for 17 years. A native of Texas,
Tracy received a BA from Clemson University in
South Carolina and has volunteered on several
nonprofit committees and boards. She enjoys
running and hiking and is taking up a new hobby
given her new proximity to the ocean: kayaking.
Tracy will oversee all aspects of our
development program and will focus on building
our individual donor effort. She's looking
forward to meeting our donors and volunteers as
she settles in to her new home. |
 |
Khalisa joined Outdoor Outreach as a
volunteer and came on board as the Director of
Programs in January 2010. She moved to beautiful
sunny San Diego from Atlanta, GA to complete her
Masters of Public Health. Her past work has
focused on environmental health concerns in
underserved areas of San Diego and the creation
of innovative health interventions aimed at
combating the obesity epidemic. Her time outside
of work is spent in the great outdoors, cycling,
hiking, rock climbing, running, kayaking,
surfing, snowboarding, camping, and traveling.
Khalisa’s role with Outdoor Outreach will
encompass overseeing the partner programs and
daily operations and she is looking forward to
being a part of this organization’s promising
future! |
 |
Gavin Daly
Adventure Club and Leadership Program Manager
Gavin committed to a year of service with
Outdoor Outreach in 2007 through the AmeriCorps
*VISTA program. A graduate of the University of
Miami and originally from New Jersey, Gavin
worked as an ocean lifeguard for eight summers
and gained much experience working with youths
on the beach. After completing the year of
service, he was hired to a full-time position
managing the Adventure Clubs and Leadership
Program and is super stoked to remain with
Outdoor Outreach in sunny San Diego.
|
 |
Yannick 'Yeti' Sfreddo joined
Outdoor Outreach in 2007. Yeti was born in
Tahiti and raised in France where he studied
English and Geography. In addition to working
with Outdoor Outreach, he is a skilled carpenter
and volunteer with the San Diego Mountain Rescue
Team. His parents gave him the traveling
bug at an early age, and since then he has
traveled many places around the world building a
strong background in backpacking. When not
working hard, Yeti is playing hard, whether it
be rock climbing, surfing, hiking, learning new
languages or developing his passion for
tree-houses. He loves sharing his passion
for adventure and the outdoors with the kids he
works with at Outdoor Outreach. |
 |
Katie joined Outdoor Outreach in 2009 through
the AmeriCorps *VISTA program. She grew up in
the Boston area and graduated from Endicott
College with a degree in visual communications
with a focus in graphic design. She has always
led an active lifestyle with a love for the
outdoors and a passion for travel; which as a
result has led her on many cross-country road
trips and excursions within Europe. Throughout
her childhood Katie involved herself as a
member, volunteer, and employee of her local
Boys and Girls Club where she learned the
importance of non-profit work and community
service. She is excited to now be involved in
the Outdoor Outreach mission and is proud to be
serving as a part of its team. |
 |
Hailing from the northwest, Andrew is
currently serving Outdoor Outreach through the
AmeriCorps *VISTA program. He graduated from
Point Loma Nazarene University where he studied
Philosophy and Sociology. During his time at
PLNU he volunteered with OO and is now excited
to see what makes the organization tick. Andrew
blames his parents for his love of adventure
sports, putting him on skis at the old age of
three and backpacking by his fifth birthday.
Andrew now enjoys slack lining, rock climbing,
free diving, and backpacking with his dog and
favorite companion Zephyr. In the following year
Andrew hopes to become a proficient surfer, and
take full advantage of the beautiful weather in
sunny San Diego. |
 |
Erin joined Outdoor Outreach in 2009 through
the AmeriCorps *VISTA program. As an undergrad
Erin worked as the Public Relations Coordinator
and Events Editor for the Associated Students
and worked as a Young Life Leader in Bellingham,
Washington. After graduating from Western
Washington University with a Journalism/PR and
Communications degree Erin spent a year in
Seattle writing for the online lifestyle
magazine Daily Candy and working at Nordstrom.
While she will miss the rain and coffee culture
of Seattle, Erin is looking forward to a newer,
sunnier adventure in San Diego. |
|
|
|
| |
Field
Staff |
 |
Ben Myers
Instructor
Ben first volunteered with Outdoor Outreach
in 2008 in order to share his passion for the
outdoors. He has since been hired as an
instructor and loves to share his favorite
activities with San Diego’s youth. Ben is an
avid surfer, snowboarder and rock climber and
also loves to garden. Ben’s favorite animal is
the coastal brown pelican, which he gets really
excited to see while out surfing. |
 |
Gregory Drost
Instructor
Gregory has been involved with Outdoor
Outreach since 2003. He joined us first, as a
volunteer, then as a program manager and is
currently one of our senior instructors.
Gregory's background in Special Education, Youth
Counseling and Martial Arts instruction adds a
unique flavor to our team. Surfing,
snowboarding, mountain biking and backpacking
are just a few of the many outdoor activities
that Gregory is passionate about. |
 |
Juan HerreraInstructor
Juan has filled almost every role at Outdoor Outreach. During
the past four years, he has been a participant
and a member of our
leadership program, and currently Juan is employed as one of
our all-star trip leaders. Juan has become a recognized speaker
on issues of youth violence. He was recently selected by The
Outdoor Industry Foundation as an Outdoor Idol, where he serves
as an ambassador to the outdoor industry. Juan
graduated from City College where he obtained a degree in Chicano Studies.
|
 |
Angel CadenaInstructor
Angel has been involved with Outdoor Outreach
since his senior year at Gompers High School.
As a participant in the Gompers Adventure Club,
he caught the "stoke" and was instantly hooked
on rock climbing, snowboarding and surfing.
His natural leadership abilities and strong work
ethic made him an excellent candidate for the
leadership development program, LEAD, and he has
been an active participant in that since January
2007. He currently works part-time as an
instructor for Outdoor Outreach and is a full-time student at San Diego City College, pursuing
a degree in Computer Engineering. Angel also works
as a mentor in an after-school program at
Lincoln High School, where he inspires up-and-coming teens to dream big and work hard to
achieve their goals.
|
|
|
Jesse DelgadoInstructor
Bio Coming Soon |
 |
Ryan HudsonInstructor
Ryan is a 7 year veteran at Outdoor Outreach.
After being introduced to the program through
the Toussaint Academy, he became one of the
first graduates of the Leadership Program.
During the summer he is a full time Surf
Instructor, but when the winter time comes he
breaks out of his natural boundaries and heads
to the Wasatch Mountain range in Utah. As an
aspiring snowboarder, Ryan spends his winters in
Little Cottonwood Canyon training to reach his
goal as a professional snowboarder. He's already
caught the eye of some supporting companies
like, Vans, Pro-Tec, and Gramicci Clothing. Here
at home he is a role model for his generation
and all kids with a similar troubled background.
Ryan is proud and grateful to be a part of the
Outdoor Outreach Program, it is his second
family. "I knew from the moment I began my work
with Outdoor Outreach that my life was only
going to move forward and I have Chris Rutgers
to thank for that.” |
 |
Sunny ChangInstructor
Sunny's first contact with Outdoor Outreach
was through a fundraiser in '09. After speaking
with supportive and positive staff members, she
knew she wanted to be a part of the team. With a
strong passion for the outdoors, Sunny realized
the benefits of using experiential learning to
engage youth and build resiliency. After
graduating from UCSC with a double major in
Sociology and Wilderness Therapy, she has worked
with several youth organizations, leading
adventure activities, backpacking trips and
challenge courses. When Sunny's not instructing,
she's out playing in water, snow or rocks.
|
 |
Latisha ParkerInstructor
Latisha was originally a member of the
Gompers High School Adventure Club. She
has a contagious positive energy that really
made her stand out as a candidate for the LEAD
program and now she loves the fact that she can
call surfing, snowboarding and rock climbing
work! She is consistently pushing herself
to grow in her facilitation and leadership
abilities and brings so much sunshine onto
Outdoor Outreach trips. Latisha is fluent
in ASL (American Sign Language) and is currently
taking classes at San Diego City College on top
of her part-time career as an Outdoor Outreach
instructor.
|
 |
Cody MarshallInstructor
Cody first participated in Outdoor Outreach
trips through the Toussaint Teen Center almost
five
years ago. Throughout that time, he has
developed a huge passion for outdoor activities
and loves being able to share that enthusiasm
with new participants. These
characteristics made him a great match for the
LEAD program and he has been involved with
Outdoor Outreach in this capacity since January
2007. He loves snowboarding almost as much
as the Chargers and is continuing to fine-tune
his abilities as an instructor on all types of
Outdoor Outreach trips. He is currently a
senior at Lincoln High School and is working
hard toward his goal of attending a four-year
university next fall.
|
 |
Josh Jackson has fervor for both outdoor
recreation and teaching, and he has spent over a
decade trying to marry his passions. Josh
has worked as a climbing, river and mountain
guide throughout the West and Alaska. He
has his BA in adventure education
and wilderness leadership from Prescott College
and an MA in outdoor experiential education
from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.
Josh is a Wilderness EMT who has been active in
search and rescue. In addition to working as
an Outward Bound instructor, climbing-gym
manager, wilderness therapy facilitator, field
program manager, and a Wilderness Medical
Associates' instructor, he has served as adjunct
faculty at colleges and universities, teaching
such courses as expeditionary sea kayaking,
white water rafting, rock climbing, back country
skiing, ice climbing, surfing, map & compass,
winter camping, wilderness leadership and
wilderness first responder. |
 |
Patrick Carey
Senior Instructor
Patrick Carey joined Outdoor Outreach in May of 2009. Patrick graduated from CSU Chico with a degree in Criminal Justice. While attending Chico State Patrick worked as a snowboarding instructor at Boreal Mountain Resort in Tahoe. A certified EMT and Member of San Diego Mountain Rescue Team, Patrick is a valued member of the Outdoor Outreach field staff. In his spare time he likes to snowboard, mountain bike, rock climb, backpack, surf, and fish. |
| |
Special
Forces |
 |
RamseySecurity Manager
Ramsey joins us with three years' experience as an urban search-and-rescue dog. Retired at the young age of
four, he now presides
over the golden hill neighborhood. Ramsey
has had the award for "Most Loyal Friend"
bestowed upon him by the local chapter of Tots-Zero
to Five,
where he is actively pursuing his BA in bilingual childcare.
|
|
